Securities Act Registration No. 333-181176
Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-22696
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 28, 2015
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 x
o Pre-Effective Amendment No.
x Post-Effective Amendment No. 41
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 x
x Amendment No. 44
Victory Portfolios II
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4 th Floor, Brooklyn, OH 44144
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)
(877) 660-4400
(Registrants Telephone Number, including Area Code)
The Corporation Trust Company
1209 Orange Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
With copy to:
Jay G. Baris
Morrison & Foerster LLP
250 West 55 th Street
New York, New York, 10019
212-468-8053 (phone)
Approximate date of proposed public offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of the Registration Statement.
It is proposed that this filing will become effective:
x |
Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) |
o |
On (date) 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. |
If appropriate, check the following box:
o This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund
(formerly Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund)
Class A CFLAX
Class C CFLCX
Class I CFLIX
Class R6 CFLHX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
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Investment Objective |
1 |
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Fees and Expenses |
1 |
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Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
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Principal Risks |
3 |
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Investment Performance |
4 |
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Management of the Fund |
5 |
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
6 |
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Tax Information |
6 |
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Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
6 |
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Additional Fund Information |
7 |
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Investments |
8 |
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Risk Factors |
9 |
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Investing with Victory |
11 |
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Organization and Management of the Fund |
12 |
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Share Price |
13 |
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Choosing a Share Class |
14 |
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How to Buy Shares |
19 |
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How to Exchange Shares |
23 |
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How to Sell Shares |
25 |
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Distribution and Service Plans |
27 |
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Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
28 |
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Important Fund Policies |
30 |
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Other Service Providers |
33 |
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Financial Highlights |
34 |
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Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Weighted Index Fund |
35 |
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 11 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
Class R6 |
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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 the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
NONE |
||||||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
|||||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.34 |
% |
0.27 |
% |
0.32 |
% |
0.30 |
% |
|||||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.29 |
% |
1.97 |
% |
1.02 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
|||||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
(0.30 |
)% |
(0.23 |
)% |
(0.28 |
)% |
(0.26 |
)% |
|||||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
0.99 |
% |
1.74 |
% |
0.74 |
% |
0.74 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees. Expenses for Class R6 shares are estimated for the current fiscal year because Class R6 shares are new as of the date of this prospectus.
3 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.20%, 1.95%, and 0.95% of the Fund's Class A, Class C, and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.99%, 1.74%, 0.74%, and 0.74% of the Fund's Class A, Class C, Class I and Class R6 shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
670 |
$ |
928 |
$ |
1,210 |
$ |
2,013 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
277 |
$ |
595 |
$ |
1,040 |
$ |
2,276 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
76 |
$ |
293 |
$ |
532 |
$ |
1,219 |
|||||||||||
Class R6 |
$ |
76 |
$ |
293 |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
177 |
$ |
595 |
$ |
1,040 |
$ |
2,276 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 34.3% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in the stock of the issuers included in the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:
1. The Index universe begins with all publicly traded U.S. stocks and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.
2. The Index identifies the 500 largest U.S. stocks by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.
3. The remaining 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.
The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2015, the Index had a market capitalization range from $1.6 billion to $629.0 billion.
The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all of the stocks in the Index.
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
3
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Index and to the S&P 500 Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Past performance information is not presented for Class R6 shares as the share class does not yet have a full calendar year of performance history.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 3/31/13 12.32%
Worst Quarter: 9/30/14 -0.93%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -5.12%
4
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
5.16 |
% |
18.58 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
2.42 |
% |
16.75 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
3.90 |
% |
13.92 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
10.83 |
% |
21.03 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
11.97 |
% |
22.29 |
% |
|||||||
CEMP US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
12.98 |
% |
23.71 |
% |
|||||||
S&P 500 Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
13.69 |
% |
23.11 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
5
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes except Class R6. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
6
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), which has been developed by the Adviser. The Fund does not try to outperform the Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the securities comprising the Index.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors the Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in index futures or shares of other investment companies, such as money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
7
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
8
Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund. The Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, which may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of the Index. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to prevent or mitigate these potential conflicts. There is no assurance that the Index will be compiled or calculated accurately.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
9
Risk Factors (continued)
is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
10
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C, Class I or Class R6 shares of the Fund. Class I and Class R6 shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
11
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.70% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
12
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
13
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all classes except Class R6 shares.
CLASS R6
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class R6 shares do not pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class R6 shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
14
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C, Class I and Class R6 shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares. In addition to the different share classes, the Fund's investment objective and investment strategies are substantially similar to those of an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") for which Victory Capital serves as investment adviser. The ETF's net operating expenses may be less than those of the Fund's share classes. However, shares of ETF may be purchased and sold only on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer at the current market price. For more information about the ETFs, including fees and expenses, call 1-866-376-7890 for a free prospectus, or visit www.CompassEMPFunds.com. Consult your financial adviser to determine whether shares of the Fund or its corresponding ETF are more appropriate for you.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R6 Shares
Class R6 shares may only be purchased by:
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I or Class R6 shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I and Class R6 shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
19
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
Keep these addresses handy
for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
22
How to Exchange Shares
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 -or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
23
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
24
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
25
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
26
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
Except with respect to Class R6 shares, the Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
No compensation, administrative payments, sub-transfer agency payments or service payments are paid to broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries from Fund assets or the Adviser's or an affiliate's resources on sales of or investments in, Class R6 shares.
27
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e. , dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend
28
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
29
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
30
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
31
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
32
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
33
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
No information is presented for Class R6 of the Fund as the share class is new as of the date of this Prospectus.
34
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
14.17 |
$ |
11.72 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.10 |
0.08 |
0.06 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.71 |
2.59 |
1.72 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.81 |
2.67 |
1.78 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.10 |
) |
(0.17 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(1.11 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total distributions |
(1.21 |
) |
(0.22 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
13.77 |
$ |
14.17 |
$ |
11.72 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
6.18 |
% |
23.00 |
% |
17.86 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
18,665 |
$ |
20,163 |
$ |
11,641 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.40 |
% |
1.34 |
% |
1.63 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.18 |
% |
1.20 |
% |
1.20 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement |
0.45 |
% |
0.51 |
% |
0.49 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.67 |
% |
0.65 |
% |
0.92 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
34.32 |
% |
34.08 |
% |
14.88 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
35
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
14.06 |
$ |
11.68 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) 2 |
(0.00 |
) 3 |
(0.01 |
) |
0.01 |
||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.69 |
2.57 |
1.72 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.69 |
2.56 |
1.73 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.01 |
) |
(0.13 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(1.11 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total distributions |
(1.12 |
) |
(0.18 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
13.63 |
$ |
14.06 |
$ |
11.68 |
|||||||||
Total return 4 |
5.36 |
% |
22.13 |
% |
17.28 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
1,629 |
$ |
833 |
$ |
32 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
2.15 |
% |
2.09 |
% |
2.38 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.93 |
% |
1.95 |
% |
1.95 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement |
(0.26 |
)% |
(0.24 |
)% |
(0.30 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net waiver/reimbursement |
(0.04 |
)% |
(0.10 |
)% |
0.13 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
34.32 |
% |
34.08 |
% |
14.88 |
% 5 |
1 The Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Amount is less than $0.01 per share.
4 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
5 Not annualized.
6 Annualized.
36
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
14.19 |
$ |
11.73 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.13 |
0.12 |
0.07 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.72 |
2.59 |
1.73 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.85 |
2.71 |
1.80 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.13 |
) |
(0.20 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(1.11 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total distributions |
(1.24 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
13.80 |
$ |
14.19 |
$ |
11.73 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
6.51 |
% |
23.36 |
% |
18.07 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
13,194 |
$ |
26,962 |
$ |
1,221 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.15 |
% |
1.09 |
% |
1.38 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.93 |
% |
0.95 |
% |
0.95 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement |
0.70 |
% |
0.76 |
% |
0.53 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.92 |
% |
0.90 |
% |
0.96 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
34.32 |
% |
34.08 |
% |
14.88 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
37
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40
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42
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43
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-USVWI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund
(formerly Compass EMP U.S. Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund)
Class A CHSAX
Class C CHSCX
Class I CHSIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
4 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
5 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
6 |
||||||
Tax Information |
6 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial
Intermediaries |
6 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
7 |
||||||
Investments |
8 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
9 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
11 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
12 |
||||||
Share Price |
13 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
14 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
18 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
22 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
24 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
26 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
27 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
29 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
32 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
33 |
||||||
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility
Wtd Index Fund |
34 |
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 11 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.64 |
% |
0.41 |
% |
0.38 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.59 |
% |
2.11 |
% |
1.08 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
(0.60 |
)% |
(0.37 |
)% |
(0.34 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 3 |
0.99 |
% |
1.74 |
% |
0.74 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.25%, 2.00%, and 1.00% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.99%, 1.74%, and 0.74% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
670 |
$ |
976 |
$ |
1,321 |
$ |
2,293 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
277 |
$ |
620 |
$ |
1,095 |
$ |
2,408 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
76 |
$ |
306 |
$ |
558 |
$ |
1,283 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
177 |
$ |
620 |
$ |
1,095 |
$ |
2,408 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 53.3% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in the stock of the issuers included in the CEMP US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:
1. The Index universe begins with all publicly traded U.S. stocks and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.
2. The Index identifies the 500 largest U.S companies with market capitalizations of less than $3 billion measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.
3. The remaining 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.
The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2015, the Index had a market capitalization range from $108.8 million to $3.4 billion.
The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all of the stocks in the Index.
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.
n Small Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of medium sized companies tend to be more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. The stocks of mid-cap companies may have a lower trading volume than those of large-cap companies.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
3
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Index and to the Russell 2000 Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 3/31/13 11.23%
Worst Quarter: 9/30/14 -7.04%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -6.35%
4
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-1.98 |
% |
19.60 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-4.79 |
% |
16.75 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-0.38 |
% |
14.17 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
3.21 |
% |
22.12 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
4.25 |
% |
23.36 |
% |
|||||||
CEMP US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
5.26 |
% |
25.55 |
% |
|||||||
Russell 2000 Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
4.89 |
% |
23.54 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
5
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
6
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the CEMP US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), which has been developed by the Adviser. The Fund does not try to outperform the Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the securities comprising the Index.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors the Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in index futures or shares of other investment companies, such as money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
7
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
8
Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Small-Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small sized companies tend to be more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. The stocks of smaller cap companies may have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund. The Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, which may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of the Index. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to prevent or mitigate these potential conflicts. There is no assurance that the Index will be compiled or calculated accurately.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
9
Risk Factors (continued)
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
10
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
11
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.70% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
12
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
13
Choosing a Share Class
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares. In addition to the different share classes, the Fund's investment objective and investment strategies are substantially similar to those of an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") for which Victory Capital serves as investment adviser. The ETF's net operating expenses may be less than those of the Fund's share classes. However, shares of ETF may be purchased and sold only on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer at the current market price. For more information about the ETFs, including fees and expenses, call 1-866-376-7890 for a free prospectus, or visit www.CompassEMPFunds.com. Consult your financial adviser to
14
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
determine whether shares of the Fund or its corresponding ETF are more appropriate for you.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
17
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares , you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
18
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
19
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
21
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
22
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
23
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
24
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
25
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
26
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" (i.e., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
27
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
28
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
29
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price, to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
30
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
31
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
32
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
33
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
14.26 |
$ |
12.14 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from Investment Operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.07 |
0.06 |
0.05 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.65 |
2.80 |
2.15 |
||||||||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
0.72 |
2.86 |
2.20 |
||||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.63 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(1.13 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total Distributions |
(1.20 |
) |
(0.74 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|||||||||
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$ |
13.78 |
$ |
14.26 |
$ |
12.14 |
|||||||||
Total Return 3 |
5.81 |
% |
23.88 |
% |
22.04 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
11,344 |
$ |
7,705 |
$ |
3,889 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.59 |
% |
1.65 |
% |
2.20 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.23 |
% |
1.25 |
% |
1.25 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement |
0.12 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
(0.22 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.48 |
% |
0.41 |
% |
0.73 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
53.28 |
% |
69.43 |
% |
25.25 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass U.S. Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
34
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
14.18 |
$ |
12.09 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment loss 2 |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
|||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.68 |
2.82 |
2.17 |
||||||||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
0.65 |
2.78 |
2.13 |
||||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.00 |
) 3 |
(0.58 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(1.13 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total Distributions |
(1.13 |
) |
(0.69 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
|||||||||
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$ |
13.70 |
$ |
14.18 |
$ |
12.09 |
|||||||||
Total Return 4 |
5.35 |
% |
23.21 |
% |
21.36 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
2,128 |
$ |
1,584 |
$ |
204 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
2.34 |
% |
2.40 |
% |
2.95 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.98 |
% |
2.00 |
% |
2.00 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement |
(0.62 |
)% |
(0.74 |
)% |
(1.56 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, net waiver/reimbursement |
(0.26 |
)% |
(0.34 |
)% |
(0.61 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
53.28 |
% |
69.43 |
% |
25.25 |
% 5 |
1 The Compass U.S. Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.
4 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
5 Not annualized.
6 Annualized.
35
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
14.29 |
$ |
12.15 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from Investment Operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.09 |
0.09 |
0.03 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.68 |
2.83 |
2.18 |
||||||||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
0.77 |
2.92 |
2.21 |
||||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.10 |
) |
(0.67 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(1.13 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total Distributions |
(1.23 |
) |
(0.78 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|||||||||
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$ |
13.83 |
$ |
14.29 |
$ |
12.15 |
|||||||||
Total Return 3 |
6.20 |
% |
24.32 |
% |
22.21 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
4,133 |
$ |
10,327 |
$ |
1,594 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.34 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.95 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.98 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
1.00 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement |
0.32 |
% |
0.26 |
% |
(0.51 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.68 |
% |
0.66 |
% |
0.44 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
53.28 |
% |
69.43 |
% |
25.25 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass U.S. Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
36
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-USSCVWI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund
(formerly Compass EMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Fund)
Class A CTIAX
Class C CTICX
Class I CTIIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 |
||||||
Tax Information |
7 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial
Intermediaries |
7 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 |
||||||
Investments |
9 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
10 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
12 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
13 |
||||||
Share Price |
14 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
15 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
19 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
23 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
25 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
27 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
28 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
29 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
32 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
33 |
||||||
Victory CEMP International Volatility
Wtd Index Fund |
34 |
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 12 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.56 |
% |
0.48 |
% |
0.55 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.61 |
% |
2.28 |
% |
1.35 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
(0.51 |
)% |
(0.43 |
)% |
(0.50 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 3 |
1.10 |
% |
1.85 |
% |
0.85 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.41%, 2.16%, and 1.16% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10%, 1.85%, and 0.85% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
681 |
$ |
997 |
$ |
1,346 |
$ |
2,327 |
|||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
288 |
$ |
665 |
$ |
1,175 |
$ |
2,577 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
87 |
$ |
368 |
$ |
682 |
$ |
1,572 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
188 |
$ |
665 |
$ |
1,175 |
$ |
2,577 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 37.6% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in the stock of the issuers included in the CEMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser
The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:
1. The Index universe begins with all publicly traded foreign companies and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.
2. The Index identifies the 500 largest foreign companies by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.
3. The remaining 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.
The Index considers foreign companies to be those that are domiciled in a developed country (excluding the U.S. and emerging markets) and whose stock trades on a foreign exchange. Representative developed markets include Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia.
The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular country to 20% and any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2015, the Index had a market capitalization range from $3.7 billion to $244.9 billion.
The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Foreign Investment Risk.
n Foreign Exposure Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV that would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.
3
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Index and to the MSCI EAFE Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 9/30/13 9.24%
Worst Quarter: 9/30/14 -5.64%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -6.50%
5
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-7.01 |
% |
8.41 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-9.53 |
% |
6.14 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-3.48 |
% |
5.64 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
-2.08 |
% |
10.68 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
-1.12 |
% |
11.77 |
% |
|||||||
CEMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
0.07 |
% |
14.67 |
% |
|||||||
MSCI EAFE Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-4.48 |
% |
12.76 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
6
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the CEMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), which has been developed by the Adviser. The Fund does not try to outperform the Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the securities comprising the Index.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors the Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in index futures or shares of other investment companies, such as money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Equity Securities of Foreign Companies
Can include common stock and convertible preferred stock of non-U.S. corporations. Also may include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), which are receipts issued by a bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
9
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Foreign Investment Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Foreign Exchanges Risk: The Fund may place trades on exchanges in foreign markets. Regulations of U.S. governmental agencies may not apply to transactions on foreign markets. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals' markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.
n Currency Risk. Although each Fund will report its net asset value and pay dividends in U.S. dollars, when a Fund invests on a foreign exchange in foreign currency denominated or foreign currency-linked securities, the Fund will be exposed to currency risk. This means that the Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund. The Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, which may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of the Index. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to prevent or mitigate these potential conflicts. There is no assurance that the Index will be compiled or calculated accurately.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling strategy will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with one or a small number of issuers of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's representative sampling strategy can be expected to produce a greater tracking risk than a replication strategy.
10
Risk Factors (continued)
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
11
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
12
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.80% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From
2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
13
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
14
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares. In addition to the different share classes, the Fund's investment objective and investment strategies are substantially similar to those of an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") for which Victory Capital serves as investment adviser. The ETF's net operating expenses may be less than those of the Fund's share classes. However, shares of ETF may be purchased and sold only on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer at the current market price. For more information about the ETFs, including fees and expenses, call 1-866-376-7890 for a free prospectus, or visit www.CompassEMPFunds.com. Consult your financial adviser to
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
determine whether shares of the Fund or its corresponding ETF are more appropriate for you.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares , you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
19
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
22
How to Exchange Shares
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
23
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
24
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
25
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
26
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
27
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
28
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
29
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price, to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
30
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
31
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
32
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
33
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
12.87 |
$ |
10.88 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.14 |
0.12 |
0.15 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.72 |
) |
2.38 |
0.87 |
|||||||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
(0.58 |
) |
2.50 |
1.02 |
|||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.14 |
) |
(0.46 |
) |
(0.14 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.73 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total Distributions |
(0.87 |
) |
(0.51 |
) |
(0.14 |
) |
|||||||||
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$ |
11.42 |
$ |
12.87 |
$ |
10.88 |
|||||||||
Total Return 3 |
(4.16 |
)% |
23.43 |
% |
10.23 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
11,348 |
$ |
13,073 |
$ |
8,274 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.95 |
% |
1.86 |
% |
3.67 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.37 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.40 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement |
0.55 |
% |
0.57 |
% |
(0.08 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.13 |
% |
1.03 |
% |
2.19 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
37.59 |
% |
90.18 |
% |
27.47 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
34
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
12.83 |
$ |
10.87 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.05 |
0.13 |
0.22 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.72 |
) |
2.27 |
0.76 |
|||||||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
(0.67 |
) |
2.40 |
0.98 |
|||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.39 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.73 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total Distributions |
(0.80 |
) |
(0.44 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
|||||||||
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$ |
11.36 |
$ |
12.83 |
$ |
10.87 |
|||||||||
Total Return 3 |
(4.89 |
)% |
22.49 |
% |
9.79 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
138 |
$ |
141 |
$ |
18 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
2.70 |
% |
2.61 |
% |
4.42 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
2.12 |
% |
2.15 |
% |
2.15 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement |
(0.16 |
)% |
0.63 |
% |
0.95 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.42 |
% |
1.09 |
% |
3.22 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
37.59 |
% |
90.18 |
% |
27.47 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
35
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
12.88 |
$ |
10.89 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.14 |
0.16 |
0.24 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.69 |
) |
2.37 |
0.80 |
|||||||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
(0.55 |
) |
2.53 |
1.04 |
|||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.17 |
) |
(0.49 |
) |
(0.15 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.73 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total Distributions |
(0.90 |
) |
(0.54 |
) |
(0.15 |
) |
|||||||||
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$ |
11.43 |
$ |
12.88 |
$ |
10.89 |
|||||||||
Total Return 3 |
(3.91 |
)% |
23.70 |
% |
10.42 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
9,223 |
$ |
22,932 |
$ |
8 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.70 |
% |
1.61 |
% |
3.42 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.12 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement |
0.57 |
% |
0.86 |
% |
1.19 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.15 |
% |
1.32 |
% |
3.46 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
37.59 |
% |
90.18 |
% |
27.47 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
36
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-IVWI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Fund)
Class A CMKAX
Class C CMKCX
Class I CMKIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 |
||||||
Tax Information |
7 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial
Intermediaries |
7 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 | ||||||
Investments |
9 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
10 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
12 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
13 |
||||||
Share Price |
14 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
15 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
20 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
24 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
26 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
28 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
29 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
31 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
34 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
35 |
||||||
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility
Wtd Index Fund |
36 |
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility
Wtd Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 12 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.85 |
% |
0.85 |
% |
0.85 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
1.50 |
% |
1.37 |
% |
1.54 |
% |
|||||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.08 |
% |
0.08 |
% |
0.08 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
2.68 |
% |
3.30 |
% |
2.47 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 4 |
(1.45 |
)% |
(1.32 |
)% |
(1.49 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 4 |
1.23 |
% |
1.98 |
% |
0.98 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.51%, 2.26%, and 1.26% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.15%, 1.90%, and 0.90% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
693 |
$ |
1,178 |
$ |
1,742 |
$ |
3,273 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(if you sell your shares at the end of the period) |
$ |
301 |
$ |
845 |
$ |
1,564 |
$ |
3,470 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
100 |
$ |
569 |
$ |
1,126 |
$ |
2,647 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
201 |
$ |
845 |
$ |
1,564 |
$ |
3,470 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 75.8% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets directly or indirectly in the stock of the issuers included in the CEMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:
1. The Index universe begins with all publicly traded companies in emerging market countries and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.
2. The Index identifies up to the 500 largest emerging market companies by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.
3. The remaining 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.
The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25% and to any particular country to 20%. The Index may include fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2015, the Index had a market capitalization range from $331.8 million to $159.8 billion.
The Index considers emerging market companies to be those that are domiciled in an emerging market country and whose stock trades on a foreign exchange. Emerging markets are generally those with a less-developed economy and per capita income significantly lower than the U.S. or other developed countries. Representative emerging market countries include China (Asia), Brazil (South America), Russia (Europe and Asia), India (Asia) and Egypt (Africa).
The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange traded funds ("ETFs"), in order to access a particular asset class or market.
The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Foreign Investment Risk.
n Foreign Exposure Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Emerging Markets Risk. All of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities are increased in connection with investments in emerging markets securities. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less developed legal systems which do not protect securities holders. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.
3
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Investment Company Risk. Other investment companies, including ETFs, in which the Fund may invest are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective.
n Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures. Small-sized companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Index and to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 6/30/14 6.74%
Worst Quarter: 6/30/13 -7.73%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -15.39%
5
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-4.88 |
% |
-1.93 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-5.22 |
% |
-2.20 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-2.76 |
% |
-1.55 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
0.14 |
% |
0.12 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
1.17 |
% |
1.05 |
% |
|||||||
CEMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
4.14 |
% |
4.63 |
% |
|||||||
MSCI Emerging Markets Index
1
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-1.82 |
% |
1.37 |
% |
|||||||
Dow Jones Emerging Markets Index
1
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-0.43 |
% |
3.44 |
% |
1 The Fund has selected the MSCI Emerging Markets Index as a benchmark in place of the Dow Jones Emerging Markets Index because the Adviser believes the MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a more widely used benchmark of emerging market performance.
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
6
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies.
Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), which has been developed by the Adviser. The Fund does not try to outperform the Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the securities comprising the Index.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors the Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in index futures or shares of other investment companies such as money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause a Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Equity Securities of Foreign Companies
Can include common stock and convertible preferred stock of non-U.S. corporations. Also may include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), which are receipts issued by a bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
9
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Foreign Investment Risk. Foreign securities, including ADRs and GDRs, tend to be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. securities. Further, foreign securities may be subject to additional risks not associated with investment in U.S. securities due to differences in the economic and political environment, the amount of available public information, the degree of market regulation, and financial reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and, in the case of foreign currency denominated securities, fluctuations in currency exchange rates. In addition, during periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity or the closure of the primary market on which the security is traded.
n Foreign Exchanges Risk: The Fund may place trades on exchanges in foreign markets. Regulations of US governmental agencies may not apply to transactions on foreign markets. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to US exchanges, are so-called principals' markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.
n Emerging Markets Risk: As compared to developed countries, emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems which do not protect securities holders. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.
n Currency Risk: Although each Fund will report its net asset value and pay dividends in US dollars, when a Fund invests on a foreign exchange in foreign currency denominated or foreign currency-linked securities, the Fund will be exposed to currency risk. This means that the Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
n Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to their respective Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, their respective Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market
10
Risk Factors (continued)
conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund. The Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, which may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of the Index. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to prevent or mitigate these potential conflicts. There is no assurance that the Index will be compiled or calculated accurately.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling strategy will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with one or a small number of issuers of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures. Small-sized companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's representative sampling strategy can be expected to produce a greater tracking risk than a replication strategy.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
11
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
12
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.85 % of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
13
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
14
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares. In addition to the different share classes, the Fund's investment objective and investment strategies are substantially similar to those of an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") for which Victory Capital serves as investment adviser. The ETF's net operating expenses may be less than those of the Fund's share classes. However, shares of ETF may be purchased and sold only on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer at the current market price. For more information about the ETFs, including fees and expenses, call 1-866-376-7890 for a
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
free prospectus, or visit www.CompassEMPFunds.com. Consult your financial adviser to determine whether shares of the Fund or its corresponding ETF are more appropriate for you.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
19
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares , you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
22
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
23
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
24
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
25
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature
guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly,
26
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
n During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
n When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
n When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
27
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
28
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e. , dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
29
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
30
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
31
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
32
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
33
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, Ttd., 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
34
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
35
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
10.70 |
$ |
9.74 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.10 |
0.07 |
0.08 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.83 |
) |
0.96 |
(0.28 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.73 |
) |
1.03 |
(0.20 |
) |
||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.09 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.09 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.88 |
$ |
10.70 |
$ |
9.74 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(6.79 |
)% |
10.57 |
% |
(1.97 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
8,555 |
$ |
9,531 |
$ |
3,207 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
2.64 |
% |
3.37 |
% |
8.32 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.41 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
1.45 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement |
(0.26 |
)% |
(1.25 |
)% |
(5.69 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.97 |
% |
0.67 |
% |
1.18 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
75.81 |
% |
48.99 |
% |
25.32 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
36
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
10.63 |
$ |
9.72 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) 2 |
0.01 |
(0.01 |
) |
0.10 |
|||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.80 |
) |
0.96 |
(0.33 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.79 |
) |
0.95 |
(0.23 |
) |
||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.81 |
$ |
10.63 |
$ |
9.72 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(7.46 |
)% |
9.77 |
% |
(2.35 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
1,660 |
$ |
1,602 |
$ |
209 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
3.39 |
% |
4.12 |
% |
9.07 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
2.16 |
% |
2.20 |
% |
2.20 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement |
(1.11 |
)% |
(2.00 |
)% |
(5.40 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net waiver/reimbursement |
0.12 |
% |
(0.08 |
)% |
1.47 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
75.81 |
% |
48.99 |
% |
25.32 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
37
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
10.70 |
$ |
9.75 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.11 |
0.09 |
0.14 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.80 |
) |
0.95 |
(0.32 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.69 |
) |
1.04 |
(0.18 |
) |
||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.12 |
) |
(0.09 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
|||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.12 |
) |
(0.09 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.89 |
$ |
10.70 |
$ |
9.75 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(6.46 |
)% |
10.68 |
% |
(1.79 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
9,556 |
$ |
8,236 |
$ |
970 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
2.39 |
% |
3.12 |
% |
8.07 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.16 |
% |
1.20 |
% |
1.20 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement |
(0.21 |
)% |
(1.00 |
)% |
(4.81 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.02 |
% |
0.92 |
% |
2.06 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
75.81 |
% |
48.99 |
% |
25.32 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
38
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-EMVWI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
(formerly Compass EMP U.S. 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund)
Class A CUHAX
Class C CUHCX
Class I CUHIX
Class R6 CUHRX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
4 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 |
||||||
Tax Information |
7 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
7 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 |
||||||
Investments |
9 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
10 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
12 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
13 |
||||||
Share Price |
14 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
15 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
20 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
24 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
26 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
28 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
29 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
31 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
34 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
35 |
||||||
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
36 |
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 12 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
Class R6 |
|||||||||||||||
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 the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
NONE |
||||||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
|||||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.26 |
% |
0.23 |
% |
0.25 |
% |
0.20 |
% |
|||||||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.01 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
|||||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.22 |
% |
1.94 |
% |
0.96 |
% |
0.91 |
% |
|||||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 4 |
(0.22 |
)% |
(0.19 |
)% |
(0.21 |
)% |
(0.16 |
)% |
|||||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 4 |
1.00 |
% |
1.75 |
% |
0.75 |
% |
0.75 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees. Expenses for Class R6 shares are estimated for the current fiscal year because Class R6 shares are new as of the date of this Prospectus.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.60%, 2.35%, and 1.35% of the Fund's Class A, Class C, and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.99%, 1.74%, 0.74% and 0.74% of the Fund's Class A, Class C, Class I, and Class R6 shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
671 |
$ |
919 |
$ |
1,187 |
$ |
1,949 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
278 |
$ |
591 |
$ |
1,029 |
$ |
2,249 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
77 |
$ |
285 |
$ |
510 |
$ |
1,159 |
|||||||||||
Class R6 |
$ |
77 |
$ |
274 |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C
(If you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
178 |
$ |
591 |
$ |
1,029 |
$ |
2,249 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 48.1% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in the stock of the issuers included in the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. In accordance with a rules-based mathematical formula, the Index tactically reduces its exposure to the equity markets during periods of significant market decline and reinvests when market prices have further declined or rebounded. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to a feature of the Index that is designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through this defensive positioning, as described below.
The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:
1. The Index universe begins with all publicly traded U.S. stocks and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.
2. The Index identifies the 500 largest U.S. stocks by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.
3. The remaining 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.
The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2015, the Index had a market capitalization range from $1.6 billion to $629.0 billion.
The Index follows a mathematical index construction process designed to limit risk during periods of significant (non-normal) market decline by reducing its exposure to the equity market. Market decline is measured by reference to the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index ("Reference Index"), which is composed of the same securities as in the Index but without any allocation to cash.
During any periods of significant market decline, defined as a decline of 10% or more from the Reference Index's all-time daily high closing value compared to its most recent month-end closing value, the Index's exposure to the market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.
If the value of the Reference Index declines 10% or more, the Index will liquidate 75% of the stocks included in the Index and invest the cash in 30-day Treasury bills.
The Index will reinvest in stocks as follows:
n The Index will return to being 100% invested in stocks if the month-end closing value of the stocks in the Reference Index returns to a level that is less than a 10% decline from its all-time daily high closing value.
n If the Reference Index declines by 20% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 30% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, another 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 40% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, the remaining 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weighting and the Index will then be 100% invested in stocks.
The Index will make any prescribed liquidation or reinvestment in stocks in accordance with the mathematical formula only at month end.
During any periods of significant market decline, when the Index's exposure to the market is less than 100%, the uninvested portion of the Index will be invested in 30-day Treasury bills. The Fund will invest the portion of its portfolio corresponding to the uninvested portion of the Index in 30-day Treasury bills or an equivalent investment, such as money market funds, short-term government bonds and/or commercial paper.
The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all of the stocks in the Index.
3
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Index/Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Index's prescribed liquidation and reinvestment strategy, if employed, will be successful.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Performance
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Index and to the S&P 500 Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Past performance information is not presented for Class R6 shares as the share class does not yet have a full calendar year of performance history.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 3/31/13 12.21%
Worst Quarter: 9/30/14 -0.99%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -5.23%
5
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
4.66 |
% |
18.02 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
3.15 |
% |
16.95 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
3.56 |
% |
13.81 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
10.30 |
% |
20.49 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
11.35 |
% |
21.65 |
% |
|||||||
CEMP US Large Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
12.98 |
% |
23.71 |
% |
|||||||
S&P 500 Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
13.69 |
% |
23.11 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
6
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes except Class R6. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), which has been developed by the Adviser. The Fund does not try to outperform the Index. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the securities comprising the Index.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors the Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.
From time to time, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions based on the construction of the Index, which is designed to respond to periods of market decline. During periods of market decline, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in 30-day Treasury bills or an equivalent investment, such as money market funds, short-term government bonds and/or commercial paper. During such times, the Fund would not benefit from any market appreciation.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in index futures or shares of other investment companies, such as money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
U.S. Government Securities
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
Commercial Paper
Unsecured short-term obligations issued by banks, corporations, broker dealers and other entities to finance their current operations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives.
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies.
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Securities Lending.
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
9
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Index/Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not be able to immediately react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. During temporary periods that the Fund is invested in fixed income investments, the Fund would not benefit from any upswing in the equity markets. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund, unless such defensive positions are also taken by the Index. The Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, which may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of the Index. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to prevent or mitigate these potential conflicts. There is no assurance that the Index will be compiled or calculated accurately.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
10
Risk Factors (continued)
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
11
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C, Class I or Class R6 shares of the Fund. Class I and Class R6 shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
12
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.70% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From
2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
13
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
14
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all classes except Class R6 shares.
CLASS R6
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class R6 shares do not pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class R6 shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C, Class I and Class R6 shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares. In addition to the different share classes, the Fund's investment objective and investment strategies are substantially similar to those of an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") for which Victory Capital serves as investment adviser. The ETF's net operating expenses may be less than those of the Fund's share classes. However, shares of ETF may be purchased and sold only on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer at the current market price. For more information about the ETFs, including fees and expenses, call 1-866-376-7890 for a free prospectus, or visit www.CompassEMPFunds.com. Consult your financial adviser to determine whether shares of the Fund or its corresponding ETF are more appropriate for you.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R6 Shares
Class R6 shares may only be purchased by:
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans.
19
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I or Class R6 shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I and Class R6 shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND(800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
22
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
23
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
24
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
25
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
26
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
27
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
Except with respect to Class R6 shares, the Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
No compensation, administrative payments, sub-transfer agency payments or service payments are paid to broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries from Fund assets or the Adviser's or an affiliate's resources on sales of or investments in, Class R6 shares.
28
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e ., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
29
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
30
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
31
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
32
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
33
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
34
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
No information is presented for Class R6 of the Fund as the share class is new as of the date of this Prospectus.
35
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
11.41 |
$ |
10.89 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.15 |
0.07 |
0.12 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.22 |
0.69 |
0.97 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.37 |
0.76 |
1.09 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.16 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.12 |
) |
|||||||||
In excess of net investment income |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.16 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Return of capital |
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.41 |
) |
(0.24 |
) |
(0.20 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.37 |
$ |
11.41 |
$ |
10.89 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
3.13 |
% |
7.14 |
% |
10.82 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
8,094 |
$ |
12,343 |
$ |
3,395 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.68 |
% |
1.67 |
% |
1.99 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.40 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.40 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.02 |
% |
0.40 |
% |
1.25 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.30 |
% |
0.67 |
% |
1.84 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
44.21 |
% |
62.60 |
% |
35.24 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP REC Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
36
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
11.36 |
$ |
10.88 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) 2 |
0.07 |
(0.01 |
) |
0.09 |
|||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.22 |
0.68 |
0.96 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.29 |
0.67 |
1.05 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.08 |
) |
|
(0.09 |
) |
||||||||||
In excess of net investment income |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.16 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Return of capital |
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.33 |
) |
(0.19 |
) |
(0.17 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.32 |
$ |
11.36 |
$ |
10.88 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
2.42 |
% |
6.25 |
% |
10.45 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
1,455 |
$ |
883 |
$ |
337 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
2.43 |
% |
2.42 |
% |
2.74 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
2.15 |
% |
2.15 |
% |
2.15 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement |
0.32 |
% |
(0.31 |
)% |
0.65 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net waiver/reimbursement |
0.60 |
% |
(0.04 |
)% |
1.24 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
44.21 |
% |
62.60 |
% |
35.24 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP REC Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
37
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
11.41 |
$ |
10.89 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.19 |
0.08 |
0.19 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.22 |
0.70 |
0.91 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.41 |
0.78 |
1.10 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.19 |
) |
(0.08 |
) |
(0.18 |
) |
|||||||||
In excess of net investment income |
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.16 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Return of capital |
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.44 |
) |
(0.26 |
) |
(0.21 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.38 |
$ |
11.41 |
$ |
10.89 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
3.47 |
% |
7.36 |
% |
11.00 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
9,805 |
$ |
15,199 |
$ |
608 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.43 |
% |
1.42 |
% |
1.74 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.27 |
% |
0.47 |
% |
1.97 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.55 |
% |
0.74 |
% |
2.56 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
44.21 |
% |
62.60 |
% |
35.24 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP REC Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
38
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39
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40
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41
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42
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43
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-USEVWI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
(formerly Compass EMP International 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund)
Class A CVHAX
Class C CVHCX
Class I CVHIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
4 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 |
||||||
Tax Information |
7 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
7 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 |
||||||
Investments |
9 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
10 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
12 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
13 |
||||||
Share Price |
14 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
15 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
19 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
22 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
24 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
26 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
27 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
29 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
32 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
33 |
||||||
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
34 |
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP International 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 12 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.36 |
% |
0.33 |
% |
0.39 |
% |
|||||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.01 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.42 |
% |
2.14 |
% |
1.20 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 4 |
(0.31 |
)% |
(0.28 |
)% |
(0.34 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 4 |
1.11 |
% |
1.86 |
% |
0.86 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase .
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.66%, 2.41%, and 1.41% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10%, 1.85%, and 0.85% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
682 |
$ |
970 |
$ |
1,279 |
$ |
2,154 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
289 |
$ |
643 |
$ |
1,124 |
$ |
2,450 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
88 |
$ |
347 |
$ |
627 |
$ |
1,424 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
189 |
$ |
643 |
$ |
1,124 |
$ |
2,450 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 52.5% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in the stock of the issuers included in the CEMP International 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. In accordance with a rules-based mathematical formula, the Index tactically reduces its exposure to the equity markets during periods of significant market decline and reinvests when market prices have further declined or rebounded. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to a feature of the Index that is designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through this defensive positioning, as described below.
The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:
1. The Index universe begins with all publicly traded foreign companies and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.
2. The Index identifies the 500 largest foreign companies by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.
3. The remaining 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.
The Index considers foreign companies to be those that are domiciled in a developed country (excluding the U.S. and emerging markets) and whose stock trades on a foreign exchange. Representative developed markets include Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia.
The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular country to 20% and any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2015, the Index had a market capitalization range from $3.7 billion to $244.9 billion.
The Index follows a mathematical index construction process designed to limit risk during periods of significant (non-normal) market decline by reducing its exposure to the equity market. Market decline is measured by reference to the CEMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Index ("Reference Index"), which is composed of the same securities as in the Index but without any allocation to cash.
During any periods of significant market decline, defined as a decline of 12% or more from the Reference Index's all-time daily high closing value compared to its most recent month-end closing value, the Index's exposure to the market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.
If the value of the Reference Index declines 12% or more, the Index will liquidate 75% of the stocks included in the Index and invest the cash in 30-day Treasury bills.
The Index will reinvest in stocks as follows:
n The Index will return to being 100% invested in stocks if the month-end closing value of the stocks in the Reference Index returns to a level that is less than a 12% decline from its all-time daily high closing value.
n If the Reference Index declines by 24% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 36% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, another 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 48% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, the remaining 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weighting and the Index will then be 100% invested in stocks.
The Index will make any prescribed liquidation or reinvestment in stocks in accordance with the mathematical formula only at month end.
During any period of significant market decline, when the Index's exposure to the market is less than 100%, the uninvested portion of the Index will be invested in 30-day Treasury bills. The Fund will invest the
3
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
portion of its portfolio corresponding to the uninvested portion of the Index in 30-day Treasury bills or an equivalent investment, such as money market funds, short-term government bonds and/or commercial paper.
The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Investment Risk.
n Foreign Exposure Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Index/Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Index's prescribed liquidation and reinvestment strategy, if employed, will be successful.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV that would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Index and to the MSCI EAFE Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 9/30/13 8.72%
Worst Quarter: 9/30/14 -5.78%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -6.90%
5
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-7.40 |
% |
5.81 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-8.61 |
% |
4.54 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-3.59 |
% |
4.11 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
-2.48 |
% |
8.02 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
-1.46 |
% |
9.08 |
% |
|||||||
CEMP International Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
0.04 |
% |
12.21 |
% |
|||||||
MSCI EAFE Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-4.48 |
% |
12.76 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
6
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the CEMP International 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), which has been developed by the Adviser. The Fund does not try to outperform the Index. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the securities comprising the Index.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors the Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.
From time to time, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions based on the construction of the Index, which is designed to respond to periods of market decline. During periods of market decline, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in 30-day Treasury bills or an equivalent investment, such as money market funds, short-term government bonds and/or commercial paper. During such times, the Fund would not benefit from any market appreciation.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in index futures or shares of other investment companies, such as money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Commercial Paper
Unsecured short-term obligations issued by banks, corporations, broker dealers and other entities to finance their current operations.
Equity Securities of Foreign Companies
Can include common stock and convertible preferred stock of non-U.S. corporations. Also may include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), which are receipts issued by a bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation.
U.S. Government Securities
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
9
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Foreign Investment Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Foreign Exchanges Risk: The Fund may place trades on exchanges in foreign markets. Regulations of U.S. governmental agencies may not apply to transactions on foreign markets. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals' markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.
n Currency Risk. Although each Fund will report its net asset value and pay dividends in U.S. dollars, when a Fund invests on a foreign exchange in foreign currency denominated or foreign currency-linked securities, the Fund will be exposed to currency risk. This means that the Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Index/Defensive Positioning Risk. Because Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not be able to immediately react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. During temporary periods that the Fund is invested in fixed income investments, the Fund would not benefit from any upswing in the equity markets. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund, unless such defensive positions are also taken by the Index. The Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, which may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of the Index. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to
10
Risk Factors (continued)
prevent or mitigate these potential conflicts. There is no assurance that the Index will be compiled or calculated accurately.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling strategy will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with one or a small number of issuers of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's representative sampling strategy can be expected to produce a greater tracking risk than a replication strategy.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
11
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
12
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal 0.80% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
13
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
14
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares. In addition to the different share classes, the Fund's investment objective and investment strategies are substantially similar to those of an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") for which Victory Capital serves as investment adviser. The ETF's net operating expenses may be less than those of the Fund's share classes. However, shares of ETF may be purchased and sold only on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer at the current market price. For more information about the ETFs, including fees and expenses, call 1-866-376-7890 for a free prospectus, or visit www.CompassEMPFunds.com. Consult your financial adviser to determine whether shares of the Fund or its corresponding ETF are more appropriate for you.
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts ( e.g. , retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase. There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund
19
How to Buy Shares (continued)
is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
21
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
22
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
23
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
24
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
25
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
26
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e. , dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
27
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
28
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
29
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
30
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
31
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
32
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
33
|
Class A | ||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
12.44 |
$ |
10.46 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.10 |
0.10 |
0.12 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.70 |
) |
2.24 |
0.44 |
|||||||||||
Total from Investment operations |
(0.60 |
) |
2.34 |
0.56 |
|||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.10 |
) |
(0.34 |
) |
(0.10 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.41 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.51 |
) |
(0.36 |
) |
(0.10 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.33 |
$ |
12.44 |
$ |
10.46 |
|||||||||
Total Return 3 |
(4.65 |
)% |
22.73 |
% |
5.61 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
21,738 |
$ |
32,139 |
$ |
11,815 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.88 |
% |
1.97 |
% |
3.59 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.58 |
% |
1.65 |
% |
1.65 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement |
0.58 |
% |
0.59 |
% |
(0.06 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.88 |
% |
0.91 |
% |
1.88 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
52.47 |
% |
80.56 |
% |
26.59 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP International 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
34
|
Class C |
||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
12.36 |
$ |
10.43 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.03 |
0.04 |
0.18 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.71 |
) |
2.19 |
0.34 |
|||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.68 |
) |
2.23 |
0.52 |
|||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.05 |
) |
(0.28 |
) |
(0.09 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.41 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.46 |
) |
(0.30 |
) |
(0.09 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.22 |
$ |
12.36 |
$ |
10.43 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(5.33 |
)% |
21.70 |
% |
5.20 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
7,953 |
$ |
6,255 |
$ |
429 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
2.63 |
% |
2.72 |
% |
4.34 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
2.33 |
% |
2.40 |
% |
2.40 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement |
(0.10 |
)% |
0.06 |
% |
0.83 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.20 |
% |
0.38 |
% |
2.77 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
52.47 |
% |
80.56 |
% |
26.59 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP International 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
35
|
Class I |
||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
12.44 |
$ |
10.46 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.12 |
0.14 |
0.16 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.69 |
) |
2.23 |
0.41 |
|||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.57 |
) |
2.37 |
0.57 |
|||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.13 |
) |
(0.37 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.41 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.54 |
) |
(0.39 |
) |
(0.11 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.33 |
$ |
12.44 |
$ |
10.46 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(4.41 |
)% |
22.99 |
% |
5.67 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
44,461 |
$ |
57,920 |
$ |
7,063 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.63 |
% |
1.72 |
% |
3.34 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.33 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.40 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement |
0.75 |
% |
0.84 |
% |
0.55 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.05 |
% |
1.16 |
% |
2.49 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
52.47 |
% |
80.56 |
% |
26.59 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP International 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
36
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37
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38
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39
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40
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41
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42
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43
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-IEVWI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
(formerly Compass EMP REC Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund)
Class A CWRAX
Class C CWRCX
Class I CWRIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
4 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
6 | ||||||
Management of the Fund |
7 | ||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
8 | ||||||
Tax Information |
8 | ||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
8 | ||||||
Additional Fund Information |
9 | ||||||
Investments |
10 | ||||||
Risk Factors |
11 | ||||||
Investing with Victory |
13 | ||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
14 | ||||||
Share Price |
15 | ||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
16 | ||||||
How to Buy Shares |
21 | ||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
25 | ||||||
How to Sell Shares |
27 | ||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
29 | ||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
30 | ||||||
Important Fund Policies |
32 | ||||||
Other Service Providers |
35 | ||||||
Financial Highlights |
36 | ||||||
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
37 |
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP REIT Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 12 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
1.05 |
% |
1.05 |
% |
1.05 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.39 |
% |
0.28 |
% |
0.37 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.69 |
% |
2.33 |
% |
1.42 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
(0.23 |
)% |
(0.12 |
)% |
(0.21 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 3 |
1.46 |
% |
2.21 |
% |
1.21 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.46%, 2.21%, and 1.21% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
715 |
$ |
1,045 |
$ |
1,409 |
$ |
2,430 |
|||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
324 |
$ |
710 |
$ |
1,229 |
$ |
2,652 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
123 |
$ |
418 |
$ |
746 |
$ |
1,674 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
224 |
$ |
710 |
$ |
1,229 |
$ |
2,652 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 44.2% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in the stock of issuers included in the CEMP US REIT Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. In accordance with a rules-based mathematical formula, the Index tactically reduces its exposure to the equity markets during periods of significant market decline and reinvests when market prices have further declined or rebounded.
The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:
1. The Index universe begins with all real estate investment trusts ("REITs") publicly traded in the U.S. and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.
2. The Index identifies the 100 largest U.S. stocks by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.
3. The remaining 100 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.
The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end). The Index may include fewer than 100 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2015, the Index had a market capitalization range from $100.0 million to $56.8 billion.
The Fund concentrates investments in the securities of real estate industry issuers because, under normal circumstances, it invests over 25% of its assets in the common stocks of REITs.
The Index follows a mathematical index construction process designed to limit risk during periods of significant (non-normal) market decline by reducing its exposure to the equity market. Market decline is measured by reference to the CEMP US REIT 100 Volatility Weighted Index ("Reference Index"), which is composed of the same securities as in the Index but without any allocation to cash.
During any periods of significant market decline, defined as a decline of 13% or more from the Reference Index's all-time daily high closing value compared to its most recent month-end closing value, the Index's exposure to the market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.
If the value of the Reference Index declines 13% or more, the Index will liquidate 75% of the stocks included in the Index and invest the cash in 30-day Treasury bills.
The Index will reinvest in stocks as follows:
n The Index will return to being 100% invested in stocks if the month-end closing value of the stocks in the Reference Index returns to a level that is less than a 13% decline from its all-time daily high closing value.
n If the Reference Index declines by 26% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 39% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, another 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 52% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, the remaining 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weighting and the Index will then be 100% invested in stocks.
The Index will make any prescribed liquidation or reinvestment in stocks in accordance with the mathematical formula only at month end.
During any periods of significant market decline, when the Index's exposure to the market is less than 100%, the uninvested portion of the Index will be invested in 30-day Treasury bills. The Fund will invest the portion of its portfolio corresponding to the uninvested portion of the Index in 30-day Treasury bills or an equivalent investment, such as money market funds, short-term government bonds and/or commercial paper.
3
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
The Fund may employ a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these securities using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.
The use of "REC" in the Fund's name is intended to be representative of the two major aspects of the Fund's primary investment strategies: "RE" refers to real estate-related investments, and "C" refers to the cash component allocated to short-term fixed income securities when the Fund is defensively positioned. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to a feature of the Index that is designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through its defensive positioning, as described above.
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Index/Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Index's prescribed liquidation and reinvestment strategy, if employed, will be successful.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.
n Real Estate Risk. The Fund is subject to real estate industry concentration risk because it normally invests over 25% of its assets in the common stock of REITs.
n Real Estate Market. The value of real estate investments are subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market. These may include overbuilding, decreases in real estate values, and increases in operating costs, interest rates and property taxes.
n REIT Risk. The value of securities issued by a REIT may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs and the value of mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of loan assets. REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are subject to interest rate risks. REITs are also heavily dependent upon the success of their management teams. Because REITs incur expenses like management fees, investments in REITs also add an additional layer of expenses.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV that would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures. Small-sized companies may
4
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
5
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Performance
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Index and to the Dow Jones U.S. Select Real Estate Securities Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 12/31/14 14.31%
Worst Quarter: 9/30/14 -4.54%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -11.07%
6
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
11.97 |
% |
9.91 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
10.61 |
% |
8.79 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
6.74 |
% |
7.16 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
17.92 |
% |
12.23 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
19.09 |
% |
13.28 |
% |
|||||||
CEMP US REIT Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
20.41 |
% |
15.45 |
% |
|||||||
Dow Jones U.S. Select Real Estate Securities Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
31.85 |
% |
17.45 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
7
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
8
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the CEMP US REIT Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), which has been developed by the Adviser. The Fund does not try to outperform the Index. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the securities comprising the Index.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors the Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.
From time to time, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions based on the construction of the Index, which is designed to respond to periods of market decline. During periods of market decline, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in 30-day Treasury bills or an equivalent investment, such as money market funds, short-term government bonds and/or commercial paper. During such times, the Fund would not benefit from any market appreciation.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in index futures or shares of other investment companies, such as money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
9
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
Securities representing a pool of real estate or mortgages or both.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
U.S. Government Securities
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
Commercial Paper
Unsecured short-term obligations issued by banks, corporations, broker dealers and other entities to finance their current operations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
10
Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Index/Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not be able to immediately react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. During temporary periods that the Fund is invested in fixed income investments, the Fund would not benefit from any upswing in the equity markets. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash.
n Real Estate Risk.
n Real Estate Market. The Fund is subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market. These may include overbuilding, decreases in real estate values, and increases in operating costs, interest rates and property taxes.
n REIT Risk. The value of securities issued by a REIT may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs and the value of mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of loan assets. Investment in REITs involves risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies, which tend to experience lower trading volume, greater earnings volatility, and higher failure rates than larger companies. REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are subject to interest rate risks. Because REITs incur expenses like management fees, investments in REITs also add an additional layer of expenses. In addition, some real estate related investments are not fully diversified and are subject to the risks associated with financing a limited number of projects. REITs are also heavily dependent upon the success of their management teams and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund, unless such defensive positions are also taken by the Index. The Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, which may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of the Index. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to prevent or mitigate these potential conflicts. There is no assurance that the Index will be compiled or calculated accurately.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
11
Risk Factors (continued)
development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV that would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures. Small-sized companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
12
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
13
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 1.05% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From
2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
14
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
15
Choosing a Share Class
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares. In addition to the different share classes, the Fund's investment objective and investment strategies are substantially similar to those of an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") for which Victory Capital serves as investment adviser. The ETF's net operating expenses may be less than those of the Fund's share classes. However, shares of ETF may be purchased and sold only on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer at the current market price. For more information about the ETFs, including fees and expenses, call 1-866-376-7890 for a
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
free prospectus, or visit www.CompassEMPFunds.com. Consult your financial adviser to determine whether shares of the Fund or its corresponding ETF are more appropriate for you.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
19
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
20
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
22
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND(800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
23
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
24
How to Exchange Shares
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
25
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
26
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
27
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
28
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
29
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends monthly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e ., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
30
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
31
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
32
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
33
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
34
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800 Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
35
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
36
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
11.41 |
$ |
10.89 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.15 |
0.07 |
0.12 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.22 |
0.69 |
0.97 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.37 |
0.76 |
1.09 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.16 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.12 |
) |
|||||||||
In excess of net investment income |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.16 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Return of capital |
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.41 |
) |
(0.24 |
) |
(0.20 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.37 |
$ |
11.41 |
$ |
10.89 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
3.13 |
% |
7.14 |
% |
10.82 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
8,094 |
$ |
12,343 |
$ |
3,395 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.68 |
% |
1.67 |
% |
1.99 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.40 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.40 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.02 |
% |
0.40 |
% |
1.25 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.30 |
% |
0.67 |
% |
1.84 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
44.21 |
% |
62.60 |
% |
35.24 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP REC Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
37
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
11.36 |
$ |
10.88 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) 2 |
0.07 |
(0.01 |
) |
0.09 |
|||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.22 |
0.68 |
0.96 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.29 |
0.67 |
1.05 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.08 |
) |
|
(0.09 |
) |
||||||||||
In excess of net investment income |
|
|
(0.08 |
) |
|||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.16 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Return of capital |
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.33 |
) |
(0.19 |
) |
(0.17 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.32 |
$ |
11.36 |
$ |
10.88 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
2.42 |
% |
6.25 |
% |
10.45 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
1,455 |
$ |
883 |
$ |
337 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
2.43 |
% |
2.42 |
% |
2.74 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
2.15 |
% |
2.15 |
% |
2.15 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement |
0.32 |
% |
(0.31 |
)% |
0.65 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net waiver/reimbursement |
0.60 |
% |
(0.04 |
)% |
1.24 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
44.21 |
% |
62.60 |
% |
35.24 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP REC Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
38
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
11.41 |
$ |
10.89 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.19 |
0.08 |
0.19 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.22 |
0.70 |
0.91 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.41 |
0.78 |
1.10 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.19 |
) |
(0.08 |
) |
(0.18 |
) |
|||||||||
In excess of net investment income |
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.16 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Return of capital |
|
(0.02 |
) |
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.44 |
) |
(0.26 |
) |
(0.21 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.38 |
$ |
11.41 |
$ |
10.89 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
3.47 |
% |
7.36 |
% |
11.00 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
9,805 |
$ |
15,199 |
$ |
608 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.43 |
% |
1.42 |
% |
1.74 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement |
1.27 |
% |
0.47 |
% |
1.97 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
1.55 |
% |
0.74 |
% |
2.56 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
44.21 |
% |
62.60 |
% |
35.24 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP REC Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
39
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40
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41
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42
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43
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44
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-REVWI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Volatility Weighted Fund)
Class A CCOAX
Class C CCOCX
Class I CCOIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
6 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
7 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
8 |
||||||
Tax Information |
8 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial
Intermediaries |
8 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
9 |
||||||
Investments |
10 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
11 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
14 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
15 |
||||||
Share Price |
16 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
17 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
21 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
25 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
27 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
29 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
30 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
32 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
35 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
36 |
||||||
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd
Index Strategy Fund |
37 |
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP Commodity Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 13 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
None |
None |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
None |
1.00 |
% 1 |
None |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.53 |
% |
0.35 |
% |
0.48 |
% |
|||||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.03 |
% |
0.03 |
% |
0.03 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.61 |
% |
2.18 |
% |
1.31 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 4 |
(0.48 |
)% |
(0.30 |
)% |
(0.43 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 4 |
1.13 |
% |
1.88 |
% |
0.88 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.43%, 2.18%, and 1.18% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10%, 1.85%, and 0.85% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
684 |
$ |
1,002 |
$ |
1,351 |
$ |
2,332 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(if you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
291 |
$ |
653 |
$ |
1,142 |
$ |
2,490 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
90 |
$ |
368 |
$ |
672 |
$ |
1,537 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
191 |
$ |
653 |
$ |
1,142 |
$ |
2,490 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 0.0% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, in the long only commodities futures contracts included in the CEMP Commodity Volatility Weighted Index ("Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
The Index generally consists of long only futures contracts related to twenty of the most liquid commodities (such as oil, corn, or gold) by trading volume. The Index weights such commodity futures based on the volatility of each commodity. The Index's commodity futures component is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular commodity to 25%.
The Fund intends to primarily gain exposure to commodities by investing up to 25% of its total assets (measured at the time of investment) in a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the "Subsidiary"). The Subsidiary will invest primarily in futures contracts included in the Index in the same relative weights as the Index. When viewed on a consolidated basis, the Subsidiary will be subject to the same investment restrictions as the Fund.
The Fund concentrates investments in the commodities industries issuers because, under normal circumstances, it invests at least 25% of its assets in the commodities industries. The Fund defines commodities industries issuers as all commodity-related futures contracts. For purposes of measuring securities of commodities industries investments, the Fund includes futures contracts at their notional value.
The balance of the Fund's portfolio which is not invested in the Subsidiary or directly in commodity-related derivative investments, serves as margin or collateral for the Fund's derivative positions. The Fund will invest these amounts primarily in fixed income securities, including domestic and foreign treasury bills and notes, commercial paper and corporate debt, and in investment companies such as short-term fixed income funds and money market funds. The Fund expects the dollar-weighted average fixed income maturity to be 36 months or less and the credit quality of such securities to be primarily investment grade (defined as having a rating of BBB and above). However, up to 20% of the fixed income portfolio may be composed of lower-quality corporate notes and bonds rated B- or higher, which are commonly referred to as "junk bonds."
The Fund may employ a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these securities using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index. The Fund may gain exposure to a commodity that is scheduled to be included in the Index prior to the effective inclusion date.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Commodity Risk. Commodity-related risks include production risks caused by unfavorable weather, animal and plant disease, geologic and environmental factors. Commodity-related risks also include unfavorable changes in government regulation such as tariffs, embargoes or burdensome production rules and restrictions. The Fund is also subject to commodity concentration risk because it normally invests over 25% of its assets in the commodities industries
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Futures Risk. The Fund's use of futures contracts exposes the Fund to leverage and tracking risks because a small investment in futures contracts may produce large losses and futures contracts may not be perfect substitutes for securities.
3
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
n Investment Company Risk. Other investment companies, including ETFs, in which the Fund invests are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. These securities are considered speculative.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's combined long and short exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price.
n Market Risk. The value of the securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.
n Subsidiary Risk. The Subsidiary will not be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act") and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, will not be subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and the Subsidiary, respectively, are organized, could result in the inability of the Fund and/or Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. Your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher because you indirectly bear the expenses of the Subsidiary.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
5
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Index and to the Bloomberg Commodity Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 3/31/14 3.39%
Worst Quarter: 9/30/14 -9.20%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -13.41%
6
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-14.75 |
% |
-11.90 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-19.10 |
% |
-14.06 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-8.31 |
% |
-9.82 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
-10.12 |
% |
-10.06 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
-9.35 |
% |
-9.17 |
% |
|||||||
CEMP Commodity Volatility Weighted Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-8.62 |
% |
-8.58 |
% |
|||||||
Bloomberg Commodity Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-17.01 |
% |
-13.72 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
7
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries:
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
8
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
The Fund's investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
9
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Commodity-Related Futures Contracts
Financial contracts involving the right or obligation to deliver or receive assets or money depending on the performance of one or more assets or an economic index. To reduce the effects of leverage, liquid assets equal to the contract commitment are set aside to cover the commitment. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives to gain exposure to a commodity investment manner other than investing in the asset directly. A commodity is an asset with tangible properties that is used in commerce, such as fuels (e.g., crude oil, natural gas and gasoline), precious and industrial metals, livestock and agricultural products. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Commercial Paper
Short-term obligations issued by banks, corporations, broker dealers and other entities to finance their current operations.
Corporate Debt Obligations
Debt instruments issued by corporations. They may be secured or unsecured.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
U.S. Government Securities
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in other types of derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
10
Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Commodity Risk. The Fund may invest directly or indirectly in commodity-related futures contracts that are exposed to commodity-related risks. Commodity-related risks include production risks caused by unfavorable weather, animal and plant disease, geologic and environmental factors. Commodity-related risks also include unfavorable changes in government regulation such as tariffs, embargoes or burdensome production rules and restrictions. The value of commodity-related securities may also be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates and the global economy.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Foreign Risk. The Fund may place trades on exchanges in foreign markets. Regulations of U.S. governmental agencies may not apply to transactions on foreign markets. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals' markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a commodity interest transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.
n Futures Risk. The Funds' use of futures involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) leverage risk; (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset. Investments in futures involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. Futures contracts may become mispriced or improperly valued when compared to the Adviser's expectation and may not produce the desired investment results. Additionally, changes in the value of futures contracts may not track or correlate perfectly with the underlying index because of temporary, or even long-term, supply and demand imbalances and because futures do not pay dividends unlike some securities upon which they are based.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs ) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
11
Risk Factors (continued)
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present a significant risk for loss of principal and interest. These securities are considered speculative. These bonds offer the potential for higher return, but also involve greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased possibility that the bond's issuer, obligor or guarantor may not be able to make its payments of interest and principal (credit quality risk). If that happens, the value of the bond may decrease, and a Fund's share price may decrease and its income distribution may be reduced. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates (interest rate risk) could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce a Fund's ability to sell its bonds (liquidity risk). Such securities may also include "Rule 144A" securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease a Fund's share price. If an issuer defaults or is subject to a reorganization including bankruptcy court protection, its bonds may become worthless, completely illiquid or subject to lengthy legal proceedings that will delay the resolution of their value, if any.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's combined long and short exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price.
n Market Risk. The value of the securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.
n Subsidiary Risk. The Subsidiary will not be registered under the 1940 Act and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, will not be subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. The Fund, by investing in the Subsidiary, will not have all of the protections offered to investors in registered investment companies. However, the Fund wholly owns and controls the Subsidiary. The investments of the Fund and Subsidiary are both managed by the Adviser, making it unlikely that the Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund's Board has oversight responsibility for the investment activities of the Fund, including its investment in the Subsidiary, and the Fund's role as the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary. Also, the Adviser, in managing the Subsidiary's portfolio, will be subject to the same investment restrictions and operational guidelines that apply to the management of the Fund, when viewed on a consolidated basis. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and Subsidiary, respectively, are organized, could result in the inability of the Fund and/or Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. For example, the Cayman Islands does not currently impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax, estate duty, inheritance tax, gift tax or withholding tax on the Subsidiary. If Cayman Islands law changes such that the Subsidiary must pay Cayman Islands taxes, Fund shareholders would likely suffer decreased investment returns.
n Tracking Risk. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
12
Risk Factors (continued)
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
13
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
14
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.80% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
15
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
16
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already
18
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
19
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
20
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares , you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
22
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
23
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
24
How to Exchange Shares
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
25
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
26
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
27
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
28
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
29
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
TAXES ON DISTRIBUTIONS
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" (i.e., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available).
30
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
TAXES ON TRANSACTIONS
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
31
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
32
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
33
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
34
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
35
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
36
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
9.78 |
$ |
8.86 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment loss 2 |
(0.04 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(1.75 |
) |
0.97 |
(1.11 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
(1.79 |
) |
0.92 |
(1.14 |
) |
||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.97 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total Distributions |
(0.97 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$ |
7.02 |
$ |
9.78 |
$ |
8.86 |
|||||||||
Total Return 3 |
(18.63 |
)% |
10.38 |
% |
(11.40 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
6,135 |
$ |
3,987 |
$ |
3,309 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.73 |
% |
1.70 |
% |
1.53 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.36 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
1.40 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.91 |
)% |
(0.82 |
)% |
(0.67 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.54 |
)% |
(0.52 |
)% |
(0.54 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0.00 |
% |
13.00 |
% |
0.18 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment loss to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
37
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
9.66 |
$ |
8.82 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment loss 2 |
(0.10 |
) |
(0.12 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
|||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(1.72 |
) |
0.96 |
(1.11 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
(1.82 |
) |
0.84 |
(1.18 |
) |
||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.96 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total Distributions |
(0.96 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$ |
6.88 |
$ |
9.66 |
$ |
8.82 |
|||||||||
Total Return 3 |
(19.28 |
)% |
9.52 |
% |
(11.80 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
225 |
$ |
186 |
$ |
73 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
2.48 |
% |
2.45 |
% |
2.28 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
2.11 |
% |
2.15 |
% |
2.15 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(1.66 |
)% |
(1.57 |
)% |
(1.42 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(1.29 |
)% |
(1.27 |
)% |
(1.29 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0.00 |
% |
13.00 |
% |
0.18 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment loss to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
38
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$ |
9.82 |
$ |
8.87 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment loss 2 |
(0.02 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
|||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(1.76 |
) |
0.98 |
(1.11 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from Investment Operations |
(1.78 |
) |
0.95 |
(1.13 |
) |
||||||||||
Less Distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.99 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total Distributions |
(0.99 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$ |
7.05 |
$ |
9.82 |
$ |
8.87 |
|||||||||
Total Return 3 |
(18.42 |
)% |
10.71 |
% |
(11.30 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net Assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
5,849 |
$ |
10,035 |
$ |
6,379 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.48 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
1.28 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.11 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.66 |
)% |
(0.57 |
)% |
(0.48 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.29 |
)% |
(0.27 |
)% |
(0.35 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0.00 |
% |
13.00 |
% |
0.18 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Volatility Weighted Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment loss to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
39
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-CVWIS-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund)
Class A CCNAX
Class C CCNCX
Class I CCNIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
4 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
6 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
7 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
8 |
||||||
Tax Information |
8 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
8 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
9 |
||||||
Investments |
10 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
12 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
15 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
16 |
||||||
Share Price |
17 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
18 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
22 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
26 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
28 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
30 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
31 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
33 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
36 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
37 |
||||||
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
38 |
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP Commodity Long/Cash Volatility Wtd Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 15 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.43 |
% |
0.38 |
% |
0.55 |
% |
|||||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.04 |
% |
0.04 |
% |
0.04 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.52 |
% |
2.22 |
% |
1.39 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 4 |
(0.38 |
)% |
(0.33 |
)% |
(0.50 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 4 |
1.14 |
% |
1.89 |
% |
0.89 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.66%, 2.41%, and 1.41% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10%, 1.85%, and 0.85% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
685 |
$ |
993 |
$ |
1,322 |
$ |
2,253 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(if you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
292 |
$ |
663 |
$ |
1,160 |
$ |
2,529 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
91 |
$ |
391 |
$ |
713 |
$ |
1,625 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
192 |
$ |
663 |
$ |
1,160 |
$ |
2,529 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 0.0% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, in the long only commodities futures contracts included in the CEMP Commodity Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index ("Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
In accordance with a rules-based mathematical formula, the Index tactically reduces its exposure to the commodities market during periods of significant market decline and reinvests when market prices have further declined or rebounded. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to the feature of the Index that is designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through this defensive positioning, as described below.
The Index generally consists of long only futures contracts related to twenty of the most liquid commodities (such as oil, corn, or gold) by trading volume. The Index weights such commodity futures based on the volatility of each commodity. The Index's commodity futures component is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular commodity to 25%.
The Fund intends to primarily gain exposure to commodities by investing up to 25% of its total assets (measured at the time of investment) in a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the "Subsidiary"). The Subsidiary will invest primarily in futures contracts included in the Index in the same relative weights as the Index. When viewed on a consolidated basis, the Subsidiary will be subject to the same investment restrictions as the Fund.
The Fund concentrates investments in the commodities industries issuers because, under normal circumstances, it invests at least 25% of its assets in the commodities industries. The Fund defines commodities industries issuers as all commodity-related futures contracts. For purposes of measuring securities of commodities industries investments, the Fund includes futures contracts at their notional value.
The Index follows a mathematical index construction process designed to limit risk during periods of significant (non-normal) market decline by reducing its exposure to the commodities market. Market decline is measured by reference to the CEMP Commodity Volatility Weighted Index ("Reference Index"), which is composed of the same securities as in the Index but without any allocation to cash.
During any periods of significant market decline, defined as a decline of 10% or more from the Reference Index's all-time daily high closing value compared to its most recent month-end closing value, the Index's exposure to the commodities market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.
If the value of the Reference Index declines 10% or more, the Index will liquidate 75% of the stocks included in the Index and invest the cash in 30-day Treasury bills.
The Index will reinvest in stocks as follows:
n The Index will return to being 100% invested in stocks if the month-end closing value of the stocks in the Reference Index returns to a level that is less than a 10% decline from its all-time daily high closing value.
n If the Reference Index declines by 20% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 30% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, another 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 40% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, the remaining 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weighting and the Index will then be 100% invested in stocks.
The Index will make any prescribed liquidation or reinvestment in stocks in accordance with the mathematical formula only at month end.
During any periods of significant market decline, when the Index's exposure to the market is less than 100%, the uninvested portion of the Index will be invested in 30-day Treasury bills.
3
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund (continued)
The balance of the Fund's portfolio which is not invested in the Subsidiary or directly in commodity-related derivative investments, serves as margin or collateral for the Fund's derivative positions. The Fund will invest these amounts primarily in fixed income securities, including domestic and foreign treasury bills and notes, commercial paper and corporate debt, and in investment companies such as short-term fixed income funds and money market funds. The Fund expects the dollar-weighted average fixed income maturity to be 36 months or less and the credit quality of such securities to be primarily investment grade (defined as having a rating of BBB and above). However, up to 20% of the fixed income portfolio may be composed of lower-quality corporate notes and bonds rated B- or higher, which are commonly referred to as "junk bonds."
The Fund may employ a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these securities using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index. The Fund may gain exposure to a commodity that is scheduled to be included in the Index prior to the effective inclusion date.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Commodity Risk. Commodity-related risks include production risks caused by unfavorable weather, animal and plant disease, geologic and environmental factors. Commodity-related risks also include unfavorable changes in government regulation such as tariffs, embargoes or burdensome production rules and restrictions. The Fund is also subject to commodity concentration risk because it normally invests over 25% of its assets in the commodities industries
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Futures Risk. The Fund's use of futures contracts exposes the Fund to leverage and tracking risks because a small investment in futures contracts may produce large losses and futures contracts may not be perfect substitutes for securities.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. These securities are considered speculative.
n Index/Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Index's prescribed liquidation and reinvestment strategy, if employed, will be successful.
n Investment Company Risk. Other investment companies, including ETFs, in which the Fund invests are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's combined long and short exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price.
n Market Risk. The value of the securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case
4
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund (continued)
if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.
n Subsidiary Risk. The Subsidiary will not be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act") and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, will not be subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and the Subsidiary, respectively, are organized, could result in the inability of the Fund and/or Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. Your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher because you indirectly bear the expenses of the Subsidiary.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
5
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Index and to the Bloomberg Commodity Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 3/31/14 4.24%
Worst Quarter: 9/30/14 -4.92%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -9.19%
6
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-11.03 |
% |
-9.08 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-11.36 |
% |
-9.24 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-6.24 |
% |
-6.90 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
-6.37 |
% |
-7.24 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
-5.41 |
% |
-6.21 |
% |
|||||||
CEMP Commodity Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-4.30 |
% |
-4.29 |
% |
|||||||
Bloomberg Commodity Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-17.01 |
% |
-13.72 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
7
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
8
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
The Fund's investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
9
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Commodity-Related Futures Contracts
Financial contracts involving the right or obligation to deliver or receive assets or money depending on the performance of one or more assets or an economic index. To reduce the effects of leverage, liquid assets equal to the contract commitment are set aside to cover the commitment. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives to gain exposure to a commodity investment manner other than investing in the asset directly. A commodity is an asset with tangible properties that is used in commerce, such as fuels (e.g., crude oil, natural gas and gasoline), precious and industrial metals, livestock and agricultural products. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Commercial Paper
Short-term obligations issued by banks, corporations, broker dealers and other entities to finance their current operations.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Corporate Debt Obligations
Debt instruments issued by corporations. They may be secured or unsecured.
U.S. Government Securities
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in other types of derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
10
Investments (continued)
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
11
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Commodity Risk. The Fund may invest directly or indirectly in commodity-related futures contracts that are exposed to commodity-related risks. Commodity-related risks include production risks caused by unfavorable weather, animal and plant disease, geologic and environmental factors. Commodity-related risks also include unfavorable changes in government regulation such as tariffs, embargoes or burdensome production rules and restrictions. The value of commodity-related securities may also be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates and the global economy.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Foreign Risk. The Fund may place trades on exchanges in foreign markets. Regulations of U.S. governmental agencies may not apply to transactions on foreign markets. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals' markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a commodity interest transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.
n Futures Risk. The Funds' use of futures involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) leverage risk; (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying asset. Investments in futures involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. Futures contracts may become mispriced or improperly valued when compared to the Advisor's expectation and may not produce the desired investment results. Additionally, changes in the value of futures contracts may not track or correlate perfectly with the underlying index because of temporary, or even long-term, supply and demand imbalances and because futures do not pay dividends unlike some securities upon which they are based.
n Index/ Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not be able to immediately react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. During temporary periods that the Fund is invested in fixed income investments, the Fund would not benefit from any upswing in the equity markets. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present a significant risk for loss of principal and interest. These securities are considered speculative. These bonds offer the potential for higher return, but also involve greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased possibility that the bond's issuer, obligor or guarantor may not be able to make its payments of interest and principal (credit quality risk). If
12
Risk Factors (continued)
that happens, the value of the bond may decrease, and a Fund's share price may decrease and its income distribution may be reduced. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates (interest rate risk) could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce a Fund's ability to sell its bonds (liquidity risk). Such securities may also include "Rule 144A" securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease a Fund's share price. If an issuer defaults or is subject to a reorganization including bankruptcy court protection, its bonds may become worthless, completely illiquid or subject to lengthy legal proceedings that will delay the resolution of their value, if any.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's combined long and short exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price.
n Market Risk. The value of the securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Sampling Risk. The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.
n Subsidiary Risk. The Subsidiary will not be registered under the 1940 Act and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, will not be subject to all of the investor protections of the 1940 Act. The Fund, by investing in the Subsidiary, will not have all of the protections offered to investors in registered investment companies. However, the Fund wholly owns and controls the Subsidiary. The investments of the Fund and Subsidiary are both managed by the Adviser, making it unlikely that the Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund's Board has oversight responsibility for the investment activities of the Fund, including its investment in the Subsidiary, and the Fund's role as the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary. Also, the Adviser, in managing the Subsidiary's portfolio, will be subject to the same investment restrictions and operational guidelines that apply to the management of the Fund, when viewed on a consolidated basis. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and Subsidiary, respectively, are organized, could result in the inability of the Fund and/or Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. For example, the Cayman Islands does not currently impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax, estate duty, inheritance tax, gift tax or withholding tax on the Subsidiary. If Cayman Islands law changes such that the Subsidiary must pay Cayman Islands taxes, Fund shareholders would likely suffer decreased investment returns.
n Tracking Risk. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.
13
Risk Factors (continued)
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
14
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund.
Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
15
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal 0.80% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
16
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
17
Choosing a Share Class
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC"). All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
18
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints) .
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for
19
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
20
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
21
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares , you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
22
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
23
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
24
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
25
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
26
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
27
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
28
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
29
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
30
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e ., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
31
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
32
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
33
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
34
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
35
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
36
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
37
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
9.55 |
$ |
9.39 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment loss 2 |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.08 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.84 |
) |
0.24 |
(0.56 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.91 |
) |
0.16 |
(0.61 |
) |
||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.07 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
8.57 |
$ |
9.55 |
$ |
9.39 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(9.49 |
)% |
1.70 |
% |
(6.10 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
1,734 |
$ |
1,845 |
$ |
3,505 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.87 |
% |
1.98 |
% |
1.71 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.54 |
% |
1.60 |
% |
1.60 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(1.18 |
)% |
(1.35 |
)% |
(0.88 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.85 |
)% |
(0.97 |
)% |
(0.77 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0.00 |
% |
41.81 |
% |
0.07 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Commodity Strategy Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment loss to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
38
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
9.43 |
$ |
9.34 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment loss 2 |
(0.15 |
) |
(0.16 |
) |
(0.09 |
) |
|||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.82 |
) |
0.25 |
(0.57 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.97 |
) |
0.09 |
(0.66 |
) |
||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
8.37 |
$ |
9.43 |
$ |
9.34 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(10.29 |
)% |
0.96 |
% |
(6.60 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
248 |
$ |
57 |
$ |
16 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
2.62 |
% |
2.73 |
% |
2.46 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
2.29 |
% |
2.35 |
% |
2.35 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(2.11 |
)% |
(2.10 |
)% |
(1.62 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(1.78 |
)% |
(1.72 |
)% |
(1.51 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0.00 |
% |
41.81 |
% |
0.07 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Strategy Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment loss to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
39
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
9.60 |
$ |
9.41 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment loss 2 |
(0.05 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
|||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.85 |
) |
0.26 |
(0.55 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.90 |
) |
0.19 |
(0.59 |
) |
||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.10 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
8.60 |
$ |
9.60 |
$ |
9.41 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(9.37 |
)% |
2.02 |
% |
(5.90 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
6,227 |
$ |
9,452 |
$ |
13,844 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.62 |
% |
1.73 |
% |
1.46 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.29 |
% |
1.35 |
% |
1.35 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.93 |
)% |
(1.10 |
)% |
(0.76 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.60 |
)% |
(0.72 |
)% |
(0.65 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0.00 |
% |
41.81 |
% |
0.07 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Strategy Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment loss to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
40
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-CEVWIS-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Long/Short Strategies Fund)
Class A CHLAX
Class C CHLCX
Class I CHLIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 | ||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 | ||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 | ||||||
Principal Risks |
3 | ||||||
Investment Performance |
5 | ||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 | ||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 | ||||||
Tax Information |
7 | ||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
7 | ||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 | ||||||
Investments |
9 | ||||||
Risk Factors |
11 | ||||||
Investing with Victory |
13 | ||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
14 | ||||||
Share Price |
15 | ||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
16 | ||||||
How to Buy Shares |
20 | ||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
24 | ||||||
How to Sell Shares |
26 | ||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
28 | ||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
29 | ||||||
Important Fund Policies |
31 | ||||||
Other Service Providers |
34 | ||||||
Financial Highlights |
35 | ||||||
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
36 |
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund's objective is capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 12 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
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 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.37 |
% |
0.36 |
% |
0.49 |
% |
|||||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.01 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.78 |
% |
2.52 |
% |
1.65 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 4 |
(0.32 |
)% |
(0.31 |
)% |
(0.44 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 4 |
1.46 |
% |
2.21 |
% |
1.21 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.66%, 2.41%, and 1.41% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.45%, 2.20%, and 1.20% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
715 |
$ |
1,068 |
$ |
1,451 |
$ |
2,520 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
324 |
$ |
750 |
$ |
1,308 |
$ |
2,828 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
123 |
$ |
466 |
$ |
844 |
$ |
1,907 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
224 |
$ |
750 |
$ |
1,308 |
$ |
2,828 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 29.4% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing long or short primarily in a portfolio of equity securities of U.S. companies. The Fund defines equity securities to include common stock, futures on common stock or stock indices, options on common stock, and other entities, including limited partnerships and limited liability companies ("Underlying Funds"), that invest primarily in equity securities.
The Fund's Adviser uses a proprietary model to determine whether to be long or short in certain equities, industries, sectors, countries or other parts of the equity markets. The Adviser uses the model to attempt to achieve high, low or negative correlations to the broader equity markets.
The Fund will take a short position in a security or an index using one of the following investment techniques:
n selling the security or index short on the open market,
n entering into a short futures contract buying a put option on a security, index or futures contract,
n selling a call option on a security, index or futures contract, or
n entering into a derivatives contract that provides the economic equivalent of a short sale.
The Fund will invest its cash in excess of the amount required for futures collateral primarily in money market funds or other investment companies, domestic and foreign fixed income securities, including U.S. Treasury bills and notes, commercial paper and corporate debt. With respect to such excess cash investments, the Fund expects the dollar-weighted average fixed income maturity to be 36 months or less and the credit quality of such securities to be primarily investment grade (defined as having a rating of BBB- and above). However, up to 20% of the fixed income portfolio may be composed of lower-quality corporate notes and bonds rated B- or higher, which are commonly referred to as "junk bonds."
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.
n Futures Risk. The Fund's use of futures contracts exposes the Fund to leverage and tracking risks because a small investment in futures contracts may produce large losses and futures contracts may not be perfect substitutes for securities.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. These securities are considered speculative.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's long exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price.
n Management Risk. The Adviser may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
n Short Position Risk. The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a short position if the price of the short position instrument increases in value between the date the Fund sells the short position and the date on which the Fund purchases an offsetting position. Short positions may be considered speculative
3
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
transactions and involve special risks, including greater reliance on the Adviser's ability to accurately anticipate the future value of a security or instrument. The Fund's losses are potentially unlimited in a short position transaction.
n Underlying Funds Risk. An Underlying Fund may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying Funds are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Barclay Equity Long/Short Index and S&P 500 Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 3/31/13 5.67%
Worst Quarter: 6/30/13 -2.54%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -2.57%
5
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-0.29 |
% |
3.10 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-0.37 |
% |
3.06 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-0.10 |
% |
2.37 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
4.97 |
% |
5.04 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
6.10 |
% |
6.32 |
% |
|||||||
Barclay Equity Long/Short Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
3.41 |
% |
8.62 |
% 1 |
|||||||
S&P 500 Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
13.69 |
% |
23.11 |
% |
1 The performance of the Barclay Equity Long/Short Index is from November 30, 2012 to December 31, 2014.
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser:
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers:
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
6
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares:
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information:
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries:
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, short-term money market instruments or a money market fund. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause a Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Commercial Paper.
Short-term obligations issued by banks, corporations, broker dealers and other entities to finance their current operations.
Corporate Debt Obligations.
Debt instruments issued by corporations. They may be secured or unsecured.
Derivatives.
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Equity Securities of Foreign Companies.
Can include common stock and convertible preferred stock of non-U.S. corporations. Also may include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), which are receipts issued by a bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation.
Short Sale.
A transaction in which the Fund sells borrowed securities in anticipation of a price decline. The payoff to selling short is the opposite of a long position. A short seller will make money if the stock price falls, while a long position makes money when the stock price appreciates.
Underlying Funds.
Limited partnerships, limited liability companies and other types of pooled investment vehicles, some of which may be commodity pools. May include securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
U.S. Government Securities.
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
9
Investments (continued)
The Adviser may use several types of investments and investment techniques in pursuing the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Securities Lending.
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
10
Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Inflation can erode the purchasing power of the cash flows generated by debt securities held by the Fund. Fixed-rate debt securities are more susceptible to this risk than floating-rate debt securities or equity securities that have a record of dividend growth. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Foreign Investment Risk. Investing in foreign companies involves certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present a significant risk for loss of principal and interest. These securities are considered speculative. These bonds offer the potential for higher return, but also involve greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased possibility that the bond's issuer, obligor or guarantor may not be able to make its payments of interest and principal (credit quality risk). If that happens, the value of the bond may decrease, and a Fund's share price may decrease and its income distribution may be reduced. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates (interest rate risk) could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce a Fund's ability to sell its bonds (liquidity risk). Such securities may also include "Rule 144A" securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease a Fund's share price. If an issuer defaults or is subject to a reorganization including bankruptcy court protection, its bonds may become worthless, completely illiquid or subject to lengthy legal proceedings that will delay the resolution of their value, if any.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's combined long and short exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price. The use of leverage may cause
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
11
Risk Factors (continued)
the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions at inopportune times to satisfy its obligations. The use of leverage may also cause the Fund to have higher expenses than would otherwise be the case.
n Management Risk. The Adviser may implement its investment strategy in a way that does not produce the intended result.
n Short Position Risk. The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a short position if the price of the short position instrument increases in value between the date of the short position sale and the date on which an offsetting position is purchased. Short positions may be considered speculative transactions and involve special risks, including greater reliance on the advisor's ability to accurately anticipate the future value of a security or instrument. The Fund's losses are potentially unlimited in a short position transaction. Market factors may prevent the Fund from closing out a short position at the most desirable time or at a favorable price.
n Underlying Funds Risk. Underlying Funds are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in an Underlying Fund and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. An Underlying Fund may pay performance based fees to its manager. Underlying Funds are subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the investment. An Underlying Fund may not achieve its investment objective. Interests in Underlying Funds that are privately offered may be more difficult to dispose of than those that are publicly traded.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to a Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
12
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
13
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 1.15% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
14
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
15
Choosing a Share Class
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charges a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
19
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
22
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
23
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
24
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800539-3863 -or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
25
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
26
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
27
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
28
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e. , dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
29
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
30
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially
31
Important Fund Policies (continued)
dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
32
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
33
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit & Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
34
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
35
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
11.02 |
$ |
10.36 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) 2 |
0.02 |
(0.09 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.36 |
0.75 |
0.41 3 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.38 |
0.66 |
0.36 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.01 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.04 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.36 |
$ |
11.02 |
$ |
10.36 |
|||||||||
Total return 4 |
3.49 |
% |
6.37 |
% |
3.60 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
3,039 |
$ |
3,658 |
$ |
6,022 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 7 |
1.87 |
% |
1.76 |
% |
2.06 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 7 |
1.58 |
% |
1.60 |
% |
1.60 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement 7 |
(0.13 |
)% |
(1.02 |
)% |
(1.17 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net waiver/reimbursement 7 |
0.16 |
% |
(0.86 |
)% |
(0.71 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
29.39 |
% |
87.39 |
% |
0.14 |
% 5 |
1 The Compass EMP Long/Short Strategies Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 The amount of net realized and unrealized gain on investments per share for the period ended June 30, 2013 does not accord with the amounts in the Statements of Operations due to the timing of purchases and sales of Fund shares in relation to fluctuating market values.
4 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
5 Not annualized.
6 Annualized.
7 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment income/(loss) to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
36
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
10.85 |
$ |
10.27 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment loss 2 |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.14 |
) |
(0.09 |
) |
|||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.34 |
0.72 |
0.36 3 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.28 |
0.58 |
0.27 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
|
|
|
||||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.10 |
$ |
10.85 |
$ |
10.27 |
|||||||||
Total return 4 |
2.63 |
% |
5.65 |
% |
2.70 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
83 |
$ |
30 |
$ |
5 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 7 |
2.62 |
% |
2.51 |
% |
2.81 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 7 |
2.33 |
% |
2.35 |
% |
2.35 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement 7 |
(0.88 |
)% |
(1.49 |
)% |
(1.89 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, net waiver/reimbursement 7 |
(0.59 |
)% |
(1.33 |
)% |
(1.43 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
29.39 |
% |
87.39 |
% |
0.14 |
% 5 |
1 The Compass EMP Long/Short Strategies Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 The amount of net realized and unrealized gain on investments per share for the period ended June 30, 2013 does not accord with the amounts in the Statements of Operations due to the timing of purchases and sales of Fund shares in relation to fluctuating market values.
4 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
5 Not annualized.
6 Annualized.
7 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment loss to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
37
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
11.07 |
$ |
10.37 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) 2 |
0.05 |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.36 |
0.77 |
0.40 3 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.41 |
0.70 |
0.37 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.03 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.09 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.39 |
$ |
11.07 |
$ |
10.37 |
|||||||||
Total return 4 |
3.77 |
% |
6.75 |
% |
3.70 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
12,380 |
$ |
22,310 |
$ |
4,650 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 7 |
1.62 |
% |
1.51 |
% |
1.81 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 7 |
1.33 |
% |
1.35 |
% |
1.35 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement 7 |
0.12 |
% |
(0.77 |
)% |
(0.94 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net waiver/reimbursement 7 |
0.41 |
% |
(0.61 |
)% |
(0.48 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
29.39 |
% |
87.39 |
% |
0.14 |
% 5 |
1 The Compass EMP Long/Short Strategies Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 The amount of net realized and unrealized gain on investments per share for the period ended June 30, 2013 does not accord with the amounts in the Statements of Operations due to the timing of purchases and sales of Fund shares in relation to fluctuating market values.
4 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
5 Not annualized.
6 Annualized.
7 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment income/(loss) to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
38
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-LSS-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Market Neutral Income Fund)
Class A CBHAX
Class C CBHCX
Class I CBHIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 |
||||||
Tax Information |
7 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial
Intermediaries |
7 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 |
||||||
Investments |
9 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
10 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
13 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
14 |
||||||
Share Price |
15 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
16 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
20 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
24 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
26 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
28 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
29 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
31 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
34 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
35 |
||||||
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
36 |
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund's objective is high current income.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 13 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.60 |
% |
0.60 |
% |
0.60 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.30 |
% |
0.29 |
% |
0.34 |
% |
|||||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.02 |
% |
0.02 |
% |
0.02 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.17 |
% |
1.91 |
% |
0.96 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 4 |
(0.25 |
)% |
(0.24 |
)% |
(0.29 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 4 |
0.92 |
% |
1.67 |
% |
0.67 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.25%, 2.00%, and 1.00% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.90%, 1.65% and 0.65% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
663 |
$ |
902 |
$ |
1,159 |
$ |
1,893 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
270 |
$ |
577 |
$ |
1,009 |
$ |
2,213 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
68 |
$ |
277 |
$ |
503 |
$ |
1,152 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
170 |
$ |
577 |
$ |
1,009 |
$ |
2,213 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 134.7% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by implementing a "market neutral" investment strategy whereby it seeks income from its investments while maintaining a low correlation to the foreign and domestic equity and bond markets. The Fund uses a multi-strategy approach. It seeks income from (i) long positions in foreign or domestic dividend producing equity securities, and (ii) selling call and/or put options on broad based security indices (such as the S&P 500, Russell 1000 Value, Russell 1000 Growth or MSCI EAFE Indexes) or exchange traded funds ("ETFs") that track such indices.
The Fund's investments in foreign or domestic dividend producing equity securities will include securities of any market capitalization size that are included in one of the CEMP Volatility Weighted Indexes. A CEMP Volatility Weighted Index is an index compiled, created, sponsored or maintained by the Adviser that provides broad equity market exposure coupled with fundamental criteria and an equal weighting of volatility among all securities in each index. The Fund hedges against market risk in its equity security investments by taking long and/or short positions in futures on broad based security indices or ETFs that track such indices.
The Fund will invest its cash in excess of the amount required for futures collateral primarily in fixed income securities, including a money market fund or other investment company, domestic and foreign treasury bills, floating rate securities, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and corporate debt. With respect to such excess cash investments, the Fund expects the dollar-weighted average fixed income maturity to be 10 years or less and the credit quality of such securities to be primarily investment grade (defined as having a rating of BBB- and above). However, up to 20% of the fixed income portfolio may be composed of lower-quality corporate notes and bonds rated B- or higher, which are commonly referred to as "junk bonds."
The Adviser may from time to time generate turnover in excess of 100%.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Active Trading Risk. To the extent the Fund buys and sells securities actively, it could have higher expenses (which reduces returns to shareholders) and higher taxable distributions.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.
n Futures Risk. The Fund's use of futures contracts exposes the Fund to leverage and tracking risks because a small investment in futures contracts may produce large losses and futures contracts may not be perfect substitutes for securities.
n Hedging Risk. Hedging is a strategy in which the Fund uses a derivative to offset the risks associated with other Fund holdings. There can be no assurance that the Fund's hedging strategy will reduce risk or that hedging transactions will be either available or cost effective. The Fund is not required to use hedging and may choose not to do so.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. These securities are considered speculative.
3
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund Summary (continued)
n Investment Company Risk. An investment company (including an ETF) may not achieve its investment objective. Investment companies are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's combined long and short exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price.
n Management Risk. The Adviser may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
n Put Option Risk. When the Fund purchases a put option on a security or index it may lose the entire premium paid if the underlying security or index does not decrease in value. The Fund is also exposed to default by the option writer who may be unwilling or unable to perform its contractual obligations to the Fund.
n Sold Options/Short Position Risk. The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a sold option or a short position if the price of the sold option or short position instrument increases in value between the date the Fund sells the position and the date on which the Fund purchases an offsetting position. Short positions may be considered speculative transactions and involve special risks, including greater reliance on the Adviser's ability to accurately anticipate the future value of a security or instrument. The Fund's losses are potentially unlimited in a short position transaction.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small and mid-sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Small and mid-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Barclays U.S Government Intermediate Index and Barclays Global Treasury ex U.S. Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 6/30/14 2.18%
Worst Quarter: 6/30/13 -2.20%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was 1.17%
5
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-4.60 |
% |
-3.79 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-5.08 |
% |
-4.02 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-2.20 |
% |
-2.87 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
0.46 |
% |
-1.79 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
1.55 |
% |
-0.71 |
% |
|||||||
Barclays U.S Government Intermediate Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
2.52 |
% |
0.50 |
% |
|||||||
Barclays Global Treasury ex U.S. Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-2.77 |
% |
-3.78 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser:
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers:
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
6
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares:
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information:
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries:
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management or for temporary defensive purposes in response to market conditions, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, or short-term money market instruments or a money market fund. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Derivatives.
The Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Equity Securities of Foreign Companies.
Can include common stock and convertible preferred stock of non-U.S. corporations. Also may include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), which are receipts issued by a bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation.
Investment Companies.
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are shares of investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
U.S. Equity Securities.
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments and investment techniques in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Securities Lending.
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
9
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Active trading risk is the risk that, to the extent the Fund buys and sells securities actively, it could have higher expenses (which reduces returns to shareholders) and higher taxable distributions. While it is not an investment strategy to actively trade the Fund's portfolio, the Adviser may from time to time do so, generating portfolio turnover rates in excess of 100%.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Inflation can erode the purchasing power of the cash flows generated by debt securities held by the Fund. Fixed-rate debt securities are more susceptible to this risk than floating-rate debt securities or equity securities that have a record of dividend growth. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Foreign Risk. The Fund may place trades on exchanges in foreign markets. Regulations of U.S. governmental agencies may not apply to transactions on foreign markets. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals' markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a commodity interest transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty. Additionally, the Fund's foreign investments may be subject to currency risk, including the risk that the Fund's net asset value declines as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.
n Hedging Risk. Hedging is a strategy in which the Fund uses a derivative to offset the risks associated with other Fund holdings. There can be no assurance that the Fund's hedging strategy will reduce risk or that hedging transactions will be either available or cost effective. The Fund is not required to use hedging and may choose not to do so.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet its investment objective. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
10
Risk Factors (continued)
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present a significant risk for loss of principal and interest. These securities are considered speculative. These bonds offer the potential for higher return, but also involve greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased possibility that the bond's issuer, obligor or guarantor may not be able to make its payments of interest and principal (credit quality risk). If that happens, the value of the bond may decrease, and a Fund's share price may decrease and its income distribution may be reduced. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates (interest rate risk) could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce a Fund's ability to sell its bonds (liquidity risk). Such securities may also include "Rule 144A" securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease a Fund's share price. If an issuer defaults or is subject to a reorganization including bankruptcy court protection, its bonds may become worthless, completely illiquid or subject to lengthy legal proceedings that will delay the resolution of their value, if any.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's combined long and short exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions at inopportune times to satisfy its obligations. The use of leverage may also cause the Fund to have higher expenses than would otherwise be the case.
n Management Risk. The Adviser may implement its investment strategy in a way that does not produce the intended result.
n Put Option Risk. When the Fund purchases a put option on a security or index it may lose the entire premium paid if the underlying security or index does not decrease in value. The Fund is also exposed to default by the option writer who may be unwilling or unable to perform its contractual obligations to the Fund.
n Sold Options/Short Position Risk. The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a sold option or other short position if the price of the sold option or short position instrument increases in value between the date of the Fund sells the position and the date on which the Fund purchases an offsetting position. Short positions may be considered speculative transactions and involve special risks, including greater reliance on the Adviser's ability to accurately anticipate the future value of a security or instrument. The Fund's losses are potentially unlimited in a short position transaction. Market factors may prevent the Fund from closing out a short position at the most desirable time or at a favorable price. The Fund's losses are potentially large in a sold put transaction and potentially unlimited in a sold call transaction.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small and mid-sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Small and mid-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
11
Risk Factors (continued)
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
12
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
13
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.60% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
14
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
15
Choosing a Share Class
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charges a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
19
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares , you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND(800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
22
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
23
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
24
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
25
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
26
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
27
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
28
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e. , dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
29
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
30
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
31
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
32
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
33
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
34
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
35
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
9.84 |
$ |
9.78 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) 2 |
0.22 |
0.11 |
(0.01 |
) |
|||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.38 |
) |
0.00 7 |
(0.21 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.16 |
) |
0.11 |
(0.22 |
) |
||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.21 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|
||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.27 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.41 |
$ |
9.84 |
$ |
9.78 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(1.62 |
)% |
1.15 |
% |
(2.20 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
31,313 |
$ |
28,924 |
$ |
11,648 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.27 |
% |
1.25 |
% |
1.35 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.13 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
2.09 |
% |
0.99 |
% |
(0.43 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
2.23 |
% |
1.09 |
% |
(0.23 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
134.72 |
% |
190.17 |
% |
0.08 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Market Nuetral Income Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment income/(loss) to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
7 Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.
36
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
9.74 |
$ |
9.74 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) 2 |
0.14 |
0.01 |
(0.06 |
) |
|||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.38 |
) |
0.02 |
(0.20 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.24 |
) |
0.03 |
(0.26 |
) |
||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.08 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|
||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.14 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.36 |
$ |
9.74 |
$ |
9.74 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
(2.42 |
)% |
0.34 |
% |
(2.60 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
385 |
$ |
267 |
$ |
137 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
2.02 |
% |
2.00 |
% |
2.10 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.88 |
% |
1.90 |
% |
1.90 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.29 |
% |
(0.04 |
)% |
(1.13 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.43 |
% |
0.06 |
% |
(0.93 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
134.72 |
% |
190.17 |
% |
0.08 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Market Nuetral Income Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment income/(loss) to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
37
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
9.89 |
$ |
9.81 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.23 |
0.10 |
0.00 3 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
(0.37 |
) |
0.04 |
(0.19 |
) |
||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
(0.14 |
) |
0.14 |
(0.19 |
) |
||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.25 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|
||||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.06 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.31 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
|
||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.44 |
$ |
9.89 |
$ |
9.81 |
|||||||||
Total return 4 |
(1.41 |
)% |
1.44 |
% |
(1.90 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
25,310 |
$ |
33,773 |
$ |
9,095 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 7 |
1.02 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
1.10 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 7 |
0.88 |
% |
0.90 |
% |
0.90 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement 7 |
2.25 |
% |
0.87 |
% |
(0.20 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement 7 |
2.39 |
% |
0.97 |
% |
0.00 |
% 6 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
134.72 |
% |
190.17 |
% |
0.08 |
% 5 |
1 The Compass EMP Market Nuetral Income Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.
4 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
5 Not annualized.
6 Annualized.
7 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment income/(loss) to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
38
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39
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40
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41
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42
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-MNI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund)
Class A CEBAX
Class C CEBCX
Class I CEBIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 |
||||||
Tax Information |
7 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
7 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 |
||||||
Investments |
9 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
10 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
12 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
13 |
||||||
Share Price |
14 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
15 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
19 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
22 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
24 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
26 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
27 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
29 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
32 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
33 |
||||||
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
34 |
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund's objective is total return.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 12 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
2.00 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.40 |
% |
0.40 |
% |
0.40 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.29 |
% |
0.24 |
% |
0.27 |
% |
|||||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.05 |
% |
0.05 |
% |
0.05 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.99 |
% |
1.69 |
% |
0.72 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 4 |
(0.23 |
)% |
(0.18 |
)% |
(0.21 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers
and Expense Reimbursement 4 |
0.76 |
% |
1.51 |
% |
0.51 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.88%, 1.63%, and 0.63% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares respectively. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses an additional amount through at least October 31, 2016 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.71%, 1.46%, and 0.46% of the Fund's Class A, Class C and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
276 |
$ |
483 |
$ |
711 |
$ |
1,365 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
254 |
$ |
515 |
$ |
900 |
$ |
1,982 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
52 |
$ |
207 |
$ |
378 |
$ |
873 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
154 |
$ |
515 |
$ |
900 |
$ |
1,982 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 0.0% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in fixed income securities, which it defines as including domestic and foreign treasury bills, notes, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, corporate and government debt and other forms of indebtedness.
The Fund will invest primarily (long only) in fixed income securities issued by U.S. and foreign companies and governments. The Fund may invest in bond futures, individual domestic and foreign government notes and bonds or domestic and foreign corporate debt. The Fund's foreign investments will be in companies and governments of developed countries.
The Fund's investments will be weighted based on the volatility of each investment. Volatility is a measure of the historical dispersion of an investment's price compared to its mean. The weight of each investment is defined by its own volatility relative to the average volatility of other investments. Investments with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and investments with higher volatility receive a lower weighting. The Fund tactically reduces its exposure to a country's markets during periods of significant market decline and reinvests when market prices have rebounded or have further declined. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to the feature designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through defensive positioning, as described below.
The Fund's target fixed income portfolio duration is 2 to 10 years; however, the Fund may reduce the portfolio duration based on the rising trend of yields or the declining trend of fixed income securities prices. In considering fixed income securities or indirect investments in fixed income securities, the credit rating for these securities is expected to be primarily investment grade (defined as having a rating of BBB- and above). However, up to 20% of the fixed income portfolio may be composed of lower-quality corporate notes and bonds rated B- or higher, which are commonly referred to as "junk bonds."
The Fund seeks to limit risk during unfavorable (non-normal) market conditions in a country by reducing its exposure to that country's market. Market conditions are measured by reference to the value of the country's generally accepted 10-year treasury or government note ("10-year treasury"). During a period of market decline, defined as a decline of 2% or more from the all-time daily high closing value of the country's 10-year treasury, the Fund's exposure to that country's market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.
If the decline in the all-time daily high closing value of a country's 10-year treasury declines by 2% or more when measured at week-end, the Fund will liquidate approximately 75% of its position in such country. The Fund will invest the proceeds of such liquidation primarily in cash and cash equivalents, including money market funds, short-term government bonds, Treasury bills, and/or commercial paper.
If the all-time daily high closing value of the country's 10-year treasury declines by 4% or more when measured at week-end, the Fund will begin to reinvest in the country's market. The Fund will return to being fully invested in the country at such time that the week-end closing value of the country's 10-year treasury either declines by 8% or more from its all-time daily high closing value or returns to a closing value that is less than a 2% decline from its all-time daily high closing value. The Fund will make any prescribed liquidation or reinvestment based only upon week-end values.
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Fund's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at week-end, there is a risk that the Fund will not react to changes in a country's market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event it allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Fund's liquidation and reinvestment strategy, if employed, will be successful.
3
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Investment Risk.
n Foreign Exposure Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Futures Risk. The Fund's use of futures contracts exposes the Fund to leverage and tracking risks because a small investment in futures contracts may produce large losses and futures contracts may not be perfect substitutes for securities.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. These securities are considered speculative.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's long exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price.
n Management Risk. The Adviser may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
n Market Risk. Overall securities market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A, Class C and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Barclays U.S. Government Intermediate Government Index and Barclays Global Treasury ex U.S. Index. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 12/31/14 1.15%
Worst Quarter: 6/30/13 -3.00%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was 0.40%
5
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-2.67 |
% |
-2.47 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-3.32 |
% |
-2.82 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-1.51 |
% |
-2.03 |
% |
|||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
2.49 |
% |
-0.40 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
3.49 |
% |
0.55 |
% |
|||||||
Barclays U.S Government Intermediate Government Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
2.52 |
% |
0.50 |
% |
|||||||
Barclays Global Treasury ex U.S. Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-2.77 |
% |
-3.78 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
6
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
The Fund's foreign investments will be in companies and governments of developed (non-emerging market) countries. Emerging markets are generally those with less-developed economies and per-capital incomes significantly lower than the U.S.
Some of the Underlying Funds in which the Fund may invest that invest in bond or interest rate derivatives may be considered commodity pools.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, short-term money market instruments or money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause a Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Below Investment-Grade Securities
Debt securities that are rated below investment grade or in comparable unrated securities. Lower quality or below-investment-grade debt securities are sometimes referred to as "junk bonds."
Commercial Paper
Short-term obligations issued by banks, corporations, broker dealers and other entities to finance their current operations.
Corporate Debt Obligations
Debt instruments issued by corporations. They may be secured or unsecured.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
U.S. Government Securities
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
9
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Inflation can erode the purchasing power of the cash flows generated by debt securities held by the Fund. Fixed-rate debt securities are more susceptible to this risk than floating-rate debt securities or equity securities that have a record of dividend growth. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Foreign Investment Risk. Investing in foreign companies involves certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present a significant risk for loss of principal and interest. These securities are considered speculative. These bonds offer the potential for higher return, but also involve greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased possibility that the bond's issuer, obligor or guarantor may not be able to make its payments of interest and principal (credit quality risk). If that happens, the value of the bond may decrease, and a Fund's share price may decrease and its income distribution may be reduced. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates (interest rate risk) could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce a Fund's ability to sell its bonds (liquidity risk). Such securities may also include "Rule 144A" securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease a Fund's share price. If an issuer defaults or is subject to a reorganization including bankruptcy court protection, its bonds may become worthless, completely illiquid or subject to lengthy legal proceedings that will delay the resolution of their value, if any.
n Leverage Risk. Using derivatives to increase the Fund's combined long and short exposure creates leverage, which can magnify the Fund's potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund's share price. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions at inopportune times to satisfy its obligations. The use of leverage may also cause the Fund to have higher expenses than would otherwise be the case.
10
Risk Factors (continued)
n Management Risk. The Adviser may implement its investment strategy in a way that does not produce the intended result.
n Market Risk. Overall securities market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
11
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
12
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.40% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
13
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
14
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
1.75 |
% |
1.78 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
1.50 |
% |
1.52 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
1.25 |
% |
1.27 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
1.00 |
% |
1.01 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase. There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase.
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund
19
How to Buy Shares (continued)
is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND(800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
21
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
22
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
23
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
24
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
25
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
26
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e. , dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
27
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
28
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
29
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price, to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
30
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
31
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
32
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
33
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
9.90 |
$ |
9.71 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) 2 |
(0.01 |
) |
0.00 7 |
0.01 |
|||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
0.12 |
0.19 |
(0.29 |
) |
|||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.11 |
0.19 |
(0.28 |
) |
|||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
|
(0.00 |
) 7 |
(0.01 |
) |
||||||||||
In excess of net investment income |
(0.16 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.16 |
) |
(0.00 |
) |
(0.01 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.85 |
$ |
9.90 |
$ |
9.71 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
1.05 |
% |
2.00 |
% |
(2.76 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
16,438 |
$ |
30,145 |
$ |
36,826 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
0.98 |
% |
0.94 |
% |
1.02 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
0.84 |
% |
0.85 |
% |
0.85 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.24 |
)% |
(0.06 |
)% |
0.06 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income (loss), net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.10 |
)% |
0.03 |
% |
0.23 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0.00 |
% |
26.52 |
% |
0.04 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment income/(loss) to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
7 Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.
34
Class C |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
9.80 |
$ |
9.68 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment loss 2 |
(0.08 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
0.11 |
0.19 |
(0.28 |
) |
|||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.03 |
0.12 |
(0.31 |
) |
|||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
|
|
(0.01 |
) |
|||||||||||
In excess of net investment income |
(0.12 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.12 |
) |
|
(0.01 |
) |
||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.71 |
$ |
9.80 |
$ |
9.68 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
0.31 |
% |
1.24 |
% |
(3.15 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
575 |
$ |
404 |
$ |
282 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.73 |
% |
1.69 |
% |
1.77 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
1.59 |
% |
1.60 |
% |
1.60 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.99 |
)% |
(0.81 |
)% |
(0.58 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
(0.85 |
)% |
(0.72 |
)% |
(0.41 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0.00 |
% |
26.52 |
% |
0.04 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Class C commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment loss to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
35
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
9.91 |
$ |
9.72 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.01 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments |
0.13 |
0.19 |
(0.29 |
) |
|||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.14 |
0.22 |
(0.26 |
) |
|||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
|
(0.03 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
||||||||||
In excess of net investment income |
(0.17 |
) |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.17 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.88 |
$ |
9.91 |
$ |
9.72 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
1.39 |
% |
2.25 |
% |
(2.60 |
)% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
4,970 |
$ |
18,139 |
$ |
1 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
0.73 |
% |
0.69 |
% |
0.77 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
0.59 |
% |
0.60 |
% |
0.60 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement 6 |
0.01 |
% |
0.19 |
% |
0.31 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement 6 |
0.15 |
% |
0.28 |
% |
0.48 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0.00 |
% |
26.52 |
% |
0.04 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 The ratios of expenses to average net assets and net investment income to average net assets do not reflect the expenses of the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
36
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40
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42
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-EFI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund)
Class A COFAX
Class I COFIX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
4 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
5 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
6 |
||||||
Tax Information |
6 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial
Intermediaries |
6 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
7 |
||||||
Investments |
8 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
9 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
11 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
12 |
||||||
Share Price |
13 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
14 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
18 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
22 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
24 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
26 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
27 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
29 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
32 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
33 |
||||||
Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund |
34 |
Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund's objective is current income.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 11 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 60 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class I |
|||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
1.00
|
% |
NONE
|
||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.40 |
% |
0.40 |
% |
|||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||
Other Expenses 1 |
0.28 |
% |
0.31 |
% |
|||||||
Acquired Fund Fee and Expenses 2 |
0.01 |
% |
0.01 |
% |
|||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
0.94 |
% |
0.72 |
% |
|||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
(0.22 |
)% |
(0.25 |
)% |
|||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
0.72 |
% |
0.47 |
% |
1 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
2 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
3 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding AFFE, and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.71% and 0.46% of the Fund's Class A and Class I shares, respectively. The Advisor is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees. From time to time, the Adviser may also voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under the contractual agreement in place with respect to the Fund.
1
Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
173 |
$ |
363 |
$ |
582 |
$ |
1,213 |
|||||||||||
Class I |
$ |
48 |
$ |
192 |
$ |
363 |
$ |
859 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 0.0% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets directly in fixed income instruments, which the Fund defines to include domestic and foreign treasury bills and notes, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, corporate debt and other forms of indebtedness, with a remaining maturity of one year or less. The dollar-weighted average fixed income maturity of the Fund is expected to be 12 months or less and the credit quality of such securities to be primarily investment grade (defined as having a rating of BBB- and above). The Fund may invest up to 20% of the fixed income portfolio in lower-quality corporate notes and bonds rated B- or higher, which are commonly referred to as "junk bonds."
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Junk Bond Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Management Risk. The Adviser may implement its investment strategy in a way that does not produce the intended result.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
3
Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A and Class I shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to those of the Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Bill. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 6/30/13 0.13%
Worst Quarter: 12/31/13 0.07%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was 0.21%
4
Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
Since Inception
(11/19/2012) |
|||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-0.61 |
% |
-0.09 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-0.80 |
% |
-0.28 |
% |
|||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-0.39 |
% |
-0.18 |
% |
|||||||
Class I returns before taxes |
0.63 |
% |
0.62 |
% |
|||||||
Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Bill
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
0.03 |
% |
0.05 |
% |
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2012.
5
Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares:
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information:
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries:
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
6
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
Keep in mind that for cash management or for temporary defensive purposes in response to market conditions, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash or in a money market fund. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
7
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Commercial Paper
Unsecured short-term obligations issued by banks, corporations, broker dealers and other entities to finance their current operations.
General Obligation Bonds
Secured by the issuer's full faith, credit, and taxing power for payment of interest and principal.
Corporate Bonds
Bonds issued by corporations. They may be secured or unsecured.
U.S. Government Securities
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including money market funds, if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
8
Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Foreign Investment Risk. Investing in foreign companies involves certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present a significant risk for loss of principal and interest. These securities are considered speculative. These bonds offer the potential for higher return, but also involve greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased possibility that the bond's issuer, obligor or guarantor may not be able to make its payments of interest and principal (credit quality risk). If that happens, the value of the bond may decrease, and a Fund's share price may decrease and its income distribution may be reduced. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates (interest rate risk) could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce a Fund's ability to sell its bonds (liquidity risk). Such securities may also include "Rule 144A" securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease a Fund's share price. If an issuer defaults or is subject to a reorganization including bankruptcy court protection, its bonds may become worthless, completely illiquid or subject to lengthy legal proceedings that will delay the resolution of their value, if any.
n Management Risk. The Adviser may implement its investment strategy in a way that does not produce the intended result.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
9
Risk Factors (continued)
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
10
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
11
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.40% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
12
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
13
Choosing a Share Class
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class I shares..
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC"). All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than Class A shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
14
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
1.00 |
% |
1.01 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
0.80 |
% |
0.81 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
0.60 |
% |
0.60 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
0.40 |
% |
0.40 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
0.20 |
% |
0.20 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
17
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
18
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
19
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
Keep these addresses handy
for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND(800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
21
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
22
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
23
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
24
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
25
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
26
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends monthly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e ., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
27
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
28
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
29
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
30
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
31
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
32
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
33
Class A |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments |
0.01 |
0.00 6 |
0.00 6 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.04 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.04 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.00 |
) 6 |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.04 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
0.39 |
% |
0.30 |
% |
0.25 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
4,283 |
$ |
5,965 |
$ |
5,161 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
0.94 |
% |
0.96 |
% |
1.06 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.50 |
% |
0.50 |
% |
0.55 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment loss, before waiver/reimbursement |
(0.09 |
)% |
(0.14 |
)% |
(0.06 |
)% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.35 |
% |
0.32 |
% |
0.45 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0 |
% |
0 |
% |
0 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund Class A commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions and does not reflect the impact of sales loads on Class A shares. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.
34
Class I |
|||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Period Ended June 30, 2013 1 |
|||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Income from investment operations: |
|||||||||||||||
Net investment income 2 |
0.06 |
0.06 |
0.03 |
||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments 6 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||||||||||||
Total from investment operations |
0.06 |
0.06 |
0.03 |
||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||
From net investment income |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|||||||||
From net realized gains on investments |
(0.00 |
) 6 |
|
|
|||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
(0.03 |
) |
|||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||||||
Total return 3 |
0.64 |
% |
0.61 |
% |
0.40 |
% 4 |
|||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000's) |
$ |
10,334 |
$ |
10,846 |
$ |
4,642 |
|||||||||
Ratios to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||
Expenses, before waiver/reimbursement |
0.69 |
% |
0.71 |
% |
0.81 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Expenses, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.25 |
% |
0.25 |
% |
0.30 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, before waiver/reimbursement |
0.16 |
% |
0.11 |
% |
0.25 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Net investment income, net waiver/reimbursement |
0.60 |
% |
0.57 |
% |
0.76 |
% 5 |
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
0 |
% |
0 |
% |
0 |
% 4 |
1 The Compass EMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund Class I commenced operations on November 19, 2012.
2 Per share amounts calculated using average shares method.
3 Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of distributions. Total return would have been higher or lower if certain expenses had not been reimbursed or waived.
4 Not annualized.
5 Annualized.
6 Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.
35
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-USTFI-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund)
Class A LTGAX
Class C LTGCX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 |
||||||
Tax Information |
7 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
7 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 |
||||||
Investments |
9 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
10 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
12 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
13 |
||||||
Share Price |
14 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
15 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
19 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
22 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
24 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
26 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
27 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
29 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
32 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
33 |
||||||
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund |
34 |
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund's (the "Growth Fund" or the "Fund") objective is to achieve long-term capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 12 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 45 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
|||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75
|
% |
NONE
|
||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
||||||||
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
|||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.60 |
% |
0.41 |
% |
|||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.71 |
% |
0.71 |
% |
|||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 4 |
1.56 |
% |
2.12 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.73% and 2.48% of the Fund's Class A and Class C shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees. From time to time, the Adviser may also voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under the contractual agreement in place with respect to the Fund.
1
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
725 |
$ |
1,039 |
$ |
1,376 |
$ |
2,325 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(if you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
315 |
$ |
664 |
$ |
1,139 |
$ |
2,452 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
215 |
$ |
664 |
$ |
1,139 |
$ |
2,452 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 32.3% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a portfolio of equities, fixed income securities and futures contracts (including commodity, currency and financial futures) across a broad range of global equities including, but not limited to, U.S., international and emerging markets stocks, including small, mid and large capitalization companies.
The Fund may invest directly in equity investments, but will typically do so indirectly through investment in a mix of affiliated underlying funds, including exchange traded funds ("ETFs"), ("Victory Funds") advised by the Fund's investment adviser, Victory Capital Management Inc. (the "Adviser"). The Fund may also invest in unaffiliated underlying funds if a Victory Fund in a particular asset class is not available. The Adviser will select the appropriate investment vehicle based on the strategy of the particular asset class within the investment portfolio.
To create the Fund's portfolio, the Adviser uses a proprietary, rules-based volatility weighted global asset allocation model that seeks to produce lower correlation and volatility with a similar or greater return over a full market cycle compared to traditional market indexes. The asset allocation model consists of restrictions, constraints and criteria for the purchase or sale of each individual asset class, security or strategy. Because the Fund follows a rules-based asset allocation strategy, the performance of the Fund is not intended to track or correlate to the performance of any particular securities index.
The Adviser does not take into consideration the market capitalization of the equity securities in which the Fund invests in making investment decisions for the Fund and, therefore, the Fund may invest across a range of market capitalizations.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Conflict of Interest Risk. The Fund invests in affiliated underlying funds (the Victory Funds), unaffiliated underlying funds, or a combination of both. The Adviser, therefore, is subject to conflicts of interest in allocating the Fund's assets among the underlying funds. The Adviser will receive more revenue to the extent it selects a Victory Fund rather than an unaffiliated fund for inclusion in the Fund's portfolio. In addition, the Adviser may have an incentive to allocate the Fund's assets to those Victory Funds for which the net advisory fees payable to the Adviser are higher than the fees payable by other Victory Funds.
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems with fewer security holder rights. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Foreign Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Futures Risk. The Fund's use of futures contracts exposes the Fund to leverage and tracking risks because a small investment in futures contracts may produce large losses and futures contracts may not be perfect substitutes for securities.
n Liquidity Risks. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous
3
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund Summary (continued)
time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
n Management Risk. The Adviser's asset selection methodology may produce incorrect judgments about the value a particular asset and may not produce the desired results.
n Preferred Stock Risk. The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments.
n Sector Risk. The Fund may be subject to the risk that its assets are invested in a particular sector or group of sectors in the economy and as a result, the value of the Fund may be adversely impacted by events or developments in a sector or group of sectors.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small- and mid-sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
n Underlying Funds Risk. An underlying fund in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying funds are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A and Class C shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to several broad-based securities indexes. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
The performance figures below reflect the historical performance of a series of Mutual Fund Series Trust, a separate registered investment company (the "Predecessor Fund"), which was reorganized into the Fund on March 29, 2013. The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Predecessor Fund. The Predecessor Fund commenced operations on December 31, 2008.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 6/30/09 18.04%
Worst Quarter: 3/31/09 -10.21%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -6.93%
5
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
5 Years |
Since Inception
(12/31/2008) |
||||||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-1.20 |
% |
3.92 |
% |
7.17 |
% |
|||||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-3.54 |
% |
1.71 |
% |
5.23 |
% |
|||||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-0.51 |
% |
2.21 |
% |
4.91 |
% |
|||||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
4.03 |
% |
4.38 |
% |
7.38 |
% |
|||||||||
MSCI World Stock Index
1
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
5.50 |
% |
10.81 |
% |
13.92 |
% |
|||||||||
S&P 500 Index
1
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
13.69 |
% |
15.45 |
% |
17.22 |
% |
|||||||||
Barclay Hedge Fund Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
2.88 |
% |
5.34 |
% |
8.20 |
% |
|||||||||
Barclay Hedge Fund of Funds Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
2.81 |
% |
2.88 |
% |
4.07 |
% |
|||||||||
Growth Fund Blend Benchmark
2
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
5.35 |
% |
7.17 |
% |
8.77 |
% |
1 The Fund has selected the MSCI World Stock Index as a benchmark in place of the S&P 500 Index because the portfolio manager believes the MSCI World Stock Index is a better representation of the Fund's investable universe.
2 The Growth Fund Blend Benchmark consists of the following: Fund inception to June 1, 2013 35% MSCI World Index, 62% Barclay Hedge Fund of Fund Index, 3% Citigroup 1 Mo. Treasury Bill Index. June 1, 2013 to present 97% MSCI World Stock Index, 3% Citigroup 1 Mo. Treasury Bill Index.
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser:
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers:
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2008.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
6
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares:
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information:
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries:
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
The Fund's investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management or for temporary defensive purposes in response to market conditions, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, short-term money market instruments or a money market fund. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund, or an underlying fund in which the Fund may invest, may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Equity Securities of Companies Traded on Foreign Exchanges.
Can include common stock and securities convertible into stock of non-U.S. corporations.
Equity Securities of U.S. Companies
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
Investment Companies.
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
The Fund or an underlying in which the Fund invests may use several types of investments or investment techniques in pursuing its overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities or the investment techniques a fund may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund or underlying funds may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives.
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Securities Lending.
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
9
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Conflict of Interest Risk. The Fund invests in affiliated underlying funds (the Victory Funds), unaffiliated underlying funds, or a combination of both. The Adviser, therefore, is subject to conflicts of interest in allocating the Fund's assets among the underlying funds. The Adviser will receive more revenue to the extent it selects a Victory Fund rather than an unaffiliated fund for inclusion in the Fund's portfolio. In addition, the Adviser may have an incentive to allocate the Fund's assets to those Victory Funds for which the net advisory fees payable to the Adviser are higher than the fees payable by other Victory Funds.
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems with fewer security holder rights. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.
n Foreign Risk. Investing in foreign companies involves certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
n Liquidity Risks. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
n Management Risk. The Adviser's asset selection methodology may produce incorrect judgments about the value a particular asset and may not produce the desired results.
n Preferred Stock Risk. The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments.
n Sector Risk. The Fund may be subject to the risk that its assets are invested in a particular sector or group of sectors in the economy and as a result, the value of the Fund may be adversely impacted by events or developments in a sector or group of sectors.
n Smaller-Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small- and mid-sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
n Underlying Funds Risk. Investment companies, including ETFs, are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in investment companies
10
Risk Factors (continued)
and also may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Investment companies are subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the fund. A fund may not achieve its investment objective.
The Fund or an underlying in which the Fund invests may use several types of investments or investment techniques in pursuing its overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund will "cover" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, a fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
11
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A or Class C shares of the Fund. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
12
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.0% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
13
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
14
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than Class A shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A and Class C shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
18
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment,
19
How to Buy Shares (continued)
when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND(800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
21
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
22
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
23
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
24
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
25
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
26
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends annually. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e. , dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
27
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
28
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
29
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
30
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
31
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
32
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past five years.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The Fund's financial highlights include historical information of the Predecessor Fund for periods prior to its reorganization with the Fund on March 29, 2013.
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
33
Class A |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Seven Month Period Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2013 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2012 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2011 1 |
For the
Five Month Period Ended November 30, 2010 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
12.54 |
$ |
13.97 |
$ |
11.66 |
$ |
11.98 |
$ |
12.80 |
$ |
11.38 |
|||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from investment
operations: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) |
0.41 2 |
0.26 2 |
0.08 2 |
(0.03 |
) 2 |
0.10 |
(0.03 |
) |
|||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss) |
(0.41 |
) |
0.61 |
2.23 |
(0.29 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
1.45 |
||||||||||||||||||
Total from investment
operations |
|
0.87 |
2.31 |
(0.32 |
) |
0.06 |
1.42 |
||||||||||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.28 |
) |
(0.35 |
) |
|
|
(0.10 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Net realized gains |
(0.44 |
) |
(1.95 |
) |
|
|
(0.78 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.72 |
) |
(2.30 |
) |
|
|
(0.88 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Paid in capital from redemption fees |
|
|
|
0.00 3 |
0.00 3 |
0.00 3 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.82 |
$ |
12.54 |
$ |
13.97 |
$ |
11.66 |
$ |
11.98 |
$ |
12.80 |
|||||||||||||||
Total return 4 |
0.22 |
% 8 |
7.82 |
% 7 |
19.81 |
% |
2.67 |
% # |
0.08 |
% |
12.48 |
% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000s) |
$ |
6,022 |
$ |
44,095 |
$ |
46,693 |
$ |
48,959 |
$ |
54,198 |
$ |
15,832 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of expenses to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed 5 |
0.54 |
% |
0.56 |
% 6 |
1.09 |
% |
1.51 |
% |
1.68 |
% |
1.93 |
% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed 5 |
0.50 |
% |
0.50 |
% 6 |
1.09 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
1.45 |
% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of net investment income (loss)
to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed 5 |
3.35 |
% |
3.63 |
% 6 |
0.58 |
% |
(0.28 |
)% |
0.03 |
% |
(1.12 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed 5 |
3.39 |
% |
3.69 |
% 6 |
0.58 |
% |
(0.22 |
)% |
0.26 |
% |
(0.64 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
32.26 |
% |
4 |
% 7 |
151 |
% |
108 |
% |
341 |
% |
31 |
% 7 |
1 The period includes the consolidation of a wholly owned subsidiary.
2 Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method.
3 Redemption fees resulted in less than $0.01 per share.
4 Aggregate total return, not annualized. Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost in an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends. Total return does not reflect the impact of sales charges.
5 These ratios exclude the impact of the expenses of the other investment companies in which the Fund invests.
6 Annualized.
7 Not annualized.
8 Had the Adviser not reimbursed the trade error, total return would have been (0.20)%.
# Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and, consequently, the net asset value for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net asset values and returns for shareholder transactions.
34
Class C |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Seven Month Period Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2013 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2012 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2011 1 |
For the
Five Month Period Ended November 30, 2010 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ |
12.15 |
$ |
13.55 |
$ |
11.40 |
$ |
11.80 |
$ |
12.65 |
$ |
11.28 |
|||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from investment
operations: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) |
0.20 2 |
0.19 2 |
(0.02 |
) 2 |
(0.11 |
) 2 |
(0.02 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
|||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss) |
(0.29 |
) |
0.61 |
2.17 |
(0.29 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
1.44 |
||||||||||||||||||
Total from investment
operations |
(0.09 |
) |
0.80 |
2.15 |
(0.40 |
) |
(0.04 |
) |
1.37 |
||||||||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.19 |
) |
(0.25 |
) |
|
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Net realized gains |
(0.44 |
) |
(1.95 |
) |
|
|
(0.78 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.63 |
) |
(2.20 |
) |
|
|
(0.81 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Paid in capital from redemption fees |
|
|
|
0.00 3 |
0.00 3 |
0.00 3 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.43 |
$ |
12.15 |
$ |
13.55 |
$ |
11.40 |
$ |
11.80 |
$ |
12.65 |
|||||||||||||||
Total return 4 |
(0.58 |
)% 8 |
7.36 |
% 7 |
18.86 |
% |
(3.39 |
)% # |
(0.71 |
)% |
12.15 |
% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000s) |
$ |
4,934 |
$ |
6,913 |
$ |
5,787 |
$ |
7,480 |
$ |
7,432 |
$ |
4,085 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of expenses to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed 5 |
1.29 |
% |
1.31 |
% 6 |
1.84 |
% |
2.26 |
% |
2.43 |
% |
2.68 |
% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed 5 |
1.25 |
% |
1.25 |
% 6 |
1.84 |
% |
2.20 |
% |
2.20 |
% |
2.20 |
% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of net investment income (loss)
to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed 5 |
1.71 |
% |
2.88 |
% 6 |
(0.16 |
)% |
(1.03 |
)% |
(0.57 |
)% |
(1.87 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed 5 |
1.75 |
% |
2.94 |
% 6 |
(0.16 |
)% |
(0.97 |
)% |
(0.34 |
)% |
(1.39 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
32.26 |
% |
4 |
% 7 |
151 |
% |
108 |
% |
341 |
% |
31 |
% 7 |
1 The period includes the consolidation of a wholly owned subsidiary.
2 Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method.
3 Redemption fees resulted in less than $0.01 per share.
4 Aggregate total return, not annualized. Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost in an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends. Total return does not reflect the impact of sales charges.
5 These ratios exclude the impact of the expenses of the other investment companies in which the Fund invests.
6 Annualized.
7 Not annualized.
8 Had the Adviser not reimbursed the trade error, total return would have been (1.02)%.
# Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and, consequently, the net asset value for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net asset values and returns for shareholder transactions.
35
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36
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38
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39
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40
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42
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-MAG-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund)
Class A CTMAX
Class C CTMCX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 |
||||||
Tax Information |
7 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
7 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 |
||||||
Investments |
9 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
11 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
13 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
14 |
||||||
Share Price |
15 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
16 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
20 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
23 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
25 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
27 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
28 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
30 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
33 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
34 |
||||||
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund |
35 |
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund's (the "Balanced Fund" or the "Fund") primary objective is total return, which the Balanced Fund considers to be a combination of interest, capital gains, dividends and distributions.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 13 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 45 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
|||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
|||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.42 |
% |
0.30 |
% |
|||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.72 |
% |
0.72 |
% |
|||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 4 |
1.39 |
% |
2.02 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.51% and 2.26% of the Fund's Class A and Class C shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees. From time to time, the Adviser may also voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under the contractual agreement in place with respect to the Fund.
1
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
708 |
$ |
990 |
$ |
1,292 |
$ |
2,148 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(If you sell your shares at the end of the period) |
$ |
305 |
$ |
634 |
$ |
1,088 |
$ |
2,348 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
205 |
$ |
634 |
$ |
1,088 |
$ |
2,348 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 22.5% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a portfolio of equities, fixed income securities and futures contracts (including commodity, currency and financial futures) across a broad range of global asset classes including, but not limited to, U.S., international and emerging markets stocks, including small, mid and large capitalization companies, U.S. and international bonds, U.S. and international real estate, commodities and currencies. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 25% of its net assets in equity securities and at least 25% of its assets in fixed income securities.
The Fund invests primarily in fixed income, equity and alternative (including commodity, currency, hedging and real estate) securities. The Fund may invest in these asset classes directly, but will typically do so indirectly through investment in a mix of affiliated underlying funds, including exchange traded funds ("ETFs"), ("Victory Funds") advised by the Fund's investment adviser, Victory Capital Management Inc. (the "Adviser"). The Fund may also invest in unaffiliated underlying funds if a Victory Fund in a particular asset class is not available. The Adviser will select the appropriate investment vehicle based on the strategy of the particular asset class within the investment portfolio.
To create the Fund's portfolio, the Adviser uses a proprietary, rules-based volatility weighted global asset allocation model that seeks to produce lower correlation and volatility with a similar or greater return over a full market cycle compared to traditional market indexes. The asset allocation model consists of restrictions, constraints and criteria for the purchase or sale of each individual asset class, security or strategy. Because the Fund follows a rules-based asset allocation strategy, the performance of the Fund is not intended to track or correlate to the performance of any particular securities index.
The Adviser does not take into consideration the market capitalization of the equity securities in which the Fund invests in making investment decisions for the Fund and, therefore, the Fund may invest across a range of market capitalizations.
In considering fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest, directly or indirectly, the credit rating for these securities will generally be investment grade (which the Adviser defines as having a rating of BBB and above), but up to 20% of the Fund's assets invested in fixed income may be invested in junk bonds. While the Fund may invest in fixed income securities with any credit rating or maturity, it typically will hold fixed income securities with an intermediate average maturity (defined as between 2 and 10 years).
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Commodity Risk. Commodity-related risks include production risks caused by unfavorable weather, animal and plant disease, geologic and environmental factors. Commodity-related risks also include unfavorable changes in government regulation such as tariffs, embargoes or burdensome production rules and restrictions.
n Conflict of Interest Risk. The Fund invests in affiliated underlying funds (the Victory Funds), unaffiliated underlying funds, or a combination of both. The Adviser, therefore, is subject to conflicts of interest in allocating the Fund's assets among the underlying funds. The Adviser will receive more revenue to the extent it selects a Victory Fund rather than an unaffiliated fund for inclusion in the Fund's portfolio. In addition, the Adviser may have an incentive to allocate the Fund's assets to those Victory Funds for which the net advisory fees payable to the Adviser are higher than the fees payable by other Victory Funds.
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems with fewer security holder rights. Emerging market
3
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund Summary (continued)
economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Futures Risk. The Fund's use of futures contracts exposes the Fund to leverage and tracking risks because a small investment in futures contracts may produce large losses and futures contracts may not be perfect substitutes for securities.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. These securities are considered speculative.
n Liquidity Risks. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
n Management Risk. The Adviser's asset selection methodology may produce incorrect judgments about the value a particular asset and may not produce the desired results.
n Preferred Stock Risk. The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments.
n Real Estate Risk. The value of real estate investments are subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market. These may include decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, increases in operating costs, interest rates and property taxes.
n Sector Risk. The Fund may be subject to the risk that its assets are invested in a particular sector or group of sectors in the economy and as a result, the value of the Fund may be adversely impacted by events or developments in a sector or group of sectors.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small- and mid-sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
n Underlying Funds Risk. An underlying fund in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying Funds are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A and Class C shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to several broad-based securities indexes. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
The performance figures below reflect the historical performance of a series of Mutual Fund Series Trust, a separate registered investment company (the "Predecessor Fund"), which was reorganized into the Fund on March 29, 2013. The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Predecessor Fund. The Predecessor Fund commenced operations on December 31, 2008.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 6/30/09 12.71%
Worst Quarter: 6/3/10 -3.26%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -4.43%
5
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
5 Years |
Since Inception
(12/31/2008) |
||||||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-2.27 |
% |
2.71 |
% |
5.90 |
% |
|||||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-3.60 |
% |
1.27 |
% |
4.56 |
% |
|||||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-1.27 |
% |
1.58 |
% |
4.15 |
% |
|||||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
3.05 |
% |
3.27 |
% |
6.25 |
% |
|||||||||
MSCI World Stock Index
1
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
5.50 |
% |
10.81 |
% |
13.92 |
% |
|||||||||
S&P 500 Index
1
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
13.69 |
% |
15.45 |
% |
17.22 |
% |
|||||||||
Barclay Hedge Fund of Funds Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
2.81 |
% |
2.88 |
% |
4.07 |
% |
|||||||||
Balanced Fund Blend Benchmark
2
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
3.41 |
% |
6.60 |
% |
5.63 |
% |
|||||||||
Barclay Global Treasury ex- U.S. Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
-2.77 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
1.55 |
% |
1 The Fund has selected the MSCI World Stock Index as a benchmark in place of the S&P 500 Index because the portfolio manager believes the MSCI World Stock Index is a better representation of the Fund's investable equity universe.
2 The Balanced Fund Blend Benchmark consists of the following: Fund inception to June 1, 2013 15% MSCI World Index, 50% Barclay Hedge Fund of Fund Index, 18% Barclays Global Treasury Ex U.S. Index,12% Citigroup Treasury Index, 5% Citigroup 1 Mo. Treasury Bill Index. June 1, 2013 to present 48% MSCI World Index, 25% Barclay Hedge Fund of Fund Index, 13% Barclays Global Treasury Ex U.S. Index, 12% Citigroup Treasury Index, 5% Citigroup 1 Mo. Treasury Bill Index.
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser:
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers:
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2008.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
6
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares:
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information:
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries:
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
The Fund's investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management or for temporary defensive purposes in response to market conditions, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments or a money market fund. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund, or an underlying fund in which the Fund may invest, may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Corporate Bonds.
Debt instruments issued by corporations. They may be secured or unsecured.
Equity Securities of Companies Traded on Foreign Exchanges.
Can include common stock and securities convertible into stock of non-U.S. corporations.
Equity Securities of U.S. Companies.
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
General Obligation Bonds.
Secured by the issuer's full faith, credit, and taxing power for payment of interest and principal.
Investment Companies.
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Real Estate Investment Trust.
Securities representing a pool of real estate or mortgages or both.
U.S. Government Securities.
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
The Fund or an underlying in which the Fund invests may use several types of investments or investment techniques in pursuing its overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities or the investment techniques a fund may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund or underlying funds may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives.
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
9
Investments (continued)
Securities Lending.
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
10
Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Commodity Risk. Commodity-related risks include production risks caused by unfavorable weather, animal and plant disease, geologic and environmental factors. Commodity-related risks also include unfavorable changes in government regulation such as tariffs, embargoes or burdensome production rules and restrictions.
n Conflict of Interest Risk. The Fund invests in affiliated underlying funds (the Victory Funds), unaffiliated underlying funds, or a combination of both. The Adviser, therefore, is subject to conflicts of interest in allocating the Fund's assets among the underlying funds. The Adviser will receive more revenue to the extent it selects a Victory Fund rather than an unaffiliated fund for inclusion in the Fund's portfolio. In addition, the Adviser may have an incentive to allocate the Fund's assets to those Victory Funds for which the net advisory fees payable to the Adviser are higher than the fees payable by other Victory Funds.
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems with fewer security holder rights. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Inflation can erode the purchasing power of the cash flows generated by debt securities held by the Fund. Fixed-rate debt securities are more susceptible to this risk than floating-rate debt securities or equity securities that have a record of dividend growth. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Foreign Risk. Investing in foreign companies involves certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. These securities are considered speculative.
n Liquidity Risks. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
11
Risk Factors (continued)
n Management Risk. The Adviser's asset selection methodology may produce incorrect judgments about the value a particular asset and may not produce the desired results.
n Preferred Stock Risk. The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments.
n Real Estate Risk. The value of real estate investments are subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market. These may include decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, increases in operating costs, interest rates and property taxes.
n Sector Risk. The Fund may be subject to the risk that its assets are invested in a particular sector or group of sectors in the economy and as a result, the value of the Fund may be adversely impacted by events or developments in a sector or group of sectors.
n Smaller-Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small- and mid-sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
n Underlying Funds Risk. Investment companies, including ETFs, are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in investment companies and also may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Investment companies are subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the fund. A fund may not achieve its investment objective.
The Fund or an underlying in which the Fund invests may use several types of investments or investment techniques in pursuing its overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund will "cover" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause a fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
12
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A or Class C shares of the Fund. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
13
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.0% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Funds and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
14
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
15
Choosing a Share Class
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than Class A shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A and Class C shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
18
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
19
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
20
How to Buy Shares (continued)
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also
Keep these addresses handy
for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND(800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
22
How to Exchange Shares
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling
800-539-3863
or by visiting
CompassEMP
Funds.com
23
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
24
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
25
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
26
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
27
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends annually. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e ., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend
28
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
29
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
30
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
31
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
32
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
33
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past five years.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The Fund's financial highlights include historical information of the Predecessor Fund for periods prior to its reorganization with the Fund on March 29, 2013.
As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBD, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
34
Class A |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Seven Months Period Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2013 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2012 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2011 1 |
For the
Five Month Period Ended November 30, 2010 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value,
beginning of period |
$ |
12.45 |
$ |
12.70 |
$ |
12.36 |
$ |
12.18 |
$ |
12.64 |
$ |
11.86 |
|||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from investment
operations: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
0.36 2 |
0.14 2 |
0.04 2 |
0.01 2 |
0.12 |
0.02 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss) on investments |
(0.40 |
) |
0.45 |
0.84 |
0.24 |
0.07 3 |
0.78 |
||||||||||||||||||||
Total from investment
operations |
(0.04 |
) |
0.59 |
0.88 |
0.25 |
0.19 |
0.80 |
||||||||||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.25 |
) |
|
(0.16 |
) |
|
(0.10 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
|||||||||||||||||
Net realized gains |
(0.14 |
) |
(0.84 |
) |
(0.38 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.55 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.39 |
) |
(0.84 |
) |
(0.54 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.65 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
|||||||||||||||
Paid in capital from redemption
fees |
|
|
|
0.00 4 |
0.00 4 |
0.00 4 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
12.02 |
$ |
12.45 |
$ |
12.70 |
$ |
12.36 |
$ |
12.18 |
$ |
12.64 |
|||||||||||||||
Total return 5 |
(0.29 |
)% 9 |
5.10 |
% 8 |
7.36 |
% |
2.03 |
% |
1.40 |
% |
6.73 |
% 8 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000s) |
$ |
20,441 |
$ |
82,534 |
$ |
77,160 |
$ |
87,255 |
$ |
75,842 |
$ |
35,516 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of expenses to average
net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 6 |
0.50 |
% |
0.49 |
% 7 |
1.08 |
% |
1.13 |
% |
1.22 |
% |
1.32 |
% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 6 |
0.50 |
% |
0.50 |
% 7 |
0.92 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% |
1.15 |
% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of net investment income
to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 6 |
2.91 |
% |
1.94 |
% 7 |
0.13 |
% |
0.08 |
% |
0.61 |
% |
0.22 |
% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 6 |
2.91 |
% |
1.93 |
% 7 |
0.29 |
% |
0.06 |
% |
0.68 |
% |
0.39 |
% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
22.46 |
% |
12 |
% 8 |
111 |
% |
58 |
% |
235 |
% |
16 |
% 8 |
1 The period includes the consolidation of a wholly owned subsidiary.
2 Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method.
3 Realized and unrealized gain per share does not correlate to the aggregate of the net realized and unrealized gains on the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended November 30, 2011, primarily due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund's shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund's portfolio.
4 Redemption fees resulted in less than $0.01 per share.
5 Aggregate total return, not annualized. Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost in an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends. Total return does not reflect the impact of sales charges.
6 These ratios exclude the impact of the expenses of the other investment companies in which the Fund invests.
7 Annualized.
8 Not annualized.
9 Had the Adviser not reimbursed the trade error, total return would have been (0.45)%.
35
Class C |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Seven Month Period Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2013 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2012 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2011 1 |
For the
Five Month Period Ended November 30, 2010 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value,
beginning of period |
$ |
12.18 |
$ |
12.50 |
$ |
12.13 |
$ |
12.05 |
$ |
12.58 |
$ |
11.82 |
|||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from investment
operations: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) |
0.20 2 |
0.09 2 |
(0.05 |
) 2 |
(0.09 |
) 2 |
0.04 |
(0.02 |
) |
||||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss) |
(0.33 |
) |
0.43 |
0.83 |
0.24 |
0.06 3 |
0.78 |
||||||||||||||||||||
Total from investment
operations |
(0.13 |
) |
0.52 |
0.78 |
0.15 |
0.10 |
0.76 |
||||||||||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.15 |
) |
|
(0.03 |
) |
|
(0.08 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Net realized gains |
(0.14 |
) |
(0.84 |
) |
(0.38 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.55 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.29 |
) |
(0.84 |
) |
(0.41 |
) |
(0.07 |
) |
(0.63 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||
Paid in capital from redemption
fees |
|
|
|
0.00 4 |
0.00 4 |
0.00 4 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
11.76 |
$ |
12.18 |
$ |
12.50 |
$ |
12.13 |
$ |
12.05 |
$ |
12.58 |
|||||||||||||||
Total return 5 |
(1.01 |
)% 9 |
4.59 |
% 8 |
6.64 |
% |
1.22 |
% |
0.65 |
% |
6.43 |
% 8 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000s) |
$ |
11,977 |
$ |
14,559 |
$ |
16,455 |
$ |
24,847 |
$ |
21,383 |
$ |
10,691 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of expenses to average
net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 6 |
1.25 |
% |
1.24 |
% 7 |
1.83 |
% |
1.88 |
% |
1.97 |
% |
2.07 |
% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 6 |
1.25 |
% |
1.25 |
% 7 |
1.67 |
% |
1.90 |
% |
1.90 |
% |
1.90 |
% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of net investment income
(loss) to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 6 |
1.67 |
% |
1.34 |
% 7 |
(0.62 |
)% |
(0.67 |
)% |
(0.13 |
)% |
(0.53 |
)% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 6 |
1.67 |
% |
1.33 |
% 7 |
(0.46 |
)% |
(0.69 |
)% |
(0.06 |
)% |
(0.36 |
)% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
22.46 |
% |
12 |
% 8 |
111 |
% |
58 |
% |
235 |
% |
16 |
% 8 |
1 The period includes the consolidation of a wholly owned subsidiary.
2 Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method.
3 Realized and unrealized gain per share does not correlate to the aggregate of the net realized and unrealized gains on the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended November 30, 2011, primarily due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund's shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund's portfolio.
4 Redemption fees resulted in less than $0.01 per share.
5 Aggregate total return, not annualized. Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost in an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends. Total return does not reflect the impact of sales charges.
6 These ratios exclude the impact of the expenses of the other investment companies in which the Fund invests.
7 Annualized.
8 Not annualized.
9 Had the Adviser not reimbursed the trade error, total return would have been (1.18)%
36
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37
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38
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39
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40
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41
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42
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863).. |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-MAB-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund
(formerly Compass EMP Alternative Strategies Fund)
Class A CAIAX
Class C CAICX
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
3 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
6 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
7 |
||||||
Tax Information |
7 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
7 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
8 |
||||||
Investments |
9 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
11 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
14 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
15 |
||||||
Share Price |
16 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
17 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
21 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
24 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
26 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
28 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
29 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
31 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
34 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
35 |
||||||
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund |
36 |
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund's (the "Alternative Fund" or the "Fund") objective is long-term capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page 14 of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 45 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
|||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
|||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
0.62 |
% |
0.29 |
% |
|||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 3 |
0.92 |
% |
0.92 |
% |
|||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 4 |
1.79 |
% |
2.21 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Restated to reflect current contractual fees.
3 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") are fees and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests which are indirectly incurred by the Fund.
4 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least April 30, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.80% and 2.55% of the Fund's Class A and Class C shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor advisor for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees. From time to time, the Adviser may also voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under the contractual agreement in place with respect to the Fund.
1
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class A |
$ |
746 |
$ |
1,106 |
$ |
1,489 |
$ |
2,559 |
|||||||||||
Class C
(If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
324 |
$ |
691 |
$ |
1,185 |
$ |
2,544 |
The following example makes the same assumptions as the example above, except that it assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
|||||||||||||||
Class C |
$ |
224 |
$ |
691 |
$ |
1,185 |
$ |
2,544 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 10.6% of the average value of its portfolio.
2
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a portfolio of equities, fixed income securities and futures contracts (including commodity, currency and financial futures) across a broad range of global asset classes including, but not limited to, U.S., international and emerging markets stocks, including small, mid and large capitalization companies, U.S. and international bonds, U.S. and international real estate, commodities and currencies.
The Fund's strategy generally focuses on investments that have the potential to provide capital appreciation.
The Fund invests primarily in fixed income, equity and alternative (including commodity, currency, hedging and real estate) securities. The Fund may invest in these asset classes directly, but will typically do so through investment in a mix of affiliated underlying funds, including exchange traded funds ("ETFs"), ("Victory Funds") advised by the Fund's investment adviser, Victory Capital Management Inc. (the "Adviser"). The Fund may also invest in unaffiliated underlying funds if a Victory Fund in a particular asset class is not available. The Adviser will select the appropriate investment vehicle based on the strategy of the particular asset class within the investment portfolio.
To create the Fund's portfolio, the Adviser uses a proprietary, rules-based volatility weighted global asset allocation model that seeks to produce lower correlation and volatility with a similar or greater return over a full market cycle compared to traditional market indexes. The asset allocation model consists of restrictions, constraints and criteria for the purchase or sale of each individual asset class, security or strategy. Because the Fund follows a rules-based asset allocation strategy, the performance of the Fund is not intended to track or correlate to the performance of any particular securities index.
The Adviser does not take into consideration the market capitalization of the equity securities in which the Fund invests in making investment decisions for the Fund and, therefore, the Fund may invest across a range of market capitalizations.
In considering fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest, directly or indirectly, the credit rating for these securities will generally be investment grade (which the Adviser defines as having a rating of BBB and above), but up to 20% of the Fund's assets invested in fixed income may be invested in below investment grade, also known as "junk bonds." While the Fund may invest in fixed income securities with any credit rating or maturity, it typically will hold fixed income securities with an intermediate average maturity (defined as between 2 and 10 years).
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Commodity Risk. Commodity-related risks include production risks caused by unfavorable weather, animal and plant disease, geologic and environmental factors. Commodity-related risks also include unfavorable changes in government regulation such as tariffs, embargoes or burdensome production rules and restrictions.
n Conflict of Interest Risk. The Fund invests in affiliated underlying funds (the Victory Funds), unaffiliated underlying funds, or a combination of both. The Adviser, therefore, is subject to conflicts of interest in allocating the Fund's assets among the underlying funds. The Adviser will receive more revenue to the extent it selects a Victory Fund rather than an unaffiliated fund for inclusion in the Fund's portfolio. In addition, the Adviser may have an incentive to allocate the Fund's assets to those Victory Funds for which the net advisory fees payable to the Adviser are higher than the fees payable by other Victory Funds.
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems with fewer security holder rights. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.
3
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund (continued)
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.
n Futures Risk. The Fund's use of futures contracts exposes the Fund to leverage and tracking risks because a small investment in futures contracts may produce large losses and futures contracts may not be perfect substitutes for securities.
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. These securities are considered speculative.
n Liquidity Risks. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
n Management Risk. The Adviser's asset selection methodology may produce incorrect judgments about the value a particular asset and may not produce the desired results.
n Preferred Stock Risk. The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments.
n Real Estate Risk. The value of real estate investments are subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market. These may include decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, increases in operating costs, interest rates and property taxes.
n Sector Risk. The Fund may be subject to the risk that its assets are invested in a particular sector or group of sectors in the economy and as a result, the value of the Fund may be adversely impacted by events or developments in a sector or group of sectors.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small- and mid-sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
n Underlying Funds Risk. An underlying fund in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying funds are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund Summary (continued)
Performance:
The bar chart and table that follow indicate the risks of investing in the Fund. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
The table shows how the average annual total returns for Class A and Class C shares of the Fund, including applicable maximum sales charges, compare to several broad-based securities indexes. We calculate after-tax returns using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and we do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
The performance figures below reflect the historical performance of a series of Mutual Fund Series Trust, a separate registered investment company (the "Predecessor Fund"), which was reorganized into the Fund on March 29, 2013. The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Predecessor Fund. The Predecessor Fund commenced operations on December 30, 2009.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Results do not include a sales charge. If one were included, results would be lower.)
Best Quarter: 9/30/10 8.77%
Worst Quarter: 6/30/10 -6.34%
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2015 was -5.88%
5
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund Summary (continued)
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the periods ended 12/31/14) |
1 Year |
5 Years |
Since Inception
(12/30/2009) |
||||||||||||
Class A returns before taxes |
-2.22 |
% |
-0.02 |
% |
-0.11 |
% |
|||||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions |
-3.21 |
% |
-0.29 |
% |
-0.38 |
% |
|||||||||
Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares |
-1.26 |
% |
-0.13 |
% |
-0.20 |
% |
|||||||||
Class C returns before taxes |
2.95 |
% |
0.39 |
% |
0.29 |
% |
|||||||||
MSCI World Stock Index
1
reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses or taxes |
5.50 |
% |
10.81 |
% |
10.81 |
% 2 |
|||||||||
S&P 500 Index
1
reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses or taxes |
13.69 |
% |
15.45 |
% |
15.45 |
% 2 |
|||||||||
Barclay Hedge Fund Index
reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses or taxes |
2.88 |
% |
5.34 |
% |
5.34 |
% 2 |
|||||||||
Barclay Hedge Fund of Funds Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes |
2.81 |
% |
2.88 |
% |
2.88 |
% 2 |
1 The Fund has selected the MSCI World Stock Index as a benchmark in place of the S&P 500 Index because the portfolio manager believes the MSCI World Stock Index is a better representation of the Fund's investable equity universe.
2 The performance of each index is from December 31, 2009 to December 31, 2014.
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc.("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in 2009.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since 2012.
6
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares:
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information:
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries:
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
7
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
The Fund's investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management or for temporary defensive purposes in response to market conditions, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments or a money market fund. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
8
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund, or an underlying fund in which the Fund may invest, may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
Corporate Bonds
Debt instruments issued by corporations. They may be secured or unsecured.
Equity Securities of Companies Traded on Foreign Exchange
Can include common stock and securities convertible into stock of non-U.S. corporations.
Equity Securities of U.S. Companies
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
General Obligation Bonds
Secured by the issuer's full faith, credit, and taxing power for payment of interest and principal.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Real Estate Investment Trust
Securities representing a pool of real estate or mortgages or both.
U.S. Government Securities
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
The Fund or an underlying in which the Fund invests may use several types of investments or investment techniques in pursuing its overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities or the investment techniques a fund may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund or underlying funds may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
9
Investments (continued)
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
10
Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Commodity Risk. Commodity-related risks include production risks caused by unfavorable weather, animal and plant disease, geologic and environmental factors. Commodity-related risks also include unfavorable changes in government regulation such as tariffs, embargoes or burdensome production rules and restrictions.
n Conflict of Interest Risk. The Fund invests in affiliated underlying funds (the Victory Funds), unaffiliated underlying funds, or a combination of both. The Adviser, therefore, is subject to conflicts of interest in allocating the Fund's assets among the underlying funds. The Adviser will receive more revenue to the extent it selects a Victory Fund rather than an unaffiliated fund for inclusion in the Fund's portfolio. In addition, the Adviser may have an incentive to allocate the Fund's assets to those Victory Funds for which the net advisory fees payable to the Adviser are higher than the fees payable by other Victory Funds.
n Currency Risk. The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Emerging Market Risk. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems with fewer security holder rights. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Foreign Risk. Investing in foreign companies involves certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
11
Risk Factors (continued)
n Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. These securities are considered speculative.
n Liquidity Risks. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.
n Management Risk. The Adviser's asset selection methodology may produce incorrect judgments about the value a particular asset and may not produce the desired results.
n Preferred Stock Risk. The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments.
n Real Estate Risk. The value of real estate investments are subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market. These may include decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, increases in operating costs, interest rates and property taxes.
n Sector Risk. The Fund may be subject to the risk that its assets are invested in a particular sector or group of sectors in the economy and as a result, the value of the Fund may be adversely impacted by events or developments in a sector or group of sectors.
n Smaller-Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small- and mid-sized companies are more volatile than larger companies and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures and may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience.
n Underlying Funds Risk. Investment companies, including ETFs, are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in investment companies and also may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in securities. Investment companies are subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the fund. A fund may not achieve its investment objective.
The Fund or an underlying in which the Fund invests may use several types of investments or investment techniques in pursuing its overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund will "cover" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
12
Risk Factors (continued)
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
13
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A or Class C shares of the Fund. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
14
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.0% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund's annual report for the period ended June 30, 2015.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio
Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
15
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
16
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than Class A shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A and Class C shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
18
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
19
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
20
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
21
How to Buy Shares (continued)
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment
22
How to Buy Shares (continued)
requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND(800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
23
How to Exchange Shares
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
24
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
25
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
26
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
27
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
28
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends annually. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e. , dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
29
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
30
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
31
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
32
Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
33
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the fund administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
34
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past five years.
Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The Fund's financial highlights include historical information of the Predecessor Fund for periods prior to its reorganization with the Fund on March 29, 2013. As of June 30, 2015, the information for each period presented has been audited by BBP, LLP, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling the Fund at 800-539-3863 and at CompassEMPFunds.com.
35
Class A |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Seven Month Period Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2013 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2012 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2011 1 |
For the
Five Month Period Ended November 30, 2010 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value,
beginning of period |
$ |
10.58 |
$ |
10.07 |
$ |
9.69 |
$ |
10.28 |
$ |
10.37 |
$ |
9.46 |
|||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from investment
operations: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) |
0.27 2 |
0.06 2 |
(0.02 |
) 2 |
(0.07 |
) 2 |
(0.01 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
|||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss) |
(0.47 |
) |
0.45 |
0.40 |
(0.52 |
) |
0.03 3 |
0.93 |
|||||||||||||||||||
Total from investment
operations |
(0.20 |
) |
0.51 |
0.38 |
(0.59 |
) |
0.02 |
0.91 |
|||||||||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Return of capital |
|
|
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.24 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.11 |
) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Paid in capital from redemption fees |
|
|
|
0.00 5 |
0.00 5 |
0.00 5 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
10.14 |
$ |
10.58 |
$ |
10.07 |
$ |
9.69 |
$ |
10.28 |
$ |
10.37 |
|||||||||||||||
Total return 6 |
(1.88 |
)% |
5.06 |
% 9 |
3.92 |
% |
(5.74 |
)% |
0.17 |
% |
9.62 |
% 9 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000s) |
$ |
32,275 |
$ |
51,003 |
$ |
59,079 |
$ |
118,926 |
$ |
187,460 |
$ |
4,776 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of expenses to average net
assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 7 |
0.56 |
% |
0.59 |
% 8 |
1.19 |
% |
1.37 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
4.21 |
% 8 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 7 |
0.50 |
% |
0.50 |
% 8 |
1.19 |
% |
1.41 |
% |
1.45 |
% |
1.45 |
% 8 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of net investment income
(loss) to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 7 |
2.58 |
% |
0.94 |
% 8 |
(0.25 |
)% |
(0.67 |
)% |
(0.10 |
)% |
(3.51 |
)% 8 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 7 |
2.64 |
% |
1.03 |
% 8 |
(0.25 |
)% |
(0.71 |
)% |
(0.10 |
)% |
(0.75 |
)% 8 |
|||||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
10.61 |
% |
49 |
% 9 |
153 |
% |
137 |
% |
278 |
% |
24 |
% 9 |
1 The period does not include the consolidation of the wholly owned subsidiary.
2 Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method.
3 Realized and unrealized gain per share does not correlate to the aggregate of the net realized and unrealized gains on the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended November 30, 2011, primarily due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund's shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund's portfolio.
4 Net investment income resulted in less than $0.01 per share
5 Redemption fees resulted in less than $0.01 per share.
6 Aggregate total return, not annualized. Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost in an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends. Total return does not reflect the impact of sales charges.
7 These ratios exclude the impact of the expenses of the other investment companies in which the Fund invests.
8 Annualized.
9 Not annualized.
36
Class C |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Year Ended June 30, 2015 |
For the
Seven Month Period Ended June 30, 2014 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2013 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2012 1 |
For the
Year Ended November 30, 2011 1 |
For the
Five Month Period Ended November 30, 2010 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value,
beginning of period |
$ |
10.27 |
$ |
9.82 |
$ |
9.51 |
$ |
10.17 |
$ |
10.29 |
$ |
9.41 |
|||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from investment
operations: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income (loss) |
0.18 2 |
0.02 2 |
(0.09 |
) 2 |
(0.15 |
) 2 |
(0.04 |
) |
(0.05 |
) |
|||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss) |
(0.45 |
) |
0.43 |
0.40 |
(0.51 |
) |
(0.02 |
) |
0.93 |
||||||||||||||||||
Total from investment
operations |
(0.27 |
) |
0.45 |
0.31 |
(0.66 |
) |
(0.06 |
) |
0.88 |
||||||||||||||||||
Less distributions: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.15 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Return of capital |
|
|
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Total distributions |
(0.15 |
) |
|
|
|
(0.06 |
) |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Paid in capital from redemption fees |
|
|
|
0.00 3 |
0.00 3 |
0.00 3 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ |
9.85 |
$ |
10.27 |
$ |
9.82 |
$ |
9.51 |
$ |
10.17 |
$ |
10.29 |
|||||||||||||||
Total return 4 |
(2.65 |
)% |
4.58 |
% 7 |
3.26 |
% |
(6.49 |
)% |
(0.61 |
)% |
9.35 |
% 7 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios/supplemental data: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in 000s) |
$ |
6,778 |
$ |
9,581 |
$ |
12,918 |
$ |
24,340 |
$ |
23,893 |
$ |
1,183 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of expenses to average net
assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 5 |
1.31 |
% |
1.34 |
% 6 |
1.94 |
% |
2.12 |
% |
2.20 |
% |
4.96 |
% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 5 |
1.25 |
% |
1.25 |
% 6 |
1.94 |
% |
2.16 |
% |
2.20 |
% |
2.20 |
% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
Ratios of net investment income
(loss) to average net assets: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Before fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 5 |
1.75 |
% |
0.22 |
% 6 |
(1.00 |
)% |
(1.42 |
)% |
(1.05 |
)% |
(4.26 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
After fees waived and expenses
absorbed/recouped 5 |
1.81 |
% |
0.31 |
% 6 |
(1.00 |
)% |
(1.46 |
)% |
(1.05 |
)% |
(1.50 |
)% 6 |
|||||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
10.61 |
% |
49 |
% 7 |
153 |
% |
137 |
% |
278 |
% |
24 |
% 7 |
1 The period includes the consolidation of a wholly owned subsidiary.
2 Per share amounts calculated using the average shares method.
3 Redemption fees resulted in less than $0.01 per share.
4 Aggregate total return, not annualized. Total return in the above table represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost in an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends.
5 These ratios exclude the impact of the expenses of the other investment companies in which the Fund invests.
6 Annualized.
7 Not annualized.
37
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38
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39
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40
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41
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42
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-AS-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Class A
Class C
Class I
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 | ||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 | ||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 | ||||||
Principal Risks |
3 | ||||||
Investment Performance |
4 | ||||||
Management of the Fund |
4 | ||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
5 | ||||||
Tax Information |
5 | ||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial
Intermediaries |
5 | ||||||
Additional Fund Information |
|||||||
Investments |
7 | ||||||
Risk Factors |
8 | ||||||
Investing with Victory |
|||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
11 | ||||||
Share Price |
12 | ||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
13 | ||||||
How to Buy Shares |
17 | ||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
21 | ||||||
How to Sell Shares |
23 | ||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
25 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
26 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
28 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
31 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
|||||||
Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Wtd
Index Fund |
32 |
Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that match the performance of the CEMP US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page [ ] of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page [ ] of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
5.44 |
% |
5.40 |
% |
1.35 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
6.39 |
% |
7.10 |
% |
2.05 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
(5.40 |
)% |
(5.36 |
)% |
(1.31 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
0.99 |
% |
1.74 |
% |
0.74 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Estimated for the current fiscal year.
3 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.99%, 1.74%, and 0.74% of the Fund's Class A, Class C, and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
|||||||||
Class A |
$ |
670 |
$ |
1,416 |
|||||||
Class C
(if you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
277 |
$ |
1,109 |
|||||||
Class I |
$ |
76 |
$ |
380 |
The following Example makes the same assumptions as the Example above, except that is assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
|||||||||
Class C |
$ |
177 |
$ |
1,109 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. Because the Fund has only recently commenced investment operations, no portfolio turnover information is available for the Fund at this time.
2
Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in the stock of issuers included in the CEMP US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:
1. The Index universe begins with the stocks included in the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index, a volatility weighted index comprised of the 500 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.
2. The Index identifies the 100 highest dividend yielding stocks in the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index.
3. The 100 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.
The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include fewer than 100 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2015, the Index had a market capitalization range from $3.9 billion to $310.0 billion.
The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all of the stocks in the Index.
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Dividend Strategy Risk. The Fund's high dividend strategy may not be successful. Dividend paying stocks may fall out of favor relative to the overall market.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Limited History of Operations. The Fund is a new mutual fund and has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
3
Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Performance:
No performance information is presented since the Fund has not yet had a full calendar year of performance. Performance data for the Fund will be available online at www.CompassEMPFunds.com or by calling 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863). A fund's performance is not necessarily an indication of how that fund will perform in the future.
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
4
Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
5
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the CEMP US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), which has been developed by the Adviser. The Fund does not try to outperform the Index and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the securities comprising the Index.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors the Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in index futures or shares of other investment companies such as money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause a Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
6
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but the Adviser does not consider them to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
7
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Dividend Income Strategy Risk. The Fund's dividend income strategy may not be successful. The stocks of dividend paying companies may underperform the overall stock market. The Fund's performance during a broad market advance could suffer because dividend paying stocks may not experience the same capital appreciation as non-dividend paying stocks or other segments of the stock market. Performance could also be negatively impacted if companies reduce their dividend payout.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Limited History of Operations. The Fund is a new mutual fund and has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund. The Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, which may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of the Index. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to prevent or mitigate these potential conflicts. There is no assurance that the Index will be compiled or calculated accurately.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund may not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the Index because of transaction costs incurred by the Fund in adjusting the actual balance of the investments in the Fund's portfolio. Additionally, the use of sampling techniques may affect the Fund's ability to achieve close correlation with its Index. The Fund's use of a representative sampling strategy can be expected to produce a greater tracking risk than a replication strategy.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet its investment objective. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
8
Risk Factors (continued)
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
9
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
10
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
Pursuant to the Advisor Agreement, the Fund pays the Adviser, on a monthly basis, an annual advisory fee 0.70% based on the Fund's average daily net assets.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the advisory agreement will be available in the Fund's semi-annual report to shareholders for the period ending December 31, 2015 when available.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
11
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
12
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares. In addition to the different share classes, the Fund's investment objective and investment strategies are substantially similar to those of an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") for which Victory Capital serves as investment adviser. The ETF's net operating expenses may be less than those of the Fund's share classes. However, shares of ETF may be purchased and sold only on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer at the current market price. For more information about the ETFs, including fees and expenses, call 1-866-376-7890 for a free prospectus, or visit www.CompassEMPFunds.com. Consult your financial adviser to
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
13
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
determine whether shares of the Fund or its corresponding ETF are more appropriate for you.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the
14
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
16
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares , you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
17
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
18
How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|||||||||
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
|||||||||
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|||||||||
|
ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
Keep these addresses handy
for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
19
How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
20
How to Exchange Shares
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
21
How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
22
How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account number, amount of redemption, and
where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
23
How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
n During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
n When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
n When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
24
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
25
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Buying a dividend . You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e. , dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend
26
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
27
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially
28
Important Fund Policies (continued)
dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
The Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its second fiscal quarter and its fiscal year in its reports to shareholders. The Fund sends reports to its existing shareholders no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period, and files these reports with the SEC by the 70th day after the end of the relevant fiscal period. You can find these reports on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
29
Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund files its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its first and third fiscal quarters with the SEC on Form N-Q no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period. You can find these filings on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
The Fund also discloses its complete portfolio holdings each calendar quarter on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, by no later than the 15th day of the following calendar month.
You can find a description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, Compass EMPFunds.com
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
30
Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
31
Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has only recently commenced investment operations, no financial highlights are available for the Fund at this time. In the future, financial highlights will be presented in this section of the Prospectus.
32
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-USLCHDVW-PRO (10/15)
October 28, 2015
Prospectus
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Class A
Class C
Class I
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Fund's securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
CompassEMPFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
Victory
Funds
Table of Contents
Fund Summary |
|||||||
Investment Objective |
1 |
||||||
Fees and Expenses |
1 |
||||||
Principal Investment Strategy |
3 |
||||||
Principal Risks |
4 |
||||||
Investment Performance |
5 |
||||||
Management of the Fund |
5 |
||||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares |
6 |
||||||
Tax Information |
6 |
||||||
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries |
6 |
||||||
Additional Fund Information |
7 |
||||||
Investments |
8 |
||||||
Risk Factors |
9 |
||||||
Investing with Victory |
11 |
||||||
Organization and Management of the Fund |
12 |
||||||
Share Price |
13 |
||||||
Choosing a Share Class |
14 |
||||||
How to Buy Shares |
19 |
||||||
How to Exchange Shares |
23 |
||||||
How to Sell Shares |
25 |
||||||
Distribution and Service Plans |
27 |
||||||
Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes |
28 |
||||||
Important Fund Policies |
30 |
||||||
Other Service Providers |
33 |
||||||
Financial Highlights |
34 |
||||||
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility
Wtd Index Fund |
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the CEMP US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Long/Cash Vol. Wtd Index before fees and expenses.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following 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 if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Victory Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your Investment Professional and in Investing with Victory on page [ ] of the Fund's Prospectus and in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page [ ] of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
||||||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75 |
% |
NONE |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE |
1.00 |
% 1 |
NONE |
|||||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||||||||||||
Management Fees |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
0.70 |
% |
|||||||||
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees |
0.25 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
|||||||||
Other Expenses 2 |
5.44 |
% |
5.40 |
% |
1.35 |
% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
6.39 |
% |
7.10 |
% |
2.05 |
% |
|||||||||
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursement 3 |
(5.40 |
)% |
(5.36 |
)% |
(1.31 |
)% |
|||||||||
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and
Expense Reimbursement 3 |
0.99 |
% |
1.74 |
% |
0.74 |
% |
1 The Class C contingent deferred sales charge applies only to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
2 Estimated for the current fiscal year.
3 The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2017 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.99%, 1.74%, and 0.74% of the Fund's Class A, Class C, and Class I shares, respectively. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to any operating expense limits in effect at the time of the original waiver or expense reimbursement and at the time of recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
1
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Fund Fees and Expenses (continued)
Example:
The following example is designed 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 shown and then sell 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 Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
|||||||||
Class A |
$ |
670 |
$ |
1,416 |
|||||||
Class C
(if you sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
277 |
$ |
1,109 |
|||||||
Class I |
$ |
76 |
$ |
380 |
The following Example makes the same assumptions as the Example above, except that is assumes you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.
Class |
1 Year |
3 Years |
|||||||||
Class C
(if you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.) |
$ |
177 |
$ |
1,109 |
Portfolio Turnover:
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as 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 Fund's performance. Because the Fund has only recently commenced investment operations, no portfolio turnover information is available for the Fund at this time.
2
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in the stock of the issuers included in the CEMP US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Long/Cash Vol. Wtd Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index created by the Adviser.
The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. In accordance with a rules-based mathematical formula, the Index tactically reduces its exposure to the equity markets during periods of significant market decline and reinvests when market prices have further declined or rebounded. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to a feature of the Index that is designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through this defensive positioning, as described below.
The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:
1. The Index universe begins with the stocks included in the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index, a volatility weighted index comprised of the 500 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.
2. The Index identifies the 100 highest dividend yielding stocks in the CEMP US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index.
3. The 100 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.
The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include fewer than 100 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2015, the Index had a market capitalization range from $3.9 billion to $310.0 billion.
The Index follows a mathematical index construction process designed to limit risk during periods of significant (non-normal) market decline by reducing its exposure to the equity market. Market decline is measured by reference to the CEMP US Large Cap 100 High Dividend Volatility Weighted Index ("Reference Index"), which is composed of the same securities as in the Index but without any allocation to cash.
During any periods of significant market decline, defined as a decline of 8% or more from the Reference Index's all-time daily high closing value compared to its most recent month-end closing value, the Index's exposure to the market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.
If the value of the Reference Index declines 8% or more, the Index will liquidate 75% of the stocks included in the Index and invest the cash in 30-day Treasury bills.
The Index will reinvest in stocks as follows:
n The Index will return to being 100% invested in stocks if the month-end closing value of the stocks in the Reference Index returns to a level that is less than an 8% decline from its all-time daily high closing value.
n If the Reference Index declines by 16% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 24% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, another 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.
n If the Reference Index declines by 32% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value, the remaining 25% of the Index will be reinvested back into the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weighting and the Index will then be 100% invested in stocks.
The Index will make any prescribed liquidation or reinvestment in stocks in accordance with the mathematical formula only at month end.
During any period of significant market decline, when the Index's exposure to the market is less than 100%, the uninvested portion of the Index will be invested in 30-day Treasury bills. The Fund will invest the portion of its portfolio corresponding to the uninvested portion of the Index in 30-day Treasury bills or an equivalent investment, such as money market funds, short-term government bonds and/or commercial paper.
3
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all of the stocks in the Index.
For purposes of the Fund's investment strategy, "net assets" includes any borrowings for investment purposes.
There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
n Dividend Strategy Risk. The Fund's high dividend strategy may not be successful. Dividend paying stocks may fall out of favor relative to the overall market.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The value of fixed income securities typically falls when an issuer's credit quality declines and may even become worthless if an issuer defaults.
n Index/Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Index's prescribed liquidation and reinvestment strategy, if employed, will be successful.
n Limited History of Operations. The Fund is a new mutual fund and has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures. Small-sized companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
n Tracking Risks. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.
By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.
4
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Performance
No performance information is presented since the Fund has not yet had a full calendar year of performance. Performance data for the Fund will be available online at www.CompassEMPFunds.com or by calling 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863). A fund's performance is not necessarily an indication of how that fund will perform in the future.
Management of the Fund:
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Compass EMP investment team (referred to as an investment franchise).
Portfolio Managers
Stephen Hammers is a Chief Investment Officer (Compass EMP) of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
David Hallum is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
Dan Banaszak is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
Alex Pazdan is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
Rob Bateman is a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser and has been a Portfolio Manager of the Fund since its inception in October 2015.
5
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Summary (continued)
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The minimum initial purchase is $2,500 for regular accounts and $1,000 for IRAs, gifts to minors, and purchases through an automatic investment plan. The minimum subsequent investment is $50. We may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order.
Tax Information
The Fund's distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase 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 for investments in all classes. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
6
Additional Fund Information
The Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the "Fund") is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the Victory Funds or, more simply, the "Funds".
This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective.
In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the CEMP US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Long/Cash Vol. Wtd Index (the "Index"), which has been developed by the Adviser. The Fund does not try to outperform the Index. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the securities comprising the Index.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors the Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.
From time to time, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions based on the construction of the Index, which is designed to respond to periods of market decline. During periods of market decline, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in 30-day Treasury bills or an equivalent investment, such as money market funds, short-term government bonds and/or commercial paper. During such times, the Fund would not benefit from any market appreciation.
Though not a principal investment strategy, for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in index futures or shares of other investment companies, such as money market funds. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market and may cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective.
The Fund's investment objective and 80% investment policy are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
7
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
U.S. Government Securities
Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.
Commercial Paper
Unsecured short-term obligations issued by banks, corporations, broker dealers and other entities to finance their current operations.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in pursuing the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but which the Adviser does not consider to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Fund may utilize are included in the Fund's SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
8
Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund.
n Dividend Income Strategy Risk. The Fund's dividend income strategy may not be successful. The stocks of dividend paying companies may underperform the overall stock market. The Fund's performance during a broad market advance could suffer because dividend paying stocks may not experience the same capital appreciation as non-dividend paying stocks or other segments of the stock market. Performance could also be negatively impacted if companies reduce their dividend payout.
n Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
n Fixed Income Risk. The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).
n Index/Temporary Defensive Positioning Risk. Because the Fund's underlying Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not be able to immediately react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. During temporary periods that the Fund is invested in fixed income investments, the Fund would not benefit from any upswing in the equity markets. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash.
n Limited History of Operations. The Fund is a new mutual fund and has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.
n Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of securities included in, the Index, regardless of their investment merits. The Fund does not take defensive positions under any market conditions, including conditions that are adverse to the performance of the Fund, unless such defensive positions are also taken by the Index. The Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, which may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of the Index. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which it believes are reasonably designed to prevent or mitigate these potential conflicts. There is no assurance that the Index will be compiled or calculated accurately.
n Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk. The earnings and prospects of small and medium sized companies are more volatile than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures. Small-sized companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
9
Risk Factors (continued)
n Tracking Risk. The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.
The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
n Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.
n Investment Company Risk. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of any underlying investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
n Securities Lending Risk. The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
10
INVESTING WITH VICTORY
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investments with the Victory Funds. Choosing a Share Class will help you decide whether it would be more to your advantage to buy Class A, Class C or Class I shares of the Fund. Class I shares, however, are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account directly with us, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange and sell shares of the Fund. Note, this information will vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-3863. They will be happy to assist you.
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
Important information about sales load breakpoints
The Fund charges a front-end sales load on purchases of Class A shares. The sales charge is lower for larger investments. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your accounts and linked accounts, including accounts opened with a different Investment Professional.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com. Information regarding sales charges is also included in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
11
Organization and
Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Fund has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser. The Adviser is a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
Pursuant to the Advisor Agreement, the Fund pays the Adviser, on a monthly basis, an annual advisory fee 0.70% based on the Fund's average daily net assets.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the advisory agreement will be available in the Fund's semi-annual report to shareholders for the period ending December 31, 2015 when available.
Portfolio Management
Stephen Hammers, Dan Banaszak, David Hallum, Rob Bateman and Alex Pazdan are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund and are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Hammers, CIMA ® , has been a Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2015. From 2003-2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Banaszak, CFA ® , has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2011-2015, Mr. Banaszak was a Portfolio Manager/Analyst of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2010 to 2011, Mr. Banaszak was a futures and options trader with the Chicago Board of Trade and an options trader with Lerner Trading Group from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Hallum has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2005-2015, Mr. Hallum was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015.
Mr. Bateman has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2007-2015, Mr. Bateman was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. From 2004-2007, Mr. Bateman was a fixed income and futures trader at Stephens, Inc. and at PFIC Securities from 2000 to 2004.
Mr. Pazdan has been a Portfolio Manager of the Adviser since 2015. From 2010-2015, Mr. Pazdan was a Portfolio Manager of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Pazdan was also a founding principal of Persistent Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser launched in 2002. Prior to starting Persistent Capital, Mr. Pazdan was a Senior Market Strategist for Eclipse Capital Management, a Commodity Trading Adviser, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.
12
Share Price
The Fund calculates its share price, called its NAV, each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, but may be earlier or later on some days. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will fair value a security when:
n Trading in the security has been halted;
n The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
n The security's liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
n An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund's NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser's opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security's actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security's opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each class of shares of the Fund calculates its NAV by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
You may be able to find the Fund's NAV each day in The Wall Street Journal and other newspapers. Newspapers do not normally publish fund information until a fund reaches a specific number of shareholders or level of assets. You may also find the Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Fund's website at Compass EMPFunds.com.
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment.
13
Choosing a Share Class
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information. Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you. Investment Professionals and other intermediaries may charge fees for their services.
CLASS A
n Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) may be imposed if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Lower annual expenses than Class C shares.
CLASS C
n No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n A deferred sales charge (CDSC) if you sell your shares within twelve months of their purchase.
n Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
n No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
n Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
n Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
n Lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
Share Classes
The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Class I shares. Each share class represents investments in the same portfolio of securities, but each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class.
Deciding which share class best suits your situation depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
Also, not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
The Fund currently offers only the classes of shares described in this Prospectus. At some future date, the Fund may offer additional classes of shares. In addition to the different share classes, the Fund's investment objective and investment strategies are substantially similar to those of an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") for which Victory Capital serves as investment adviser. The ETF's net operating expenses may be less than those of the Fund's share classes. However, shares of ETF may be purchased and sold only on a securities exchange through a broker-dealer at the current market price. For more information about the ETFs, including fees and expenses, call 1-866-376-7890 for a
14
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
free prospectus, or visit www.CompassEMPFunds.com. Consult your financial adviser to determine whether shares of the Fund or its corresponding ETF are more appropriate for you.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility requirements or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be terminated at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the net asset value ("NAV") plus the applicable initial sales charge. The sales charge percentage decreases as the amount that you invest increases. The current sales charge rates are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
|||||||||
Up to $49,999 |
5.75 |
% |
6.10 |
% |
|||||||
$ 50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50 |
% |
4.71 |
% |
|||||||
$ 100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50 |
% |
3.63 |
% |
|||||||
$ 250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50 |
% |
2.56 |
% |
|||||||
$ 500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00 |
% |
2.04 |
% |
|||||||
$ 1,000,000 and above* |
0.00 |
% |
0.00 |
% |
*A contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed in the first year after purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See the SAI for details. The Fund makes available, free of charge, information relating to sales charges on its website at CompassEMPFunds.com.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. Such information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate that a sales charge was paid regarding shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your financial intermediary; (ii) accounts with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) accounts in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21).
For historical expense information, see the "Financial Highlights" at the end of this Prospectus.
15
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges and, in some cases, eliminate the sales charges.
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in the following cases:
1. Purchases sufficient to reach a breakpoint (see Investing with Victory Important information about sales load breakpoints ).
2. A Letter of Intent allows you to buy Class A shares of the Fund over a 13-month period and receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the nonbinding Letter of Intent will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event the Letter of Intent is not completed, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges.
3. Rights of Accumulation allow you to add the value of any Class A shares of the Fund that you already own (excluding shares sold without a sales charge) to the amount of your next Class A investment to determine if your additional investment will qualify for a reduced sales charge. The value of the Class A shares you already own will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount.
4. The Combination Privilege allows you to combine the value of Class A shares you own in accounts of multiple Victory Funds (subject to limitations applicable to certain Victory Funds and excluding shares sold without a sales charge) and in accounts of household members of your immediate family (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) to achieve a reduced sales charge on your added investment.
5. The Reinstatement Privilege permits an investor, within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund, to reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class A shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently imposed on reinvestment in shares of the Victory Funds.
6. The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
a. Purchases of $1,000,000 or more.
b. Purchases by:
i. current and retired Victory Fund trustees or officers;
ii. directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"* and
iii. registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., (the "Distributor"), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts.
c. Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts.
d. Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account.
*Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser, and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
16
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
e. Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent.
f. Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program.
g. Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as "supermarkets").
h. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.
i. Investors that have an investment account with the Adviser.
You should inform the Fund or your broker or other financial intermediary at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
Individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares of the Fund.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Only Eligible Investors may purchase or exchange into Class I shares of the Fund. Eligible Investors include the following:
n Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
n Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, section 403 plans sponsored by a section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
n Investors in select fee based programs;
n Current and retired Fund trustees or officers;
n Directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or "Affiliated Providers;"**
**Affiliated Providers are affiliates and subsidiaries of the Adviser and any organization that provides services to the Trust.
17
Choosing a Share Class (continued)
n Purchases by participants in the Victory Investment Program; and
n Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of the Fund.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for Eligible Investors and the investment minimums.
18
How to Buy Shares
Opening an account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 1-800-539-3863. You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593.
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
If your investment order is accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary, it will be priced at the NAV next computed as described in the section entitled "Share Price."
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for your initial purchase
Make your check payable to The Victory Funds. All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler's checks, credit card convenience checks, or third party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder's initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. If you would like to buy Class I shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase . There are no minimum investment amounts required for Class I shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase .
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator,
19
How to Buy Shares (continued)
and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased in a managed account or within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
Purchasing additional shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
n By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
n By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
n By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of CompassEMPFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
n Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at CompassEMPFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
n By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
n By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-3863 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the Transfer Agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
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How to Buy Shares (continued)
n By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other purchase rules you should know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
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BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
The Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
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BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
The Victory Funds c/o SunGuard TA Operations 3435 Stelzer Road Columbus, OH 43219 PHONE: 800-539-3863 |
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BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-3863 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. | |||||||||
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BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
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ON THE INTERNET |
www.CompassEMPFunds.com |
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions.
If you would like to make additional investments after your account is established, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account's statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
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How to Buy Shares (continued)
Retirement Plans
You can use the Fund as part of your retirement portfolio. Your Investment Professional can set up your new account under one of several tax-deferred retirement plans. Please contact your Investment Professional or the Fund for details regarding an IRA or other retirement plan that works best for your financial situation.
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How to Exchange Shares
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class, or any other class, of any other Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
n Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange to the new share class.
n To exchange between Victory Funds, the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
n Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees and expenses.
C share conversion
You may be able to convert your Class C shares to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing your exchange/conversion
If your exchange request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled "Share Price" then your exchange will be processed the same day. Your exchange will be processed on the next business day if received after the close of trading. Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus.
If your Fund shares are converted to a different share class, the transaction will be based on the respective net asset value of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day's net asset values. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any conversion.
Requesting an exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
n By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
n By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds. You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting CompassEMPFunds.com
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How to Exchange Shares (continued)
n Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at CompassEMPFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other exchange rules you should know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
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How to Sell Shares
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at www.CompassEMPFunds.com.
BY TELEPHONE
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-3863. When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked "Telephone Authorization." Then when you are ready to sell, call and tell us which one of the following options you would like to use:
n Mail a check to the address of record;
n Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
n Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
n Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
The transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
BY MAIL
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account
number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
n Your account registration has changed within the last 15 days;
n The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
n The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
n The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
n The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution such as a commercial bank, broker dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
BY WIRE
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the same business day.
BY ACH
Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day, but will be processed on the next day if received after the close of trading on the NYSE. It will be transferred by ACH as long as the transfer is to a domestic bank.
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
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How to Sell Shares (continued)
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information about Redemptions
n Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 10 business days.
n The Fund may postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days at any time.
n The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
• During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
• When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund's securities; or
• When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund's shareholders.
n The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund's net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion "in kind," that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash.
n If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
26
Distribution and Service Plans
Distribution Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A shares and, as applicable for the Fund and for providing personal services to shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund's Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund's Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund's assets and on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities, out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or Investment Professional for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing." In some circumstances, those types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
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Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application. If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-3863.
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
REINVESTMENT OPTION
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
CASH OPTION
A check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the Reinvestment Option described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
INCOME EARNED OPTION
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional shares of the Fund and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
DIRECTED DIVIDENDS OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the reinvested distributions.
DIRECTED BANK ACCOUNT OPTION
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
Taxes on Distributions
Dividends from net investment income, if any, ordinarily are declared and paid quarterly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" ( i.e ., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations subject to similar restrictions.
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Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes (continued)
In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.
Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares, and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.
Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year a Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions from the Fund, and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
By law, the Funds may be required to withhold tax from taxable distributions if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
Taxes on Transactions
Your redemptions, including exchanges for shares of another Victory Fund, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund). Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
29
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens a new account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Fund must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
n Name;
n Date of birth (for individuals);
n Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
n Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver's license, passport or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Fund and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Fund may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Fund may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee. As with the Medallion signature guarantee, a SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
n Change of name;
n Add/change banking instructions;
n Add/change beneficiaries;
n Add/change authorized account traders;
n Adding a Power of Attorney;
n Add/change Trustee; and
n Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian change.
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
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Important Fund Policies (continued)
The Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
n Employ "fair value" pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price , to minimize the discrepancies between a security's market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
n Monitor for suspected market timing based on "short-term transaction" activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of a Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Shareholders may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
You can find a complete description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in the Fund's SAI or on the Fund's website, CompassEMPFunds.com.
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Important Fund Policies (continued)
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
Manager-of-Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Fund may adopt a "manager of managers" structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Fund's investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Fund relies on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the subadviser would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm's experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage the Fund. The Fund has received an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission enabling it to adopt a manager of managers structure, and it may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the "SEC Order").
To the extent the Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in connection with the retention of any new subadviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
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Other Service Providers
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), member FINRA and SIPC, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser.
Citibank N.A., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the Fund's investments and cash and settles trades made by the Fund.
Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as the administrator and fund accountant for the Fund.
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the sub-administrator, sub-fund accountant for the Fund.
SunGard Investor Services LLC, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.
Cohen Fund Audit Services, 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.
Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019, serves as legal counsel to the Fund.
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Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has only recently commenced investment operations, no financial highlights are available for the Fund at this time. In the future, financial highlights will be presented in this section of the Prospectus.
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35
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.
Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at CompassEMPFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863). |
By mail:
The Victory Funds P.O. Box 182593 Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
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You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.
In person:
SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C. Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours. |
By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 |
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
CEMP-USEIEVW-PRO (10/15)
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
October 28, 2015
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Class A |
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Class C |
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Class I |
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Class R6 |
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
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CFLAX |
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CFLCX |
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CFLIX |
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CFLHX |
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
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CHSAX |
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CHSCX |
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CHSIX |
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Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
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CTIAX |
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CTICX |
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CTIIX |
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Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
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CMKAX |
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CMKCX |
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CMKIX |
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Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
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CWRAX |
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CWRCX |
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CWRIX |
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Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
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CUHAX |
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CUHCX |
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CUHIX |
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CUHRX |
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
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CHLAX |
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CHLCX |
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CHLIX |
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Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
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CVHAX |
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CVHCX |
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CVHIX |
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Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
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CCNAX |
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CCNCX |
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CCNIX |
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Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
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CCOAX |
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CCOCX |
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CCOIX |
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Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
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CBHAX |
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CBHCX |
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CBHIX |
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Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
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CEBAX |
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CEBCX |
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CEBIX |
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Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund |
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COFAX |
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n/a |
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COFIX |
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(each a Fund and together, the Funds)
Each Fund is a series of Victory Portfolios II (formerly Compass EMP Funds Trust)
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a Prospectus and should be read in conjunction with each Funds Prospectus, dated October 28, 2015, which is incorporated by reference into this SAI (i.e., legally made a part of this SAI). Copies may be obtained without charge by contacting the Funds at P.O Box 182593, Columbus, Ohio 43218-2593, or by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE FUNDS |
2 |
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS |
2 |
SEGREGATION OF ASSETS |
4 |
CEMP VOLATILITY WEIGHTED INDEXES |
4 |
INVESTMENTS AND RISKS |
4 |
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE MEASURES |
25 |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER |
25 |
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS |
25 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST |
27 |
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARIES |
34 |
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES |
35 |
INVESTMENT ADVISER |
41 |
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS |
45 |
ADMINISTRATION, FUND ACCOUNTNG AND TRANSFER AGENT SERVICES |
49 |
CUSTODIAN |
51 |
DISTRIBUTOR |
51 |
CODES OF ETHICS |
55 |
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
55 |
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES |
56 |
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM |
57 |
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE |
58 |
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE, EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION |
59 |
TAX STATUS |
65 |
ORGANIZATION OF THE TRUST |
70 |
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM |
70 |
LEGAL MATTERS |
70 |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
70 |
THE FUNDS
The Funds are each a diversified series of Victory Portfolios II (formerly Compass EMP Funds Trust), a Delaware statutory trust organized on April 11, 2012 (the Trust). The Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company. The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the Board or Trustees).
Each Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. All shares of a Fund have equal rights and privileges. Each share of a Fund is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which such shares are entitled to vote. In addition, each share of a Fund is entitled to participate equally with other shares of that Fund, on a class-specific basis, (i) in dividends and distributions declared by the Fund and (ii) on liquidation to its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares of each Fund are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights. Fractional shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full share.
Victory Capital Management Inc. (the Adviser), is the Funds investment adviser. Each Funds investment objective(s), restrictions and policies are more fully described here and in the Funds Prospectus. The Board may start other series and offer shares of a new fund under the Trust at any time and offer shares of that fund.
Each Fund, other than the Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund, Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund and the Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund, offers three classes of shares: Class A shares, Class C shares and Class I shares. The Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund and the Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund offer four classes of shares: Class A shares, Class C shares, Class I shares and Class R6 shares. The Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund offers two classes of shares, Class A shares and Class I shares. Each share class of a Fund represents an interest in the same assets of the Fund, has the same rights and is identical in all material respects except that (i) each class of shares may be subject to different (or no) sales loads; (ii) each class of shares may bear different (or no) distribution fees; (iii) each class of shares may have different shareholder features, such as minimum investment amounts; (iv) 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 paid 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 paid as a result of issues relating to a specific class of shares and accounting fees and expenses relating to a specific class of shares, and (v) each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters relating to its own distribution arrangements. The Board may classify and reclassify the shares of the Fund into additional classes of shares at a future date.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
Each Fund has adopted the following fundamental investment restrictions that may not be changed without approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund which, as used in this SAI, means the vote of the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Each Fund may not:
1. Issue senior securities. This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to involve the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Fund, provided that the Funds engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940 Act, as amended (the 1940 Act) the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff;
2. Borrow money, except (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Funds total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that the Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions;
3. Purchase securities on margin, participate on a joint or joint and several basis in any securities trading account, or underwrite securities. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from obtaining such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of its portfolio securities, and except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities;
4. Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts);
5. Invest 25% or more of the market value of its assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry or group of related industries; except that (a) the Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund and (b) the Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund will each cause more than 25% of its total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in securities of commodity industries issuers as defined in the Funds prospectus; and the (c) Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund will cause more than 25% of its total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in securities of real estate industry issuers as defined in the Funds prospectus. This limitation does not apply to investments in the securities of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities;
6. Purchase or sell commodities (unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments or through commodity futures contracts or options), except that the Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts and options to the full extent permitted under the 1940 Act, sell foreign currency contracts in accordance with any rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, invest in securities or other instruments backed by commodities, and invest in companies that are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities; or
7. Make loans to others, except (a) through the purchase of debt securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies, (b) to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan, and (c) by loaning portfolio securities.
Each Fund observes the following policies, which are not deemed fundamental and which may be changed without a shareholder vote. Each Fund may not:
1. Invest in any issuer for purposes of exercising control or management;
2. Invest in securities of other investment companies except as permitted under the 1940 Act;
3. Invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in securities with legal or contractual restrictions on resale, securities, which are not readily marketable and repurchase agreements with more than seven days to maturity. However, if more than 15% of Fund net assets are illiquid, the Funds investment adviser(s) will reduce illiquid assets such that they do not represent more than 15% of Fund net assets, subject to timing and other considerations which are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders; or
4. Mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any assets of the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in limitation (1) above. Margin deposits, security interests, liens and collateral arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques are not deemed to be a mortgage, pledge or hypothecation of assets for purposes of this limitation.
Additionally, the following policies, which are not deemed fundamental and which may be changed without a shareholder vote, apply to the respective Funds as described below.
1. Under normal market conditions: the Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund invests at least 80% of its assets (defined as net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes) in securities of U.S. issuers; and the Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund invests at least 80% of its assets (defined as net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes) in the stocks of U.S. issuers included in the CEMP US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index as of its most recent reconstitution; and the
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund invests at least 80% of its assets (defined as net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes) in the stocks included in the CEMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Index as of its most recent reconstitution; and the Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund invests at least 80% of its assets (defined as net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes) in securities of U.S. issuers; and the Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund and Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund each invests at least 80% of its assets (defined as net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes) in fixed income securities.
2. Under unfavorable market conditions: the Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund and Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund each invest at least 30% of its assets (defined as net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes) in securities of foreign issuers.
Unless otherwise noted, whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of a Funds assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Funds acquisition of such security or other asset except in the case of borrowing (or other activities that may be deemed to result in the issuance of a senior security under the 1940 Act). Accordingly, any subsequent change in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with a Funds investment policies and limitations. If the value of a Funds holdings of illiquid securities at any time exceeds the percentage limitation applicable at the time of acquisition due to subsequent fluctuations in value or other reasons, the Trusts Board will consider what actions, if any, are appropriate to maintain adequate liquidity.
SEGREGATION OF ASSETS
A transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance by a fund of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% minimum asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund maintains an offsetting financial position by segregating liquid assets (as determined by the adviser under the general oversight of the fund board) at least equal to the value of the funds potential economic exposure as measured daily on a mark-to-market basis; or otherwise covers the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC guidance (collectively defined as covers the transaction). The amount liquid assets that a Fund may segregate may vary, depending on the nature of the instrument. In order to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements regarding cover, a fund may be required to buy or sell securities at a disadvantageous time or when the prices then available are deemed disadvantageous. In addition, segregated assets may not be readily available to satisfy redemption requests or for other purposes.
CEMP VOLATILITY WEIGHTED INDEXES
The Adviser is the creator of the CEMP Volatility Weighted Indexes (each an Index), a family of rules-based indices that combine fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index methodology developed by the Adviser is patent pending (Application No. 61/645,370). A description of the Indexes tracked by certain Funds is provided in each applicable Funds Prospectus under Principal Investment Strategies, and additional details about the Indexes are provided below.
Semi-Annual Index Rebalancing Dates
Each Index is rebalanced semi-annually, in March and September. In conjunction with each rebalancing date, an Indexs rules are applied to its universe of publicly traded securities in order to determine which securities are eligible for inclusion in the Index. New securities are added to the Index only on rebalancing dates and only securities that comply with the CEMP Index methodology are eligible to be included in an Index. Securities that no longer meet eligibility for an Index on the rebalance date are omitted.
Index Maintenance
Index maintenance occurs throughout the year and includes monitoring and adjusting an Index for company additions and deletions, stock splits, corporate restructurings and other corporate actions. Corporate actions are generally implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. A security also may be removed from an Index in between rebalancing dates if it no longer represents an investable asset due to legal constraints or other independent factors. In response to market conditions that occur between rebalancing dates, an Indexs country and sector weights may fluctuate above or below a specified cap between annual Index screening dates.
Changes to the Index Methodology
The Index is governed by a rules-based methodology. Material changes to the methodology will be publicly disclosed to shareholders prior to implementation.
Index Calculation Agent
The Adviser has retained an unaffiliated third party, S&P Opco, LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC to calculate the Index (the Calculation Agent). The Calculation Agent calculates and disseminates the Index on a daily basis. The Adviser monitors the results produced by the Calculation Agent to help ensure that the Index is being calculated in accordance with the rules-based methodology. In addition, the Adviser has established policies and procedures designed to prevent non-public information about pending changes to the Index from being used or disseminated in an improper manner.
Index performance prior to the first publish date has been back-tested applying the same methodology based on fundamental criteria combined with volatility weightings that was in effect when the Index was
first published and is considered hypothetical. The Indexes are not sponsored by S&P Dow Jones Indices or its affiliates or its third party licensors (collectively, S&P Dow Jones Indices). S&P Dow Jones Indices will not be liable for any errors or omissions in calculating the Indexes. Calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices and the related stylized mark(s) are service marks of S&P Dow Jones Indices and have been licensed for use by the Adviser. S&P ® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC, and Dow Jones ® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC.
No Guarantee or Warranty; Index Errors
Neither the Adviser nor the Funds make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the Funds shareholders or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly or the ability of the Indexes to track general stock market performance. The Adviser has granted the Funds a license at no charge regarding the use of the Indexes and certain trademarks and trade names. The Adviser has no obligation to take the needs of the Funds or Funds shareholders into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating the Indexes.
Neither the Adviser nor the Funds guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or performance of any Index or the data included therein and shall have no liability in connection with any Index or Index calculation. Errors made by the Adviser or the Calculation Agent with respect to the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data within an Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected for a period of time, if at all. Therefore, gains, losses or costs associated with errors could be borne by a Fund and its shareholders.
Index Conflicts of Interest
Since the Index is a proprietary index of the Adviser, this may create potential conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts include the possibility of misuse or improper dissemination of non-public information about contemplated changes to the composition of an Index, such as using information about changes to the Index to trade in a personal account, unauthorized access to Index information, and allowing Index or methodology changes that benefit the Adviser or other accounts managed by the Adviser. To address these potential conflicts, the Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures it believes are reasonably designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material non-public information regarding the Indexes.
INVESTMENTS AND RISKS
The following section provides a brief description of some of the types of securities in which a Fund may invest in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations, including certain transactions a Fund may make and strategies it may adopt. The investments in the following securities and other financial instruments are subject to the investment policies and limitations described in their respective prospectus and this SAI. The following also contains a brief description of the risk factors related to these securities. A Fund may, following notice to its shareholders, take advantage of other investment practices that presently are not contemplated for use by the Fund or Underlying Fund (as defined below) or that currently are not available but that may be developed, to the extent such investment practices are both consistent with the Funds investment objective and is legally permissible. Such investment practices, if they arise, may involve risks that exceed those involved in the activities described in the Funds prospectus and this SAI.
For ease of reference, unless otherwise specified, the Funds and Underlying Funds are referred to collectively as a Fund in the following section.
To carry out its investment strategy, a Fund may engage in one or more of the following activities:
Equity Securities
Equity securities in which a Fund invests include common stocks, preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, such as convertible bonds, warrants, rights and options. The value of equity securities varies in response to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be significant.
Common Stock
Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a companys stock price.
Preferred Stock
A Fund may invest in preferred stock with no minimum credit rating. Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and the recovery of investment should a company be liquidated, although preferred stock is usually junior to the debt securities of the issuer. Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates.
The fundamental risk of investing in common and preferred stock is the risk that the value of the stock might decrease. Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Historically, common stocks have provided greater long-term returns and have entailed greater short-term risks than preferred stocks, fixed income securities and money market investments. The market value of all securities, including common and preferred stocks, is based upon the markets perception of value and not necessarily the book value of an issuer or other objective measures of a companys worth.
Convertible Securities
A Fund may invest in convertible securities with no minimum credit rating. Convertible securities include fixed income securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of the issuers underlying common stock at the option of the holder during a specified period. Convertible securities may take the form of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, units consisting of usable bonds and warrants or a combination of the features of several of these securities. Convertible securities are senior to common stocks in an issuers capital structure, but are usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. 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 nonconvertible security), a convertible security also gives an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the issuing company depending upon a market price advance in the convertible securitys underlying common stock.
Participation Notes
A Fund may buy participation notes from a bank or broker-dealer (issuer) that entitle the Fund to a return measured by the change in value of an identified underlying security or basket of securities (collectively, the underlying security). Participation notes are typically used when a direct investment in the underlying security is restricted due to country-specific regulations. Investing in participation notes involves the same risks associated with a direct investment in the shares of the companies the notes seek to replicate. However, the performance results of participation notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the notes seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. In addition, participation notes are subject to counterparty risks. Participation notes may be considered illiquid.
Warrants
A Fund may invest in warrants. Warrants are options to purchase common stock at a specific price (usually at a premium above the market value of the optioned common stock at issuance) valid for a specific period of time. Warrants may have a life ranging from less than one year to twenty years, or they may be perpetual. However, most warrants have expiration dates after which they are worthless. In addition, a warrant is worthless if the market price of the common stock does not exceed the warrants exercise price during the life of the warrant. Warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. The
percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the warrant may tend to be greater than the percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the optioned common stock.
Depositary Receipts
A Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), which are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. Many of the risks described below regarding foreign securities apply to investments in ADRs.
Income Trusts
A Fund may invest in income trusts which are investment trusts that hold assets that are income producing. The income is passed on to the unitholders. Each income trust has an operating risk based on its underlying business. The term may also be used to designate a legal entity, capital structure and ownership vehicle for certain assets or businesses. Shares or trust units are traded on securities exchanges just like stocks. Income is passed on to the investors, called unitholders, through monthly or quarterly distributions. Historically, distributions have typically been higher than dividends on common stocks. The unitholders are the beneficiaries of a trust, and their units represent their right to participate in the income and capital of the trust. Income trusts generally invest funds in assets that provide a return to the trust and its beneficiaries based on the cash flows of an underlying business. This return is often achieved through the acquisition by the trust of equity and debt instruments, royalty interests or real properties. The trust can receive interest, royalty or lease payments from an operating entity carrying on a business, as well as dividends and a return of capital.
Each income trust has an operating risk based on its underlying business; and, typically, the higher the yield, the higher the risk. They also have additional risk factors, including, but not limited to, poorer access to debt markets. Similar to a dividend paying stock, income trusts do not guarantee minimum distributions or even return of capital. If the business starts to lose money, the trust can reduce or even eliminate distributions; this is usually accompanied by sharp losses in a units market value. Since the yield is one of the main attractions of income trusts, there is the risk that trust units will decline in value if interest rates offering in competing markets, such as in the cash/treasury market, increase. Interest rate risk is also present within the trusts themselves because they hold very long term capital assets (e.g. pipelines, power plants, etc.), and much of the excess distributable income is derived from a maturity (or duration) mismatch between the life of the asset, and the life of the financing associated with it. In an increasing interest rate environment, not only does the attractiveness of trust distributions decrease, but quite possibly, the distributions may themselves decrease, leading to a double whammy of both declining yield and substantial loss of unitholder value. Because most income is passed on to unitholders, rather than reinvested in the business, in some cases, a trust can become a wasting asset unless more equity is issued. Because many income trusts pay out more than their net income, the unitholder equity (capital) may decline over time. To the extent that the value of the trust is driven by the deferral or reduction of tax, any change in government tax regulations to remove the benefit will reduce the value of the trusts. Generally, income trusts also carry the same risks as dividend paying stocks that are traded on stock markets.
Publicly Traded Partnerships
A Fund may invest in publicly traded partnerships (PTPs). PTPs are limited partnerships the interests in which (known as units) are traded on public exchanges, just like corporate stock. PTPs are limited partnerships that provide an investor with a direct interest in a group of assets (generally, oil and gas properties). Publicly traded partnership units typically trade publicly, like stock, and thus may provide the investor more liquidity than ordinary limited partnerships. Publicly traded partnerships are also called master limited partnerships and public limited partnerships. A limited partnership has one or more general partners (they may be individuals, corporations, partnerships or another entity) which manage the partnership, and limited partners, which provide capital to the partnership but have no role in its management. When an investor buys units in a PTP, he or she becomes a limited partner. PTPs are formed in several ways. A non-traded partnership may decide to go public. Several non-traded partnerships may roll up into a single PTP. A corporation may spin off a group of assets or part of its business into
a PTP of which it is the general partner, either to realize what it believes to be the assets full value or as an alternative to issuing debt. A corporation may fully convert to a PTP, although since 1986 the tax consequences have made this an unappealing option; or, a newly formed company may operate as a PTP from its inception.
There are different types of risks to investing in PTPs including regulatory risks and interest rate risks. Currently most partnerships enjoy pass through taxation of their income to partners, which avoids double taxation of earnings. If the government were to change PTP business tax structure, unitholders would not be able to enjoy the relatively high yields in the sector for long. In addition, PTPs which charge government-regulated fees for transportation of oil and gas products through their pipelines are subject to unfavorable changes in government-approved rates and fees, which would affect a PTPs revenue stream negatively. PTPs also carry some interest rate risks. During increases in interest rates, PTPs may not produce decent returns to shareholders.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
A Fund may invest in securities of real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs are publicly traded corporations or trusts that specialize in acquiring, holding and managing residential, commercial or industrial real estate. A REIT is not taxed at the entity level on income distributed to its shareholders or unitholders if it distributes to shareholders or unitholders at least 95% of its taxable income for each taxable year and complies with regulatory requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income.
REITs generally can be classified as Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. An Equity REIT invests the majority of its assets directly in real property and derives its income primarily from rents and from capital gains on real estate appreciation, which are realized through property sales. A Mortgage REIT invests the majority of its assets in real estate mortgage loans and services its income primarily from interest payments. A Hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of an Equity REIT and a Mortgage REIT. Although a Fund can invest in all three kinds of REITs, its emphasis is expected to be on investments in Equity REITs.
Investments in the real estate industry involve particular risks. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property may decline due to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhoods and in demographics, increases in market interest rates, or other factors. Factors such as these may adversely affect companies that own and operate real estate directly, companies that lend to such companies, and companies that service the real estate industry.
Investments in REITs also involve risks. Equity REITs will be affected by changes in the values of and income from the properties they own, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the credit quality of the mortgage loans they hold. In addition, REITs are dependent on specialized management skills and on their ability to generate cash flow for operating purposes and to make distributions to shareholders or unitholders REITs may have limited diversification and are subject to risks associated with obtaining financing for real property, as well as to the risk of self-liquidation. REITs also can be adversely affected by their failure to qualify for tax-free pass-through treatment of their income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or their failure to maintain an exemption from registration under the 1940 Act. By investing in REITs indirectly through a Fund, a shareholder bears not only a proportionate share of the expenses of a Fund, but also may indirectly bear similar expenses of some of the REITs in which it invests.
Fixed Income/Debt/Bond Securities
Yields on fixed income securities are dependent on a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money market and other fixed income securities markets, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. An investment in a Fund will be subjected to risk even if all fixed income securities in the Funds portfolio are paid in full at maturity. All fixed income securities, including U.S. Government securities, can change in value when there is a change in interest rates or the issuers actual or perceived creditworthiness or ability to meet its obligations.
There is normally an inverse relationship between the market value of securities sensitive to prevailing interest rates and actual changes in interest rates. In other words, an increase in interest rates produces a decrease in market value. The longer the remaining maturity (and duration) of a security, the greater will be the effect of interest rate
changes on the market value of that security. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the markets perception of an issuers creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. Obligations of issuers of fixed income securities (including municipal securities) are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. In addition, the obligations of municipal issuers may become subject to laws enacted in the future by Congress, state legislatures, or referenda extending the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or upon the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the markets perception of an issuers creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. The possibility exists, therefore, that, the ability of any issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its debt securities may become impaired.
The corporate debt securities in which a Fund may invest include corporate bonds and notes and short-term investments such as commercial paper and variable rate demand notes. Commercial paper (short-term promissory notes) is issued by companies to finance their or their affiliates current obligations and is frequently unsecured. Variable and floating rate demand notes are unsecured obligations typically redeemable upon not more than 30 days notice. These obligations include master demand notes that permit investment of fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement with the issuer of the instrument. The issuer of these obligations often has the right, after a given period, to prepay the outstanding principal amount of the obligations upon a specified number of days notice. These obligations generally are not traded, nor generally is there an established secondary market for these obligations. To the extent a demand note does not have a 7-day or shorter demand feature and there is no readily available market for the obligation, it is treated as an illiquid security.
A Fund may invest in debt securities, including non-investment grade debt securities. The following describes some of the risks associated with fixed income debt securities:
Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In general, the price of a debt security can fall when interest rates rise and can rise when interest rates fall. Securities with longer maturities and mortgage securities can be more sensitive to interest rate changes although they usually offer higher yields to compensate investors for the greater risks. The longer the maturity of the security, the greater the impact a change in interest rates could have on the securitys price. In addition, short-term and long-term interest rates do not necessarily move in the same amount or the same direction. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates.
Credit Risk. Fixed income securities have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities.
Extension Risk. A Fund is subject to the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the Fund (such as mortgage-backed securities) later than expected. This may happen when there is a rise in interest rates. These events may lengthen the duration (i.e. interest rate sensitivity) and potentially reduce the value of these securities.
Prepayment Risk. Certain types of debt securities, such as mortgage-backed securities, have yield and maturity characteristics corresponding to underlying assets. Unlike traditional debt securities, which may pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity when the entire principal amount comes due, payments on certain mortgage-backed securities may include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, payments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing, or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans.
Securities subject to prepayment are less effective than other types of securities as a means of locking in attractive long-term interest rates. One reason is the need to reinvest prepayments of principal; another is the possibility of significant unscheduled prepayments resulting from declines in interest rates. These prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities
of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of the Fund.
At times, some of the mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest will have higher than market interest rates and therefore will be purchased at a premium above their par value. Prepayments may cause losses in securities purchased at a premium, as unscheduled prepayments, which are made at par, will cause the Fund to experience a loss equal to any unamortized premium.
International and Foreign Debt Securities.
International Bonds include Yankee and Euro obligations, which are U.S. dollar-denominated international bonds for which the primary trading market is in the United States (Yankee Bonds), or for which the primary trading market is abroad (Eurodollar Bonds). International bonds also include Canadian and supranational agency bonds ( e.g. , those issued by the International Monetary Fund). (See Foreign Debt Securities for a description of risks associated with investments in foreign securities.)
Investments in securities of foreign companies generally involve greater risks than are present in U.S. investments. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies.
Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those prevalent in the U.S. Securities of some foreign companies are less liquid, and their prices more volatile, than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Settlement of transactions in some foreign markets may be delayed or may be less frequent than in the U.S., which could affect the liquidity of a Funds investment.
In addition, with respect to some foreign countries, there is the possibility of nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; limitations on the removal of securities, property, or other assets of a Fund; political or social instability; increased difficulty in obtaining legal judgments; or diplomatic developments that could affect U.S. investments in those countries. The Adviser will take such factors into consideration in managing a Funds investments.
Since most foreign debt securities are not rated, a Fund will invest in those foreign debt securities based on the Advisers analysis without relying on published ratings. Achievement of a Funds goals, therefore, may depend more upon the abilities of the Adviser than would otherwise be the case. The value of the foreign debt securities held by a Fund, and thus the net asset value of a Funds shares, generally will fluctuate with (a) changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the issuers of those securities, (b) movements in interest rates, and (c) changes in the relative values of the currencies in which a Funds investments in debt securities are denominated with respect to the U.S. dollar. The extent of the fluctuation will depend on various factors, such as the average maturity of a Funds investments in foreign debt securities, and the extent to which a Fund hedges its interest rate, credit and currency exchange rate risks. A longer average maturity generally is associated with a higher level of volatility in the market value of such securities in response to changes in market conditions. In the event of default, there may be limited or no legal recourse in that, generally, remedies for defaults must be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party.
Certificates of Deposit and Bankers Acceptances
Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity.
A Fund may invest in insured bank obligations. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures the deposits of federally insured banks and savings and loan associations (collectively referred to as banks) up to $250,000. A Fund may purchase bank obligations that are fully insured as to principal by the FDIC. Currently, to remain fully insured as to principal, these investments must be limited to $250,000 per bank; if the principal amount and accrued interest together exceed $250,000, the excess principal and accrued interest will not be insured. Insured bank obligations may have limited marketability.
Bankers acceptances typically arise from short-term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then accepted by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an earning asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.
Time Deposits and Variable Rate Notes
A Fund may invest in fixed time deposits, whether or not subject to withdrawal penalties. The commercial paper obligations, which the Fund may buy are unsecured and may include variable rate notes. The nature and terms of a variable rate note (i.e., a Master Note) permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement between the Fund as Lender, and the issuer, as borrower. It permits daily changes in the amounts borrowed. A Fund has the right at any time to increase, up to the full amount stated in the note agreement, or to decrease the amount outstanding under the note. The issuer may prepay at any time and without penalty any part of or the full amount of the note. The note may or may not be backed by one or more bank letters of credit. Because these notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and the issuer, it is not generally contemplated that they will be traded; moreover, there is currently no secondary market for them. Except as specifically provided in the Prospectus, there is no limitation on the type of issuer from whom these notes may be purchased; however, in connection with such purchase and on an ongoing basis, the Funds advisor will consider the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the issuer, and its ability to pay principal and interest on demand, including a situation in which all holders of such notes made demand simultaneously. Variable rate notes are subject to the Funds investment restriction on illiquid securities unless such notes can be put back to the issuer on demand within seven days.
Commercial Paper
A Fund may purchase commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. It may be secured by letters of credit, a surety bond or other forms of collateral. Commercial paper is usually repaid at maturity by the issuer from the proceeds of the issuance of new commercial paper. As a result, investment in commercial paper is subject to the risk the issuer cannot issue enough new commercial paper to satisfy its outstanding commercial paper, also known as rollover risk. Commercial paper may become illiquid or may suffer from reduced liquidity in certain circumstances. Like all fixed income securities, commercial paper prices are susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates. If interest rates rise, commercial paper prices will decline. The short-term nature of a commercial paper investment makes it less susceptible to interest rate risk than many other fixed income securities because interest rate risk typically increases as maturity lengths increase. Commercial paper tends to yield smaller returns than longer-term corporate debt because securities with shorter maturities typically have lower effective yields than those with longer maturities. As with all fixed income securities, there is a chance that the issuer will default on its commercial paper obligation.
Repurchase Agreements
A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. In a repurchase agreement, an investor (such as the Fund) purchases a security (known as the underlying security) from a securities dealer or bank. Any such dealer or bank must be deemed creditworthy by the Adviser. At that time, the bank or securities dealer agrees to repurchase the underlying security at a mutually agreed upon price on a designated future date. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at an agreed upon rate due to the Fund on repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund generally will be unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying securities. Repurchase agreements must be fully collateralized, in that the market value of the underlying securities (including accrued interest) must at all times be equal to or greater than the repurchase price. Therefore, a repurchase agreement can be considered a loan collateralized by the underlying securities.
Repurchase agreements are generally for a short period of time, often less than a week, and will generally be used by a Fund to invest excess cash or as part of a temporary defensive strategy. Repurchase agreements that do not provide for payment within seven days will be treated as illiquid securities. In the event of a bankruptcy or other
default by the seller of a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses. These losses could result from: (a) possible decline in the value of the underlying security while the Fund is seeking to enforce its rights under the repurchase agreement; (b) possible reduced levels of income or lack of access to income during this period; and (c) expenses of enforcing its rights.
High Yield Securities
A Fund may invest in high yield securities. High yield, high risk bonds are securities that are generally rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (BB+ or lower by S&P and Ba1 or lower by Moodys). Other terms used to describe such securities include lower rated bonds, non-investment grade bonds, below investment grade bonds, and junk bonds. These securities are considered to be high-risk investments. The risks include the following:
Greater Risk of Loss. These securities are regarded as predominately speculative. There is a greater risk that issuers of lower rated securities will default than issuers of higher rated securities. Issuers of lower rated securities generally are less creditworthy and may be highly indebted, financially distressed, or bankrupt. These issuers are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes or adverse industry developments. In addition, high yield securities are frequently subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. If an issuer fails to pay principal or interest, a Fund would experience a decrease in income and a decline in the market value of its investments.
Sensitivity to Interest Rate and Economic Changes. The income and market value of lower-rated securities may fluctuate more than higher rated securities. Although non-investment grade securities tend to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than investment grade securities, non-investment grade securities are more sensitive to short-term corporate, economic and market developments. During periods of economic uncertainty and change, the market price of the investments in lower-rated securities may be volatile. The default rate for high yield bonds tends to be cyclical, with defaults rising in periods of economic downturn. For example, in 2000, 2001 and 2002, the default rate for high yield securities was significantly higher than in the prior or subsequent years.
Valuation Difficulties. It is often more difficult to value lower rated securities than higher rated securities. If an issuers financial condition deteriorates, accurate financial and business information may be limited or unavailable. In addition, the lower rated investments may be thinly traded and there may be no established secondary market. Because of the lack of market pricing and current information for investments in lower rated securities, valuation of such investments is much more dependent on judgment than is the case with higher rated securities.
Liquidity. There may be no established secondary or public market for investments in lower rated securities. Such securities are frequently traded in markets that may be relatively less liquid than the market for higher rated securities. In addition, relatively few institutional purchasers may hold a major portion of an issue of lower-rated securities at times. As a result, the Fund may be required to sell investments at substantial losses or retain them indefinitely when an issuers financial condition is deteriorating.
Credit Quality. Credit quality of non-investment grade securities can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and even recently-issued credit ratings may not fully reflect the actual risks posed by a particular high-yield security.
New Legislation. Future legislation may have a possible negative impact on the market for high yield, high risk bonds. As an example, in the late 1980s, legislation required federally-insured savings and loan associations to divest their investments in high yield, high risk bonds. New legislation, if enacted, could have a material negative effect on a Funds investments in lower rated securities.
High yield, high risk investments may include the following:
Straight fixed income debt securities. These include bonds and other debt obligations that bear a fixed or variable rate of interest payable at regular intervals and have a fixed or resettable maturity date. The particular terms of such securities vary and may include features such as call provisions and sinking funds.
Zero-coupon debt securities. These bear no interest obligation but are issued at a discount from their value at maturity. When held to maturity, their entire return equals the difference between their issue price and their maturity value.
Zero-fixed-coupon debt securities. These are zero-coupon debt securities that convert on a specified date to interest-bearing debt securities.
Pay-in-kind bonds. These are bonds which allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds. These are bonds sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (1933 Act), usually to a relatively small number of institutional investors.
Convertible Securities. These are bonds or preferred stock that may be converted to common stock.
Preferred Stock. These are stocks that generally pay a dividend at a specified rate and have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and in liquidation.
Loan Participations and Assignments. These are participations in, or assignments of all or a portion of loans to corporations or to governments, including governments of less developed countries (LDCs).
Securities issued in connection with Reorganizations and Corporate Restructurings. In connection with reorganizing or restructuring of an issuer, an issuer may issue common stock or other securities to holders of its debt securities. A Fund may hold such common stock and other securities even if it does not invest in such securities.
Municipal Government Obligations
In general, municipal obligations are debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States (including the District of Columbia) and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities. Municipal obligations generally include debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Certain types of municipal obligations are issued in whole or in part to obtain funding for privately operated facilities or projects. Municipal obligations include general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, industrial development bonds, notes and municipal lease obligations. Municipal obligations also include additional obligations, the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax that may become available in the future as long as the Funds Board of Trustees determines that an investment in any such type of obligation is consistent with the Funds investment objectives. Municipal obligations may be fully or partially backed by local government, the credit of a private issuer, current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets or domestic or foreign entities providing credit support such as letters of credit, guarantees or insurance.
Bonds and Notes. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuers pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of interest and principal. Revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a project or facility or from the proceeds of a specified revenue source. Industrial development bonds are generally revenue bonds secured by payments from and the credit of private users. Municipal notes are issued to meet the short-term funding requirements of state, regional and local governments. Municipal notes include tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, tax and revenue anticipation notes, construction loan notes, short-term discount notes, tax-exempt commercial paper, demand notes and similar instruments.
Municipal Lease Obligations. Municipal lease obligations may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase or a conditional sales contract. They are issued by state and local governments and authorities to acquire land, equipment and facilities, such as vehicles, telecommunications and computer equipment and other capital assets. A Fund may invest in Underlying Funds that purchase these lease obligations directly, or it may purchase participation interests in such lease obligations (See Participation Interests section). States have different requirements for issuing municipal debt and issuing municipal leases. Municipal leases are generally subject to greater risks than general obligation or revenue bonds because they usually contain a non-appropriation clause, which provides that the issuer is not obligated to make payments on the obligation in future years unless funds have been appropriated for this purpose each year. Such non-appropriation clauses are required to avoid the municipal lease obligations from being treated as debt for state debt restriction purposes. Accordingly, such obligations are subject to non-appropriation risk. Municipal leases may be secured by the underlying capital asset and it may be difficult to dispose of any such asset in the event of non-appropriation or other default.
United States Government Obligations
These consist of various types of marketable securities issued by the United States Treasury, i.e., bills, notes and bonds. Such securities are direct obligations of the United States government and differ mainly in the length of their maturity. Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government security, have a maturity of up to one
year and are issued on a discount basis. A Fund may also invest in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS). TIPS are special types of treasury bonds that were created in order to offer bond investors protection from inflation. The values of the TIPS are automatically adjusted to the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If the CPI goes up by half a percent, the value of the bond (the TIPS) would also go up by half a percent. If the CPI falls, the value of the bond does not fall because the government guarantees that the original investment will stay the same. TIPS decline in value when real interest rates rise. However, in certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest rates are rising faster than nominal interest rates, TIPS may experience greater losses than other fixed income securities with similar duration.
United States Government Agency Obligations
These consist of debt securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the United States government, including the various types of instruments currently outstanding or which may be offered in the future. Agencies include, among others, the Federal Housing Administration, Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA), Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Maritime Administration, and General Services Administration. Instrumentalities include, for example, each of the Federal Home Loan Banks, the National Bank for Cooperatives, the Federal Home
Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), the Farm Credit Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), and the United States Postal Service. These securities are either: (i) backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government e.g. , United States Treasury Bills); (ii) guaranteed by the United States Treasury ( e.g. , GNMA mortgage-backed securities); (iii) supported by the issuing agencys or instrumentalitys right to borrow from the United States Treasury ( e.g. , FNMA Discount Notes); or (iv) supported only by the issuing agencys or instrumentalitys own credit ( e.g. , Tennessee Valley Association). On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Authority (the FHFA) announced that FNMA and FHLMC had been placed into conservatorship, a statutory process designed to stabilize a troubled institution with the objective of returning the entity to normal business operations. The U.S. Treasury Department and the FHFA at the same time established a secured lending facility and a Secured Stock Purchase Agreement with both FNMA and FHLMC to ensure that each entity had the ability to fulfill its financial obligations. The FHFA announced that it does not anticipate any disruption in pattern of payments or ongoing business operations of FNMA and FHLMC.
Government-related guarantors ( e.g. , not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases conventional ( e.g. , not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.
FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates (PCs), which represent interests in conventional mortgages from FHLMCs national portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such nongovernmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers.
Mortgage Pass-Through Securities
Interests in pools of mortgage pass-through securities differ from other forms of debt securities (which normally provide periodic payments of interest in fixed amounts and the payment of principal in a lump sum at maturity or on specified call dates). Instead, mortgage pass-through securities provide monthly payments consisting of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a pass-through of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on the underlying residential mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Unscheduled payments of principal may be made if the underlying mortgage loans are repaid or refinanced or the underlying properties are foreclosed, thereby shortening the securities weighted average life. Some mortgage pass-through securities (such as securities guaranteed by GNMA) are described as modified pass-through securities. These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, on the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether the mortgagor actually makes the payment.
The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage pass-through securities is GNMA. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by lending institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgage loans. These mortgage loans are either insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. A pool or group of such mortgage loans is assembled and after being approved by GNMA, is offered to investors through securities dealers.
Government-related guarantors of mortgage pass-through securities ( e.g. , not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases conventional ( e.g. , not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved sellers/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Mortgage pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury.
FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a U.S. government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues PCs, which represent interests in conventional mortgages from FHLMCs national portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury.
Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage pass-through securities. A Fund does not purchase interests in pools created by such non-governmental issuers.
Resets. The interest rates paid on the Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities (ARMs) in which a Fund may invest generally are readjusted or reset at intervals of one year or less to an increment over some predetermined interest rate index. There are two main categories of indices: those based on U.S. Treasury securities and those derived from a calculated measure, such as a cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates. Commonly utilized indices include the one-year and five-year constant maturity Treasury Note rates, the three-month Treasury Bill rate, the 180-day Treasury Bill rate, rates on longer-term Treasury securities, the National Median Cost of Funds, the one-month or three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), the prime rate of a specific bank, or commercial paper rates. Some indices, such as the one-year constant maturity Treasury Note rate, closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels. Others tend to lag changes in market rate levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile.
Caps and Floors. The underlying mortgages which collateralize the ARMs in which a Fund invests will frequently have caps and floors which limit the maximum amount by which the loan rate to the residential borrower may change up or down: (1) per reset or adjustment interval, and (2) over the life of the loan. Some residential mortgage loans restrict periodic adjustments by limiting changes in the borrowers monthly principal and interest payments rather than limiting interest rate changes. These payment caps may result in negative amortization. The value of mortgage securities in which a Fund invests may be affected if market interest rates rise or fall faster and farther than the allowable caps or floors on the underlying residential mortgage loans. Additionally, even though the
interest rates on the underlying residential mortgages are adjustable, amortization and prepayments may occur, thereby causing the effective maturities of the mortgage securities in which the Fund invests to be shorter than the maturities stated in the underlying mortgages.
Securities of Other Investment Companies.
Except for investment in money market funds, an Underlying Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company, but may not own more than 3% of the securities of any one investment company or invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies. The Funds are subject to these limits with respect to any unaffiliated Underlying Funds in which they may invest. With respect to affiliated Underlying Funds, the Strategic Allocation Fund may invest without limit. A Fund may purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, provided that either: (1) the Fund pays no sales charge or service fee (as each of those terms is defined in the FINRA Conduct Rules); or (2) the Adviser waives its advisory fee in an amount necessary to offset any such sales charge or service fee.
For purposes of determining compliance with a Funds policy on concentrating its investments in any one industry, the Fund generally does not look through investments in Underlying Funds for purposes of applying their concentration limitations, unless an Underlying Fund itself has a policy to concentrate in a particular industry. In that case, the particular industry in which the underlying investment company invests would be counted for purposes of calculating the Funds concentration limitation.
Risk Factors Associated with Investments in Investment Companies.
As a shareholder of an investment company, a Fund indirectly will bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by such investment company in addition to the fees and expenses a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations. These securities represent interests in professionally managed portfolios that may invest in various types of instruments pursuant to a wide range of investment styles. A Fund would also bear the risk of all of the underlying investments held by the other investment company. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective.
Exchange-Traded Funds.
(ETFs) are investment companies whose primary objective is to achieve the same rate of return as a particular market index or commodity while trading throughout the day on an exchange. Certain ETFs are actively managed portfolios rather than being based upon an underlying index. ETF shares are sold initially in the primary market in units of 50,000 or more (creation units). A creation unit represents a bundle of securities or commodities that replicates, or is a representative sample of, a particular index or commodity and that is deposited with the ETF. Once owned, the individual shares comprising each creation unit are traded on an exchange in secondary market transactions for cash. The secondary market for ETF shares allows them to be readily converted into cash, like commonly traded stocks. The combination of primary and secondary markets permits ETF shares to be traded throughout the day close to the value of the ETFs underlying portfolio securities. A Fund would purchase and sell individual shares of ETFs in the secondary market. These secondary market transactions require the payment of commissions.
Unit Investment Trusts.
(UITs) are investment companies that hold a fixed portfolio of securities until the fixed maturity date of the UIT. A Fund would generally only purchase UITs in the secondary market for cash, which would result in the payment of commissions.
Risk Factors Associated with Investments in ETFs and UITs.
ETF and UIT shares are subject to the same risk of price fluctuation due to supply and demand as any other stock traded on an exchange, which means that a Fund could receive less from the sale of shares of an ETF or UIT it holds than it paid at the time it purchased those shares. Furthermore, there may be times when the exchange halts trading, in which case a Fund owning ETF or UIT shares would be unable to sell them until trading is resumed. There can be no assurance that an ETF or UIT will continue to meet the listing requirements of the exchange or that an active secondary market will develop for shares. In addition, because ETFs and UITs invest in a portfolio of common stocks or other instruments or commodities, the value of an ETF or UIT could decline if prices of those
instruments or commodities decline. An overall decline of those instruments or commodities comprising an ETFs or UITs benchmark index could have a greater impact on the ETF or UIT and investors than might be the case in an investment company with a more widely diversified portfolio. Losses could also occur if the ETF or UIT is unable to replicate the performance of the chosen benchmark index. There may be times when the market price for an ETF or UIT and its NAV vary significantly and a Fund may pay more than (premium) or less than (discount) NAV when buying shares on the secondary market. The market price of an ETFs or UITs shares includes a bid-ask spread charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that the shares may trade at a discount to NAV and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of shares is falling fastest.
Other risks associated with ETFs and UITs include the possibility that: (i) an ETFs or UITs distributions may decline if the issuers of the ETFs or UITs portfolio securities fail to continue to pay dividends; and (ii) under certain circumstances, an ETF or UIT could be terminated. Should termination occur, the ETF or UIT could have to liquidate its portfolio securities when the prices for those securities are falling. In addition, inadequate or irregularly provided information about an ETF or UIT or its investments, because ETFs and UITs are generally passively managed, could expose investors in ETFs and UITs to unknown risks. Actively managed ETFs are also subject to the risk of underperformance relative to their chosen benchmark.
Foreign Securities
General . A Fund may invest in foreign securities and ETFs and other investment companies that hold a portfolio of foreign securities. Investing in securities of foreign companies and countries involves certain considerations and risks that are not typically associated with investing in U.S. government securities and securities of domestic companies. There may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than a domestic one, and foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. There may also be less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers and listed companies than exists in the United States. Interest and dividends paid by foreign issuers may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes, which may decrease the net return on such investments as compared to dividends and interest paid to a Fund by domestic companies or the U.S. government. There may be the possibility of expropriations, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, confiscatory taxation, political, economic or social instability or diplomatic developments that could affect assets of a Fund held in foreign countries. Finally, the establishment of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions could adversely affect the payment of obligations.
To the extent a Funds currency exchange transactions do not fully protect the Fund against adverse changes in currency exchange rates, decreases in the value of currencies of the foreign countries in which the Fund will invest relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding decrease in the U.S. dollar value of the Funds assets denominated in those currencies (and possibly a corresponding increase in the amount of securities required to be liquidated to meet distribution requirements). Conversely, increases in the value of currencies of the foreign countries in which a Fund invests relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding increase in the U.S. dollar value of the Funds assets (and possibly a corresponding decrease in the amount of securities to be liquidated).
Emerging Markets Securities
A Fund may purchase securities of emerging market issuers and ETFs and other investment companies that invest in emerging market securities. Investing in emerging market securities imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries. These risks include: smaller market capitalization of securities markets, which may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; and possible repatriation of investment income and capital. In addition, foreign investors may be required to register the proceeds of sales. Future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization, or creation of government monopolies. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by a Fund. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.
Additional risks of emerging markets securities may include: greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability; more substantial governmental involvement in the economy; less governmental supervision and
regulation; unavailability of currency hedging techniques; companies that are newly organized and small; differences in auditing and financial reporting standards, which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; and less developed legal systems. In addition, emerging securities markets may have different clearance and settlement procedures, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions or otherwise make it difficult to engage in such transactions. Settlement problems may cause a Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, hold a portion of its assets in cash pending investment, or be delayed in disposing of a portfolio security. Such a delay could result in possible liability to a purchaser of the security.
Options
A Fund may purchase and write ( i.e., sell) put and call options. Such options may relate to particular securities, stock indices, other index, reference asset or reference item and may or may not be listed on a domestic or foreign securities exchange and may or may not be issued by the Options Clearing Corporation. Options trading is a highly specialized activity that entails greater than ordinary investment risk. Options may be more volatile than the underlying instruments, and therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying instruments themselves.
A call option for a particular security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer (seller) the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option, regardless of the market price of the security. The premium paid to the writer is in consideration for undertaking the obligation under the option contract. A put option for a particular security gives the purchaser the right to sell the security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration date of the option, regardless of the market price of the security.
Stock index options are put options and call options on various stock indices. In most respects, they are identical to listed options on common stocks. The primary difference between stock options and index options occurs when index options are exercised. In the case of stock options, the underlying security, common stock, is delivered. However, upon the exercise of an index option, settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the index. The option holder who exercises the index option receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the stock index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market value of the stocks included in the index. For example, some stock index options are based on a broad market index, such as the Standard & Poors 500 ® Index or the Value Line Composite Index or a narrower market index, such as the Standard & Poors 100 ® .
Indices may also be based on an industry or market segment, such as the AMEX Oil and Gas Index or the Computer and Business Equipment Index. Options on stock indices are currently traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Pacific Stock Exchange and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.
A Funds obligation to sell an instrument subject to a call option written by it, or to purchase an instrument subject to a put option written by it, may be terminated prior to the expiration date of the option by the Funds execution of a closing purchase transaction, which is effected by purchasing on an exchange an option of the same series ( i.e. , same underlying instrument, exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously written. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying instrument from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying instrument or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying instrument. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transactions costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event a Fund will have paid a loss in the transaction. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. An option writer unable to effect a closing purchase transaction will not be able to sell the underlying instrument or liquidate the assets held in a segregated account, as described below, until the option expires or the optioned instrument is delivered upon exercise. In such circumstances, the writer will be subject to the risk of market decline or appreciation in the instrument during such period.
If an option purchased by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a loss equal to the premium paid. If the Fund enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, the Fund will realize a gain if the premium received by the Fund on the closing transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, or a loss if it
is less. If an option written by the Fund expires on the stipulated expiration date or if the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will realize a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the net premium received when the option is sold). If an option written by the Fund is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and the Fund will realize a gain or loss.
Certain Risks Regarding Options. There are several risks associated with transactions in options. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on an exchange, may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities or currencies; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading value; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
Successful use by a Fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the ability of the Adviser to correctly predict movements in the directions of the stock market. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. In addition, a funds ability to effectively hedge all or a portion of the securities in its portfolio, in anticipation of or during a market decline, through transactions in put options on stock indices, depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying index correlate with the price movements of the securities held by the Fund. Inasmuch as a Funds securities will not duplicate the components of an index, the correlation will not be perfect. Consequently, the Fund bears the risk that the prices of its securities being hedged will not move in the same amount as the prices of its put options on the stock indices. It is also possible that there may be a negative correlation between the index and the Funds securities that would result in a loss on both such securities and the options on stock indices acquired by the Fund.
The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets. The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The purchase of stock index options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by a Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the stock index on which the option is based.
There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist. If a Fund is unable to close out a call option on securities that it has written before the option is exercised, the Fund may be required to purchase the optioned securities in order to satisfy its obligation under the option to deliver such securities. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options on securities that it has purchased, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase and sale of the underlying securities.
Cover for Options Positions . Transactions using options (other than options that a Fund has purchased) expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (i) an offsetting (covered) position in securities or other options or (ii) cash or liquid securities with a value sufficient at all times to cover its potential obligations not covered as provided in (i) above. A Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid securities in a segregated account with the Funds custodian in the prescribed amount. Under current SEC guidelines, the Fund will segregate assets to cover transactions in which the Fund writes or sells options.
Assets used as cover or held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding option is open, unless they are replaced with similar assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of a
Funds assets to cover or segregated accounts could impede portfolio management or the Funds ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Options on Futures Contracts
A Fund may purchase and sell options on the same types of futures in which it may invest. Options on futures are similar to options on underlying instruments except that options on futures give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), rather than to purchase or sell the futures contract, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by the delivery of the accumulated balance in the writers futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.
Dealer Options
A Fund may engage in transactions involving dealer options as well as exchange-traded options. Certain additional risks are specific to dealer options. While the Fund might look to a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, if the Fund were to purchase a dealer option it would need to rely on the dealer from which it purchased the option to perform if the option were exercised. Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the loss of the premium paid by the Fund as well as loss of the expected benefit of the transaction.
Exchange-traded options generally have a continuous liquid market while dealer options may not. Consequently, the Fund may generally be able to realize the value of a dealer option it has purchased only by exercising or reselling the option to the dealer who issued it. Similarly, when a Fund writes a dealer option, it may generally be able to close out the option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer to whom a Fund originally wrote the option. While a Fund will seek to enter into dealer options only with dealers who will agree to and which are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will at any time be able to liquidate a dealer option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. Unless a Fund, as a covered dealer call option writer, is able to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate securities (or other assets) used as cover until the option expires or is exercised. In the event of insolvency of the other party, the Fund may be unable to liquidate a dealer option. With respect to options written by the Fund, the inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to the Fund. For example, because a Fund must maintain a secured position with respect to any call option on a security it writes, the Fund may not sell the assets, which it has segregated to secure the position while it is obligated under the option. This requirement may impair the Funds ability to sell portfolio securities at a time when such sale might be advantageous.
The Staff of the SEC has taken the position that purchased dealer options are illiquid securities. A Fund may treat the cover used for written dealer options as liquid if the dealer agrees that the Fund may repurchase the dealer option it has written for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula. In such cases, the dealer option would be considered illiquid only to the extent the maximum purchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option. Accordingly, a Fund will treat dealer options as subject to the Funds limitation on illiquid securities. If the SEC changes its position on the liquidity of dealer options, the Fund will change its treatment of such instruments accordingly.
Spread Transactions
A Fund may purchase covered spread options from securities dealers. These covered spread options are not presently exchange-listed or exchange-traded. The purchase of a spread option gives the Fund the right to put securities that it owns at a fixed dollar spread or fixed yield spread in relationship to another security that the Fund does not own, but which is used as a benchmark. The risk to a Fund, in addition to the risks of dealer options described above, is the cost of the premium paid as well as any transaction costs. The purchase of spread options will be used to protect the Fund against adverse changes in prevailing credit quality spreads, i.e., the yield spread between high quality and lower quality securities. This protection is provided only during the life of the spread options.
Futures Contracts
A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument ( e.g. , units of a stock index or reference item such as stock volatility) for a specified price, date, time and place designated at the time the contract is made. Brokerage fees are paid when a futures contract is bought or sold and margin deposits must be maintained. Entering into a contract to buy is commonly referred to as buying or purchasing a contract or holding a long position. Entering into a contract to sell is commonly referred to as selling a contract or holding a short position.
Unlike when a Fund purchases or sells a security, no price would be paid or received by the Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Upon entering into a futures contract, and to maintain the Funds open positions in futures contracts, the Fund would be required to deposit with its custodian or futures broker in a segregated account in the name of the futures broker an amount of cash, U.S. government securities, suitable money market instruments, or other liquid securities, known as initial margin. The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded, and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margins that may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.
If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in underlying instrument or index in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin. However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to a Fund.
These subsequent payments, called variation margin, to and from the futures broker, are made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying assets fluctuate making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as marking to the market. A Fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.
Although certain futures contracts, by their terms, require actual future delivery of and payment for the underlying instruments, in practice most futures contracts are usually closed out before the delivery date. Closing out an open futures contract purchase or sale is effected by entering into an offsetting futures contract sale or purchase, respectively, for the same aggregate amount of the identical underlying instrument or index and the same delivery date. If the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a Fund realizes a gain; if it is more, the Fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the Fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits on the futures contract.
For example, one contract in the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index future is a contract to buy 25 pounds sterling multiplied by the level of the UK Financial Times 100 Share Index on a given future date. Settlement of a stock index futures contract may or may not be in the underlying instrument or index. If not in the underlying instrument or index, then settlement will be made in cash, equivalent over time to the difference between the contract price and the actual price of the underlying asset at the time the stock index futures contract expires.
Swap Agreements
A Fund may enter into swap agreements for purposes of attempting to gain exposure to equity, debt, commodities or other asset markets without actually purchasing those assets, or to hedge a position. A Fund does not invest more than 25% of its assets in swap contracts with any one counterparty. Security investments are made without restriction as to the issuers country. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or swapped between the parties are calculated with respect to a notional amount, i.e. , the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index.
Most swap agreements entered into by a Fund calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a net basis. Consequently, the Funds current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the net amount). Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term.
Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, if a swap is entered into on a net basis, if the other party to a swap agreement defaults, a Funds risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.
The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Funds obligations over its entitlements with respect to a swap agreement entered into on a net basis will be accrued daily and an amount of cash or liquid asset having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in an account with the Custodian. A Fund will also establish and maintain such accounts with respect to its total obligations under any swaps that are not entered into on a net basis. Obligations under swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be senior securities for purposes of the Funds investment restriction concerning senior securities.
Because they are two-party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid for a Funds illiquid investment limitations. A Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. 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 counter-party.
A Fund may enter into a swap agreement in circumstances where the Adviser believes that it may be more cost effective or practical than buying the securities represented by such index or a futures contract or an option on such index. The counter-party to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer. The counter-party will generally agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks represented in the index, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. A Fund will agree to pay to the counter-party a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to a Fund on any swap agreement should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments that are traded in the OTC market.
Precious Metals and Other Commodities
Certain Funds are subject to the risk of sharp price volatility of metals or other commodities, and of shares of companies principally engaged in activities related to metals or other commodities. Investments related to metals or other commodities may fluctuate in price significantly over short periods of time because of a variety of global economic, financial, and political factors. These factors include: economic cycles; changes in inflation or expectations about inflation in various countries; interest rates; currency fluctuations; metal sales by governments, central banks, or international agencies; investment speculation; resource availability; commodity prices; fluctuations in industrial and commercial supply and demand; government regulation of the metals and other commodities industries; and government prohibitions or restrictions on the private ownership of certain precious and rare metals.
Regulation as a Commodity Pool Operator
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has filed with the National Futures Association, a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to the Funds operations. Accordingly, the Funds will not be subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator.
When-Issued, Forward Commitments and Delayed Settlements
A Fund may purchase and sell securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis. In this event, the Custodian (as defined under the section entitled Custodian) will segregate liquid assets equal to the amount of the commitment in a separate account. Normally, the Custodian will set aside portfolio securities to satisfy a purchase commitment. In such a case, the Fund may be required subsequently to segregate additional assets in order to assure that the value of the account remains equal to the amount of the Funds commitment. It may be expected that the Funds net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside portfolio securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash.
A Fund does not intend to engage in these transactions for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. Because the Fund will segregate liquid assets to satisfy its purchase commitments in the manner described, the Funds liquidity and the ability of the Adviser to manage them may be affected in the event the Funds forward commitments, commitments to purchase when-issued securities and delayed settlements ever exceeded 15% of the value of its net assets.
A Fund will purchase securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis only with the intention of completing the transaction. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, the Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into, and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. In these cases, the Fund may realize a taxable capital gain or loss. When a Fund engages in when-issued, forward commitment and delayed settlement transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in the Fund incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price credited to be advantageous.
The market value of the securities underlying a when-issued purchase, forward commitment to purchase securities, or a delayed settlement and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value is taken into account when determining the market value of the Fund starting on the day the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. A Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until it has paid for and delivered on the settlement date.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities
A Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale ( e.g. , because they have not been registered under the 1933 Act) and securities that are otherwise not readily marketable (e.g., because trading in the security is suspended or because market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers). Securities that have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Foreign securities that are freely tradable in their principal markets are not considered to be illiquid.
Restricted and other illiquid securities may be subject to the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. A Fund might be unable to dispose of illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemption requests from shareholders. A Fund might have to register restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.
A large institutional market exists for certain securities that are not registered under the 1933 Act, including foreign securities. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule 144A under the 1933 Act allows such a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restrictions on resale to the general public. Rule 144A establishes a safe harbor from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act for resale of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. Rule 144A has produced enhanced liquidity for many restricted securities, and market liquidity for such securities may continue to expand as a result of this regulation and the consequent existence of the PORTAL system, which is an automated system for the trading, clearance and settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers sponsored by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA).
Under guidelines adopted by the Trusts Board, the Adviser may determine that particular Rule 144A securities, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section
4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, are liquid even though they are not registered. A determination of whether such a security is liquid or not is a question of fact. In making this determination, the Adviser will consider, as it deems appropriate under the circumstances and among other factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; (3) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; (5) the nature of the security ( e.g. , debt or equity, date of maturity, terms of dividend or interest payments, and other material terms) and the nature of the marketplace trades ( e.g. , the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer); and (6) the rating of the security and the financial condition and prospects of the issuer. In the case of commercial paper, the Adviser will also determine that the paper (1) is not traded flat or in default as to principal and interest, and (2) is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least two National Statistical Rating Organizations (NRSROs) or, if only one NRSRO rates the security, by that NRSRO, or, if the security is unrated, the Adviser determines that it is of equivalent quality.
Rule 144A securities and Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper that have been deemed liquid as described above will continue to be monitored by the Adviser to determine if the security is no longer liquid as the result of changed conditions. Investing in Rule 144A securities or Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper could have the effect of increasing the amount of a Funds assets invested in illiquid securities if institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase such securities.
Passive Investment Strategies.
Some of the Underlying Funds may pursue a passive or indexing strategy. These Underlying Funds will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the respective index each is designed to track. An Underlying Funds return may not match the return of its index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Funds portfolio and the index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
Lending Portfolio Securities
A Fund may from time to time lend securities from their portfolios to broker-dealers, banks, financial institutions and institutional borrowers of securities and receive collateral in the form of cash or U.S. government obligations. Under the Funds current practices (which are subject to change), a Fund must receive initial collateral equal to 102% of the market value of the loaned securities, plus any interest due in the form of cash or U.S. government obligations. This collateral must be valued daily and should the market value of the loaned securities increase, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to a Fund sufficient to maintain the value of the collateral equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. The lending agent receives a pre-negotiated percentage of the net earnings on the investment of the collateral. A Fund will not lend portfolio securities to: (a) any affiliated person (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of any Fund; (b) any affiliated person of the Adviser; or (c) any affiliated person of such an affiliated person. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any dividends or interest paid on such securities plus any fee negotiated between the parties to the lending agreement. Loans will be subject to termination by the Funds or the borrower at any time. While a Fund will not have the right to vote securities on loan, they intend to terminate loans and regain the right to vote if that is considered important with respect to the investment. A Fund will enter into loan arrangements only with broker-dealers, banks or other institutions that either the Adviser or the lending agent has determined are creditworthy under guidelines established by the Board. Although these loans are fully collateralized, there are risks associated with securities lending. A Funds performance could be hurt if a borrower defaults or becomes insolvent, or if the Fund wishes to sell a security before its return can be arranged. The return on invested cash collateral will result in gains and losses for the Funds. Each Fund will limit its securities lending to 33-1/3% of its total assets.
Short Sales
A Fund may sell securities short as an outright investment strategy and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own or have the right to acquire (or that it owns but does not wish to deliver) in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.
When a Fund makes a short sale, the broker-dealer through which the short sale is made must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the party purchasing the security. The Fund is required to make a margin deposit in connection with such short sales; the Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and will often be obligated to pay over any dividends and accrued interest on borrowed securities.
If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time a Fund covers its short position, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.
To the extent a Fund sells securities short, it will provide collateral to the broker-dealer and (except in the case of short sales against the box) will maintain additional asset coverage in the form of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities with its custodian in a segregated account in an amount at least equal to the difference between the current market value of the securities sold short and any amounts required to be deposited as collateral with the selling broker (not including the proceeds of the short sale). A Fund does not intend to enter into short sales (other than short sales against the box) if immediately after such sales the aggregate of the value of all collateral plus the amount in such segregated account exceeds 30% of the value of the Funds net assets. This percentage may be varied by action of the Board of Trustees. A short sale is against the box to the extent the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short.
Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries
The Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund and Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund may each invest up to 25% of its total assets in its wholly-owned and controlled Cayman Islands subsidiary (each a Subsidiary), which is expected to invest, through Underlying Funds, in one or a combination of (i) options, (ii) futures, (iii) forwards, (iv) spot contracts or (v) swap contracts, each of which may be tied to (i) commodities, (ii) financial indices and instruments, (iii) foreign currencies, or (iv) equity indices. As a result, the Fund may be considered to be investing indirectly in these investments through the Subsidiary. For that reason, and for the sake of convenience, references in this SAI to the Fund may also include the Subsidiary.
Each Subsidiary will not be registered under the 1940 Act but, will be subject to certain of the investor protections of that Act, as noted in this SAI. The Fund, as the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary, will not have all of the protections offered to investors in registered investment companies. However, since the Fund wholly owns and controls the Subsidiary, and the Fund and Subsidiary are both managed by the Adviser, it is unlikely that the Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of the Fund or its shareholders. The Funds Board has oversight responsibility for the investment activities of the Fund, including its investment in the Subsidiary, and the Funds role as the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary. Also, in managing the Subsidiarys portfolio, the Adviser will be subject to the same investment restrictions and operational guidelines that apply to the management of the Fund, including any collateral or segregation requirements in connection with various investment strategies.
Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands, under which the Fund and the Subsidiary, respectively, are organized, could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as described in this SAI and could negatively affect the Fund and its shareholders. For example, the Cayman Islands does not currently impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax, estate duty, inheritance tax, gift tax or withholding tax on the Subsidiary. If Cayman Islands law changes such that the Subsidiary must pay Cayman Islands taxes, Fund shareholders would likely suffer decreased investment returns.
Underlying Funds
The Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund and Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund each invests a portion of its assets directly, or through the Subsidiary, in corporations (including foreign corporations), limited partnerships and other pooled investment vehicles (Underlying Funds). Each Underlying Fund, or share class of the Underlying Fund, is managed by its own manager or trading adviser, pursuant to a proprietary strategy. The Underlying Funds use a form of leverage often referred to as notional funding - that is the nominal trading level for an Underlying Fund will exceed the cash deposited in its trading accounts. For example, if the Underlying Fund manager wants the Underlying Fund to trade a $200,000,000 portfolio (the nominal trading level) the Underlying Funds margin requirement may be
$10,000,000. The Underlying Fund can either deposit $200,000,000 to fully fund the account or can deposit only a portion of the $200,000,000, provided that the amount deposited meets the accounts ongoing minimum margin requirements. The difference between the amount of cash deposited in the account and the nominal trading level of the account is referred to as notional funding. The use of notional funding ( i.e. , leverage) will increase the volatility of the Underlying Funds. In addition, the leverage may make the Underlying Funds subject to more frequent margin calls. Being forced to raise cash at inopportune times to meet margin calls may prevent the Underlying Fund manager from making investments it considers optimal. As currently structured, the cash deposited in the trading account for each Underlying Fund will be available to meet the margin requirements of any share class of the Underlying Fund. However, additional funds to meet margin calls are available only to the extent of the Underlying Funds assets and not from the Subsidiary or the Fund. Underlying Fund management fees are based on the nominal trading level and not the cash deposited in the trading account. For illustration purposes only, assume an Underlying Fund has assets of $50 million. The Underlying Fund is notionally funded and uses a nominal trading level of $200 million. The Underlying Fund pays its manager an annual management fee of 1% of the nominal account size, or $2,000,000. While the management fee represents 1% of the nominal account size ($200 million), the management fee represents 4% of the cash deposited ($50 million) in the Underlying Funds trading account. The Underlying Funds are typically offered privately and no public market for such securities will exist.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE MEASURES
In response to market, economic, political or other conditions, the Adviser may temporarily use a different investment strategy for a Fund for defensive purposes. Such a strategy could include investing up to 100% of a Funds assets in cash or cash equivalent securities. This could affect a Funds performance and the Fund might not achieve its investment objectives.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Each Fund may sell a portfolio investment soon after its acquisition if the Adviser believes that such a disposition is consistent with attaining the investment objective of the Fund. A high rate of portfolio turnover (over 100%) may involve correspondingly greater transaction costs, which must be borne directly by the Fund and ultimately by its shareholders. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of substantial net capital gains. To the extent short-term capital gains are realized, distributions attributable to such gains will be ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.
The following table shows the portfolio turnover rates for each Fund for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015.
|
|
2015 |
|
2014 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
34 |
% |
34 |
% |
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
53 |
% |
69 |
% |
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
38 |
% |
90 |
% |
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
76 |
% |
49 |
% |
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
44 |
% |
35 |
% |
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
48 |
% |
30 |
% |
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
29 |
% |
87 |
% |
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
52 |
% |
81 |
% |
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
0 |
% |
42 |
% |
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
0 |
% |
13 |
% |
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
135 |
% |
190 |
% |
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
0 |
% |
27 |
% |
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
0 |
% |
0 |
% |
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that govern the disclosure of each Funds portfolio holdings. These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that such disclosure is in the best interests of Fund shareholders.
Each Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its second fiscal quarter and its fiscal year in its reports to shareholders. The Fund sends reports to its existing shareholders no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period, and files these reports with the SEC by the 70 th day after the end of the relevant fiscal period. You can find these reports on the Funds website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and on the SECs website, www.SEC.gov.
In addition, each Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings as of the quarter-end on the Funds website no later than the 15th day following the end of the calendar quarter. Each Fund may also publish other information on the Funds website relating to its portfolio holdings ( e.g. , top ten holdings) on a monthly basis no later than the 15th day following the end of the month.
Other than to rating agencies and service providers, as described below, a Fund does not selectively disclose its portfolio holdings to any person. In each case, a determination has been made that such advance disclosure is supported by a legitimate business purpose and that the recipient is subject to a duty to keep the information confidential.
· The Adviser. Personnel of the Adviser, including personnel responsible for managing a Funds portfolio, may have full daily access to the Funds portfolio holdings because that information is necessary in order for the Adviser to provide its management, administrative, and investment services to the Funds. As required for purposes of analyzing the impact of existing and future market changes on the prices, availability, demand and liquidity of such securities, as well as for the assistance of portfolio managers in the trading of such securities, Advisers personnel may also release and discuss certain portfolio holdings with various broker/dealers.
· The Transfer Agent. SunGard Investor Services LLC is the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Funds; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Funds portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for each Fund.
· The Sub-fund Accountant and Sub-Adminstrator. Citi Fund Services Ohio. Inc . is the sub-fund accountant and sub-administrator for the Funds; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Funds portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for each Fund.
· The Custodian. Citibank N.A. is the custodian for the Funds; therefore, its personnel and agents have full daily access to each Funds portfolio holdings because that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for each Fund.
· The Independent Registered Public Accountant. Cohen Fund Audit Services, LTD. is the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds; therefore, its personnel and agents receive information regarding each Funds portfolio holdings as needed with no time lag in order to provide the agreed upon services for each Fund.
· Legal Counsel to the Trust. Morrison & Foerster LLP. Morrison & Foerster LLP is legal counsel to the Trust; therefore, its personnel and agents may receive information regarding each Funds portfolio holdings as needed with no time lag to perform the agreed upon services.
· Rating Agencies. Morningstar, Lipper and other mutual fund rating agencies may also receive each Funds full portfolio holdings, generally monthly on a 30-day lag basis with the understanding that such holdings may be posted or disseminated to the public by the rating agencies at any time.
The Funds Chief Compliance Officer, or such officers designee, may also grant exceptions to permit additional disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings information at differing times and with different lag times (the period from the date of the information to the date the information is made available) in instances where a Fund has legitimate business purposes for doing so, it is in the best interests of shareholders, and the recipients are subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the nonpublic information and are required to execute an agreement to that effect. The Board will be informed of any such disclosures at its next regularly scheduled meeting or as soon as is reasonably practicable thereafter. In no event shall the Funds, the Adviser, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about the Funds portfolio holdings.
There is no assurance that the Trusts policies on disclosure of portfolio holdings will protect the Funds from the potential misuse of holdings information by individuals or firms in possession of that information.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Leadership Structure
The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of eight Trustees, seven of whom are not interested persons of the Trust within the meaning of that term under the 1940 Act (the Independent Trustees). The Chair of the Board is an Independent Trustee, who functions as the lead Trustee. The Chair serves as liaison between the Board and its Committees, and the Funds investment adviser and other service providers. The Chair is actively involved in setting the Board meeting agenda, and participates on certain of the Boards Committees.
Board Risk Oversight
In considering risks related to the Funds, the Board consults and receives reports from officers of the Funds and personnel of the Adviser, who are charged with the day-to-day risk oversight function. Matters regularly reported to the Board or a designated committee include certain risks involving the Funds investment portfolios, trading practices, operational matters, financial and accounting controls, and legal and regulatory compliance. The Board has delegated to the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee overall responsibility for reviewing reports relating to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk and personnel. The Board relies on the Investment Committee to review reports relating to investment risks, that is, risks to the funds resulting from pursuing the Funds investment strategies ( e.g. , credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk).
Trustee Qualifications
The following summarizes the experience and qualifications of the Trustees:
David Brooks Adcock. Mr. Adcock served for many years as general counsel for Duke University and Duke University Health System, where he provided oversight to complex business transactions such as mergers and acquisitions and dispositions. He has served for more than 20 years as a public interest arbitrator for, among others, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National Futures Association, FINRA and the American Arbitration Association. The Board believes that Mr. Adcocks knowledge of complex business transactions and the securities industry combined with his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve on the Board.
Nigel D.T. Andrews. Mr. Andrews served for many years as a management consultant for a nationally recognized consulting company and as a senior executive at GE, including Vice President of Corporate Business Development, reporting to the Chairman, and as Executive Vice President of GE Capital. He also served as a Director and member of the Audit and Risk Committee of Old Mutual plc, a large publicly traded company whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. Mr. Andrews formerly served as the non-executive chairman of Old Mutuals US asset management business, where he also served on the audit and risk committee. Mr. Andrews also served as a Governor of the London Business School. He serves as a director of Carlyle GMS Finance, Inc., a business development company. The Board believes that his experience in these positions, particularly with respect to oversight of risk and the audit function of public companies, as well as his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
David C. Brown. Mr. Brown serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013) of the Adviser, and, as such is an interested person of the Trust. Previously, he served as Co-Chief Executive Officer (2011-2013), and President Investments and Operations (2010-2011) and Chief Operating Officer (2004-2011) of the Adviser. The Board believes that his position and experience with the Adviser and his previous experience in the investment management business qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
E. Lee Beard. Ms. Beard, a certified public accountant, has served as the president, chief executive officer and director, and as a chief financial officer, of public, federally insured, depository institutions. As such, Ms. Beard is familiar with issues relating to audits of financial institutions. The Board believes that Ms. Beards experience as the chief executive officer of a depository institution, her service on the boards of other mutual funds and her knowledge of audit and accounting matters qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.
Sally M. Dungan . Ms. Dungan, a Chartered Financial Analyst, has been in the investment and financial management business for many years. She currently serves as Chief Investment Officer for Tufts University, a position she has held since 2002, and previously served as Director of Pension Fund Management for Siemens Corporation (2000-2002), Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Senior Investment Officer of Public Markets of the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1995-2000) and Administrative Manager for Lehman Brothers (1990-1995). Ms. Dungan has served on the boards, including their audit and investment committees, of private institutions and mutual funds. The Board believes Ms. Dungans extensive knowledge of the investment process and financial markets qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.
John L. Kelly. Mr. Kelly has more than 35 years of experience and leadership roles in the financial services industry including institutional electronic trading, capital markets, corporate and investment banking, retail brokerage, private equity, asset/wealth management, institutional services, mutual funds and related technology enabled services. He has served as an Independent Trustee of Victory Portfolios, Victory Institutional Funds, and Victory Variable Insurance Funds from 2008 to 2011. The Board believes that this experience qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
David L. Meyer. For six years, Mr. Meyer served as chief operating officer, Investment Wealth Management Division of Mercantile Bankshares Corp. (now PNC Financial Services Corp.) and has served as an officer or on the board of other mutual funds for many years. The Board believes that his experience, particularly as it related to the operation of registered investment companies, qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
Leigh A. Wilson. Mr. Wilson served for many years as Chief Executive Officer of Paribas North America and as such has extensive experience in the financial sector. He serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Caledonia Mining Corporation, a Canadian mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. As a former director of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum (MFDF), he is familiar with the operation and regulation of registered investment companies. He served on a MFDF steering committee created at the request of then-SEC Chairman William Donaldson to recommend best practices to independent mutual fund directors. He received the Small Fund Trustee of the Year award from Institutional Investor Magazine in 2006. The Board believes that this experience and his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
Trustees and Officers
The following tables list the Trustees and Officers, their ages, position with the Trust, length of time served, principal occupations during the past five years and, where applicable, any directorships of other investment companies or companies whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or who file reports under that Act. Each Trustee oversees 30 portfolios in the Trust, 25 portfolios in Victory Portfolios, one portfolio in Victory Variable Insurance Funds and one portfolio in Victory Institutional Funds, each a registered investment company that, together with the Trust, comprise the Victory Fund Complex. There is no defined term of office and each Trustee serves until the earlier of his or her resignation, retirement, removal, death, or the election of a qualified successor. Each Trustees and Officers address is c/o Victory Portfolios II, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219.
Independent Trustees
Name
|
|
Position(s)
|
|
Length of
|
|
Principal
|
|
Number of
|
|
Other Directorships
|
David Brooks Adcock,
63 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Consultant (since 2006). |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2005-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2005-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2005-present); FBR Funds (2011-2012). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nigel D. T. Andrews, |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May |
|
Retired. |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios |
68 |
|
|
|
2015, indefinite |
|
|
|
|
|
(2002-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2002-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2002-present); Carlyle GMS Finance, Inc. (since 2012); Chemtura Corporation (2000-2010); Old Mutual plc. (2002-2011); Old Mutual US Asset Management (2002-2014). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Lee Beard,
64 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Consultant, The Henlee Group, LLC. (consulting) (since 2005). |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2005-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2005-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2005-present); Penn Millers Holding Corporation (January 2011 to November 2011). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sally M. Dungan,
61 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Chief Investment Officer, Tufts University, since 2002. |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2011-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2011-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2011-present); |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John L. Kelly,
62 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Bulk physical commodities broker, Endgate Commodities LLC (Aug. 2014 to present); Chief Operating Officer, Liquidnet Holdings, Inc. (December 2011 to July 2014); Managing Member, Crossroad LLC (Consultants)(April 2009 to December |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2008-2011 and since Feb. 2015) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-2011 and since Feb. 2015); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-2011 and since Feb. 2015); Director, Caledonia Mining Corporation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2011). |
|
|
|
(May 2012 to present); Managing Member, Crossroad LLC (May 2009 to present). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David L. Meyer,
58 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Retired (since 2008); Chief Operating Officer, Investment & Wealth Management Division, PNC Financial Services Group (previously Mercantile Bankshares Corp.)(2002-2008). |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2008-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-present); |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leigh A. Wilson,
70 |
|
Chair and Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Director, The Mutual Fund Directors Forum (since 2004). |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (1994-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (1994-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (1994-present); Chair (since 2013) and Director (since 2012 and March-October 2008), Caledonia Mining Corporation; Chair, Old Mutual Funds II (15 portfolios) (2005-2010); Trustee and Independent Chairman, Old Mutual Funds III (13 portfolios) (2007-2010). |
Interested Trustee and Officers of the Trust
Name and Age |
|
Position(s)
|
|
Length of
|
|
Principal Occupation(s)
|
|
Number of
|
|
Other Directorships Held
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David C. Brown, *
43 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Co-Chief Executive Officer, (2011-2013), President Investments and Operations (2010-2011) and Chief Operating Officer (2004-2011), Victory Capital Management Inc.; Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2008-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-present); |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher K. Dyer,
53 |
|
President |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Director of Mutual Fund Administration, the Adviser. |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott A. Stahorsky,
46 |
|
Vice President |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser. |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Erin G. Wagner,
41 |
|
Secretary |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Associate General Counsel, the Adviser (since 2013); Associate, Dechert LLP (2001-2010). |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher A. Ponte,
31 |
|
Treasurer |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser; registered Principal, Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (since 2011). |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jay G. Baris,
61 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP (since 2011); Partner, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP. (1994-2011). |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edward J. Veilleux,
72 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
President of EJV Financial Services (mutual fund consulting) |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chuck Booth,
|
|
Anti-Money |
|
Since 2015, |
|
Director, Regulatory Administration and |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
55 |
|
Laundering Compliance Officer and Identity Theft Officer |
|
indefinite |
|
CCO Support Services, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. |
|
|
|
|
*Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.
Committees of the Board.
The following standing Committees of the Board are currently in operation: Audit and Risk Oversight, Continuing Education, Investment, Service Provider, Board Governance and Nominating, and Agenda. In addition to these standing Committees, the Board may form temporary Special Committees to address particular areas of concern. In addition, a Committee may form a Sub-Committee to address particular areas of concern to that Committee.
The members of the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee, all of whom are Independent Trustees, are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Ms. Beard, and Mr. Wilson. The primary purpose of this Committee is to oversee the Trusts accounting and financial reporting policies, practices and internal controls, as required by the statutes and regulations administered by the SEC, including the 1940 Act. The Committee also has overall responsibility for reviewing periodic reports with respect to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk and personnel. The Board has designated Mr. Meyer and Ms. Beard as its Audit Committee Financial Experts.
The members of the Continuing Education Committee are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Ms. Beard, and Ms. Dungan. The function of this Committee is to develop programs to educate the Trustees to enhance their effectiveness as a Board and individually.
The members of the Investment Committee are Ms. Dungan (Chair), Mr. Andrews, Mr. Kelly and Mr. Wilson. The function of this Committee is to oversee the Funds compliance with investment objectives, policies and restrictions, including those imposed by law or regulation, and assists the Board in its annual review of the Funds investment advisory agreements.
The members of the Service Provider Committee are Ms. Beard (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Meyer. This Committee negotiates the terms of the written agreements with the Funds service providers, evaluates the quality of periodic reports from the service providers (including reports submitted by sub-service providers) and assists the Board in its review of each Funds service providers, other than the investment adviser and independent auditors.
The Board Governance and Nominating Committee consists of all of the Independent Trustees. Mr. Andrews currently serves as the Chair of this Committee. The functions of this Committee are: to oversee Fund governance, including the nomination and selection of Trustees; to evaluate and recommend to the Board the compensation and expense reimbursement policies applicable to Trustees; and periodically, to coordinate and facilitate an evaluation of the performance of the Board.
The Board Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominee recommendations from Fund shareholders, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee. A Fund shareholder should submit a nominee recommendation in writing to the attention of the Chair of the Trust, 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144. The Committee (or a designated sub-committee) will screen shareholder recommendations in the same manner as it screens nominations received from other sources, such as current Trustees, management of the Fund or other individuals, including professional recruiters. The Committee need not consider any recommendations when no vacancy on the Board exists, but the Committee will consider any such recommendation if a vacancy occurs within six months after receipt of the recommendation. In administering the shareholder recommendation process, the Chair, in the Chairs sole discretion, may retain the services of counsel to the Trust or to the Independent Trustees, management of the Fund or any third party. The Committee will communicate the results of the evaluation of any shareholder recommendation to the shareholder who made the recommendation.
The Agenda Committee consists of the Chair of the Board and the Chair of each other Committee.
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Board held one meeting; the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee held one meeting; the Investment Committee held one meeting; the Service Provider Committee held two meetings; and the Board Governance and Nominating Committee held one meeting. The Continuing Education Committee met informally during the fiscal year.
Prior to May 1, 2015, the Trust was governed by a different Board of Trustees.
Compensation of Trustees .
Effective May 1, 2015, the Victory Fund Complex pays each Independent Trustee $219,000 per year for his or her service to all of the funds in the Complex, including the Funds that are series of the Trust. The Board Chair is paid an additional retainer of $109,500 per year. The Funds bear a portion of the Independent Trustees compensation. The Board reserves the right to award reasonable compensation to any Interested Trustee. The Trust does not maintain a retirement plan for its Trustees.
Prior to May 1, 2015, the Trust paid each independent trustee of the predecessor Board $1,000 per Fund per year, as well as reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred attending Trust meetings, to be paid quarterly. The Audit Committee Chairman received an additional $2,000 per year. In addition, the Chairman of the predecessor Board, if an independent trustee, received an additional $2,000 per year. No interested persons who serve as a Trustee of the Trust receive any compensation for their services as Trustee.
The following table indicates the compensation received by each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015. No amounts were paid to the executive officers during this period.
Name and Position |
|
Aggregate Compensation from
|
|
Total Compensation from Trust and Fund
|
|
||
David Brooks Adcock |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
Nigel D. T. Andrews |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
E. Lee Beard |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
Sally M. Dungan |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
John L. Kelly |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
70,972 |
|
David L. Meyer |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
Leigh A. Wilson |
|
$ |
2,517 |
|
$ |
238,750 |
|
* Each Trustee became a Trustee of the Trust on May 1, 2015.The following table indicates the compensation received by each of the predecessor Trustees for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2015. No amounts were paid to the executive officers during this period.
Name and Position |
|
Aggregate Compensation
|
|
Total Compensation from Trust and Fund Complex
|
|
||
Donald T. Benson Trustee, Audit Committee Chairman |
|
$ |
23,000 |
|
$ |
23,000 |
|
John M. Gering Trustee |
|
$ |
19,500 |
|
$ |
19,500 |
|
Ottis E. Mims Trustee |
|
$ |
19,500 |
|
$ |
19,500 |
|
David J. Moore** Trustee, Chairman of the Board |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
* Each predecessor Trustees term ended on April 30, 2015, ** Mr. Moore was an interested person of the Trust.
Trustees Ownership of Shares in the Funds . The following tables show the dollar ranges of Fund shares (and of shares of all series of the Victory Fund Complex) beneficially owned by the Trustees as of December 31, 2014. None of the Trustees beneficially own any shares of the Funds and the Trusts officers and Trustees, as a group, owned less than 1% of each Fund as of the date of this SAI. No Independent Trustee (or any immediate family member) owns beneficially or of record an interest in the Adviser or Victory Capital Adviser, Inc. (the Distributor) or the predecessor adviser or distributor in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser or the Distributor (other than Funds in the Victory Funds Complex).
Independent Trustees.
Trustee |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial
|
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of
|
David Brooks Adcock |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
Nigel D. T. Andrews |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
E. Lee Beard |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
Sally M. Dungan |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
John L. Kelly |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
David L. Meyer |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
Leigh A. Wilson |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
Interested Trustee.
Trustee |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial
|
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of
|
Mr. Brown |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with Victory Capital Management Inc.
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARIES
The Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Strategy Index Fund and Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund may each invest up to 25% of its net assets (measured at the time of investment) in a Subsidiary. It is expected that each Subsidiary will invest primarily in futures contracts or in underlying funds that employ investment techniques related to the execution of the respective Funds principal investment strategies.
Each Subsidiary is a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands, whose registered office is located at the offices of CEMPCLSSF Fund Limited or CEMPCSVWF Fund Limited, respectively c/o Maples Corporate Services, Limited, PO Box 309, Ugland House, South Church Street, George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. Each Subsidiarys affairs are overseen by a board of directors.
Directors
Each Independent Trustee also serves as a Director of each Subsidiary.
Each Subsidiary has entered into a separate contract with the Adviser for the management of the Subsidiarys portfolio, without compensation. Each Subsidiary has also entered into arrangements with the Trusts custodian to serve as the Subsidiarys custodian and with SunGard Investor Services LLC to serve as the Subsidiarys transfer agent, fund accountant and administrator. Each Subsidiary has adopted compliance policies and procedures that are substantially similar to the policies and procedures adopted by the Funds. The Trusts Chief Compliance Officer oversees implementation of each Subsidiarys policies and procedures, and makes periodic reports to the Trusts Board regarding each Subsidiarys compliance with its policies and procedures.
The Subsidiaries pay no fee to the Adviser or SunGard Investor Services LLC for their services. Each Subsidiary will bear the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the custody services that it receives. Each Fund expects that the expenses borne by its Subsidiary will not be material in relation to the value of the Funds assets. It is also anticipated that the Funds own expense will be reduced to some extent as a result of the payment of such expenses at the Subsidiary level. It is therefore expected that the Funds investment in the Subsidiary will not result in the Fund paying duplicative fees for similar services provided to the Fund and Subsidiary.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. A shareholder owning of record or beneficially more than 25% of a Funds outstanding shares may be considered a controlling person. That shareholders vote could have more significant effect on matters presented at a shareholders meeting than votes of other shareholders.
As of September 30, 2015, the following shareholder(s) of record owned 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each class of each Fund:
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Class A |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc Attn: Mutual Funds 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104 |
|
831,845 |
|
65.37 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial 9785 Town Centre Drive San Diego CA 92121-1968 |
|
47,058 |
|
34.30 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
NFS LLC FEBO Transamerica Life Ins 1150 S. Olive St. Los Angeles, CA 90015-2211 |
|
454,820 |
|
46.67 |
% |
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
227,143 |
|
23.31 |
% |
LPL FINANCIAL 9785 Town Centre Drive San Diego CA 92121-1968 |
|
64,270 |
|
6.60 |
% |
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Attn: Mutual Funds 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104 |
|
351,146 |
|
60.81 |
% |
LPL Financial 9785 Town Centre Drive San Diego CA 92121-1968 |
|
74,200 |
|
12.85 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial 9785 Town Centre Drive San Diego CA 92121-1968 |
|
31,176 |
|
21.13 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
NFS LLC FEBO Transamerica Life Ins 1150 S. Olive St. Los Angeles, CA 90015-2211 |
|
80,721 |
|
29.99 |
% |
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
69,717 |
|
25.90 |
% |
LPL Financial 9785 Town Centre Drive San Diego CA 92121-1968 |
|
57,208 |
|
21.25 |
% |
TD Ameritrade FBO Frontier Health Foundation |
|
19,896 |
|
7.39 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc Attn: Mutual Funds 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104 |
|
803,296 |
|
86.85 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial 9785 Town Centre Drive San Diego CA 92121-1968 |
|
4,228 |
|
33.39 |
% |
Stifel Nicolaus & Co FBO Kenneth C Kimbro |
|
1,742 |
|
13.76 |
% |
Stifel Nicolaus & Co FBO Jon C Alexander IRA R/O |
|
1,311 |
|
10.36 |
% |
Constellation Trust Co Cust FBO Christie Bowen IRA R/O |
|
953 |
|
7.53 |
% |
Constellation Trust Co FBO Virginia Carr IRA R/O |
|
842 |
|
6.65 |
% |
Raymond James & Assoc Inc FBO Morris Heithcock Lodge #41 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg FL 33716 |
|
762 |
|
6.02 |
% |
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza Jersey City NY 07399 |
|
722 |
|
5.70 |
% |
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza Jersey City NY 07399 |
|
692 |
|
5.46 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
472,797 |
|
59.40 |
% |
NFS LLC FEBO TRANSAMERICA LIFE INS COMPANY |
|
300,221 |
|
37.72 |
% |
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc Attn: Mutual Funds 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104 |
|
655,646 |
|
89.98 |
% |
LPL Financial 9785 Towne Centre Drive San Diego, CA 92121-1968 |
|
43,158 |
|
5.92 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
190,630 |
|
46.27 |
% |
LPL Financial 9785 Towne Centre Drive San Diego, CA 92121-1968 |
|
135,1177 |
|
32.81 |
% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Attn: Mutual Funds 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104 |
|
22,022 |
|
5.35 |
% |
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
1,827,052 |
|
38.38 |
% |
LPL Financial
|
|
1,250,787 |
|
26.28 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial
|
|
1,654,460 |
|
41.29 |
% |
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
477,958 |
|
11.93 |
% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
208,550 |
|
5.21 |
% |
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
1,185,453 |
|
67.72 |
% |
LPL Financial
|
|
287,088 |
|
16.40 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial
|
|
239,457 |
|
35.51 |
% |
STIFEL NICOLAUS & CO INC
|
|
35,164 |
|
5.21 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
916,776 |
|
27.37 |
% |
LPL Financial
San Diego, CA 92121-1968 |
|
262,948 |
|
7.85 |
% |
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial
San Diego, CA 92121-1968 |
|
210,072 |
|
32.58 |
% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
158,568 |
|
24.59 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial
San Diego, CA 92121-1968 |
|
72,696 |
|
57.50 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
582,410 |
|
75.18 |
% |
LPL Financial
|
|
93,174 |
|
12.03 |
% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
49,652 |
|
6.41 |
% |
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
244,818 |
|
32.96 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial
|
|
21,476 |
|
68.62 |
% |
NFS LLC FEBO NFS/FMTC ROLLOVER IRA |
|
1,770 |
|
5.66 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
679,421 |
|
92.62 |
% |
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
141,611 |
|
76.45 |
% |
LPL Financial
|
|
27,957 |
|
15.09 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial
|
|
28,181 |
|
90.82 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
541,330 |
|
76.19 |
% |
LPL Financial
|
|
138,429 |
|
19.48 |
% |
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
2,559,546 |
|
93.52 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza Jersey City NY 07399 |
|
5,617 |
|
75.29 |
% |
Raymond James & Assoc Inc FBO Morris Heithcock Lodge #41 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg FL 33716 |
|
664 |
|
8.91 |
% |
LPL Financial
|
|
499 |
|
6.69 |
% |
NFS LLC FEBO Transamerica Life Ins 1150 S. Olive St.
|
|
495 |
|
6.63 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
902,623 |
|
99.80 |
% |
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
3,043,211 |
|
94.87 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
CONSTELLATION TRUST CO CUST FBO MERLIN PERRY CANTRELL IRA |
|
11,511 |
|
17.07 |
% |
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza Jersey City NY 07399 |
|
7,604 |
|
11.27 |
% |
CONSTELLATION TRUST CO CUST FBO DAVID LACROIX R/O IRA |
|
6,643 |
|
9.85 |
% |
CONSTELLATION TRUST CO CUST FBO ERIC J BOURSAW IRA |
|
5,286 |
|
7.84 |
% |
LPL Financial
|
|
4,113 |
|
6.10 |
% |
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza Jersey City NY 07399 |
|
3,932 |
|
5.83 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
1,360,657 |
|
64.55 |
% |
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery Street
|
|
1,350,903 |
|
89.64 |
% |
LPL Financial
|
|
82,212 |
|
5.46 |
% |
Class C Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
LPL Financial
|
|
9,598 |
|
17.08 |
% |
CONSTELLATION TRUST CO CUST FBO NANCY LYON R/O IRA MICHAEL CATANZARO, JOHN CATANZARO, & PAUL CATANZARO POAS |
|
9,074 |
|
16.15 |
% |
CONSTELLATION TRUST CO CUST FBO SUSAN M NOBILE R/O IRA |
|
6,860 |
|
12.21 |
% |
CONSTELLATION TRUST COMPANY CUST SANDRA M GOLONKA IRA |
|
4,222 |
|
7.51 |
% |
CONSTELLATION TRUST CO CUST FBO LAWRENCE ROBINSON R/O IRA |
|
3,336 |
|
5.94 |
% |
CONSTELLATION TRUST CO CUST FBO GLENN BRIAN IRA |
|
3,135 |
|
5.58 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
314,554 |
|
69.21 |
% |
LPL Financial
|
|
23,136 |
|
5.09 |
% |
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund
Class A Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
414,834 |
|
79.24 |
% |
NFS LLC FEBO Transamerica Life Ins 1150 S. Olive St.
|
|
52,000 |
|
9.93 |
% |
Class I Shares |
|
Shares |
|
Percentage of Class |
|
ANDREW S BLANK TTEE ANDREW BLANK REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST DTD 12-27-1999 |
|
527,536 |
|
53.29 |
% |
Band & Co c/o US Bank NA 777 East Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 |
|
152,464 |
|
15.40 |
% |
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Attn: Mutual Funds 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104 |
|
122,622 |
|
12.39 |
% |
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Victory Capital Management Inc. (the Adviser), a New York corporation located at 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as investment adviser to the Funds. Subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management of the Funds business affairs. The Adviser is responsible for selecting each Funds investments according to its investment objective, policies, and restrictions. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (VCH). A majority interest in VCH is owned by Crestview Partners II, L.P. and its affiliated funds (together, Crestview) with a substantial minority interest in VCH owned by employees of the Adviser. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser and its affiliates managed assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for numerous clients including large corporate and public retirement plans, Taft-Hartley plans, foundations and endowments, high net worth individuals and mutual funds.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of each Fund.
Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, effective May 1, 2015, each Fund pays the Adviser, on a monthly basis, an annual advisory fee based on the Funds average daily net assets, as described in the table below. Additionally, the Adviser may contractually agree to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses for one or more Funds as described in the prospectus from time to time.
Any waiver or reimbursement by the Adviser is subject to repayment by the respective Fund within the three fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement occurred (provided the Adviser continues to serve as investment adviser to the respective Fund), if the Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding its current expense limitations and the repayment is approved by the Board of Trustees.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approval of the Advisory Agreement is available in each Funds annual report to shareholders for the period ending June 30, 2015.
All expenses incurred in administration of the Funds will be charged to a particular Fund, including investment management fees; fees and expenses of the Board of Trustees; interest charges; taxes; brokerage commissions; expenses of valuing assets; expenses of continuing registration and qualification of the Funds and the shares under federal and state law; share issuance expenses; fees and disbursements of independent accountants and legal counsel; fees and expenses of custodians, including sub-custodians and securities depositories, transfer agents and shareholder account servicing organizations; expenses of preparing, printing and mailing prospectuses, reports, proxies, notices and statements sent to shareholders; expenses of shareholder meetings; costs of investing in underlying funds; and insurance premiums. The Funds are also liable for nonrecurring expenses, including litigation to which they may from time to time be a party. Expenses incurred for the operation of a particular Fund, including the expenses of communications with its shareholders, are paid by that Fund.
The Advisory Agreement with the Funds continues in effect for an initial two year term and then from year to year as long as its continuation is approved at least annually by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by the shareholders of the applicable Fund. The Advisory Agreement may be terminated at any time upon 60 days written notice by the relevant Fund or by a majority vote of the outstanding shares or 60 days written notice by the Adviser and will terminate automatically upon assignment.
The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the performance of its duties, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder.
The table below provides information about the advisory fees paid to the Adviser by the Funds for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2015:
June 30, 2015*
Fund |
|
Management
|
|
Fees Earned
|
|
Advisory
|
|
Net Fees
|
|
Expense
|
|
||||
Victory Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Wtd Fund |
|
0.70 |
% |
$ |
40,479.59 |
|
$ |
30,114.49 |
|
$ |
10,365.10 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
0.70 |
% |
$ |
20,519.44 |
|
$ |
13,866.69 |
|
$ |
6,652.75 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
0.80 |
% |
$ |
29,032.17 |
|
$ |
38,026.18 |
|
$ |
(8,994.01 |
) |
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
0.85 |
% |
$ |
27,357.55 |
|
$ |
50,776.18 |
|
$ |
(23,418.63 |
) |
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
35,193.99 |
|
$ |
19,011.93 |
|
$ |
16,182.06 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
0.70 |
% |
$ |
251,240.35 |
|
$ |
154,077.79 |
|
$ |
97,162.56 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
1.15 |
% |
$ |
31,679.92 |
|
$ |
16,439.64 |
|
$ |
15,240.28 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
0.80 |
% |
$ |
106,013.66 |
|
$ |
77,654.18 |
|
$ |
28,359.48 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
0.80 |
% |
$ |
11,242.11 |
|
$ |
2,996.80 |
|
$ |
8,245.31 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
0.80 |
% |
$ |
16,198.03 |
|
$ |
9,887.29 |
|
$ |
6,310.74 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
0.60 |
% |
$ |
59,272.55 |
|
$ |
52,007.22 |
|
$ |
7,265.33 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
0.40 |
% |
$ |
14,665.31 |
|
$ |
3,682.86 |
|
$ |
10,982.45 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
0.40 |
% |
$ |
9,606.54 |
|
$ |
8,584.23 |
|
$ |
1,022.31 |
|
$ |
|
|
* For the period May 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015.
The table below provides information about the advisory fees paid to Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, the predecessor investment adviser until May 1, 2015, by the Funds for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2013, the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015:
June 30, 2015
Fund |
|
Management
|
|
Fees Earned by
|
|
Advisory
|
|
Net Fees Earned
|
|
Expense
|
|
||||
Victory Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Wtd Fund |
|
0.85 |
% |
$ |
300,562.70 |
|
$ |
67,812.89 |
|
$ |
232,749.81 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
0.90 |
% |
$ |
129,958.96 |
|
$ |
51,685.06 |
|
$ |
78,273.90 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.00 |
% |
$ |
256,511.59 |
|
$ |
139,599.80 |
|
$ |
116,911.79 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
177,099.34 |
|
$ |
195,066.87 |
|
$ |
(17,967.53 |
) |
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
224,845.70 |
|
$ |
50,597.38 |
|
$ |
174,248.32 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
2,217,000.27 |
|
$ |
197,187.91 |
|
$ |
2,019,812.36 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
234,451.77 |
|
$ |
45,213.14 |
|
$ |
189,238.63 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
1,000,010.82 |
|
$ |
203,671.40 |
|
$ |
796,339.42 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
109,876.69 |
|
$ |
30,504.11 |
|
$ |
79,372.58 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
112,158.16 |
|
$ |
37,563.32 |
|
$ |
74,594.84 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
0.75 |
% |
$ |
390,717.84 |
|
$ |
43,067.51 |
|
$ |
347,650.33 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
0.50 |
% |
$ |
172,557.70 |
|
$ |
53,278.03 |
|
$ |
119,279.67 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
0.40 |
% |
$ |
47,616.78 |
|
$ |
54,318.40 |
|
$ |
(6,701.62 |
) |
$ |
|
|
June 30, 2014
Fund |
|
Management
|
|
Fees Earned
|
|
Advisory
|
|
Net Fees
|
|
Expense
|
|
||||
Victory Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Wtd Fund |
|
0.85 |
% |
$ |
349,495 |
|
$ |
60,111 |
|
$ |
289,384 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
0.90 |
% |
$ |
137,707 |
|
$ |
62,236 |
|
75,471 |
|
|
|
||
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.00 |
% |
$ |
307,710 |
|
$ |
156,294 |
|
$ |
151,416 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
152,583 |
|
$ |
282,199 |
|
|
|
$ |
129,616 |
|
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
214,053 |
|
$ |
55,433 |
|
$ |
158,620 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
1,653,898 |
|
$ |
113,611 |
|
$ |
1,540,287 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
336,450 |
|
$ |
44,987 |
|
$ |
291,463 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
820,490 |
|
$ |
214,072 |
|
$ |
606,418 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
192,873 |
|
$ |
59,019 |
|
$ |
133,854 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
174,554 |
|
$ |
49,104 |
|
$ |
125,450 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
0.75 |
% |
$ |
260,127 |
|
$ |
43,172 |
|
$ |
216,955 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
0.50 |
% |
$ |
316,265 |
|
$ |
55,861 |
|
$ |
260,404 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
0.40 |
% |
$ |
64,621 |
|
$ |
64,621 |
|
|
|
$ |
6,746 |
|
June 30, 2013*
Fund |
|
Management
|
|
Fees Earned
|
|
Advisory
|
|
Net Fees
|
|
Expense
|
|
||||
Victory Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Wtd Fund |
|
0.85 |
% |
$ |
49,575 |
|
$ |
22,927 |
|
$ |
26,648 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
0.90 |
% |
$ |
19,837 |
|
$ |
19,837 |
|
|
|
$ |
691 |
|
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.00 |
% |
$ |
48,913 |
|
$ |
48,913 |
|
|
|
$ |
60,307 |
|
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
20,724 |
|
$ |
20,724 |
|
|
|
$ |
129,278 |
|
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
21,225 |
|
$ |
10,798 |
|
$ |
10,427 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
122,816 |
|
$ |
23,076 |
|
$ |
99,740 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
62,495 |
|
$ |
14,806 |
|
$ |
47,689 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
81,282 |
|
$ |
81,282 |
|
|
|
$ |
49,679 |
|
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
1.25 |
% |
$ |
73,218 |
|
$ |
14,579 |
|
$ |
58,639 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
1.05 |
% |
$ |
44,030 |
|
$ |
13,511 |
|
$ |
30,519 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
0.75 |
% |
$ |
66,271 |
|
$ |
13,054 |
|
$ |
53,217 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
0.50 |
% |
$ |
109,376 |
|
$ |
24,387 |
|
$ |
84,989 |
|
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
0.40 |
% |
$ |
15,244 |
|
$ |
15,244 |
|
|
|
$ |
2,110 |
|
For the period November 19, 2012 through June 30, 2013.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
As described in the Prospectus, the Portfolio Managers listed below are responsible for the management of one or more Funds and, as of June 30, 2015, the other accounts set forth in the following tables.
STEPHEN
|
|
Number of
Accounts
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
ALEX
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
DAN
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
DAVID
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
ROBERT
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Ownership of Securities
The following tables show the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the portfolio managers in each Fund as of June 30, 2015.
STEPHEN HAMMERS
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
50,001-100,000 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
500,001-1,000,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
500,001-1,000,000 |
|
ALEX PAZDAN
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
50,001-100,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
DAN BANASZAK
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
DAVID HALLUM
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
ROBERT BATEMAN
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Compensation
The Adviser has designed the structure of its portfolio managers compensation to (1) align portfolio managers interests with those of the Advisers clients with an emphasis on long-term, risk-adjusted investment performance, (2) help the Adviser attract and retain high-quality investment professionals, and (3) contribute to the Advisers overall financial success. Each of the portfolio managers receives a base salary plus an annual incentive bonus for managing the Fund, separate accounts, other investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts (including any accounts for which the Adviser receives a performance fee) (together, Accounts). A portfolio managers base salary is dependent on the managers level of experience and expertise. The Adviser monitors each managers base salary relative to salaries paid for similar positions with peer firms by reviewing data provided by various consultants that specialize in competitive salary information.
Each of the portfolio management teams employed by the Adviser may earn incentive compensation based on a percentage of the Advisers revenue attributable to fees paid by Accounts managed by the team. The chief investment officer of each team, in coordination with the Adviser, determines the allocation of the incentive compensation earned by the team among the teams portfolio managers by establishing a target incentive for each portfolio manager based on the managers level of experience and expertise in the managers investment style. Individual performance is based on objectives established annually using performance metrics such as portfolio structure and positioning, research, stock selection, asset growth, client retention, presentation skills, marketing to prospective clients and contribution to the Advisers philosophy and values, such as leadership, risk management and teamwork. The annual incentive bonus also factors in individual investment performance of each portfolio managers portfolio or the Fund relative to a selected peer group(s). The overall performance results for a manager are based on the composite performance of all Accounts managed by that manager on a combination of one, three and five year rolling performance periods as compared to the performance information of a peer group of similarly-managed competitors.
The Advisers portfolio managers may participate in the equity ownership plan of the Advisers parent company. There is an ongoing annual equity pool granted to certain employees based on their contribution to the firm. Eligibility for participation in these incentive programs depends on the managers performance and seniority.
Conflicts of Interest
The Advisers portfolio managers are often responsible for managing one or more Funds as well as other accounts, such as separate accounts, and other pooled investment vehicles, such as collective trust funds or unregistered hedge funds. A portfolio manager may manage other accounts which have materially higher fee arrangements than a Fund and may, in the future, manage other accounts which have a performance-based fee. A portfolio manager also may make personal investments in accounts they manage or support. The side-by-side management of the Funds along with other accounts may raise potential conflicts of interest by incenting a portfolio manager to direct a disproportionate amount of: (1) their attention; (2) limited investment opportunities, such as less liquid securities or initial public offering; and/or (3) desirable trade allocations, to such other accounts. In addition, certain trading practices, such as cross-trading between Funds or between a Fund and another account, raise conflict of interest issues. The Funds and the Adviser have policies and procedures in place, including the Advisers internal review process and oversight by the Board of Trustees, that are intended to mitigate those conflicts.
ADMINISTRATION, FUND ACCOUNTING AND TRANSFER AGENT SERVICES
Administrative and Fund Accounting Services
Commencing May 21, 2015, Victory Capital Management Inc. (VCM) serves as administrator to the Trust pursuant to an agreement dated July 1, 2006, as amended (the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement). Citi Fund Services of Ohio, Inc. (Citi) serves as sub-administrator to the Trust pursuant to an agreement with VCM dated July 1, 2006, as amended (the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement). As administrator, VCM supervises the Trusts operations, including the services that Citi provides to the Fund as sub-administrator, but excluding those that VCM supervises as investment adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board.
Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, for the administration and fund accounting services that VCM renders to the Trust, VCM is paid an annual fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates based on the aggregate average daily net assets of the Trust, Victory Portfolios (VP) and Victory Variable Insurance Funds (VVIF): 0.108% of the first $8 billion in aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets, plus 0.078% of aggregate Trust. VP and VVIF net assets in excess of $8 billion to $10 billion, plus 0.075% of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets in excess of $10 billion to $12 billion, plus 0.065% of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets in excess of $12 billion. VCM may periodically waive all or a portion of the amount of its fee that is allocated to the Funds in order to increase the Funds net income available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, the Trust, VP and VVIF reimburse VCM for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the services under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement.
Except as otherwise provided in the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, VCM pays all expenses that it incurs in performing its services and duties as administrator. Unless sooner terminated, the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement continues in effect for a period of three years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such continuance is ratified by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Funds and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to the Agreement. The Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement provides that VCM shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.
Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, VCM coordinates the preparation, filing and distribution of amendments to the Trusts registration statement on Form N-1A, supplements to prospectuses and SAIs, and proxy materials in connection with shareholder meetings; drafts shareholder communications, including annual and semi-annual reports; administers the Trusts other service provider contracts; monitors compliance with investment restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act, the Funds investment objective, defined investment policies, and restrictions, tax diversification, and distribution and income requirements; coordinates the Funds service arrangements with financial institutions that make the Funds shares available to their customers; assists with regulatory compliance; supplies individuals to serve as Trust officers; prepares Board meeting materials; and annually determines whether the services that it provides (or the services that Citi provides as sub-administrator) are adequate and complete.
Sub-Administrative and Sub-Accounting Services
Citi
Citi serves as sub-administrator to the Funds pursuant to the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement. Citi assists in supervising all operations of the Funds (other than those performed by VCM either as investment adviser or administrator), subject to the supervision of the Board.
Under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement, for the sub-administration services that Citi renders to the Trust , VP and VVIF, VCM pays Citi an annual fee, computed daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates: 0.05% of the first $8 billion of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets; plus 0.02% of aggregate net assets of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets from in excess of $8 billion to $12 billion; plus 0.01% of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets in excess of $12 billion. Citi may periodically waive all or a portion of the amount of its fee that is allocated to the Funds in order to increase the net income of the Funds available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, the Trust, VP and VVIF reimburse Citi for all of their
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the services under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement.
Unless sooner terminated, the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement continues in effect as to the Fund for a period of three years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such continuance is ratified by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to the Agreement. The Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement provides that Citi shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.
Under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement, Citi calculates Trust expenses and make disbursements; calculates capital gain and distribution information; registers the Funds shares with the states; prepares shareholder reports and reports to the SEC on Forms N-SAR and N-Q; coordinates dividend payments; calculates the Funds performance information; files the Trusts tax returns; supplies individuals to serve as Trust officers; monitors the Funds status as regulated investment companies under the Code; assists in developing portfolio compliance procedures; reports to the Board amounts paid under shareholder service agreements; assists with regulatory compliance; obtains, maintains and files fidelity bonds and Trustees and officers/errors and omissions insurance policies for the Trust; and assists in the annual audit of the Funds.
Transfer Agent
SunGard Investor Services LLC (SunGard) located at 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as transfer agent for the Fund pursuant to a transfer agency agreement. Under its agreement with the Victory Funds, SunGard has agreed to (1) issue and redeem shares of the Fund; (2) address and mail all communications by the Fund to their shareholders, including reports to shareholders, dividend and distribution notices and proxy material for its meetings of shareholders; (3) respond to correspondence or inquiries by shareholders and others relating to its duties; (4) maintain shareholder accounts and certain sub-accounts; and (5) make periodic reports to the Board concerning the Funds operations.
The table below reflects fees that each Fund paid to VCM under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement for the last fiscal year ended June 30, 2015:
Fund |
|
June 30, 2015 |
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
6,460.85 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
4,301.50 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
12,840.09 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
11,489.75 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
29,087.44 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
20,041.45 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
2,911.55 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
1,869.08 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
1,151.06 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
4,189.11 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
15,740.52 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
3,088.78 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
1,873.22 |
|
* For the period May 21, 2015 to June 30, 2015.
The table below provides information about the administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent fees paid by the Funds to Gemini Fund Services, LLC, the Funds predecessor administrator, fund accountant and transfer agent for the fiscal the fiscal period ended June 20, 2013 and the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015:
*For the period December 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.
Fund |
|
June 30, 2015 |
|
June 30, 2014 |
|
June 30, 2013* |
|
|||
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
35,245.73 |
|
$ |
42,564 |
|
$ |
16,571 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
20,595.27 |
|
$ |
24,411 |
|
$ |
12,960 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
68,558.19 |
|
$ |
84,672 |
|
$ |
40,788 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
59,387.69 |
|
$ |
70,316 |
|
$ |
34,629 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
134,869.04 |
|
$ |
107,520 |
|
$ |
18,662 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
106,463.76 |
|
$ |
109,566 |
|
$ |
42,005 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
16,583.74 |
|
$ |
16,755 |
|
$ |
3,360 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
10,070.00 |
|
$ |
17,746 |
|
$ |
5,612 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
6,632.82 |
|
$ |
14,290 |
|
$ |
42,005 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
23,631.06 |
|
$ |
25,945 |
|
$ |
6,745 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
60,495.28 |
|
$ |
31,352 |
|
$ |
10,416 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
26,673.59 |
|
$ |
53,007 |
|
$ |
23,768 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
8,711.83 |
|
$ |
13,097 |
|
$ |
4,005 |
|
* For the period November 19, 2012 through June 30, 2013.
CUSTODIAN
Citibank N.A., (the Custodian), 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of each Funds assets pursuant to a custody agreement (the Custody Agreement) by and between the Custodian and the Trust on behalf of the Funds. The Custodians responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling each Funds cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on the Funds investments. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the Custodian also maintains original entry documents and books of record and general ledgers; posts cash receipts and disbursements; and records purchases and sales based upon communications from the Adviser. Each Fund may employ foreign sub-custodians that are approved by the Board to hold foreign assets.
DISTRIBUTOR
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), located at 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn OH 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the shares of the Funds pursuant to a Distribution Agreement between the Distributor and the Trust dated May 21, 2015, as amended (the Distribution Agreement). The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser. Unless otherwise terminated, the Distribution Agreement will remain in effect with respect to the Funds for two years and will continue thereafter for consecutive one-year terms, provided that the renewal is approved at least annually (1) by the Board or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Funds, and (2) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement will terminate in the event of its assignment, as defined under the 1940 Act.
The following table sets forth the total compensation received by the Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, the Funds predecessor distributor, from each Fund during the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015:
June 30, 2015
Fund |
|
Net Underwriting
|
|
Compensation on
|
|
Brokerage
|
|
Other
|
|
||||
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
7,548 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
803 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
449 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
1,731 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
549 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
77,941 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
84 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
9,791 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
57 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
6 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
95 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
666 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
The Distributor also receives 12b-1 fees from the Funds as described under the following section entitled Rule 12b-1 Plan.
June 30, 2014
Fund |
|
Net Underwriting
|
|
Compensation on
|
|
Brokerage
|
|
Other
|
|
||||
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
4,859 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
12,227 |
|
$ |
46,579 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
320 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
12,831 |
|
$ |
14,039 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
36 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
72,052 |
|
$ |
28,298 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
1,824 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
51,676 |
|
$ |
18,033 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
769 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
10,679 |
|
$ |
22,325 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
71,993 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
46,914 |
|
$ |
116,606 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
196 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
4,547 |
|
$ |
10,975 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
9,942 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
178,483 |
|
$ |
61,942 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
333 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
6,112 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity |
|
$ |
6 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
9,592 |
|
Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
109 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
63,414 |
|
$ |
32,345 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
366 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
107,519 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
16,153 |
|
The Distributor also receives 12b-1 fees from the Funds as described under the following section entitled Rule 12b-1 Plan.
Rule 12b-1 Plan
The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan and Agreement pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the Plan) pursuant to which the Fund is authorized to pay the Distributor, as compensation for Distributors account maintenance services under this Plan, a distribution and shareholder servicing fee at the rate of up to 0.25% for Class A shares and up to 1.00% for Class C shares of the Funds average daily net assets attributable to the relevant class. Such fees are to be paid by the Fund monthly, or at such other intervals as the Board shall determine. Such fees shall be based upon the Funds average daily net assets during the preceding month, and shall be calculated and accrued daily. The Fund may pay fees to the Distributor at a lesser rate, as agreed upon by the Board of Trustees of the Trust and the Distributor. The Rule 12b-1 Plan authorizes payments to the Distributor as compensation for providing account maintenance services to Fund shareholders, including arranging for certain securities dealers or brokers, administrators and others (Recipients) to provide these services and paying compensation for these services. The Fund will bear its own costs of distribution with respect to its shares. The Fund may make other payments, such as contingent deferred sales charges imposed on certain redemptions of shares, which are separate and apart from payments made pursuant to the Plan.
The services to be provided by Recipients may include, but are not limited to, the following: assistance in the offering and sale of Fund shares and in other aspects of the marketing of the shares to clients or prospective clients of the respective recipients; answering routine inquiries concerning the Fund; assisting in the establishment and maintenance of accounts or sub-accounts in the Fund and in processing purchase and redemption transactions; making the Funds investment plan and shareholder services available; and providing such other information and services to investors in shares of the Fund as the Distributor or the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, may reasonably request. The distribution services shall also include any advertising and marketing services provided by or arranged by the Distributor with respect to the Fund.
The Distributor is required to provide a written report, at least quarterly to the Board of Trustees of the Trust, specifying in reasonable detail the amounts expended pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. Further, the Distributor will inform the Board of any Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Distributor to Recipients. From time to time, the Adviser or Distributor, at its expense, may provide additional compensation to dealers that sell or arrange for the sale of shares of a Fund. Such compensation provided by the Adviser or Distributor may include financial assistance to dealers that enable the Adviser or Distributor to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events and other dealer-sponsored events. Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA. The Adviser and Distributor make payments for events they deem appropriate, subject to applicable law. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event.
The Rule 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the Distributors compensation to be paid by the Fund, unless such amendment is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the affected class of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). All material amendments must be approved by a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and a majority of the Rule 12b- 1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on a Rule 12b-1 Plan. During the term of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the selection and nomination of non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of current non-interested
Trustees. The Distributor will preserve copies of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, any related agreements, and all reports, for a period of not less than six years from the date of such document and for at least the first two years in an easily accessible place.
Any agreement related to the Rule 12b-1 Plan will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or the applicable Fund at any time upon sixty days written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the respective Rule 12b-1 Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or the Fund; (b) it will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act); and (c) it will continue in effect for a period of more than one year from the date of its execution or adoption only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such agreement.
The table below states the amounts paid by each Funds Class A and Class C shares under the Distribution plans for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2014 and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015. All such payments consisted of compensation to broker-dealers.
Fund |
|
Class A Shares |
|
Class C Shares |
|
||
June 30, 2015 |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
49,043 |
|
$ |
13,090 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
22,011 |
|
$ |
19,055 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
30,295 |
|
$ |
1,270 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
20,853 |
|
$ |
17,225 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
190,811 |
|
$ |
464,618 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
66,135 |
|
$ |
72,711 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
24,812 |
|
$ |
12,446 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
11,521 |
|
$ |
1,997 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
4,972 |
|
$ |
1,709 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
8,373 |
|
$ |
731 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
74,681 |
|
$ |
3,843 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
58,124 |
|
$ |
4,992 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
12,819 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
June 30, 2014 |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
42,072 |
|
$ |
3,764 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
13,446 |
|
$ |
9,543 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
28,344 |
|
$ |
700 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
17,924 |
|
$ |
8,976 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
123,269 |
|
$ |
154,368 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
59,658 |
|
$ |
32,092 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
22,030 |
|
$ |
5,824 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
9,133 |
|
$ |
973 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
6,110 |
|
$ |
277 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
11,018 |
|
$ |
140 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
31,309 |
|
$ |
1,669 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
104,327 |
|
$ |
3,193 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
16,197 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
CODES OF ETHICS
Each of the Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor has adopted a Code of Ethics. The Adviser Code of Ethics applies to all Access Personnel (the Advisers directors and officers and employees with investment advisory duties) and all Supervised Personnel (all of the Advisers directors, officers and employees). Each Code of Ethics provides that Access Personnel must refrain from certain trading practices. Each Code also requires all Access Personnel (and, in the Adviser Code, all Supervised Personnel) to report certain personal investment activities, including, but not limited to, purchases or sales of securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds. Violations of any Code of Ethics can result in penalties, suspension, or termination of employment.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board has delegated responsibilities for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by each Fund to the Adviser. The Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy voting policies and procedures, described below (Proxy Voting Policy).
The actual voting records relating to portfolio securities for each Fund during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request by calling toll-free, (888) 944-4367 or by accessing the SECs website at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the proxy voting (888) 944-4367 and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.
The Advisers Proxy Voting Policy is designed to: (i) ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds with a view toward maximizing the value of their investments; (ii) address conflicts of interests between these shareholders, on the one hand, and affiliates of the Funds, the Adviser or the Distributor, on the other, that may arise regarding the voting of proxies; and (iii) provide for the disclosure of the Funds proxy voting records and the Proxy Voting Policy.
To assist the Adviser in making proxy-voting decisions, the Adviser has adopted the Proxy Voting Policy that establishes voting guidelines (Proxy Voting Guidelines) with respect to certain recurring issues. The Policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Advisers Proxy Committee (Proxy Committee) and revised when the Committee determines that a change is appropriate.
Voting under the Proxy Voting Policy may be executed through administrative screening per established guidelines with oversight by the Advisers Proxy Committee or upon vote by a quorum of the Committee. The Adviser delegates to Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), an independent service provider, the non-discretionary administration of proxy voting for the Trust, subject to oversight by the Proxy Committee. In no circumstances shall ISS have the authority to vote proxies except in accordance with standing or specific instructions given to it by the Adviser.
The Adviser votes proxies in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. This entails voting client proxies with the objective of increasing the long-term economic value of Fund assets. The Advisers Proxy Committee determines how proxies are voted by following established guidelines, which are intended to assist in voting proxies and are not considered rigid rules. The Proxy Committee is directed to apply the guidelines as appropriate. On occasion, however, a contrary vote may be warranted when such action is in the best interests of the Funds or if required by the Board. In such cases, the Adviser may consider, among other things:
· the effect of the proposal on the underlying value of the securities
· the effect on marketability of the securities
· the effect of the proposal on future prospects of the issuer
· the composition and effectiveness of the issuers board of directors
· the issuers corporate governance practices
· the quality of communications from the issuer to its shareholders
The Adviser may also take into account independent third-party, general industry guidance or other corporate governance review sources when making decisions. It may additionally seek guidance from other senior internal sources with special expertise on a given topic where it is appropriate. The investment teams opinion concerning the management and prospects of the issuer may be taken into account in determining whether a vote for or against a proposal is in a Funds best interests. Insufficient information, onerous requests or vague, ambiguous wording may indicate that a vote against a proposal is appropriate, even when the general principal appears to be reasonable.
Occasionally, conflicts of interest arise between the Advisers interests and those of a Fund or another client. When this occurs, the Proxy Committee must document the nature of the conflict and vote the proxy in accordance with the Proxy Voting Guidelines unless such guidelines are judged by the Proxy Committee to be inapplicable to the proxy matter at issue. In the event that the Proxy Voting Guidelines are inapplicable or do not mitigate the conflict, the Adviser will seek the opinion of the Advisers Chief Compliance Officer or consult with an external independent adviser. In the case of a Proxy Committee member having a personal conflict of interest (e.g. a family member is on the board of the issuer), such member will abstain from voting. Finally, the Adviser reports to the Board annually any proxy votes that took place involving a conflict, including the nature of the conflict and the basis or rationale for the voting decision made.
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES
Subject to the general supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, the Adviser is responsible for making decisions with respect to the purchase and sale of portfolio securities on behalf of the Funds. The Adviser is also responsible for the implementation of those decisions, including the selection of broker/dealers to effect portfolio transactions, the negotiation of commissions, and the allocation of principal business and portfolio brokerage.
In purchasing and selling each Funds portfolio securities, it is the Advisers policy to obtain quality execution at the most favorable prices through responsible broker/dealers and, in the case of agency transactions, at competitive commission rates where such rates are negotiable. However, under certain conditions, a Fund may pay higher brokerage commissions in return for brokerage and research services. In selecting broker/dealers to execute a Funds portfolio transactions, consideration is given to such factors as the price of the security, the rate of the commission, the size and difficulty of the order, the reliability, integrity, financial condition, general execution and operational capabilities of competing brokers and dealers, their expertise in particular markets and the brokerage and research services they provide to the Adviser or the Funds. It is not the policy of the Adviser to seek the lowest available commission rate where it is believed that a broker or dealer charging a higher commission rate would offer greater reliability or provide better price or execution.
Transactions on stock exchanges involve the payment of brokerage commissions. In transactions on stock exchanges in the United States, these commissions are negotiated. Traditionally, commission rates have generally not been negotiated on stock markets outside the United States. In recent years, however, an increasing number of overseas stock markets have adopted a system of negotiated rates, although a number of markets continue to be subject to an established schedule of minimum commission rates. It is expected that equity securities will ordinarily be purchased in the primary markets, whether over-the-counter or listed, and that listed securities may be purchased in the over-the-counter market if such market is deemed the primary market. In the case of securities traded on the over-the-counter markets, there is generally no stated commission, but the price usually includes an undisclosed commission or markup. In underwritten offerings, the price includes a disclosed, fixed commission or discount.
For fixed income securities, it is expected that purchases and sales will ordinarily be transacted with the issuer, the issuers underwriter, or with a primary market maker acting as principal on a net basis, with no brokerage commission being paid by the Funds. However, the price of the securities generally includes compensation, which is not disclosed separately. Transactions placed through dealers who are serving as primary market makers reflect the spread between the bid and asked prices.
With respect to equity and fixed income securities, the Adviser may effect principal transactions on behalf of the Funds with a broker or dealer who furnishes brokerage and/or research services, designate any such broker or dealer to receive selling concessions, discounts or other allowances or otherwise deal with any such broker or dealer in connection with the acquisition of securities in underwritings. The prices the Funds pay to underwriters of newly-issued securities usually include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter. The Adviser may receive research services in connection with brokerage transactions, including designations in fixed price offerings.
The Adviser receives a wide range of research services from brokers and dealers covering investment opportunities throughout the world, including information on the economies, industries, groups of securities, individual companies, statistics, political developments, technical market action, pricing and appraisal services, and performance analyses of all the countries in which a Funds portfolio is likely to be invested. The Adviser cannot readily determine the extent to which commissions charged by brokers reflect the value of their research services, but brokers occasionally suggest a level of business they would like to receive in return for the brokerage and research services they provide. To the extent that research services of value are provided by brokers, the Adviser
may be relieved of expenses, which it might otherwise bear. In some cases, research services are generated by third parties but are provided to the Adviser by or through brokers.
Certain broker/dealers, which provide quality execution services, also furnish research services to the Adviser. The Adviser has adopted brokerage allocation policies embodying the concepts of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which permits an investment adviser to cause its clients to pay a broker which furnishes brokerage or research services a higher commission than that which might be charged by another broker which does not furnish brokerage or research services, or which furnishes brokerage or research services deemed to be of lesser value, if such commission is deemed reasonable in relation to the brokerage and research services provided by the broker, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities of the Adviser with respect to the accounts as to which it exercises investment discretion. Accordingly, the Adviser may assess the reasonableness of commissions in light of the total brokerage and research services provided by each particular broker.
Portfolio securities will not be purchased from or sold to the Adviser, or the Distributor, or any affiliated person of any of them acting as principal, except to the extent permitted by rule or order of the SEC. The table below provides information about the broker commissions paid by each Fund for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 and fiscal year ended June 30, 2015:
Fund |
|
Commissions Paid
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
6,562 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
5,794 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
29,505 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
43,717 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
33,284 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
102,236 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
7,928 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
3,378 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
69,241 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Fund |
|
Commissions Paid
|
|
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
12,227 |
|
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
12,831 |
|
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
72,052 |
|
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
51,676 |
|
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
46,914 |
|
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
178,483 |
|
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund |
|
$ |
10,679 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund |
|
$ |
4,547 |
|
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund |
|
$ |
63,414 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM
The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the Program) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act). To ensure compliance with this law, the Trusts Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance
officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.
Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Funds Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity and a providing a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications. The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
As a result of the Program, the Trust may be required to freeze the account of a shareholder if the shareholder appears to be involved in suspicious activity or if certain account information matches information on government lists of known terrorists or other suspicious persons, or the Trust may be required to transfer the account or proceeds of the account to a governmental agency.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value per share for each class of shares of each Fund is determined each day the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open, as of the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE that day (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time), by dividing the value of a Funds net assets by the number of its shares outstanding. The NYSE is open Monday through Friday except on the following holidays: New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
In determining each Funds NAV per share, equity securities for which market quotations are readily available are valued at current market value using the last reported sales price. NASDAQ traded securities are valued using the NASDAQ official closing price (NOCP). If no sale price is reported, the mean between the current bid and asked prices is used . If market quotations are not readily available, then securities are valued at fair value as determined by the Board (or its delegate). U.S. government and agency securities are valued at the mean between the most recent bid and asked prices. Short-term debt instruments with a remaining maturity of more than 60 days, intermediate and long-term bonds, convertible bonds, and other debt securities are generally valued on the basis of dealer supplied quotations or by pricing system selected by the Adviser and approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust. Where such prices are not available, valuations will be obtained from brokers who are market makers for such securities. However, in circumstances where the Adviser deems it appropriate to do so, the mean of the bid and asked prices for over- the-counter securities or the last available sale price for exchange-traded debt securities may be used. Where no last sale price for exchange traded debt securities is available, the mean of the bid and asked prices may be used. Short-term debt securities with a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are amortized to maturity, provided such valuations represent par value.
Puts and calls are valued at the last sales price therefore, or, if there are no transactions, at the last reported sales price that is within the spread between the closing bid and asked prices on the valuation date. Futures are valued based on their daily settlement value. When a Fund writes a call, an amount equal to the premium received is included in the Funds Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset, and an equivalent deferred credit is included in the liability section. The deferred credit is adjusted (marked-to-market) to reflect the current market value of the call. If a call written by a Fund is exercised, the proceeds on the sale of the underlying securities are increased by the premium received. If a call or put written by a Fund expires on its stipulated expiration date or if a Fund enters into a closing transaction, it will realize a gain or loss depending on whether the premium was more or less than the transaction costs, without regard to unrealized appreciation or depreciation on the underlying securities. If a put held by a Fund is exercised by it, the amount the Fund receives on its sale of the underlying investment is reduced by the amount of the premium paid by the Fund.
Options are valued at the last reported sale price at the close of the exchange on which the security is primarily traded. If no sales are reported for the exchange-traded options, or the options are not exchange-traded, then they are valued at the mean of them most recent quoted bid and asked price. Futures contracts are valued at the daily quoted settlement prices.
Other securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available or for which valuation cannot be provided are valued as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
Trading in securities on Far Eastern securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets is normally completed well before the close of business on each business day in New York ( i.e. , a day on which the NYSE is open). In addition, Far Eastern securities trading generally or in a particular country or countries may not take place on all business days in New York. Furthermore, trading takes place in Japanese markets on certain Saturdays in various foreign markets on days, which are not business days in New York, and on which a Funds net asset value is not calculated. Each Fund calculates net asset value per share, and therefore effects sales, redemptions and repurchases of its shares, as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE once on each day on which the NYSE is open. Such calculation may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the majority of the portfolio securities used in such calculation. If events that may materially affect the value of such securities occur between the time when their price is determined and the time when the Funds net asset value is calculated, such securities may be valued at fair value as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE, EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
Alternative Sales Arrangements - Class A, C, I, R6 Shares.
Alternative sales arrangements permit an investor to choose the method of purchasing shares that is more beneficial depending on the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor expects to hold shares and other relevant circumstances. When comparing the classes of shares, when more than one is offered in the same Fund, investors should understand that the purpose and function of the Class C asset-based sales charge are the same as those of the Class A initial sales charge. Any salesperson or other person entitled to receive compensation for selling Fund shares may receive different compensation with respect to one class of shares in comparison to another class of shares. Generally, Class A shares have lower ongoing expenses than Class C shares, but are subject to an initial sales charge. Which class would be advantageous to an investor depends on the number of years the shares will be held. Over very long periods of time, the lower expenses of Class A shares may offset the cost of the Class A initial sales charge. Not all Investment Professionals will offer all classes of shares.
Each class of shares represents interests in the same portfolio investments of a Fund. However, each class has different shareholder privileges and features. The net income attributable to a particular class and the dividends payable on these shares will be reduced by incremental expenses borne solely by that class, including any asset-based sales charge to which these shares may be subject.
No initial sales charge is imposed on Class C shares. The Distributor may pay sales commissions to dealers and institutions who sell Class C shares of the Trust at the time of such sales. Payments with respect to Class C shares will equal 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares sold by the dealer or institution. The Distributor will retain all payments received by it relating to Class C shares for the first year after they are purchased. After the first full year, the Distributor will make monthly payments in the amount of 0.75% for distribution services and 0.25% for personal shareholder services to dealers and institutions based on the average NAV of Class C shares, which are attributable to shareholders for whom the dealers and institutions are designated as dealers of record. Some of the compensation paid to dealers and institutions is recouped through the CDSC imposed on shares redeemed within 12 months of their purchase. Class C shares are subject to the Rule 12b-1 fees described in the SAI under Distributor Rule 12b-1 Plan. There is no automatic conversion feature applicable to Class C shares, although financial institutions may be permitted to exchange class C shares for a share class with lower expenses under circumstances described in a Funds prospectus. Any options with respect to the reinvestment of distributions made by the Funds to Class C shareholders are offered only by the broker through whom the shares were acquired.
No initial sales charges or CDSCs are imposed on Class R6 shares. Class R6 shares are not subject to the Rule 12b-1 fees described in this SAI under Advisory and Other Contracts Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plans. There is no automatic conversion feature applicable to Class R6 shares. Distributions paid to holders of a Funds Class R6 shares may be reinvested in additional Class R6 shares of that Fund or Class R6 shares of a different Fund. Investors in Class A, Class C not subject to a CDSC and Class I shares of a Fund that offers Class R6 may exchange into Class R6 shares of that Fund provided they meet the eligibility requirements applicable to Class R6. Class R6 shares are available for purchase by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 Plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans.
No initial sales charges or CDSCs are imposed on Class I shares. Class I shares are not subject to the Rule 12b-1 fees described in this SAI under Distributor Rule 12b-1 Plan. There is no automatic conversion feature
applicable to Class I shares. Distributions paid to holders of a Funds Class I shares may be reinvested in additional Class I shares of that Fund or Class I shares of a different Fund.
The minimum investment required to open an account for Class I shares is $2,000,000. Class I shares are also available for purchase by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 Plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. The Fund will consider a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. Only certain investors are eligible to buy Class I shares and your financial adviser or other financial intermediary can help you determine whether you are eligible to invest.
The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums. The Fund also reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund and shareholders.
The methodology for calculating the NAV, dividends and distributions of the share classes of each Fund recognizes two types of expenses. General expenses that do not pertain specifically to a class are allocated to the shares of each class, based upon the percentage that the net assets of such class bears to a Funds total net assets and then pro rata to each outstanding share within a given class. Such general expenses include (1) management fees, (2) legal, bookkeeping and audit fees, (3) printing and mailing costs of shareholder reports, prospectuses, statements of additional information and other materials for current shareholders, (4) fees to the Trustees who are not affiliated with the Adviser, (5) custodian expenses, (6) share issuance costs, (7) organization and start-up costs, (8) interest, taxes and brokerage commissions, and (9) non-recurring expenses, such as litigation costs. Other expenses that are directly attributable to a class are allocated equally to each outstanding share within that class. Such expenses include (1) Rule 12b-1 distribution fees and shareholder servicing fees, (2) incremental transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees and expenses, (3) registration fees, and (4) shareholder meeting expenses, to the extent that such expenses pertain to a specific class rather than to a Fund as a whole.
Class A Shares
You may purchase Class A shares at a public offering price equal to the applicable net asset value per share plus an up-front sales charge imposed at the time of purchase as set forth in the Prospectus. Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the Funds. The example assumes a purchase of Class A shares aggregating less than $50,000 subject to the schedule of sales charges set forth in the Prospectus at a price based upon the net asset value of the Class A shares.
All Funds (Except Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund and Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund) |
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value per share |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
Per Share Sales Charge5.75% of public offering price (6.10% of net asset value per share) for each Fund |
|
$ |
0.61 |
|
Per Share Offering Price to the Public |
|
$ |
10.61 |
|
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund |
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value per share |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
Per Share Sales Charge2.00% of public offering price (2.04% of net asset value per share) for each Fund |
|
$ |
0.20 |
|
Per Share Offering Price to the Public |
|
$ |
10.20 |
|
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund |
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value per share |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
Per Share Sales Charge1.00% of public offering price (1.01% of net asset value per share) for each Fund |
|
$ |
0.10 |
|
Per Share Offering Price to the Public |
|
$ |
10.10 |
|
Class A Shares may be purchased at the public offering price through any securities dealer having a sales agreement with the Distributor. Shares may also be purchased through banks and certain other financial institutions that have agency agreements with the Distributor. These financial institutions will receive transaction fees that are the same as the commissions to dealers and may charge their customers service fees relating to investments in a
Fund. Purchase requests should be addressed to the dealer or agent from which the Prospectus was received which has a sales agreement with the Distributor. Such dealer or agent may place a telephone order with the Distributor for the purchase of Fund shares. It is a dealers or brokers responsibility to promptly forward payment and registration instructions (or completed applications) to the Transfer Agent for shares being purchased in order for investors to receive the next determined net asset value (or public offering price). Reference should be made to the wire order to ensure proper settlement of the trade. Payment for redemptions of shares purchased by telephone normally will be processed within three business days.
Dealer Reallowances. The following table shows the amount of the front-end sales load that is reallowed to dealers as a percentage of the offering price of Class A shares of all Funds except Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund and Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund .
Amount of Purchase |
|
Initial Sales Charge:
|
|
Concession to Dealers:
|
|
Up to $49,999 |
|
5.75 |
% |
5.00 |
% |
$50,000 to $99,999 |
|
4.50 |
% |
4.00 |
% |
$100,000 to $249,999 |
|
3.50 |
% |
3.00 |
% |
$250,000 to $499,999 |
|
2.50 |
% |
2.00 |
% |
$500,000 to $999,999 |
|
2.00 |
% |
1.75 |
% |
$1,000,000 and above* |
|
0.00 |
% |
|
** |
The following table shows the amount of the front-end sales load that is reallowed to dealers as a percentage of the offering price of the Class A shares of the Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund .
Amount of Purchase |
|
Initial Sales Charge:
|
|
Concession to Dealers:
|
|
Up to $49,999 |
|
2.00 |
% |
1.50 |
% |
$50,000 to $99,999 |
|
1.75 |
% |
1.25 |
% |
$100,000 to $249,999 |
|
1.50 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
$250,000 to $499,999 |
|
1.25 |
% |
0.75 |
% |
$500,000 to $999,999 |
|
1.00 |
% |
0.50 |
% |
$1,000,000 and above |
|
0.00 |
% |
None |
|
The following table shows the amount of the front-end sales load that is reallowed to dealers as a percentage of the offering price of the Class A shares of the Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund .
Amount of Purchase |
|
Initial Sales Charge:
|
|
Concession to Dealers:
|
|
Up to $49,999 |
|
1.00 |
% |
1.00 |
% |
$50,000 to $99,999 |
|
0.80 |
% |
0.80 |
% |
$100,000 to $249,999 |
|
0.60 |
% |
0.60 |
% |
$250,000 to $499,999 |
|
0.40 |
% |
0.40 |
% |
$500,000 to $999,999 |
|
0.20 |
% |
0.20 |
% |
$1,000,000 and above |
|
0.00 |
% |
None |
|
* There is no initial sales charge on purchases of $1 million or more; however a sales concession and/or advance of a Rule 12b-1 fee may be paid and such purchases are potentially subject to a CDSC, as set forth below.
** Investment Professionals may receive payment on purchases of $1 million or more of Class A shares that are sold at NAV as follows: 0.75% of the current purchase amount if cumulative prior purchases sold at NAV plus
the current purchase is less than $3 million; 0.50% of the current purchase amount if the cumulative prior purchases sold at NAV plus the current purchase is $3 million to $4,999,999; and 0.25% on of the current purchase amount if the cumulative prior purchases sold at NAV plus the current purchase is $5 million or more. In addition, in connection with such purchases, the Distributor or its affiliates may advance Rule 12b-1 fees of 0.25% of the purchase amount to Investment Professionals for providing services to shareholders.
Except as noted in this SAI, a CDSC of up to 0.75% may be imposed on any such shares redeemed within the first year after purchase. CDSCs are based on the lower of the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption. No CDSC is imposed on reinvested distributions.
The Distributor reserves the right to pay the entire commission to dealers. If that occurs, the dealer may be considered an underwriter under federal securities laws.
REDUCTION OF UP-FRONT SALES CHARGE ON CLASS A SHARES
Letters of Intent
If you anticipate purchasing $50,000 or more of shares of one Fund, or in combination with Class A shares of certain other Funds (excluding Funds that do not impose a sales charge), within a 13-month period, you may obtain shares of the portfolios at the same reduced sales charge as though the total quantity were invested in one lump sum, by filing a non-binding Letter of Intent (the Letter) within 90 days of the start of the purchases. Each investment you make after signing the Letter will be entitled to the sales charge applicable to the total investment indicated in the Letter. For example, a $2,500 purchase toward a $60,000 Letter would receive the same reduced sales charge as if the $60,000 had been invested at one time. To ensure that the reduced price will be received on future purchases, you or your Investment Professional must inform the transfer agent that the Letter is in effect each time shares are purchased. Neither income dividends nor capital gain distributions taken in additional shares will apply toward the completion of the Letter.
You are not obligated to complete the additional purchases contemplated by a Letter. If you do not complete your purchase under the Letter within the 13-month period, your sales charge will be adjusted upward, corresponding to the amount actually purchased and, if after written notice, you do not pay the increased sales charge, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay such charge.
If you purchase more than the amount specified in the Letter and qualify for a further sales charge reduction, the sales charge will be adjusted to reflect your total purchase at the end of 13 months. Surplus funds will be applied to the purchase of additional shares at the then current offering price applicable to the total purchase.
General
For purposes of determining the availability of reduced initial sales charges through letters of intent, rights of accumulation and concurrent purchases, the Distributor, in its discretion, may aggregate certain related accounts.
Limitation Across Certain Funds
The ability to apply a Letter of Intent or Rights of Accumulation to the Funds covered by this SAI in combination with other Victory Funds that are series of the Trust may be limited to the extent these Victory Funds employ different transfer agents. Similar limitations may exist on exchanges between these groups of Victory Funds. Your Investment Professional can provide information on your ability to combine purchases across these groups of Victory Funds under one of these programs to reduce the sales charge applicable to your investments or to exchange between them.
CMS Energy Sales Charge Waiver for Class A Shares. The Funds may waive the initial sales charge on purchases of Class A shares for employees of CMS Energy. The sales charge will only be waived if the CMS employee is participating in a Victory prototype Roth IRA plan by way of payroll deduction from CMS.
Rights of Accumulation
Rights of Accumulation permit reduced sales charges on future purchases of Class A shares after you have reached a new breakpoint. To determine your reduced sales charge, you can add the value of your Class A shares (or those held by your spouse (including life partner) and your children under age 21), determined at the previous days NAV, to the amount of your new purchase, valued at the current offering price.
WAIVERS OF UP-FRONT SALES CHARGE ON CLASS A SHARES
The Prospectus describes the classes of persons that may purchase shares without an up-front sales charge. The elimination of the up-front sales charge for purchases by certain classes of persons is provided because of anticipated economies of scale and sales related efforts.
To qualify for a waiver of the up-front sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares through a broker-dealer, when each purchase is made, the individual investor or the broker-dealer must provide the respective Fund with sufficient information to verify that the purchase qualifies for the discount.
The Funds make available, free of charge, more information about sales charge reductions and waivers through the prospectus or through your financial advisor.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
As described in the Funds Prospectus under How To Exchange Shares, each Fund offers an exchange privilege pursuant to which a shareholder in a Fund may exchange some or all of his shares in the other fund, in the same class shares at net asset value. The exchange privilege may be changed or discontinued upon 60 days written notice to shareholders and is available only to shareholders where such exchanges may be legally made. A shareholder considering an exchange should obtain and read the prospectus of that Fund and consider the differences between it and the Fund whose shares he owns before making an exchange. For further information on how to exercise the exchange privilege, contact the Transfer Agent.
The ability to exchange shares of the Funds with other Victory Funds may be limited to the extent these Funds employ different transfer agents.
If you hold your Fund shares in an account established with a financial intermediary, contact your financial intermediary in advance of placing a request for an exchange to confirm your ability to exchange with a particular Fund.
REDEEMING SHARES
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Class A and C Shares. No CDSC is imposed on:
· the redemption of shares of any class subject to a CDSC to the extent that the shares redeemed (1) are no longer subject to the holding period for such shares, (2) resulted from reinvestment of distributions, or (3) were exchanged for shares of another Victory fund as allowed by the prospectus, provided that the shares acquired in such exchange or subsequent exchanges will continue to remain subject to the CDSC, if applicable, until the applicable holding period expires. In determining whether the CDSC applies to each redemption, shares not subject to a CDSC are redeemed first;
· redemptions following the death or post-purchase disability of (1) a registered shareholder on an account; or (2) a settlor of a living trust, of shares held in the account at the time of death or initial determination of post-purchase disability;
· certain distributions from individual retirement accounts, Section 403(b), Section 457 and Section 401 qualified plans, where redemptions result from (1) required minimum distributions with respect to that portion of such contributions that does not exceed 12% annually; (2) tax free returns of excess contributions or returns of excess deferral amounts; (3) distributions on the death or disability of the account holder; (4) distributions for the purpose of a loan or hardship withdrawal from a participant plan balance; or (5) distributions as a result of separation of service;
· distributions resulting as a result of a Qualified Domestic Relations Order or Domestic Relations Order required by a court settlement;
· redemptions of shares by the investor where the investors dealer or institution waived its commission in connection with the purchase and notifies the Distributor prior to the time of investment;
· amounts from a Systematic Withdrawal Plan (including Dividends), of up to an annual amount of 12% of the account value on a per fund basis, at the time the withdrawal plan is established; or
· participant-initiated distributions from employee benefit plans or participant-initiated exchanges among investment choices in employee benefit plans.
Reinstatement Privilege.
Within 90 days of a redemption, a shareholder may reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds of Class A or Class C shares in the same class of shares of a Fund or any of the other Funds into which shares of the Fund are exchangeable, as described above, at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently made for reinvestment in shares of the Funds. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment. Any capital gain that was realized when the shares were redeemed is taxable and reinvestment will not alter any capital gains tax payable on that gain. If there has been a capital loss on the redemption, some or all of the loss may not be tax deductible, depending on the timing and amount of the reinvestment. Under the Code, if the redemption proceeds of Fund shares on which a sales charge was paid are reinvested in shares of the same Fund or another Fund offered by the Trust within 90 days of payment of the sales charge, the shareholders basis in the shares of the Fund that were redeemed may not include the amount of the sales charge paid. That would reduce the loss or increase the gain recognized from redemption. The Funds may amend, suspend, or cease offering this reinvestment privilege at any time as to shares redeemed after the date of such amendment, suspension, or cessation. The reinstatement must be into an account bearing the same registration.
NET ASSET VALUE
For each Fund, net asset value (NAV) per share is determined by dividing the total value of that Funds assets, less any liabilities, by the number of shares of that Fund outstanding.
The net asset value per share of each Fund is determined by the Administrator as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day when the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. The New York Stock Exchange is closed on the following holidays: New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day as observed.
Assets for which market quotations are available are valued as follows: (a) each listed security is valued at its closing price obtained from the respective primary exchange on which the security is listed, or, if there were no sales on that day, at its last reported current bid price; (b) each unlisted security is valued at the last current bid price obtained from the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System; (c) United States Government and agency obligations are valued based upon bid quotations from the Federal Reserve Bank for identical or similar obligations; (d) short-term money market instruments (such as certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances and commercial paper) are most often valued by bid quotation or by reference to bid quotations of available yields for similar instruments of issuers with similar credit ratings. All of these prices are obtained by the Administrator from services, which collect and disseminate such market prices. Bid quotations for short-term money market instruments reported by such a service are the bid quotations reported to it by the major dealers.
When approved by the Trustees, certain securities may be valued on the basis of valuations provided by an independent pricing service when such prices the Trustees believe reflect the fair value of such securities. These securities would normally be those, which have no available recent market value, have few outstanding shares and therefore infrequent trades, or for which there is a lack of consensus on the value, with quoted prices covering a wide range. The lack of consensus would result from relatively unusual circumstances such as no trading in the security for long periods of time, or a companys involvement in merger or acquisition activity, with widely varying valuations placed on the companys assets or stock. Prices provided by an independent pricing service may be determined without exclusive reliance on quoted prices and may take into account appropriate factors such as institutional-size trading in similar groups of securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other market data.
In the absence of an ascertainable market value, assets are valued at their fair value as determined by the Funds Adviser using methods and procedures reviewed and approved by the Trustees.
Short-term securities with remaining maturities of sixty days or less for which market quotations and information pricing service are not readily available are valued either at amortized cost or at original cost plus accrued interest, both of which approximate current value.
REDEMPTIONS IN KIND
Each Fund reserves the right to honor requests for redemption or repurchase orders by making payment in whole or in part in readily marketable securities (redemption in kind) if the amount of such request is large enough to affect operations. For example, if the request is greater than $250,000 or 1% of the Funds assets. The securities will be chosen by the Fund and valued at the Funds NAV. A shareholder may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities to cash.
TAX STATUS
The following discussion is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. All shareholders should consult a qualified tax adviser regarding their investment in the Fund.
Each Fund intends to qualify as regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), which requires compliance with certain requirements concerning the sources of its income, diversification of its assets, and the amount and timing of its distributions to shareholders. Such qualification does not involve supervision of management or investment practices or policies by any government agency or bureau. By so qualifying, the Fund should not be subject to federal income or excise tax on its net investment income or net capital gain, which are distributed to shareholders in accordance with the applicable timing requirements. Net investment income and net capital gain of the Fund will be computed in accordance with Section 852 of the Code.
Net investment income is made up of dividends and interest less expenses. Net capital gain for a fiscal year is computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. Capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss. Capital loss carryforwards are available to offset future realized capital gains. To the extent that these carry forwards are used to offset future capital gains it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders.
Each Fund intends to distribute all of its net investment income, any excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, and any excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses in accordance with the timing requirements imposed by the Code and therefore should not be required to pay any federal income or excise taxes. Distributions of net investment income and net capital gain will be made after the end of each fiscal year, and no later than December 31 of each year. Both types of distributions will be in shares of the respective Fund unless a shareholder elects to receive cash.
To be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, each Fund must also (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, net income from certain publicly traded partnerships and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in such securities or currencies, and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Funds assets is represented by cash, U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities (for purposes of this calculation, generally limited in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the market value of the Funds assets and 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 of (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) any one issuer, two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.
If a Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M in any fiscal year, it will be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. As such, the Fund would be required to pay income taxes on its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Shareholders of the Fund generally would not be liable for income tax on the Funds net investment income or net realized capital gains in their individual capacities. Distributions to shareholders, whether from the Funds net
investment income or net realized capital gains, would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund.
Each Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on certain undistributed amounts of ordinary income and capital gain under a prescribed formula contained in Section 4982 of the Code. The formula requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of distributions representing at least 98% of the Funds ordinary income for the calendar year and at least 98.2% of its capital gain net income (i.e., the excess of its capital gains over capital losses) realized during the one-year period ending October 31 during such year plus 100% of any income that was neither distributed nor taxed to the Fund during the preceding calendar year. Under ordinary circumstances, each Fund expects to time its distributions so as to avoid liability for this tax.
The following discussion of tax consequences is for the general information of shareholders that are subject to tax. Shareholders that are IRAs or other qualified retirement plans are exempt from income taxation under the Code.
Distributions of taxable net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.
Distributions of net capital gain (capital gain dividends) generally are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shares of the Fund have been held by such shareholders.
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, will be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their net investment income, which should include dividends from the Funds and net gains from the disposition of shares of the Funds. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in the Funds.
A redemption of Fund shares by a shareholder will result in the recognition of taxable gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholders tax basis in his or her Fund shares. Such gain or loss is treated as a capital gain or loss if the shares are held as capital assets. However, any loss realized upon the redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as capital gain dividends during such six-month period. All or a portion of any loss realized upon the redemption of shares may be disallowed to the extent shares are purchased (including shares acquired by means of reinvested dividends) within 30 days before or after such redemption.
Distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain will be taxable as described above, whether received in additional cash or shares. Shareholders electing to receive distributions in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the net asset value of a share on the reinvestment date.
All distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain, whether received in shares or in cash, must be reported by each taxable shareholder on his or her federal income tax return. Dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December as of a record date in such a month, if any, will be deemed to have been received by shareholders on December 31, if paid during January of the following year. Redemptions of shares may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and are also subject to these reporting requirements.
Under the Code, each Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service all distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case of certain exempt shareholders. Under the backup withholding provisions of Section 3406 of the Code, distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain and proceeds from the redemption or exchange of the shares of a regulated investment company may be subject to withholding of federal income tax in the case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the investment company with their taxpayer identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their status under the federal income tax law, or if the Fund is notified by the IRS or a broker that withholding is required due to an incorrect TIN or a previous failure to report taxable interest or dividends. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.
Options, Futures, Forward Contracts and Swap Agreements
To the extent such investments are permissible for a Fund, the Funds transactions in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, straddles and foreign currencies will be subject to special tax rules (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Funds securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains and convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders.
To the extent such investments are permissible, certain of the Funds hedging activities (including its transactions, if any, in foreign currencies or foreign currency-denominated instruments) are likely to produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If the Funds book income exceeds its taxable income, the distribution (if any) of such excess book income will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the Funds remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipients basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If the Funds book income is less than taxable income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regular investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies
Investment by a Fund in certain passive foreign investment companies (PFICs) could subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax (including interest charges) on distributions received from the company or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the company, which tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, the Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a qualified electing fund (QEF election), in which case the Fund will be required to include its share of the companys income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether they receives any distribution from the company.
Each Fund also may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in such holdings to the market as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of the Funds taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed for the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Funds total return.
Foreign Currency Transactions
Each Funds transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt securities and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.
Foreign Taxation
Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties and conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of a Funds total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may be able to elect to pass through to the Funds shareholders the amount of eligible foreign income and similar taxes paid by the Fund. If this election is made, a shareholder generally subject to tax will be required to include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his or her pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund, and may be entitled either to deduct (as an itemized deduction) his or her pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing his or her taxable income or to use it as a foreign tax credit against his or her U.S. federal income tax liability, subject to certain limitations. In particular, a shareholder must hold his or her shares (without protection from risk of loss) on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 more days during the 30-day period surrounding the ex-dividend date to be eligible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to a gain dividend. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a shareholder who does not itemize deductions. Each shareholder will be notified within 60 days after the close of the Funds taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Fund will pass through for that year.
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 the Funds income will flow through to shareholders of the Fund. With respect to a Fund, gains from the sale of securities will be treated as derived from U.S. sources and certain currency fluctuation gains, including fluctuation gains from foreign currency-denominated debt securities, receivables and payables will be treated as ordinary income derived from U.S. sources. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. A shareholder may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of his or her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund.
Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries
The Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund and Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Fund and Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Fund each intends to invest a portion of its assets in a Funds respective Subsidiary, which will be classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A foreign corporation, such as each Subsidiary, will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation unless it is deemed to be engaged in a U.S. trade or business. It is expected that each Subsidiary will conduct its activities in a manner so as to meet the requirements of a safe harbor under Section 864(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code (the Safe Harbor) pursuant to which the Subsidiary, provided it is not a dealer in stocks, securities or commodities, may engage in the following activities without being deemed to be engaged in a U.S. trade or business: (1) trading in stocks or securities (including contracts or options to buy or sell securities) for its own account; and (2) trading, for its own account, in commodities that are of a kind customarily dealt in on an organized commodity exchange if the transaction is of a kind customarily consummated at such place. Thus, the Subsidiarys securities and commodities trading activities should not constitute a U.S. trade or business. However, if certain of a Subsidiarys activities were determined not to be of the type described in the Safe Harbor or if the Subsidiarys gains are attributable to investments in securities that constitute U.S. real property interests (which is not expected), then the activities of the Subsidiary may constitute a U.S. trade or business, or be taxed as such.
In general, a foreign corporation that does not conduct a U.S. trade or business is nonetheless subject to tax at a flat rate of 30 percent (or lower tax treaty rate), generally payable through withholding, on the gross amount of certain U.S.-source income that is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. There is presently no tax treaty in force between the U.S. and the Cayman Islands that would reduce this rate of withholding tax. Income subject to such a flat tax includes dividends and certain interest income. The 30 percent tax does not apply to U.S.-source capital gains (whether long-term or short-term) or to interest paid to a foreign corporation on its deposits with U.S. banks. The 30 percent tax also does not apply to interest which qualifies as portfolio interest. The term portfolio interest generally includes interest (including original issue discount) on an obligation in registered form which has been issued after July 18, 1984 and with respect to which the person, who would otherwise be required to deduct and withhold the 30 percent tax, received the required statement that the beneficial owner of the obligation is not a U.S. person within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code. Under certain circumstances, interest on bearer obligations may also be considered portfolio interest.
Each Subsidiary will be wholly-owned by a Fund. A U.S. person who owns (directly, indirectly or constructively) 10 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of a foreign corporation is a U.S. Shareholder for purposes of the controlled foreign corporation (CFC) provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. A foreign corporation is a CFC if, on any day of its taxable year, more than 50 percent of the voting power or value of its stock is owned (directly, indirectly or constructively) by U.S. Shareholders. Because the applicable Fund is a U.S. person that will own all of the stock of the Subsidiary, the Fund will be a U.S. Shareholder and the Subsidiary will be a CFC. As a U.S. Shareholder, the Fund will be required to include in gross income for United States federal income tax purposes all of the Subsidiarys subpart F income (defined, in part, below), whether or not such income is distributed by the Subsidiary. It is expected that all of the Subsidiarys income will be subpart F income. Subpart F income generally includes interest, original issue discount, dividends, net gains from the disposition of stocks or securities, receipts with respect to securities loans and net payments received with respect to equity swaps and similar derivatives. Subpart F income also includes the excess of gains over losses from transactions (including futures, forward and similar transactions) in any commodities. The Funds recognition of the Subsidiarys subpart F income will increase the Funds tax basis in the Subsidiary. Distributions by the Subsidiary to the Fund will be tax-free, to the extent of its previously undistributed subpart F income, and will correspondingly reduce the Funds tax basis in the Subsidiary. Subpart F income is generally treated as ordinary income, regardless of the character of the Subsidiarys underlying income.
In general, each U.S. Shareholder is required to file IRS Form 5471 with its U.S. federal income tax (or information) returns providing information about its ownership of the CFC and the CFC. In addition, a U.S. Shareholder may in certain circumstances be required to report a disposition of shares in a Subsidiary by attaching IRS Form 5471 to its U.S. federal income tax (or information) return that it would normally file for the taxable year in which the disposition occurs. In general, these filing requirements will apply to investors of the Fund if the investor is a U.S. person who owns directly, indirectly or constructively (within the meaning of Sections 958(a) and (b) of the Internal Revenue Code) 10 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of voting stock of a foreign corporation that is a CFC for an uninterrupted period of 30 days or more during any tax year of the foreign corporation, and who owned that stock on the last day of that year.
Original Issue Discount and Pay-In-Kind Securities
Current federal tax law requires the holder of a U.S. Treasury or other fixed income zero coupon security to accrue as income each year a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased, even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.
Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as debt securities that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount (OID) is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A portion of the OID includable in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities (including certain pay-in-kind securities) may be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the accrued market discount on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
Some debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or OID in the case of certain types of debt securities. Generally, the Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
A fund that holds the foregoing kinds of securities may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount, which is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would in the absence of such transactions.
Shareholders of the Fund may be subject to state and local taxes on distributions received from the Fund and on redemptions of the Funds shares.
A brief explanation of the form and character of the distribution accompany each distribution. In January of each year the Fund issues to each shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.
Shareholders should consult their tax advisers about the application of federal, state and local and foreign tax law in light of their particular situation.
SPECIAL RISK RELATED TO CYBER SECURITY
The Funds and their service providers have administrative and technical safeguards in place with respect to information security. Nevertheless, the Funds and their service providers are potentially susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a cyber-attack as the Funds are highly dependent upon the effective operation of their computer systems and those of their business partners. These risks include, among other things, the theft, misuse, corruption and destruction of data maintained online or digitally, denial of service on websites and other operational disruption and unauthorized release of confidential customer information. Cyber-attacks affecting VCM, the Distributor, the Funds, the custodians, the transfer agent, financial intermediaries and other affiliated or third-party service providers may adversely affect the Funds and their shareholders owners. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of Fund transactions, including the processing of orders, impact a Funds ability to calculate net asset values, cause the release and possible destruction of confidential customer or business information, impede trading, subject a Fund and/or its service providers and intermediaries to regulatory fines and financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. Cyber security risks may also affect the issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which may cause a Funds investments to lose value. A Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management in the future. Although the Funds and their service providers have adopted security procedures to minimize the risk of a cyber-attack, there can be no assurance that the Funds or their service providers will avoid losses affecting the Funds due to cyber-attacks or information security breaches in the future.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TRUST
As a Delaware statutory trust entity, the Trust need not hold regular annual shareholder meetings and, in the normal course, does not expect to hold such meetings. The Trust, however, must hold shareholder meetings for such purposes as, for example: (1) approving certain agreements as required by the 1940 Act; (2) changing fundamental investment objectives, policies, and restrictions of the Funds; and (3) filling vacancies on the Board of Trustees of the Trust in the event that less than a majority of the Trustees were elected by shareholders. Under the Trusts Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his/her earlier death, incapacity, resignation or removal. Vacancies may be filled by a majority of the remaining Trustees, except insofar as the 1940 Act may require the election by shareholders. Therefore, the Trust expects that there will be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by shareholders or unless matters arise requiring a vote of shareholders under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act. At such time, the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders meeting. In addition, holders of record of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust may remove a Trustee from office by a vote cast in person or by proxy at a shareholder meeting called for that purpose at the request of holders of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of the Trust. The Funds have the obligation to assist in such shareholder communications. Except as set forth above, Trustees will continue in office and may appoint successor Trustees.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Funds independent registered public accounting firm is Cohen Fund Audit Services, LTD., located at 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115. Shareholders will receive annual financial statements, together with a report of the independent registered public accountants, and semiannual unaudited financial statements of the Funds. The independent registered public accountants will report on the Funds annual financial statements, review certain regulatory reports and the Funds income tax returns, and perform other professional accounting, auditing, tax and advisory services when engaged to do so by the Funds.
LEGAL MATTERS
Legal advice regarding certain matters relating to the federal securities laws applicable to the Funds and the offer and sale of their shares is provided by Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55 th Street, New York, New York 10019.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements for the Funds are incorporated by reference to the Annual Report for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2015.
You can obtain a copy of the financial statements contained in the Funds Annual or Semi-Annual Report without charge by calling the Fund at 1-800-539-3863.
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
October 28, 2015
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Class A |
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Class C |
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund |
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CTMAX |
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CTMCX |
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund |
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LTGAX |
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LTGCX |
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund |
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CAIAX |
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CAICX |
(each a Fund and together, the Funds)
Each Fund is a series of Victory Portfolios II (formerly Compass EMP Funds Trust)
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a Prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund, Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund and Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund dated October 28, 2015, which is incorporated by reference into this SAI (i.e., legally made a part of this SAI). Copies may be obtained without charge by contacting the Funds at P.O Box 182593, Columbus, Ohio 43218-2593, or by calling toll free 800-539-3863.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE FUNDS |
2 |
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS |
2 |
SEGREGATION OF ASSETS |
4 |
INVESTMENTS AND RISKS |
4 |
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE MEASURES |
24 |
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER |
24 |
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS |
24 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST |
25 |
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES |
33 |
INVESTMENT ADVISER |
34 |
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS |
35 |
ADMINISTRATION, FUND ACCOUNTING AND TRANSFER AGENT SERVICES |
38 |
CUSTODIAN |
40 |
DISTRIBUTOR |
40 |
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
42 |
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES |
43 |
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM |
44 |
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE |
44 |
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE, EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION |
45 |
TAX STATUS |
51 |
ORGANIZATION OF THE TRUST |
55 |
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM |
55 |
LEGAL MATTERS |
55 |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
56 |
APPENDIX A - RATINGS |
A-1 |
THE FUNDS
The Funds are each a diversified series of Victory Portfolios II (formerly Compass EMP Funds Trust), a Delaware statutory trust organized on April 11, 2012 (the Trust). The Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company. The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the Board or Trustees).
The Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund (formerly Compass EMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund) (Balanced Fund), Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund (formerly Compass EMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund) (Growth Fund) and Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund (formerly Compass EMP Alternative Strategies Fund) (Alternative Fund) were organized to acquire all the assets of their predecessor funds, Compass EMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund, Compass EMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund and Compass EMP Alternative Strategies Fund, respectively, each a series of Mutual Fund Series Trust, an Ohio statutory trust (each a Predecessor Fund), in a tax-free reorganization, effective, March 29, 2013 (the Reorganization).
Each Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. All shares of a Fund have equal rights and privileges. Each share of a Fund is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which such shares are entitled to vote. In addition, each share of a Fund is entitled to participate equally with other shares of that Fund, on a class-specific basis, (i) in dividends and distributions declared by the Fund and (ii) on liquidation to its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares of each Fund are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights. Fractional shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full share.
Victory Capital Management Inc. (the Adviser), is the Funds investment adviser. Each Funds investment objective(s), restrictions and policies are more fully described here and in the Funds Prospectus. The Board may start a new fund under the Trust at any time and after shares of that fund.
Each Fund offers two classes of shares: Class A shares and Class C shares. Each share class of a Fund represents an interest in the same assets of the Fund, has the same rights and is identical in all material respects except that (i) each class of shares may be subject to different (or no) sales loads; (ii) each class of shares may bear different (or no) distribution fees; (iii) each class of shares may have different shareholder features, such as minimum investment amounts; (iv) 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 paid 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 paid as a result of issues relating to a specific class of shares and accounting fees and expenses relating to a specific class of shares, and (v) each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters relating to its own distribution arrangements. The Board may classify and reclassify the shares of the Fund into additional classes of shares at a future date.
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
Each Fund has adopted the following fundamental investment restrictions that may not be changed without approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, which, as used in this SAI, means the vote of the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Each Fund may not:
1. Issue senior securities. This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to involve the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Fund, provided that the Funds engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff;
2. Borrow money, except (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Funds total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that the Fund has an asset coverage
of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions;
3. Purchase securities on margin, participate on a joint or joint and several basis in any securities trading account, or underwrite securities. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from obtaining such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of its portfolio securities, and except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities;
4. Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts);
5. Invest 25% or more of the market value of its assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry or group of related industries. This limitation does not apply to investments in the securities of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities;
6. Purchase or sell commodities (unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments or through commodity futures contracts or options), except that the Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts and options to the full extent permitted under the 1940 Act, sell foreign currency contracts in accordance with any rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, invest in securities or other instruments backed by commodities, and invest in companies that are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities; or
7. Make loans to others, except (a) through the purchase of debt securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies, (b) to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan, and (c) by loaning portfolio securities.
Each Fund observes the following policies, which are not deemed fundamental and which may be changed without a shareholder vote. Each Fund may not:
1. Invest in any issuer for purposes of exercising control or management;
2. Invest in securities of other investment companies except as permitted under the 1940 Act;
3. Invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in securities with legal or contractual restrictions on resale, securities, which are not readily marketable and repurchase agreements with more than seven days to maturity. However, if more than 15% of Fund net assets are illiquid, the Funds investment adviser(s) will reduce illiquid assets such that they do not represent more than 15% of Fund net assets, subject to timing and other considerations which are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders; or
4. Mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any assets of the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in limitation (1) above. Margin deposits, security interests, liens and collateral arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques are not deemed to be a mortgage, pledge or hypothecation of assets for purposes of this limitation.
Unless otherwise noted, whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of a Funds assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Funds acquisition of such security or other asset except in the case of borrowing (or other activities that may be deemed to result in the issuance of a senior security under the 1940 Act). Accordingly, any subsequent change in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with a Funds investment policies and limitations. If the value of a Funds holdings of illiquid securities at any time exceeds the percentage limitation applicable at the time of acquisition due to subsequent fluctuations in value or other reasons, the Trusts Board will consider what actions, if any, are appropriate to maintain adequate liquidity.
SEGREGATION OF ASSETS
A transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance by a fund of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% minimum asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund maintains an offsetting financial position by segregating liquid assets (as determined by the adviser under the general oversight of the fund board) at least equal to the value of the funds potential economic exposure as measured daily on a mark-to-market basis; or otherwise covers the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC guidance (collectively defined as covers the transaction). The amount of liquid assets that a Fund may segregate may, depending on the nature of the instrument. In order to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements regarding cover, a Fund may be required to buy or sell securities at a disadvantageous time or when the prices then available are deemed disadvantageous. In addition, segregated assets may not be readily available to satisfy redemption requests or for other purposes.
INVESTMENTS AND RISKS
Each Fund operates as a fund of funds, meaning that it seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in other funds managed by the Adviser (Victory Funds), and, in limited cases, unaffiliated investment companies in order to gain exposure to asset classes not currently offered by the Victory Funds. The Victory Funds and any other unaffiliated investment companies in which the Fund may invest are referred to in this SAI as the Underlying Funds. Most of the Underlying Funds currently are advised by the Adviser and considered to be an affiliate of and within the same group of investment companies as the Fund. The Underlying Funds may include exchange traded funds (ETFs).
By investing in the Underlying Funds, a Fund may have an indirect investment interest in some or all of the securities and instruments described below, although an Underlying Fund may also invest in other types of investment or pursue other investment strategies not described herein. In addition to investing primarily in Underlying Funds, a Fund may invest directly in certain liquid securities, such as the following: bank obligations, commercial paper, firm or standby commitments, repurchase agreements, and restricted 144A and 4(a)(2) securities and may, but is not required to, invest in derivative instruments.
The following section provides a brief description of some of the types of securities in which a Fund (or an Underlying Fund) may invest in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations, including certain transactions a Fund (or Underlying Fund) may make and strategies it may adopt. The investments in the following securities and other financial instruments are subject to the investment policies and limitations described in their respective prospectus and this SAI. The following also contains a brief description of the risk factors related to these securities. A Fund may, following notice to its shareholders, take advantage of other investment practices that presently are not contemplated for use by the Fund or Underlying Fund or that currently are not available but that may be developed, to the extent such investment practices are both consistent with the Funds investment objective and is legally permissible. Such investment practices, if they arise, may involve risks that exceed those involved in the activities described in the Funds prospectus and this SAI.
For ease of reference, unless otherwise specified, the Funds and Underlying Funds are referred to collectively as a Fund in the following section.
To carry out its investment strategy, a Fund may engage in one or more of the following activities:
Equity Securities
Equity securities in which a Fund invests include common stocks, preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, such as convertible bonds, warrants, rights and options. The value of equity securities varies in response to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be significant.
Common Stock
Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest
appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a companys stock price.
Preferred Stock
A Fund may invest in preferred stock with no minimum credit rating. Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and the recovery of investment should a company be liquidated, although preferred stock is usually junior to the debt securities of the issuer. Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates.
The fundamental risk of investing in common and preferred stock is the risk that the value of the stock might decrease. Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Historically, common stocks have provided greater long-term returns and have entailed greater short-term risks than preferred stocks, fixed income securities and money market investments. The market value of all securities, including common and preferred stocks, is based upon the markets perception of value and not necessarily the book value of an issuer or other objective measures of a companys worth.
Convertible Securities
A Fund may invest in convertible securities with no minimum credit rating. Convertible securities include fixed income securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of the issuers underlying common stock at the option of the holder during a specified period. Convertible securities may take the form of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, units consisting of usable bonds and warrants or a combination of the features of several of these securities. Convertible securities are senior to common stocks in an issuers capital structure, but are usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. 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 nonconvertible security), a convertible security also gives an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the issuing company depending upon a market price advance in the convertible securitys underlying common stock.
Participation Notes
A Fund may buy participation notes from a bank or broker-dealer (issuer) that entitle the Fund to a return measured by the change in value of an identified underlying security or basket of securities (collectively, the underlying security). Participation notes are typically used when a direct investment in the underlying security is restricted due to country-specific regulations. Investing in participation notes involves the same risks associated with a direct investment in the shares of the companies the notes seek to replicate. However, the performance results of participation notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the notes seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. In addition, participation notes are subject to counterparty risks. Participation notes may be considered illiquid.
Warrants
A Fund may invest in warrants. Warrants are options to purchase common stock at a specific price (usually at a premium above the market value of the optioned common stock at issuance) valid for a specific period of time. Warrants may have a life ranging from less than one year to twenty years, or they may be perpetual. However, most warrants have expiration dates after which they are worthless. In addition, a warrant is worthless if the market price of the common stock does not exceed the warrants exercise price during the life of the warrant. Warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. The percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the warrant may tend to be greater than the percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the optioned common stock.
Depositary Receipts
A Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), which are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company
depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. Many of the risks described below regarding foreign securities apply to investments in ADRs.
Income Trusts
A Fund may invest in income trusts which are investment trusts that hold assets that are income producing. The income is passed on to the unitholders. Each income trust has an operating risk based on its underlying business. The term may also be used to designate a legal entity, capital structure and ownership vehicle for certain assets or businesses. Shares or trust units are traded on securities exchanges just like stocks. Income is passed on to the investors, called unitholders, through monthly or quarterly distributions. Historically, distributions have typically been higher than dividends on common stocks. The unitholders are the beneficiaries of a trust, and their units represent their right to participate in the income and capital of the trust. Income trusts generally invest funds in assets that provide a return to the trust and its beneficiaries based on the cash flows of an underlying business. This return is often achieved through the acquisition by the trust of equity and debt instruments, royalty interests or real properties. The trust can receive interest, royalty or lease payments from an operating entity carrying on a business, as well as dividends and a return of capital.
Each income trust has an operating risk based on its underlying business; and, typically, the higher the yield, the higher the risk. They also have additional risk factors, including, but not limited to, poorer access to debt markets. Similar to a dividend paying stock, income trusts do not guarantee minimum distributions or even return of capital. If the business starts to lose money, the trust can reduce or even eliminate distributions; this is usually accompanied by sharp losses in a units market value. Since the yield is one of the main attractions of income trusts, there is the risk that trust units will decline in value if interest rates offering in competing markets, such as in the cash/treasury market, increase. Interest rate risk is also present within the trusts themselves because they hold very long term capital assets (e.g. pipelines, power plants, etc.), and much of the excess distributable income is derived from a maturity (or duration) mismatch between the life of the asset, and the life of the financing associated with it. In an increasing interest rate environment, not only does the attractiveness of trust distributions decrease, but quite possibly, the distributions may themselves decrease, leading to a double whammy of both declining yield and substantial loss of unitholder value. Because most income is passed on to unitholders, rather than reinvested in the business, in some cases, a trust can become a wasting asset unless more equity is issued. Because many income trusts pay out more than their net income, the unitholder equity (capital) may decline over time. To the extent that the value of the trust is driven by the deferral or reduction of tax, any change in government tax regulations to remove the benefit will reduce the value of the trusts. Generally, income trusts also carry the same risks as dividend paying stocks that are traded on stock markets.
Publicly Traded Partnerships
A Fund may invest in publicly traded partnerships (PTPs). PTPs are limited partnerships the interests in which (known as units) are traded on public exchanges, just like corporate stock. PTPs are limited partnerships that provide an investor with a direct interest in a group of assets (generally, oil and gas properties). Publicly traded partnership units typically trade publicly, like stock, and thus may provide the investor more liquidity than ordinary limited partnerships. Publicly traded partnerships are also called master limited partnerships and public limited partnerships. A limited partnership has one or more general partners (they may be individuals, corporations, partnerships or another entity) which manage the partnership, and limited partners, which provide capital to the partnership but have no role in its management. When an investor buys units in a PTP, he or she becomes a limited partner. PTPs are formed in several ways. A non-traded partnership may decide to go public. Several non-traded partnerships may roll up into a single PTP. A corporation may spin off a group of assets or part of its business into a PTP of which it is the general partner, either to realize what it believes to be the assets full value or as an alternative to issuing debt. A corporation may fully convert to a PTP, although since 1986 the tax consequences have made this an unappealing option; or, a newly formed company may operate as a PTP from its inception.
There are different types of risks to investing in PTPs including regulatory risks and interest rate risks. Currently most partnerships enjoy pass through taxation of their income to partners, which avoids double taxation of earnings. If the government were to change PTP business tax structure, unitholders would not be able to enjoy the relatively high yields in the sector for long. In addition, PTPs which charge government-regulated fees for transportation of oil and gas products through their pipelines are subject to unfavorable changes in government-approved rates and
fees, which would affect a PTPs revenue stream negatively. PTPs also carry some interest rate risks. During increases in interest rates, PTPs may not produce decent returns to shareholders.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
A Fund may invest in securities of real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs are publicly traded corporations or trusts that specialize in acquiring, holding and managing residential, commercial or industrial real estate. A REIT is not taxed at the entity level on income distributed to its shareholders or unitholders if it distributes to shareholders or unitholders at least 95% of its taxable income for each taxable year and complies with regulatory requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income.
REITs generally can be classified as Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. An Equity REIT invests the majority of its assets directly in real property and derives its income primarily from rents and from capital gains on real estate appreciation, which are realized through property sales. A Mortgage REIT invests the majority of its assets in real estate mortgage loans and services its income primarily from interest payments. A Hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of an Equity REIT and a Mortgage REIT. Although a Fund can invest in all three kinds of REITs, its emphasis is expected to be on investments in Equity REITs.
Investments in the real estate industry involve particular risks. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property may decline due to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhoods and in demographics, increases in market interest rates, or other factors. Factors such as these may adversely affect companies that own and operate real estate directly, companies that lend to such companies, and companies that service the real estate industry.
Investments in REITs also involve risks. Equity REITs will be affected by changes in the values of and income from the properties they own, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the credit quality of the mortgage loans they hold. In addition, REITs are dependent on specialized management skills and on their ability to generate cash flow for operating purposes and to make distributions to shareholders or unitholders REITs may have limited diversification and are subject to risks associated with obtaining financing for real property, as well as to the risk of self-liquidation. REITs also can be adversely affected by their failure to qualify for tax-free pass-through treatment of their income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or their failure to maintain an exemption from registration under the 1940 Act. By investing in REITs indirectly through a Fund, a shareholder bears not only a proportionate share of the expenses of a Fund, but also may indirectly bear similar expenses of some of the REITs in which it invests.
Fixed Income/Debt/Bond Securities
Yields on fixed income securities are dependent on a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money market and other fixed income securities markets, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. An investment in a Fund will be subjected to risk even if all fixed income securities in the Funds portfolio are paid in full at maturity. All fixed income securities, including U.S. Government securities, can change in value when there is a change in interest rates or the issuers actual or perceived creditworthiness or ability to meet its obligations.
There is normally an inverse relationship between the market value of securities sensitive to prevailing interest rates and actual changes in interest rates. In other words, an increase in interest rates produces a decrease in market value. The longer the remaining maturity (and duration) of a security, the greater will be the effect of interest rate changes on the market value of that security. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the markets perception of an issuers creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. Obligations of issuers of fixed income securities (including municipal securities) are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2005. In addition, the obligations of municipal issuers may become subject to laws enacted in the future by Congress, state legislatures, or referenda extending the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or upon the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the
markets perception of an issuers creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. The possibility exists, therefore, that, the ability of any issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its debt securities may become impaired.
The corporate debt securities in which a Fund may invest include corporate bonds and notes and short-term investments such as commercial paper and variable rate demand notes. Commercial paper (short-term promissory notes) is issued by companies to finance their or their affiliates current obligations and is frequently unsecured. Variable and floating rate demand notes are unsecured obligations typically redeemable upon not more than 30 days notice. These obligations include master demand notes that permit investment of fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement with the issuer of the instrument. The issuer of these obligations often has the right, after a given period, to prepay the outstanding principal amount of the obligations upon a specified number of days notice. These obligations generally are not traded, nor generally is there an established secondary market for these obligations. To the extent a demand note does not have a 7-day or shorter demand feature and there is no readily available market for the obligation, it is treated as an illiquid security.
A Fund may invest in debt securities, including non-investment grade debt securities. The following describes some of the risks associated with fixed income debt securities:
· Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In general, the price of a debt security can fall when interest rates rise and can rise when interest rates fall. Securities with longer maturities and mortgage securities can be more sensitive to interest rate changes although they usually offer higher yields to compensate investors for the greater risks. The longer the maturity of the security, the greater the impact a change in interest rates could have on the securitys price. In addition, short-term and long-term interest rates do not necessarily move in the same amount or the same direction. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates.
· Credit Risk. Fixed income securities have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities.
· Extension Risk. A Fund is subject to the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the Fund (such as mortgage-backed securities) later than expected. This may happen when there is a rise in interest rates. These events may lengthen the duration (i.e. interest rate sensitivity) and potentially reduce the value of these securities.
· Prepayment Risk. Certain types of debt securities, such as mortgage-backed securities, have yield and maturity characteristics corresponding to underlying assets. Unlike traditional debt securities, which may pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity when the entire principal amount comes due, payments on certain mortgage-backed securities may include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, payments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing, or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans.
Securities subject to prepayment are less effective than other types of securities as a means of locking in attractive long-term interest rates. One reason is the need to reinvest prepayments of principal; another is the possibility of significant unscheduled prepayments resulting from declines in interest rates. These prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of a Fund.
At times, some of the mortgage-backed securities in which a Fund may invest will have higher than market interest rates and therefore will be purchased at a premium above their par value. Prepayments may cause losses in securities purchased at a premium, as unscheduled prepayments, which are made at par, will cause the Fund to experience a loss equal to any unamortized premium.
International and Foreign Debt Securities.
International Bonds include Yankee and Euro obligations, which are U.S. dollar-denominated international bonds for which the primary trading market is in the United States (Yankee Bonds), or for which the primary trading market is abroad (Eurodollar Bonds). International bonds also include Canadian and supranational agency bonds ( e.g. , those issued by the International Monetary Fund). (See Foreign Debt Securities for a description of risks associated with investments in foreign securities.)
Investments in securities of foreign companies generally involve greater risks than are present in U.S. investments. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies.
Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those prevalent in the U.S. Securities of some foreign companies are less liquid, and their prices more volatile, than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Settlement of transactions in some foreign markets may be delayed or may be less frequent than in the U.S., which could affect the liquidity of a Funds investment.
In addition, with respect to some foreign countries, there is the possibility of nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; limitations on the removal of securities, property, or other assets of a Fund; political or social instability; increased difficulty in obtaining legal judgments; or diplomatic developments that could affect U.S. investments in those countries. The Adviser will take such factors into consideration in managing a Funds investments.
Since most foreign debt securities are not rated, a Fund will invest in those foreign debt securities based on the Advisers analysis without relying on published ratings. Achievement of a Funds goals, therefore, may depend more upon the abilities of the Adviser than would otherwise be the case. The value of the foreign debt securities held by a Fund, and thus the net asset value of a Funds shares, generally will fluctuate with (a) changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the issuers of those securities, (b) movements in interest rates, and (c) changes in the relative values of the currencies in which a Funds investments in debt securities are denominated with respect to the U.S. dollar. The extent of the fluctuation will depend on various factors, such as the average maturity of a Funds investments in foreign debt securities, and the extent to which a Fund hedges its interest rate, credit and currency exchange rate risks. A longer average maturity generally is associated with a higher level of volatility in the market value of such securities in response to changes in market conditions. In the event of default, there may be limited or no legal recourse in that, generally, remedies for defaults must be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party.
Certificates of Deposit and Bankers Acceptances
Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity.
A Fund may invest in insured bank obligations. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures the deposits of federally insured banks and savings and loan associations (collectively referred to as banks) up to $250,000. A Fund may purchase bank obligations that are fully insured as to principal by the FDIC. Currently, to remain fully insured as to principal, these investments must be limited to $250,000 per bank; if the principal amount and accrued interest together exceed $250,000, the excess principal and accrued interest will not be insured. Insured bank obligations may have limited marketability.
Bankers acceptances typically arise from short-term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then accepted by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an earning asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.
Time Deposits and Variable Rate Notes
A Fund may invest in fixed time deposits, whether or not subject to withdrawal penalties. The commercial paper obligations, which the Fund may buy are unsecured and may include variable rate notes. The nature and terms of a variable rate note (i.e., a Master Note) permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement between the Fund as Lender, and the issuer, as borrower. It permits daily changes in the amounts borrowed. A Fund has the right at any time to increase, up to the full amount stated in the note agreement, or to decrease the amount outstanding under the note. The issuer may prepay at any time and without penalty any part of or the full amount of the note. The note may or may not be backed by one or more bank letters of credit. Because these notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and the issuer, it is not generally contemplated that they will be traded; moreover, there is currently no secondary market for them. Except as specifically provided in the Prospectus, there is no limitation on the type of issuer from whom these notes may be purchased; however, in connection with such purchase and on an ongoing basis, the Funds adviser will consider the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the issuer, and its ability to pay principal and interest on demand, including a situation in which all holders of such notes made demand simultaneously. Variable rate notes are subject to the Funds investment restriction on illiquid securities unless such notes can be put back to the issuer on demand within seven days.
Commercial Paper
A Fund may purchase commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. It may be secured by letters of credit, a surety bond or other forms of collateral. Commercial paper is usually repaid at maturity by the issuer from the proceeds of the issuance of new commercial paper. As a result, investment in commercial paper is subject to the risk the issuer cannot issue enough new commercial paper to satisfy its outstanding commercial paper, also known as rollover risk. Commercial paper may become illiquid or may suffer from reduced liquidity in certain circumstances. Like all fixed income securities, commercial paper prices are susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates. If interest rates rise, commercial paper prices will decline. The short-term nature of a commercial paper investment makes it less susceptible to interest rate risk than many other fixed income securities because interest rate risk typically increases as maturity lengths increase. Commercial paper tends to yield smaller returns than longer-term corporate debt because securities with shorter maturities typically have lower effective yields than those with longer maturities. As with all fixed income securities, there is a chance that the issuer will default on its commercial paper obligation.
Repurchase Agreements
A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. In a repurchase agreement, an investor (such as a Fund) purchases a security (known as the underlying security) from a securities dealer or bank. Any such dealer or bank must be deemed creditworthy by the Adviser. At that time, the bank or securities dealer agrees to repurchase the underlying security at a mutually agreed upon price on a designated future date. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at an agreed upon rate due to the Fund on repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund generally will be unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying securities. Repurchase agreements must be fully collateralized, in that the market value of the underlying securities (including accrued interest) must at all times be equal to or greater than the repurchase price. Therefore, a repurchase agreement can be considered a loan collateralized by the underlying securities.
Repurchase agreements are generally for a short period of time, often less than a week, and will generally be used by a Fund to invest excess cash or as part of a temporary defensive strategy. Repurchase agreements that do not provide for payment within seven days will be treated as illiquid securities. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default by the seller of a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses. These losses could result from: (a) possible decline in the value of the underlying security while the Fund is seeking to enforce its rights under the repurchase agreement; (b) possible reduced levels of income or lack of access to income during this period; and (c) expenses of enforcing its rights.
High Yield Securities
A Fund may invest in high yield securities. High yield, high risk bonds are securities that are generally rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (BB+ or lower by S&P and Ba1 or lower by Moodys). Other terms used to describe such securities include lower rated bonds, non-investment grade bonds, below investment
grade bonds, and junk bonds. These securities are considered to be high-risk investments. The risks include the following:
Greater Risk of Loss. These securities are regarded as predominately speculative. There is a greater risk that issuers of lower rated securities will default than issuers of higher rated securities. Issuers of lower rated securities generally are less creditworthy and may be highly indebted, financially distressed, or bankrupt. These issuers are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes or adverse industry developments. In addition, high yield securities are frequently subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. If an issuer fails to pay principal or interest, a Fund would experience a decrease in income and a decline in the market value of its investments.
Sensitivity to Interest Rate and Economic Changes. The income and market value of lower-rated securities may fluctuate more than higher rated securities. Although non-investment grade securities tend to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than investment grade securities, non-investment grade securities are more sensitive to short-term corporate, economic and market developments. During periods of economic uncertainty and change, the market price of the investments in lower-rated securities may be volatile. The default rate for high yield bonds tends to be cyclical, with defaults rising in periods of economic downturn. For example, in 2000, 2001 and 2002, the default rate for high yield securities was significantly higher than in the prior or subsequent years.
Valuation Difficulties. It is often more difficult to value lower rated securities than higher rated securities. If an issuers financial condition deteriorates, accurate financial and business information may be limited or unavailable. In addition, the lower rated investments may be thinly traded and there may be no established secondary market. Because of the lack of market pricing and current information for investments in lower rated securities, valuation of such investments is much more dependent on judgment than is the case with higher rated securities.
Liquidity. There may be no established secondary or public market for investments in lower rated securities. Such securities are frequently traded in markets that may be relatively less liquid than the market for higher rated securities. In addition, relatively few institutional purchasers may hold a major portion of an issue of lower-rated securities at times. As a result, the Fund may be required to sell investments at substantial losses or retain them indefinitely when an issuers financial condition is deteriorating.
Credit Quality. Credit quality of non-investment grade securities can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and even recently-issued credit ratings may not fully reflect the actual risks posed by a particular high-yield security.
New Legislation. Future legislation may have a possible negative impact on the market for high yield, high risk bonds. As an example, in the late 1980s, legislation required federally-insured savings and loan associations to divest their investments in high yield, high risk bonds. New legislation, if enacted, could have a material negative effect on a Funds investments in lower rated securities.
High yield, high risk investments may include the following:
Straight fixed income debt securities. These include bonds and other debt obligations that bear a fixed or variable rate of interest payable at regular intervals and have a fixed or resettable maturity date. The particular terms of such securities vary and may include features such as call provisions and sinking funds.
Zero-coupon debt securities. These bear no interest obligation but are issued at a discount from their value at maturity. When held to maturity, their entire return equals the difference between their issue price and their maturity value.
Zero-fixed-coupon debt securities. These are zero-coupon debt securities that convert on a specified date to interest-bearing debt securities.
Pay-in-kind bonds. These are bonds which allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds. These are bonds sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (1933 Act), usually to a relatively small number of institutional investors.
Convertible Securities. These are bonds or preferred stock that may be converted to common stock.
Preferred Stock. These are stocks that generally pay a dividend at a specified rate and have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and in liquidation.
Loan Participations and Assignments. These are participations in, or assignments of all or a portion of loans to corporations or to governments, including governments of less developed countries (LDCs).
Securities issued in connection with Reorganizations and Corporate Restructurings. In connection with reorganizing or restructuring of an issuer, an issuer may issue common stock or other securities to holders of its debt securities. A Fund may hold such common stock and other securities even if it does not invest in such securities.
Municipal Government Obligations
In general, municipal obligations are debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States (including the District of Columbia) and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities. Municipal obligations generally include debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Certain types of municipal obligations are issued in whole or in part to obtain funding for privately operated facilities or projects. Municipal obligations include general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, industrial development bonds, notes and municipal lease obligations. Municipal obligations also include additional obligations, the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax, that may become available in the future as long as the Funds Board determines that an investment in any such type of obligation is consistent with the Funds investment objectives. Municipal obligations may be fully or partially backed by local government, the credit of a private issuer, current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets or domestic or foreign entities providing credit support such as letters of credit, guarantees or insurance.
Bonds and Notes. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuers pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of interest and principal. Revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a project or facility or from the proceeds of a specified revenue source. Industrial development bonds are generally revenue bonds secured by payments from and the credit of private users. Municipal notes are issued to meet the short-term funding requirements of state, regional and local governments. Municipal notes include tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, tax and revenue anticipation notes, construction loan notes, short-term discount notes, tax-exempt commercial paper, demand notes and similar instruments.
Municipal Lease Obligations. Municipal lease obligations may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase or a conditional sales contract. They are issued by state and local governments and authorities to acquire land, equipment and facilities, such as vehicles, telecommunications and computer equipment and other capital assets. A Fund may invest in Underlying Funds that purchase these lease obligations directly, or it may purchase participation interests in such lease obligations (See Participation Interests section). States have different requirements for issuing municipal debt and issuing municipal leases. Municipal leases are generally subject to greater risks than general obligation or revenue bonds because they usually contain a non-appropriation clause, which provides that the issuer is not obligated to make payments on the obligation in future years unless funds have been appropriated for this purpose each year. Such non-appropriation clauses are required to avoid the municipal lease obligations from being treated as debt for state debt restriction purposes. Accordingly, such obligations are subject to non-appropriation risk. Municipal leases may be secured by the underlying capital asset and it may be difficult to dispose of any such asset in the event of non-appropriation or other default.
United States Government Obligations
These consist of various types of marketable securities issued by the United States Treasury, i.e., bills, notes and bonds. Such securities are direct obligations of the United States government and differ mainly in the length of their maturity. Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government security, have a maturity of up to one year and are issued on a discount basis. A Fund may also invest in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS). TIPS are special types of treasury bonds that were created in order to offer bond investors protection from inflation. The values of the TIPS are automatically adjusted to the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If the CPI goes up by half a percent, the value of the bond (the TIPS) would also go up by half a percent. If the CPI falls, the value of the bond does not fall because the government guarantees that the original investment will stay the same. TIPS decline in value when real interest rates rise. However, in certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest rates are rising faster than nominal interest rates, TIPS may experience greater losses than other fixed income securities with similar duration.
United States Government Agency Obligations
These consist of debt securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the United States government, including the various types of instruments currently outstanding or which may be offered in the future. Agencies include, among others, the Federal Housing Administration, Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA), Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Maritime Administration, and General Services Administration. Instrumentalities include, for example, each of the Federal Home Loan Banks, the National Bank for Cooperatives, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), the Farm Credit Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), and the United States Postal Service. These securities are either: (i) backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government (e.g., United States Treasury Bills); (ii) guaranteed by the United States Treasury (e.g., GNMA mortgage-backed securities); (iii) supported by the issuing agencys or instrumentalitys right to borrow from the United States Treasury (e.g., FNMA Discount Notes); or (iv) supported only by the issuing agencys or instrumentalitys own credit (e.g., Tennessee Valley Association). On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Authority (the FHFA) announced that FNMA and FHLMC had been placed into conservatorship, a statutory process designed to stabilize a troubled institution with the objective of returning the entity to normal business operations. The U.S. Treasury Department and the FHFA at the same time established a secured lending facility and a Secured Stock Purchase Agreement with both FNMA and FHLMC to ensure that each entity had the ability to fulfill its financial obligations. The FHFA announced that it does not anticipate any disruption in pattern of payments or ongoing business operations of FNMA and FHLMC.
Government-related guarantors (i.e. not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.
FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates (PCs), which represent interests in conventional mortgages from FHLMCs national portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such nongovernmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers.
Mortgage Pass-Through Securities
Interests in pools of mortgage pass-through securities differ from other forms of debt securities (which normally provide periodic payments of interest in fixed amounts and the payment of principal in a lump sum at maturity or on specified call dates). Instead, mortgage pass-through securities provide monthly payments consisting of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a pass-through of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on the underlying residential mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Unscheduled payments of principal may be made if the underlying mortgage loans are repaid or refinanced or the underlying properties are foreclosed, thereby shortening the securities weighted average life. Some mortgage pass-through securities (such as securities guaranteed by GNMA) are described as modified pass-through securities. These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the
mortgage pool, net of certain fees, on the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether the mortgagor actually makes the payment.
The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage pass-through securities is GNMA. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by lending institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgage loans. These mortgage loans are either insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. A pool or group of such mortgage loans is assembled and after being approved by GNMA, is offered to investors through securities dealers.
Government-related guarantors of mortgage pass-through securities (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved sellers/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Mortgage pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury.
FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a U.S. government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues PCs, which represent interests in conventional mortgages from FHLMCs national portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury.
Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage pass-through securities. A Fund does not purchase interests in pools created by such non-governmental issuers.
Resets. The interest rates paid on the Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities (ARMs) in which a Fund may invest generally are readjusted or reset at intervals of one year or less to an increment over some predetermined interest rate index. There are two main categories of indices: those based on U.S. Treasury securities and those derived from a calculated measure, such as a cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates. Commonly utilized indices include the one-year and five-year constant maturity Treasury Note rates, the three-month Treasury Bill rate, the 180-day Treasury Bill rate, rates on longer-term Treasury securities, the National Median Cost of Funds, the one-month or three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), the prime rate of a specific bank, or commercial paper rates. Some indices, such as the one-year constant maturity Treasury Note rate, closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels. Others tend to lag changes in market rate levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile.
Caps and Floors. The underlying mortgages which collateralize the ARMs in which a Fund invests will frequently have caps and floors which limit the maximum amount by which the loan rate to the residential borrower may change up or down: (1) per reset or adjustment interval, and (2) over the life of the loan. Some residential mortgage loans restrict periodic adjustments by limiting changes in the borrowers monthly principal and interest payments rather than limiting interest rate changes. These payment caps may result in negative amortization. The value of mortgage securities in which a Fund invests may be affected if market interest rates rise or fall faster and farther than the allowable caps or floors on the underlying residential mortgage loans. Additionally, even though the interest rates on the underlying residential mortgages are adjustable, amortization and prepayments may occur, thereby causing the effective maturities of the mortgage securities in which a Fund invests to be shorter than the maturities stated in the underlying mortgages.
Securities of Other Investment Companies.
Except for investment in money market funds, an Underlying Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company, but may not own more than 3% of the securities of any one investment company or invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies. The Funds are
subject to these limits with respect to any unaffiliated Underlying Funds in which they may invest. With respect to affiliated Underlying Funds, the Strategic Allocation Fund may invest without limit. A Fund may purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, provided that either: (1) the Fund pays no sales charge or service fee (as each of those terms is defined in the FINRA Conduct Rules); or (2) the Adviser waives its advisory fee in an amount necessary to offset any such sales charge or service fee.
For purposes of determining compliance with a Funds policy on concentrating its investments in any one industry, the Fund generally does not look through investments in Underlying Funds for purposes of applying their concentration limitations, unless an Underlying Fund itself has a policy to concentrate in a particular industry. In that case, the particular industry in which the underlying investment company invest would be counted for purposes of calculating the Funds concentration limitation.
Risk Factors Associated with Investments in Investment Companies. As a shareholder of an investment company, a Fund indirectly will bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by such investment company in addition to the fees and expenses a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations. These securities represent interests in professionally managed portfolios that may invest in various types of instruments pursuant to a wide range of investment styles. A Fund would also bear the risk of all of the underlying investments held by the other investment company. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective.
Exchange Traded Funds. (ETFs) are investment companies whose primary objective is to achieve the same rate of return as a particular market index or commodity while trading throughout the day on an exchange. Certain ETFs are actively managed portfolios rather than being based upon an underlying index. ETF shares are sold initially in the primary market in units of 50,000 or more (creation units). A creation unit represents a bundle of securities or commodities that replicates, or is a representative sample of, a particular index or commodity and that is deposited with the ETF. Once owned, the individual shares comprising each creation unit are traded on an exchange in secondary market transactions for cash. The secondary market for ETF shares allows them to be readily converted into cash, like commonly traded stocks. The combination of primary and secondary markets permits ETF shares to be traded throughout the day close to the value of the ETFs underlying portfolio securities. A Fund would purchase and sell individual shares of ETFs in the secondary market. These secondary market transactions require the payment of commissions.
Unit Investment Trusts. (UITs) are investment companies that hold a fixed portfolio of securities until the fixed maturity date of the UIT. A Fund would generally only purchase UITs in the secondary market for cash, which would result in the payment of commissions.
Risk Factors Associated with Investments in ETFs and UITs. ETF and UIT shares are subject to the same risk of price fluctuation due to supply and demand as any other stock traded on an exchange, which means that a Fund could receive less from the sale of shares of an ETF or UIT it holds than it paid at the time it purchased those shares. Furthermore, there may be times when the exchange halts trading, in which case a Fund owning ETF or UIT shares would be unable to sell them until trading is resumed. There can be no assurance that an ETF or UIT will continue to meet the listing requirements of the exchange or that an active secondary market will develop for shares. In addition, because ETFs and UITs invest in a portfolio of common stocks or other instruments or commodities, the value of an ETF or UIT could decline if prices of those instruments or commodities decline. An overall decline of those instruments or commodities comprising an ETFs or UITs benchmark index could have a greater impact on the ETF or UIT and investors than might be the case in an investment company with a more widely diversified portfolio. Losses could also occur if the ETF or UIT is unable to replicate the performance of the chosen benchmark index.There may be times when the market price for an ETF or UIT and its NAV vary significantly and a Fund may pay more than (premium) or less than (discount) NAV when buying shares on the secondary market. The market price of an ETFs or UITs shares includes a bid-ask spread charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that the shares may trade at a discount to NAV and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of shares is falling fastest.
Other risks associated with ETFs and UITs include the possibility that: (i) an ETFs or UITs distributions may decline if the issuers of the ETFs or UITs portfolio securities fail to continue to pay dividends; and (ii) under certain circumstances, an ETF or UIT could be terminated. Should termination occur, the ETF or UIT could have to liquidate its portfolio securities when the prices for those securities are falling. In addition, inadequate or irregularly
provided information about an ETF or UIT or its investments, because ETFs and UITs are generally passively managed, could expose investors in ETFs and UITs to unknown risks. Actively managed ETFs are also subject to the risk of underperformance relative to their chosen benchmark.
Foreign Securities
General . A Fund may invest in foreign securities and ETFs and other investment companies that hold a portfolio of foreign securities. Investing in securities of foreign companies and countries involves certain considerations and risks that are not typically associated with investing in U.S. government securities and securities of domestic companies. There may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than a domestic one, and foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. There may also be less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers and listed companies than exists in the United States. Interest and dividends paid by foreign issuers may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes, which may decrease the net return on such investments as compared to dividends and interest paid to a Fund by domestic companies or the U.S. government. There may be the possibility of expropriations, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, confiscatory taxation, political, economic or social instability or diplomatic developments that could affect assets of a Fund held in foreign countries. Finally, the establishment of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions could adversely affect the payment of obligations.
To the extent a Funds currency exchange transactions do not fully protect the Fund against adverse changes in currency exchange rates, decreases in the value of currencies of the foreign countries in which the Fund will invest relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding decrease in the U.S. dollar value of the Funds assets denominated in those currencies (and possibly a corresponding increase in the amount of securities required to be liquidated to meet distribution requirements). Conversely, increases in the value of currencies of the foreign countries in which a Fund invests relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding increase in the U.S. dollar value of the Funds assets (and possibly a corresponding decrease in the amount of securities to be liquidated).
Emerging Markets Securities
A Fund may purchase securities of emerging market issuers and ETFs and other investment companies that invest in emerging market securities. Investing in emerging market securities imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries. These risks include: smaller market capitalization of securities markets, which may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; and possible repatriation of investment income and capital. In addition, foreign investors may be required to register the proceeds of sales. Future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization, or creation of government monopolies. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by a Fund. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.
Additional risks of emerging markets securities may include: greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability; more substantial governmental involvement in the economy; less governmental supervision and regulation; unavailability of currency hedging techniques; companies that are newly organized and small; differences in auditing and financial reporting standards, which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; and less developed legal systems. In addition, emerging securities markets may have different clearance and settlement procedures, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions or otherwise make it difficult to engage in such transactions. Settlement problems may cause a Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, hold a portion of its assets in cash pending investment, or be delayed in disposing of a portfolio security. Such a delay could result in possible liability to a purchaser of the security.
Options
A Fund may purchase and write ( i.e., sell) put and call options. Such options may relate to particular securities, stock indices, other index, reference asset or reference item and may or may not be listed on a domestic or foreign securities exchange and may or may not be issued by the Options Clearing Corporation. Options trading is a highly specialized activity that entails greater than ordinary investment risk. Options may be more volatile than the underlying instruments, and therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in
options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying instruments themselves.
A call option for a particular security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer (seller) the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option, regardless of the market price of the security. The premium paid to the writer is in consideration for undertaking the obligation under the option contract. A put option for a particular security gives the purchaser the right to sell the security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration date of the option, regardless of the market price of the security.
Stock index options are put options and call options on various stock indices. In most respects, they are identical to listed options on common stocks. The primary difference between stock options and index options occurs when index options are exercised. In the case of stock options, the underlying security, common stock, is delivered. However, upon the exercise of an index option, settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the index. The option holder who exercises the index option receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the stock index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market value of the stocks included in the index. For example, some stock index options are based on a broad market index, such as the Standard & Poors 500® Index or the Value Line Composite Index or a narrower market index, such as the Standard & Poors 100®. Indices may also be based on an industry or market segment, such as the AMEX Oil and Gas Index or the Computer and Business Equipment Index. Options on stock indices are currently traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange.
A Funds obligation to sell an instrument subject to a call option written by it, or to purchase an instrument subject to a put option written by it, may be terminated prior to the expiration date of the option by the Funds execution of a closing purchase transaction, which is effected by purchasing on an exchange an option of the same series ( i.e. , same underlying instrument, exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously written. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying instrument from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying instrument or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying instrument. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transactions costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event a Fund will have paid a loss in the transaction. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. An option writer unable to effect a closing purchase transaction will not be able to sell the underlying instrument or liquidate the assets held in a segregated account, as described below, until the option expires or the optioned instrument is delivered upon exercise. In such circumstances, the writer will be subject to the risk of market decline or appreciation in the instrument during such period.
If an option purchased by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a loss equal to the premium paid. If the Fund enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, the Fund will realize a gain if the premium received by the Fund on the closing transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, or a loss if it is less. If an option written by the Fund expires on the stipulated expiration date or if the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will realize a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the net premium received when the option is sold). If an option written by the Fund is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and the Fund will realize a gain or loss.
Certain Risks Regarding Options. There are several risks associated with transactions in options. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on an exchange, may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities or currencies; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading value; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on
that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
Successful use by a Fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the ability of the Adviser to correctly predict movements in the directions of the stock market. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. In addition, a funds ability to effectively hedge all or a portion of the securities in its portfolio, in anticipation of or during a market decline, through transactions in put options on stock indices, depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying index correlate with the price movements of the securities held by the Fund. Inasmuch as a Funds securities will not duplicate the components of an index, the correlation will not be perfect. Consequently, the Fund bears the risk that the prices of its securities being hedged will not move in the same amount as the prices of its put options on the stock indices. It is also possible that there may be a negative correlation between the index and the Funds securities that would result in a loss on both such securities and the options on stock indices acquired by the Fund.
The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets. The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The purchase of stock index options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by a Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the stock index on which the option is based.
There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist. If a Fund is unable to close out a call option on securities that it has written before the option is exercised, the Fund may be required to purchase the optioned securities in order to satisfy its obligation under the option to deliver such securities. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options on securities that it has purchased, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase and sale of the underlying securities.
Cover for Options Positions . Transactions using options (other than options that a Fund has purchased) expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (i) an offsetting (covered) position in securities or other options or (ii) cash or liquid securities with a value sufficient at all times to cover its potential obligations not covered as provided in (i) above. A Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid securities in a segregated account with the Funds custodian in the prescribed amount. Under current SEC guidelines, the Fund will segregate assets to cover transactions in which the Fund writes or sells options.
Assets used as cover or held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding option is open, unless they are replaced with similar assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of a Funds assets to cover or segregated accounts could impede portfolio management or the Funds ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Options on Futures Contracts
A Fund may purchase and sell options on the same types of futures in which it may invest. Options on futures are similar to options on underlying instruments except that options on futures give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), rather than to purchase or sell the futures contract, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by the delivery of the accumulated balance in the writers futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.
Dealer Options
A Fund may engage in transactions involving dealer options as well as exchange-traded options. Certain additional risks are specific to dealer options. While a Fund might look to a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, if the Fund were to purchase a dealer option it would need to rely on the dealer from which it purchased the option to perform if the option were exercised. Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the loss of the premium paid by the Fund as well as loss of the expected benefit of the transaction.
Exchange-traded options generally have a continuous liquid market while dealer options may not. Consequently, a Fund may generally be able to realize the value of a dealer option it has purchased only by exercising or reselling the option to the dealer who issued it. Similarly, when a Fund writes a dealer option, it may generally be able to close out the option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer to whom the Fund originally wrote the option. While a Fund will seek to enter into dealer options only with dealers who will agree to and which are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will at any time be able to liquidate a dealer option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. Unless a Fund, as a covered dealer call option writer, is able to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate securities (or other assets) used as cover until the option expires or is exercised. In the event of insolvency of the other party, the Fund may be unable to liquidate a dealer option. With respect to options written by the Fund, the inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to the Fund. For example, because a Fund must maintain a secured position with respect to any call option on a security it writes, the Fund may not sell the assets, which it has segregated to secure the position while it is obligated under the option. This requirement may impair the Funds ability to sell portfolio securities at a time when such sale might be advantageous.
The Staff of the SEC has taken the position that purchased dealer options are illiquid securities. A Fund may treat the cover used for written dealer options as liquid if the dealer agrees that the Fund may repurchase the dealer option it has written for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula. In such cases, the dealer option would be considered illiquid only to the extent the maximum purchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option. Accordingly, a Fund will treat dealer options as subject to the Funds limitation on illiquid securities. If the SEC changes its position on the liquidity of dealer options, the Fund will change its treatment of such instruments accordingly.
Spread Transactions
A Fund may purchase covered spread options from securities dealers. These covered spread options are not presently exchange-listed or exchange-traded. The purchase of a spread option gives the Fund the right to put securities that it owns at a fixed dollar spread or fixed yield spread in relationship to another security that the Fund does not own, but which is used as a benchmark. The risk to a Fund, in addition to the risks of dealer options described above, is the cost of the premium paid as well as any transaction costs. The purchase of spread options will be used to protect the Fund against adverse changes in prevailing credit quality spreads, i.e., the yield spread between high quality and lower quality securities. This protection is provided only during the life of the spread options.
Futures Contracts
A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument (e.g., units of a stock index or reference item such as stock volatility) for a specified price, date, time and place designated at the time the contract is made. Brokerage fees are paid when a futures contract is bought or sold and margin deposits must be maintained. Entering into a contract to buy is commonly referred to as buying or purchasing a contract or holding a long position. Entering into a contract to sell is commonly referred to as selling a contract or holding a short position.
Unlike when a Fund purchases or sells a security, no price would be paid or received by the Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Upon entering into a futures contract, and to maintain the Funds open positions in futures contracts, the Fund would be required to deposit with its custodian or futures broker in a segregated account in the name of the futures broker an amount of cash, U.S. government securities, suitable money market instruments, or other liquid securities, known as initial margin. The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded, and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margins that may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.
If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in underlying instrument or index in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin. However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to a Fund.
These subsequent payments, called variation margin, to and from the futures broker, are made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying assets fluctuate making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as marking to the market. A Fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.
Although certain futures contracts, by their terms, require actual future delivery of and payment for the underlying instruments, in practice most futures contracts are usually closed out before the delivery date. Closing out an open futures contract purchase or sale is effected by entering into an offsetting futures contract sale or purchase, respectively, for the same aggregate amount of the identical underlying instrument or index and the same delivery date. If the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a Fund realizes a gain; if it is more, the Fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the Fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits on the futures contract.
For example, one contract in the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index future is a contract to buy 25 pounds sterling multiplied by the level of the UK Financial Times 100 Share Index on a given future date. Settlement of a stock index futures contract may or may not be in the underlying instrument or index. If not in the underlying instrument or index, then settlement will be made in cash, equivalent over time to the difference between the contract price and the actual price of the underlying asset at the time the stock index futures contract expires.
Swap Agreements
A Fund may enter into swap agreements for purposes of attempting to gain exposure to equity, debt, commodities or other asset markets without actually purchasing those assets, or to hedge a position. A Fund does not invest more than 25% of its assets in swap contracts with any one counterparty. Security investments are made without restriction as to the issuers country. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or swapped between the parties are calculated with respect to a notional amount, i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a basket of securities representing a particular index.
Most swap agreements entered into by a Fund calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a net basis. Consequently, the Funds current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the net amount). Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term.
Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, if a swap is entered into on a net basis, if the other party to a swap agreement defaults, a Funds risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.
The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Funds obligations over its entitlements with respect to a swap agreement entered into on a net basis will be accrued daily and an amount of cash or liquid asset having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in an account with the Custodian. A Fund will also establish and maintain such accounts with respect to its total obligations under any swaps that are not entered into on a net basis. Obligations under swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be senior securities for purposes of the Funds investment restriction concerning senior securities.
Because they are two-party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid for a Funds illiquid investment limitations. A Fund will not enter into any swap
agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. 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 counter-party.
A Fund may enter into a swap agreement in circumstances where the Adviser believes that it may be more cost effective or practical than buying the securities represented by such index or a futures contract or an option on such index. The counter-party to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer. The counter-party will generally agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks represented in the index, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. A Fund will agree to pay to the counter-party a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to a Fund on any swap agreement should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount.
The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments that are traded in the OTC market.
Precious Metals and Other Commodities
Certain Funds are subject to the risk of sharp price volatility of metals or other commodities, and of shares of companies principally engaged in activities related to metals or other commodities. Investments related to metals or other commodities may fluctuate in price significantly over short periods of time because of a variety of global economic, financial, and political factors. These factors include: economic cycles; changes in inflation or expectations about inflation in various countries; interest rates; currency fluctuations; metal sales by governments, central banks, or international agencies; investment speculation; resource availability; commodity prices; fluctuations in industrial and commercial supply and demand; government regulation of the metals and other commodities industries; and government prohibitions or restrictions on the private ownership of certain precious and rare metals.
Regulation as a Commodity Pool Operator
The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has filed with the National Futures Association, a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to the Funds operations. Accordingly, the Funds will not be subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator.
When-Issued, Forward Commitments and Delayed Settlements
A Fund may purchase and sell securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis. In this event, the Custodian (as defined under the section entitled Custodian) will segregate liquid assets equal to the amount of the commitment in a separate account. Normally, the Custodian will set aside portfolio securities to satisfy a purchase commitment. In such a case, the Fund may be required subsequently to segregate additional assets in order to assure that the value of the account remains equal to the amount of the Funds commitment. It may be expected that the Funds net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside portfolio securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash.
A Fund does not intend to engage in these transactions for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. Because the Fund will segregate liquid assets to satisfy its purchase commitments in the manner described, the Funds liquidity and the ability of the Adviser to manage them may be affected in the event the Funds forward commitments, commitments to purchase when-issued securities and delayed settlements ever exceeded 15% of the value of its net assets.
A Fund will purchase securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis only with the intention of completing the transaction. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, the Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into, and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. In these cases, the Fund may
realize a taxable capital gain or loss. When a Fund engages in when-issued, forward commitment and delayed settlement transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in the Fund incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price credited to be advantageous.
The market value of the securities underlying a when-issued purchase, forward commitment to purchase securities, or a delayed settlement and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value is taken into account when determining the market value of a Fund starting on the day the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. A Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until it has paid for and delivered on the settlement date.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities
A Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale (e.g., because they have not been registered under 1933 Act) and securities that are otherwise not readily marketable (e.g., because trading in the security is suspended or because market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers). Securities that have not been registered under the 1933 Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Foreign securities that are freely tradable in their principal markets are not considered to be illiquid.
Restricted and other illiquid securities may be subject to the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. A Fund might be unable to dispose of illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemption requests from shareholders. A Fund might have to register restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.
A large institutional market exists for certain securities that are not registered under the 1933 Act, including foreign securities. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule 144A under the Securities Act allows such a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restrictions on resale to the general public. Rule 144A establishes a safe harbor from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act for resale of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. Rule 144A has produced enhanced liquidity for many restricted securities, and market liquidity for such securities may continue to expand as a result of this regulation and the consequent existence of the PORTAL system, which is an automated system for the trading, clearance and settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers sponsored by the FINRA.
Under guidelines adopted by the Trusts Board, the Adviser may determine that particular Rule 144A securities, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4 (a) (2) of the 1933 Act, are liquid even though they are not registered. A determination of whether such a security is liquid or not is a question of fact. In making this determination, the Adviser will consider, as it deems appropriate under the circumstances and among other factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; (3) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; (5) the nature of the security (e.g., debt or equity, date of maturity, terms of dividend or interest payments, and other material terms) and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer); and (6) the rating of the security and the financial condition and prospects of the issuer. In the case of commercial paper, the Adviser will also determine that the paper (1) is not traded flat or in default as to principal and interest, and (2) is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least two National Statistical Rating Organizations (NRSROs) or, if only one NRSRO rates the security, by that NRSRO, or, if the security is unrated, the Adviser determines that it is of equivalent quality.
Rule 144A securities and Section 4 (a) (2) commercial paper that have been deemed liquid as described above will continue to be monitored by the Adviser to determine if the security is no longer liquid as the result of changed conditions. Investing in Rule 144A securities or Section 4 (a) (2) commercial paper could have the effect of increasing the amount of a Funds assets invested in illiquid securities if institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase such securities.
Passive Investment Strategies
Some of the Underlying Funds may pursue a passive or indexing strategy. These Underlying Funds will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the respective index each is designed to track. An Underlying Funds return may not match the return of its index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Funds portfolio and the index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.
Lending Portfolio Securities
A Fund may from time to time lend securities from their portfolios to broker-dealers, banks, financial institutions and institutional borrowers of securities and receive collateral in the form of cash or U.S. government obligations. Under the Funds current practices (which are subject to change), a Fund must receive initial collateral equal to 102% of the market value of the loaned securities, plus any interest due in the form of cash or U.S. government obligations. This collateral must be valued daily and should the market value of the loaned securities increase, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to a Fund sufficient to maintain the value of the collateral equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. The lending agent receives a pre-negotiated percentage of the net earnings on the investment of the collateral. A Fund will not lend portfolio securities to: (a) any affiliated person (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of any Fund; (b) any affiliated person of the Adviser; or (c) any affiliated person of such an affiliated person. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any dividends or interest paid on such securities plus any fee negotiated between the parties to the lending agreement. Loans will be subject to termination by the Funds or the borrower at any time. While a Fund will not have the right to vote securities on loan, they intend to terminate loans and regain the right to vote if that is considered important with respect to the investment. A Fund will enter into loan arrangements only with broker-dealers, banks or other institutions that either the Adviser or the lending agent has determined are creditworthy under guidelines established by the Board. Although these loans are fully collateralized, there are risks associated with securities lending. A Funds performance could be hurt if a borrower defaults or becomes insolvent, or if the Fund wishes to sell a security before its return can be arranged. The return on invested cash collateral will result in gains and losses for the Funds. Each Fund will limit its securities lending to 33-1/3% of its total assets.
Short Sales
A Fund may sell securities short as an outright investment strategy and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own or have the right to acquire (or that it owns but does not wish to deliver) in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.
When a Fund makes a short sale, the broker-dealer through which the short sale is made must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the party purchasing the security. The Fund is required to make a margin deposit in connection with such short sales; the Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and will often be obligated to pay over any dividends and accrued interest on borrowed securities.
If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time a Fund covers its short position, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.
To the extent a Fund sells securities short, it will provide collateral to the broker-dealer and (except in the case of short sales against the box) will maintain additional asset coverage in the form of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities with its custodian in a segregated account in an amount at least equal to the difference between the current market value of the securities sold short and any amounts required to be deposited as collateral with the selling broker (not including the proceeds of the short sale). A Fund does not intend to enter into short sales (other than short sales against the box) if immediately after such sales the aggregate of the value of all collateral plus the amount in such segregated account exceeds 30% of the value of the Funds net assets. This percentage may be varied by action of the Board of Trustees. A short sale is against the box to the extent the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE MEASURES
In response to market, economic, political or other conditions, the Adviser may temporarily use a different investment strategy for a Fund for defensive purposes. Such a strategy could include investing up to 100% of a Funds assets in cash or cash equivalent securities. This could affect a Funds performance and the Fund might not achieve its investment objectives.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Each Fund may sell a portfolio investment soon after its acquisition if the Adviser believes that such a disposition is consistent with attaining the investment objective of the Fund. A high rate of portfolio turnover (over 100%) may involve correspondingly greater transaction costs, which must be borne directly by the Fund and ultimately by its shareholders. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of substantial net capital gains. To the extent short-term capital gains are realized, distributions attributable to such gains will be ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.
The following table shows the portfolio turnover rates for each Fund for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2014 and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015.
|
|
2015 |
|
2014* |
|
Balanced Fund |
|
23 |
% |
12 |
% |
Growth Fund |
|
32 |
% |
4 |
% |
Alternative Fund |
|
11 |
% |
49 |
% |
*For the period December 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that govern the disclosure of each Funds portfolio holdings. These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that such disclosure is in the best interests of Fund shareholders.
Each Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its second fiscal quarter and its fiscal year in its reports to shareholders. The Fund sends reports to its existing shareholders no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period, and files these reports with the SEC by the 70 th day after the end of the relevant fiscal period. You can find these reports on the Funds website, CompassEMPFunds.com, and on the SECs website, www.SEC.gov.
In addition, each Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings as of the quarter-end on the Funds website no later than the 15th day following the end of the calendar quarter. Each Fund may also publish other information on the Funds website relating to its portfolio holdings ( e.g. , top ten holdings) on a monthly basis no later than the 15th day following the end of the month.
Other than to rating agencies and service providers, as described below, a Fund does not selectively disclose its portfolio holdings to any person. In each case, a determination has been made that such advance disclosure is supported by a legitimate business purpose and that the recipient is subject to a duty to keep the information confidential.
· The Adviser. Personnel of the Adviser, including personnel responsible for managing a Funds portfolio, may have full daily access to the Funds portfolio holdings because that information is necessary in order for the Adviser to provide its management, administrative, and investment services to the Funds. As required for purposes of analyzing the impact of existing and future market changes on the prices, availability, demand and liquidity of such securities, as well as for the assistance of portfolio managers in the trading of such securities, Advisers personnel may also release and discuss certain portfolio holdings with various broker/dealers.
· The Sub-fund Accountant and Sub-Administrator. Citi Fund Services Ohio. Inc.is the sub-fund accountant and sub-administrator for the Funds; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Funds portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for each Fund.
· The Transfer Agent. SunGard Investor Services LLC is the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Funds; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Funds portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for each Fund.
· The Custodian. Citibank N.A. is the custodian for the Funds; therefore, its personnel and agents have full daily access to each Funds portfolio holdings because that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for each Fund.
· The Independent Registered Public Accountant. Cohen Fund Audit Services, LTD. is the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds; therefore, its personnel and agents receive information regarding each Funds portfolio holdings as needed with no time lag in order to provide the agreed upon services for each Fund.
· Legal Counsel to the Trust. Morrison & Foerster LLP is independent legal counsel to the Trust; therefore, its personnel and agents may receive information regarding each Funds portfolio holdings as needed with no time lag to perform the agreed upon services.
· Rating Agencies. Morningstar, Lipper and other mutual fund rating agencies may also receive each Funds full portfolio holdings, generally monthly on a 30-day lag basis with the understanding that such holdings may be posted or disseminated to the public by the rating agencies at any time.
The Funds Chief Compliance Officer, or such officers designee, may also grant exceptions to permit additional disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings information at differing times and with different lag times (the period from the date of the information to the date the information is made available) in instances where a Fund has legitimate business purposes for doing so, it is in the best interests of shareholders, and the recipients are subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the nonpublic information and are required to execute an agreement to that effect. The Board will be informed of any such disclosures at its next regularly scheduled meeting or as soon as is reasonably practicable thereafter. In no event shall the Funds, the Adviser, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about the Funds portfolio holdings.
There is no assurance that the Trusts policies on disclosure of portfolio holdings will protect the Funds from the potential misuse of holdings information by individuals or firms in possession of that information.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Leadership Structure
The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of eight Trustees, seven of whom are not interested persons of the Trust within the meaning of that term under the 1940 Act (the Independent Trustees). The Chair of the Board is an Independent Trustee, who functions as the lead Trustee. The Chair serves as liaison between the Board and its Committees, and the Funds investment adviser and other service providers. The Chair is actively involved in setting the Board meeting agenda, and participates on certain of the Boards Committees.
Board Risk Oversight
In considering risks related to the Funds, the Board consults and receives reports from officers of the Funds and personnel of the Adviser, who are charged with the day-to-day risk oversight function. Matters regularly reported to the Board or a designated committee include certain risks involving the Funds investment portfolios, trading practices, operational matters, financial and accounting controls, and legal and regulatory compliance. The Board has delegated to the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee overall responsibility for reviewing reports relating to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk and personnel. The Board relies on the Investment Committee to review reports relating to investment risks, that is, risks to the Funds resulting from pursuing the Funds investment strategies (e.g., credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk).
Trustee Qualifications
The following summarizes the experience and qualifications of the Trustees:
David Brooks Adcock. Mr. Adcock served for many years as general counsel for Duke University and Duke University Health System, where he provided oversight to complex business transactions such as mergers and acquisitions and dispositions. He has served for more than 20 years as a public interest arbitrator for, among others, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National Futures Association, FINRA and the American Arbitration Association. The Board believes that Mr. Adcocks knowledge of complex business
transactions and the securities industry combined with his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve on the Board.
Nigel D.T. Andrews. Mr. Andrews served for many years as a management consultant for a nationally recognized consulting company and as a senior executive at GE, including Vice President of Corporate Business Development, reporting to the Chairman, and as Executive Vice President of GE Capital. He also served as a Director and member of the Audit and Risk Committee of Old Mutual plc, a large publicly traded company whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. Mr. Andrews formerly served as the non-executive chairman of Old Mutuals US asset management business, where he also served on the audit and risk committee. Mr. Andrews also served as a Governor of the London Business School. He serves as a director of Carlyle GMS Finance, Inc., a business development company. The Board believes that his experience in these positions, particularly with respect to oversight of risk and the audit function of public companies, as well as his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
David C. Brown. Mr. Brown serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013) of the Adviser, and, as such is an interested person of the Trust. Previously, he served as Co-Chief Executive Officer (2011-2013), and President Investments and Operations (2010-2011) and Chief Operating Officer (2004-2011) of the Adviser. The Board believes that his position and experience with the Adviser and his previous experience in the investment management business qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
E. Lee Beard. Ms. Beard, a certified public accountant, has served as the president, chief executive officer and director, and as a chief financial officer, of public, federally insured, depository institutions. As such, Ms. Beard is familiar with issues relating to audits of financial institutions. The Board believes that Ms. Beards experience as the chief executive officer of a depository institution, her service on the boards of other mutual funds and her knowledge of audit and accounting matters qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.
Sally M. Dungan . Ms. Dungan, a Chartered Financial Analyst, has been in the investment and financial management business for many years. She currently serves as Chief Investment Officer for Tufts University, a position she has held since 2002, and previously served as Director of Pension Fund Management for Siemens Corporation (2000-2002), Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Senior Investment Officer of Public Markets of the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1995-2000) and Administrative Manager for Lehman Brothers (1990-1995). Ms. Dungan has served on the boards, including their audit and investment committees, of private institutions and mutual funds. The Board believes Ms. Dungans extensive knowledge of the investment process and financial markets qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.
John L. Kelly. Mr. Kelly has more than 35 years of experience and leadership roles in the financial services industry including institutional electronic trading, capital markets, corporate and investment banking, retail brokerage, private equity, asset/wealth management, institutional services, mutual funds and related technology enabled services. He has served as an Independent Trustee of Victory Portfolios, Victory Institutional Funds, and Victory Variable Insurance Funds from 2008 to 2011. The Board believes that this experience qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
David L. Meyer. For six years, Mr. Meyer served as chief operating officer, Investment Wealth Management Division of Mercantile Bankshares Corp. (now PNC Financial Services Corp.) and has served as an officer or on the board of other mutual funds for many years. The Board believes that his experience, particularly as it related to the operation of registered investment companies, qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
Leigh A. Wilson. Mr. Wilson served for many years as Chief Executive Officer of Paribas North America and as such has extensive experience in the financial sector. He serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Caledonia Mining Corporation, a Canadian mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. As a former director of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum (MFDF), he is familiar with the operation and regulation of registered investment companies. He served on a MFDF steering committee created at the request of then-SEC Chairman William Donaldson to recommend best practices to independent mutual fund directors. He received the Small Fund Trustee of the Year award from Institutional Investor Magazine in 2006. The Board believes that this experience and his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
Trustees and Officers
The following tables list the Trustees and Officers, their ages, position with the Trust, length of time served, principal occupations during the past five years and, where applicable, any directorships of other investment companies or companies whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or who file reports under that Act. Each Trustee oversees 30 portfolios in the Trust, 25 portfolios in Victory Portfolios, one portfolio in Victory Variable Insurance Funds and one portfolio in Victory Institutional Funds, each a registered investment company that, together with the Trust, comprise the Victory Fund Complex. There is no defined term of office and each Trustee serves until the earlier of his or her resignation, retirement, removal, death, or the election of a qualified successor. Each Trustees and Officers address is c/o Victory Portfolios II, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219.
Independent Trustees
Name and Age |
|
Position(s)
|
|
Length of
|
|
Principal
|
|
Number of
|
|
Other Directorships Held
|
David Brooks Adcock,
63 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Consultant (since 2006). |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2005-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2005-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2005-present); FBR Funds (2011-2012). |
Nigel D. T. Andrews,
68 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Retired. |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2002-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2002-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2002-present); Carlyle GMS Finance, Inc. (since 2012); Chemtura Corporation (2000-2010); Old Mutual plc. (2002-2011); Old Mutual US Asset Management (2002-2014). |
E. Lee Beard,
64 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Consultant, The Henlee Group, LLC. (consulting) (since 2005). |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2005-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2005-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2005-present); Penn Millers Holding |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporation (January 2011 to November 2011). |
Sally M. Dungan,
61 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Chief Investment Officer, Tufts University, since 2002. |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2011-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2011-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2011-present); |
John L. Kelly,
62 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Bulk physical commodities broker, Endgate Commodities LLC (Aug. 2014 to present); Chief Operating Officer, Liquidnet Holdings, Inc. (December 2011 to July 2014); Managing Member, Crossroad LLC (Consultants)(April 2009 to December 2011). |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2008-2011 and since Feb. 2015) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-2011 and since Feb. 2015); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-2011 and since Feb. 2015); Director, Caledonia Mining Corporation (May 2012 to present); Managing Member, Crossroad LLC (May 2009 to present). |
David L. Meyer,
58 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Retired (since 2008); Chief Operating Officer, Investment & Wealth Management Division, PNC Financial Services Group (previously Mercantile Bankshares Corp.)(2002-2008). |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2008-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-present); |
Leigh A. Wilson,
70 |
|
Chair and Trustee |
|
Since May 2015, indefinite |
|
Director, The Mutual Fund Directors Forum (since 2004). |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (1994-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (1994-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (1994-present); Chair (since 2013) and Director (since 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and March-October 2008), Caledonia Mining Corporation; Chair, Old Mutual Funds II (15 portfolios) (2005-2010); Trustee and Independent Chairman, Old Mutual Funds III (13 portfolios) (2007-2010). |
Interested Trustee and Officers of the Trust
Name,
|
|
Position(s) Held
|
|
Length of
|
|
Principal
|
|
Number of
|
|
Other Directorships
|
David C. Brown, *
43 |
|
Trustee |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Co-Chief Executive Officer, (2011-2013), President Investments and Operations (2010-2011) and Chief Operating Officer (2004-2011), Victory Capital Management Inc.; Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. |
|
57 |
|
Victory Portfolios (2008-present) (25 portfolios); Victory Institutional Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-present); Victory Variable Insurance Funds (1 portfolio) (2008-present); |
Christopher K. Dyer,
53 |
|
President |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Director of Mutual Fund Administration, the Adviser. |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
Scott A. Stahorsky,
46 |
|
Vice President |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser. |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
Erin G. Wagner,
41 |
|
Secretary |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Associate General Counsel, the Adviser(since 2013); Associate, Dechert LLP |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2001-2010). |
|
|
|
|
Christopher A. Ponte,
31 |
|
Treasurer |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser; registered Principal, Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (since 2011). |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
Jay G. Baris,
61 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP (since 2011); Partner, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP. (1994-2011). |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
Edward J. Veilleux,
72 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
President of EJV Financial Services (mutual fund consulting) |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
Chuck Booth,
55 |
|
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer and Identity Theft Officer |
|
Since 2015, indefinite |
|
Director, Regulatory Administration and CCO Support Services, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. |
|
N/A |
|
N/A |
* Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.
Committees of the Board.
The following standing Committees of the Board are currently in operation: Audit and Risk Oversight, Continuing Education, Investment, Service Provider, Board Governance and Nominating, and Agenda. In addition to these standing Committees, the Board may form temporary Special Committees to address particular areas of concern. In addition, a Committee may form a Sub-Committee to address particular areas of concern to that Committee.
The members of the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee, all of whom are Independent Trustees, are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Ms. Beard, and Mr. Wilson. The primary purpose of this Committee is to oversee the Trusts accounting and financial reporting policies, practices and internal controls, as required by the statutes and regulations administered by the SEC, including the 1940 Act. The Committee also has overall responsibility for reviewing periodic reports with respect to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk and personnel. The Board has designated Mr. Meyer and Ms. Beard as its Audit Committee Financial Experts.
The members of the Continuing Education Committee are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Ms. Beard, and Ms. Dungan. The function of this Committee is to develop programs to educate the Trustees to enhance their effectiveness as a Board and individually.
The members of the Investment Committee are Ms. Dungan (Chair), Mr. Andrews, Mr. Kelly and Mr. Wilson. The function of this Committee is to oversee the Funds compliance with investment objectives, policies and restrictions,
including those imposed by law or regulation, and assists the Board in its annual review of the Funds investment advisory agreements.
The members of the Service Provider Committee are Ms. Beard (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Meyer. This Committee negotiates the terms of the written agreements with the Funds service providers, evaluates the quality of periodic reports from the service providers (including reports submitted by sub-service providers) and assists the Board in its review of each Funds service providers, other than the investment adviser and independent auditors.
The Board Governance and Nominating Committee consists of all of the Independent Trustees. Mr. Andrews currently serves as the Chair of this Committee. The functions of this Committee are: to oversee Fund governance, including the nomination and selection of Trustees; to evaluate and recommend to the Board the compensation and expense reimbursement policies applicable to Trustees; and periodically, to coordinate and facilitate an evaluation of the performance of the Board.
The Board Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominee recommendations from Fund shareholders, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee. A Fund shareholder should submit a nominee recommendation in writing to the attention of the Chair of the Trust, 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144. The Committee (or a designated sub-committee) will screen shareholder recommendations in the same manner as it screens nominations received from other sources, such as current Trustees, management of the Fund or other individuals, including professional recruiters. The Committee need not consider any recommendations when no vacancy on the Board exists, but the Committee will consider any such recommendation if a vacancy occurs within six months after receipt of the recommendation. In administering the shareholder recommendation process, the Chair, in the Chairs sole discretion, may retain the services of counsel to the Trust or to the Independent Trustees, management of the Fund or any third party. The Committee will communicate the results of the evaluation of any shareholder recommendation to the shareholder who made the recommendation.
The Agenda Committee consists of the Chair of the Board and the Chair of each other Committee.
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, the Board held one meeting; the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee held one meeting; the Investment Committee held one meeting; the Service Provider Committee held two meetings; and the Board Governance and Nominating Committee held one meeting The Continuing Education Committee met informally during the fiscal year.
Prior to May 1, 2015, the Trust was governed by a different Board of Trustees.
Compensation of Trustees .
Effective May 1, 2015, the Victory Fund Complex pays each Independent Trustee $219,000 per year for his or her service to all of the funds in the Complex, including the Funds that are series of the Trust. The Board Chair is paid an additional retainer of $109,500 per year. The Funds bear a portion of the Independent Trustees compensation. The Board reserves the right to award reasonable compensation to any Interested Trustee. The Trust does not maintain a retirement plan for its Trustees.
Prior to May 1, 2015, the Trust paid each Independent Trustee $1,000 per Fund per year, as well as reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred attending Trust meetings, to be paid quarterly. The Audit Committee Chairman received an additional $2,000 per year. In addition, the Chairman of the Board, if an Independent Trustee, received an additional $2,000 per year.
No interested persons who serve as a Trustee of the Trust receive any compensation for their services as Trustee.
The following table indicates the compensation received by each of the Trustees for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2015. No amounts were paid to the executive officers during this period.
Name and Position |
|
Aggregate Compensation From
|
|
Total Compensation From Trust and Fund
|
|
||
David Brooks Adcock |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
Nigel D. T. Andrews |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
E. Lee Beard |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
Sally M. Dungan |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
John L. Kelly |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
159,167 |
|
David L. Meyer |
|
$ |
1,678 |
|
$ |
70,972 |
|
Leigh A. Wilson |
|
$ |
2,517 |
|
$ |
238,750 |
|
* Each Trustee became a Trustee of the Trust on May 1, 2015.
The following table indicates the compensation received by each of the predecessor Trustees for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2015. No amounts were paid to the executive officers during this period.
Name and Position |
|
Aggregate Compensation
|
|
Total Compensation From Trust and Fund Complex
|
|
||
Donald T. Benson
|
|
$ |
23,000 |
|
$ |
23,000 |
|
John M. Gering
|
|
$ |
19,500 |
|
$ |
19,500 |
|
Ottis E. Mims
|
|
$ |
19,500 |
|
$ |
19,500 |
|
David J. Moore**
|
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
* Each predecessor Trustees term ended on April 30, 2015, ** Mr. Moore was an interested person of the Trust.
Trustees Ownership of Shares in the Funds . The following tables show the dollar ranges of Fund shares (and of shares of all series of the Victory Fund Complex) beneficially owned by the Trustees as of December 31, 2014. None of the Trustees beneficially own any shares of the Funds and the Trusts officers and Trustees, as a group, owned less than 1% of each Fund as of the date of this SAI. No Independent Trustee (or any immediate family member) owns beneficially or of record an interest in the Adviser, Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), or the predecessor investment adviser or distributor or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser or the Distributor (other than Funds in the Victory Funds Complex).
Independent Trustees.
Trustee |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial
|
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of
|
|
David Brooks Adcock |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
Nigel D. T. Andrews |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
E. Lee Beard |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
Sally M. Dungan |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
John L. Kelly |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
David L. Meyer |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
Leigh A. Wilson |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
Interested Trustee.
Trustee |
|
Dollar Range of
|
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of
|
|
Mr. Brown |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with Victory Capital Management Inc.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. A shareholder owning of record or beneficially more than 25% of a Funds outstanding shares may be considered a controlling person. That shareholders vote could have more significant effect on matters presented at a shareholders meeting than votes of other shareholders.
As of September 30, 2015, the following shareholder(s) of record owned 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each class of each Fund:
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund
Name & Address |
|
Class A Shares |
|
Percentage of Shares |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Attn: Mutual Funds 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94101 |
|
4,817,238 |
|
27.87 |
% |
LPL Financial LLC 75 State Street, 24 th Floor Boston, MA 02109 |
|
2,054,299 |
|
11.89 |
% |
NFS LLC FEBO Transamerica Life Ins 1150 S. Olive St Los Angeles, CA 90015 |
|
1,585,035 |
|
9.17 |
% |
Name & Address |
|
Class C Shares |
|
Percentage of Shares |
|
LPL Financial LLC 75 State Street, 24 th Floor Boston, MA 02109 |
|
334,794 |
|
36.04 |
% |
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund
Name & Address |
|
Class A Shares |
|
Percentage of Shares |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Attn: Mutual Funds 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94101 |
|
76,500 |
|
16.34 |
% |
LPL Financial LLC 75 State Street, 24 th Floor Boston, MA 02109 |
|
55,759 |
|
11.91 |
% |
Name & Address |
|
Class C Shares |
|
Percentage of Shares |
|
LPL Financial LLC 75 State Street, 24 th Floor Boston, MA 02109 |
|
191,510 |
|
48.40 |
% |
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund
Name & Address |
|
Class A Shares |
|
Percentage of Shares |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Attn: Mutual Funds 101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94101 |
|
488,587 |
|
17.74 |
% |
LPL Financial LLC 75 State Street, 24 th Floor Boston, MA 02109 |
|
379,292 |
|
14.09 |
% |
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund
Name & Address |
|
Class C Shares |
|
Percentage of Shares |
|
LPL Financial LLC 75 State Street, 24 th Floor Boston, MA 02109 |
|
120,074 |
|
19.65 |
% |
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Victory Capital Management Inc. (the Adviser), a New York corporation located at 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, serves as investment adviser to the Funds. Subject to the authority of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management of the Funds business affairs. The Adviser is responsible for selecting each Funds investments according to its investment objective, policies, and restrictions. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (VCH). A majority interest in VCH is owned by Crestview Partners II, L.P. and its affiliated funds (together, Crestview) with a substantial minority interest in VCH owned by employees of the Adviser. As of September 30, 2015, the Adviser and its affiliates managed assets totaling in excess of $33.3 billion for numerous clients including large corporate and public retirement plans, Taft-Hartley plans, foundations and endowments, high net worth individuals and mutual funds.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. Compass EMP is the investment franchise responsible for management of each Fund.
Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, effective May 1, 2015, each Fund pays the Adviser, on a monthly basis, an annual advisory fee based on the Funds average daily net assets, as described in the table below. Additionally, the Adviser may contractually agree to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses for one or more Funds as described in the prospectus from time to time.
Any waiver or reimbursement by the Adviser is subject to repayment by the respective Fund within the three fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement occurred (provided the Adviser continues to serve as investment adviser to the respective Fund), if the Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding its current expense limitations and the repayment is approved by the Board.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Boards approval of the Advisory Agreement is available in each Funds annual report to shareholders for the period ending June 30, 2015.
All expenses incurred in administration of the Funds will be charged to a particular Fund, including investment management fees; fees and expenses of the Board of Trustees; interest charges; taxes; brokerage commissions; expenses of valuing assets; expenses of continuing registration and qualification of the Funds and the shares under federal and state law; share issuance expenses; fees and disbursements of independent accountants and legal counsel; fees and expenses of custodians, including sub-custodians and securities depositories, transfer agents and shareholder account servicing organizations; expenses of preparing, printing and mailing prospectuses, reports, proxies, notices and statements sent to shareholders; expenses of shareholder meetings; costs of investing in underlying funds; and insurance premiums. The Funds are also liable for nonrecurring expenses, including litigation to which they may from time to time be a party. Expenses incurred for the operation of a particular Fund, including the expenses of communications with its shareholders, are paid by that Fund.
The Advisory Agreement with the Funds continues in effect for an initial two year term and then from year to year as long as its continuation is approved at least annually by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by the shareholders of the applicable Fund. The Advisory Agreement may be terminated at any time upon 60 days written notice by the relevant Fund or by a majority vote of the outstanding shares or 60 days written notice by the Adviser and will terminate automatically upon assignment.
The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the performance of its duties, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder.
The table below provides information about the advisory fees paid to the Adviser by the Funds for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2015:
|
|
Incurred |
|
Waived
|
|
Recouped |
|
|||
June 30, 2015* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Growth Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
(619 |
) |
$ |
0 |
|
Alternative Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
(28,964 |
) |
$ |
0 |
|
* For the period May 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015.
The table below provides information about the advisory fees paid to Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, the predecessor investment adviser until May 1, 2015, by the Funds for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the fiscal period ended June 30, 2014 and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015:
|
|
Incurred |
|
Waived
|
|
Recouped |
|
|||
June 30, 2015* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Growth Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
(21,681 |
) |
$ |
0 |
|
Alternative Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
(7,422 |
) |
$ |
0 |
|
June 30, 2014** |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
9,534 |
|
Growth Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
7,117 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Alternative Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
22,842 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
November 30, 2013 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
376,607 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Growth Fund |
|
$ |
307,203 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Alternative Fund |
|
$ |
991,641 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
**For the period July 1, 2014 through April 30, 2015.
**For the period December 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
As described in the Prospectus, the Portfolio Managers listed below are responsible for the management of the Funds and, as of June 30, 2015, the other accounts set forth in the following tables.
STEPHEN
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
ALEX
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
DAN
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
DAVID
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
ROBERT
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By
|
|
Number of
|
|
Total Assets By Account
|
|
||
Registered Investment Companies |
|
21 |
|
$ |
764.1 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Other Accounts |
|
102 |
|
$ |
12.5 million |
|
None |
|
$ |
0 |
|
O wnership of Securities
The following tables show the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the portfolio managers in each Fund as of June 30, 2015.
STEPHEN HAMMERS
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund |
|
$ |
10,001-50,000 |
|
ALEX PAZDAN
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
DAN BANASZAK
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
DAVID HALLUM
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
ROBERT BATEMAN
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the
|
|
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Compensation
The Adviser has designed the structure of its portfolio managers compensation to (1) align portfolio managers interests with those of the Advisers clients with an emphasis on long-term, risk-adjusted investment performance, (2) help the Adviser attract and retain high-quality investment professionals, and (3) contribute to the Advisers overall financial success. Each of the portfolio managers receives a base salary plus an annual incentive bonus for managing the Fund , separate accounts, other investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts (including any accounts for which the Adviser receives a performance fee) (together, Accounts). A portfolio managers base salary is dependent on the managers level of experience and expertise. The Adviser monitors each managers base salary relative to salaries paid for similar positions with peer firms by reviewing data provided by various consultants that specialize in competitive salary information.
Each of the portfolio management teams employed by the Adviser may earn incentive compensation based on a percentage of the Advisers revenue attributable to fees paid by Accounts managed by the team. The chief investment officer of each team, in coordination with the Adviser, determines the allocation of the incentive compensation earned by the team among the teams portfolio managers by establishing a target incentive for each portfolio manager based on the managers level of experience and expertise in the managers investment style.
Individual performance is based on objectives established annually using performance metrics such as portfolio structure and positioning, research, stock selection, asset growth, client retention, presentation skills, marketing to prospective clients and contribution to the Advisers philosophy and values, such as leadership, risk management and teamwork. The annual incentive bonus also factors in individual investment performance of each portfolio managers portfolio or the Fund relative to a selected peer group(s). The overall performance results for a manager are based on the composite performance of all Accounts managed by that manager on a combination of one, three and five year rolling performance periods as compared to the performance information of a peer group of similarly-managed competitors.
The Advisers portfolio managers may participate in the equity ownership plan of the Advisers parent company. There is an ongoing annual equity pool granted to certain employees based on their contribution to the firm. Eligibility for participation in these incentive programs depends on the managers performance and seniority.
Conflicts of Interest
The Advisers portfolio managers are often responsible for managing one or more Funds as well as other accounts, such as separate accounts, and other pooled investment vehicles, such as collective trust funds or unregistered hedge funds. A portfolio manager may manage other accounts which have materially higher fee arrangements than a Fund and may, in the future, manage other accounts which have a performance-based fee. A portfolio manager also may make personal investments in accounts they manage or support. The side-by-side management of the Funds along with other accounts may raise potential conflicts of interest by incenting a portfolio manager to direct a disproportionate amount of: (1) their attention; (2) limited investment opportunities, such as less liquid securities or initial public offering; and/or (3) desirable trade allocations, to such other accounts. In addition, certain trading practices, such as cross-trading between Funds or between a Fund and another account, raise conflict of interest issues. The Funds and the Adviser have policies and procedures in place, including the Advisers internal review process and oversight by the Board of Trustees, that are intended to mitigate those conflicts.
ADMINISTRATION, FUND ACCOUNTING AND TRANSFER AGENT SERVICES
Administrative and Fund Accounting Services
Commencing May 21, 2015, Victory Capital Management Inc. (VCM) serves as administrator to the Trust pursuant to an agreement dated July 1, 2006, as amended (the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement). Citi Fund Services of Ohio, Inc. (Citi) serves as sub-administrator to the Trust pursuant to an agreement with VCM dated July 1, 2006, as amended (the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement). As administrator, VCM supervises the Trusts operations, including the services that Citi provides to the Fund as sub-administrator, but excluding those that VCM supervises as investment adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board.
Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, for the administration and fund accounting services that VCM renders to the Trust, VCM is paid an annual fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates based on the aggregate average daily net assets of the Trust, Victory Portfolios (VP) and Victory Variable Insurance Funds (VVIF): 0.108% of the first $8 billion in aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets, plus 0.078% of aggregate Trust. VP and VVIF net assets in excess of $8 billion to $10 billion, plus 0.075% of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets in excess of $10 billion to $12 billion, plus 0.065% of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets in excess of $12 billion. VCM may periodically waive all or a portion of the amount of its fee that is allocated to the Funds in order to increase the Funds net income available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, the Trust, VP and VVIF reimburse VCM for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the services under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement.
Except as otherwise provided in the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, VCM pays all expenses that it incurs in performing its services and duties as administrator. Unless sooner terminated, the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement continues in effect for a period of three years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such continuance is ratified by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Funds and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to the Agreement. The Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement provides that VCM shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Trust
in connection with the matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.
Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, VCM coordinates the preparation, filing and distribution of amendments to the Trusts registration statement on Form N-1A, supplements to prospectuses and SAIs, and proxy materials in connection with shareholder meetings; drafts shareholder communications, including annual and semi-annual reports; administers the Trusts other service provider contracts; monitors compliance with investment restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act, the Funds investment objective, defined investment policies, and restrictions, tax diversification, and distribution and income requirements; coordinates the Funds service arrangements with financial institutions that make the Funds shares available to their customers; assists with regulatory compliance; supplies individuals to serve as Trust officers; prepares Board meeting materials; and annually determines whether the services that it provides (or the services that Citi provides as sub-administrator) are adequate and complete.
Sub-Administrative and Sub-Accounting Services
Citi
Citi serves as sub-administrator to the Funds pursuant to the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement. Citi assists in supervising all operations of the Funds (other than those performed by VCM either as investment adviser or administrator), subject to the supervision of the Board.
Under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement, for the sub-administration services that Citi renders to the Trust, VP and VVIF, VCM pays Citi an annual fee, computed daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates: 0.05% of the first $8 billion of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets; plus 0.02% of aggregate net assets of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets from in excess of $8 billion to $12 billion; plus 0.01% of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets in excess of $12 billion. Citi may periodically waive all or a portion of the amount of its fee that is allocated to the Funds in order to increase the net income of the Funds available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, the Trust, VP and VVIF reimburse Citi for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the services under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement.
Unless sooner terminated, the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement continues in effect as to the Fund for a period of three years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such continuance is ratified by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to the Agreement. The Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement provides that Citi shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.
Under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement, Citi calculates Trust expenses and make disbursements; calculates capital gain and distribution information; registers the Funds shares with the states; prepares shareholder reports and reports to the SEC on Forms N-SAR and N-Q; coordinates dividend payments; calculates the Funds performance information; files the Trusts tax returns; supplies individuals to serve as Trust officers; monitors the Funds status as regulated investment companies under the Code; assists in developing portfolio compliance procedures; reports to the Board amounts paid under shareholder service agreements; assists with regulatory compliance; obtains, maintains and files fidelity bonds and Trustees and officers/errors and omissions insurance policies for the Trust; and assists in the annual audit of the Funds.
Transfer Agent
SunGard Investor Services LLC (SunGard) located at 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as transfer agent for the Fund pursuant to a transfer agency agreement. Under its agreement with the Victory Funds, SunGard has agreed to (1) issue and redeem shares of the Fund; (2) address and mail all communications by the Fund to their shareholders, including reports to shareholders, dividend and distribution notices and proxy material for its meetings of shareholders; (3) respond to correspondence or inquiries by shareholders and others relating to its duties; (4) maintain shareholder accounts and certain sub-accounts; and (5) make periodic reports to the Board concerning the Funds operations.
The table below reflects fees that each Fund paid to VCM under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement for the last fiscal year ended June 30, 2015:
|
|
Balanced Fund |
|
Growth Fund |
|
Alternative
|
|
|||
June 30, 2015* |
|
$ |
5,340 |
|
$ |
1,964 |
|
$ |
5,705 |
|
|
|
* For the period May 21, 2015 to June 30, 2015.
The table below provides information about the administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent fees paid by the Funds to Gemini Fund Services, LLC, the Funds predecessor administrator, fund accountant and transfer agent for the fiscal the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the fiscal period ended June 30, 2014 and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015:
|
|
Balanced Fund |
|
Growth Fund |
|
Alternative
|
|
|||
June 30, 2015 |
|
$ |
51,161 |
|
$ |
25,322 |
|
$ |
35,334 |
|
June 30, 2014* |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
November 30, 2013 |
|
$ |
137,766 |
|
$ |
73,837 |
|
$ |
176,304 |
|
* For the period December 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.
CUSTODIAN
Citibank N.A., (the Custodian), located at 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of each Funds assets pursuant to a custody agreement (the Custody Agreement) by and between the Custodian and the Trust on behalf of the Funds. The Custodians responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling each Funds cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on the Funds investments. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the Custodian also maintains original entry documents and books of record and general ledgers; posts cash receipts and disbursements; and records purchases and sales based upon communications from the Adviser. Each Fund may employ foreign sub-custodians that are approved by the Board to hold foreign assets.
DISTRIBUTOR
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor), located at 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn OH 44144, serves as distributor for the continuous offering of the shares of the Funds pursuant to a Distribution Agreement between the Distributor and the Trust dated May 21, 2015, as amended (the Distribution Agreement). The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser. Unless otherwise terminated, the Distribution Agreement will remain in effect with respect to the Funds for two years and will continue thereafter for consecutive one-year terms, provided that the renewal is approved at least annually (1) by the Board or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Funds, and (2) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement will terminate in the event of its assignment, as defined under the 1940 Act.
Rule 12b-1 Plan
The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan and Agreement pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the Plan) pursuant to which the Fund is authorized to pay the Distributor, as compensation for Distributors account maintenance services under this Plan, a distribution and shareholder servicing fee at the rate of up to 0.25% for Class A shares and up to 1.00% for Class C shares of the Funds average daily net assets attributable to the relevant class. Such fees are to be paid by the Fund monthly, or at such other intervals as the Board shall determine. Such fees shall be based upon the Funds average daily net assets during the preceding month, and shall be calculated and accrued daily. The Fund may pay fees to the Distributor at a lesser rate, as agreed upon by the Board of Trustees of the Trust and the Distributor. The Rule 12b-1 Plan authorizes payments to the Distributor as compensation for providing account maintenance services to Fund shareholders, including arranging for certain securities dealers or brokers, administrators and others (Recipients) to provide these services and paying compensation for these services. The
Fund will bear its own costs of distribution with respect to its shares. The Fund may make other payments, such as contingent deferred sales charges imposed on certain redemptions of shares, which are separate and apart from payments made pursuant to the Plan.
The services to be provided by Recipients may include, but are not limited to, the following: assistance in the offering and sale of Fund shares and in other aspects of the marketing of the shares to clients or prospective clients of the respective recipients; answering routine inquiries concerning the Fund; assisting in the establishment and maintenance of accounts or sub-accounts in the Fund and in processing purchase and redemption transactions; making the Funds investment plan and shareholder services available; and providing such other information and services to investors in shares of the Fund as the Distributor or the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, may reasonably request. The distribution services shall also include any advertising and marketing services provided by or arranged by the Distributor with respect to the Fund.
The Distributor is required to provide a written report, at least quarterly to the Board of Trustees of the Trust, specifying in reasonable detail the amounts expended pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. Further, the Distributor will inform the Board of any Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Distributor to Recipients. From time to time, the Adviser or Distributor, at its expense, may provide additional compensation to dealers that sell or arrange for the sale of shares of a Fund. Such compensation provided by the Adviser or Distributor may include financial assistance to dealers that enable the Adviser or Distributor to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events and other dealer-sponsored events. Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA. The Adviser and Distributor make payments for events they deem appropriate, subject to applicable law. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event.
The Rule 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the Distributors compensation to be paid by the Fund, unless such amendment is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the affected class of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). All material amendments must be approved by a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and a majority of the Rule 12b- 1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on a Rule 12b-1 Plan. During the term of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the selection and nomination of non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of current non-interested Trustees. The Distributor will preserve copies of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, any related agreements, and all reports, for a period of not less than six years from the date of such document and for at least the first two years in an easily accessible place.
Any agreement related to the Rule 12b-1 Plan will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or the applicable Fund at any time upon sixty days written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the respective Rule 12b-1 Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or the Fund; (b) it will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act); and (c) it will continue in effect for a period of more than one year from the date of its execution or adoption only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such agreement.
The table below states the amounts paid by each Funds Class A and Class C shares under the Distribution plans for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2014 and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015. All such payments consisted of compensation to broker-dealers.
Fund |
|
Class A Shares |
|
Class C Shares |
|
||
June 30, 2015 |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
138,191 |
|
$ |
136,525 |
|
Growth Fund |
|
$ |
65,389 |
|
$ |
60,132 |
|
Alternative Fund |
|
$ |
110,296 |
|
$ |
81,273 |
|
June 30, 2014* |
|
|
|
|
|
||
Balanced Fund |
|
$ |
114,058 |
|
$ |
87,642 |
|
Growth Fund |
|
$ |
62,647 |
|
$ |
35,127 |
|
Alternative Fund |
|
$ |
77,932 |
|
$ |
63,119 |
|
*For the period December 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014
CODES OF ETHICS
Each of the Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor has adopted a Code of Ethics. The Adviser Code of Ethics applies to all Access Personnel (the Advisers directors and officers and employees with investment advisory duties) and all Supervised Personnel (all of the Advisers directors, officers and employees). Each Code of Ethics provides that Access Personnel must refrain from certain trading practices. Each Code also requires all Access Personnel (and, in the Adviser Code, all Supervised Personnel) to report certain personal investment activities, including, but not limited to, purchases or sales of securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds. Violations of any Code of Ethics can result in penalties, suspension, or termination of employment.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Board has delegated responsibilities for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by each Fund to the Adviser. The Adviser will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy voting policies and procedures, described below (Proxy Voting Policy).
The actual voting records relating to portfolio securities for each Fund during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request by calling toll-free, (888) 944-4367 or by accessing the SECs website at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the proxy voting will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.
The Advisers Proxy Voting Policy is designed to: (i) ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds with a view toward maximizing the value of their investments; (ii) address conflicts of interests between these shareholders, on the one hand, and affiliates of the Funds, the Adviser or the Distributor, on the other, that may arise regarding the voting of proxies; and (iii) provide for the disclosure of the Funds proxy voting records and the Proxy Voting Policy.
To assist the Adviser in making proxy-voting decisions, the Adviser has adopted the Proxy Voting Policy that establishes voting guidelines (Proxy Voting Guidelines) with respect to certain recurring issues. The Policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Advisers Proxy Committee (Proxy Committee) and revised when the Committee determines that a change is appropriate.
Voting under the Proxy Voting Policy may be executed through administrative screening per established guidelines with oversight by the Advisers Proxy Committee or upon vote by a quorum of the Committee. The Adviser delegates to Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), an independent service provider, the non-discretionary administration of proxy voting for the Trust, subject to oversight by the Proxy Committee. In no circumstances shall ISS have the authority to vote proxies except in accordance with standing or specific instructions given to it by the Adviser.
The Adviser votes proxies in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. This entails voting client proxies with the objective of increasing the long-term economic value of Fund assets. The Advisers Proxy Committee determines how proxies are voted by following established guidelines, which are intended to assist in voting proxies and are not considered rigid rules. The Proxy Committee is directed to apply the guidelines as appropriate. On occasion, however, a contrary vote may be warranted when such action is in the best interests of the Funds or if required by the Board. In such cases, the Adviser may consider, among other things:
· the effect of the proposal on the underlying value of the securities
· the effect on marketability of the securities
· the effect of the proposal on future prospects of the issuer
· the composition and effectiveness of the issuers board of directors
· the issuers corporate governance practices
· the quality of communications from the issuer to its shareholders
The Adviser may also take into account independent third-party, general industry guidance or other corporate governance review sources when making decisions. It may additionally seek guidance from other senior internal sources with special expertise on a given topic where it is appropriate. The investment teams opinion concerning the management and prospects of the issuer may be taken into account in determining whether a vote for or against a
proposal is in a Funds best interests. Insufficient information, onerous requests or vague, ambiguous wording may indicate that a vote against a proposal is appropriate, even when the general principal appears to be reasonable.
Occasionally, conflicts of interest arise between the Advisers interests and those of a Fund or another client. When this occurs, the Proxy Committee must document the nature of the conflict and vote the proxy in accordance with the Proxy Voting Guidelines unless such guidelines are judged by the Proxy Committee to be inapplicable to the proxy matter at issue. In the event that the Proxy Voting Guidelines are inapplicable or do not mitigate the conflict, the Adviser will seek the opinion of the Advisers Chief Compliance Officer or consult with an external independent adviser. In the case of a Proxy Committee member having a personal conflict of interest (e.g. a family member is on the board of the issuer), such member will abstain from voting. Finally, the Adviser reports to the Board annually any proxy votes that took place involving a conflict, including the nature of the conflict and the basis or rationale for the voting decision made.
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES
Subject to the general supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, the Adviser is responsible for making decisions with respect to the purchase and sale of portfolio securities on behalf of the Funds. The Adviser is also responsible for the implementation of those decisions, including the selection of broker/dealers to effect portfolio transactions, the negotiation of commissions, and the allocation of principal business and portfolio brokerage.
In purchasing and selling each Funds portfolio securities, it is the Advisers policy to obtain quality execution at the most favorable prices through responsible broker/dealers and, in the case of agency transactions, at competitive commission rates where such rates are negotiable. However, under certain conditions, a Fund may pay higher brokerage commissions in return for brokerage and research services. In selecting broker/dealers to execute a Funds portfolio transactions, consideration is given to such factors as the price of the security, the rate of the commission, the size and difficulty of the order, the reliability, integrity, financial condition, general execution and operational capabilities of competing brokers and dealers, their expertise in particular markets and the brokerage and research services they provide to the Adviser or the Funds. It is not the policy of the Adviser to seek the lowest available commission rate where it is believed that a broker or dealer charging a higher commission rate would offer greater reliability or provide better price or execution.
Transactions on stock exchanges involve the payment of brokerage commissions. In transactions on stock exchanges in the United States, these commissions are negotiated. Traditionally, commission rates have generally not been negotiated on stock markets outside the United States. In recent years, however, an increasing number of overseas stock markets have adopted a system of negotiated rates, although a number of markets continue to be subject to an established schedule of minimum commission rates. It is expected that equity securities will ordinarily be purchased in the primary markets, whether over-the-counter or listed, and that listed securities may be purchased in the over-the-counter market if such market is deemed the primary market. In the case of securities traded on the over-the-counter markets, there is generally no stated commission, but the price usually includes an undisclosed commission or markup. In underwritten offerings, the price includes a disclosed, fixed commission or discount.
For fixed income securities, it is expected that purchases and sales will ordinarily be transacted with the issuer, the issuers underwriter, or with a primary market maker acting as principal on a net basis, with no brokerage commission being paid by the Funds. However, the price of the securities generally includes compensation, which is not disclosed separately. Transactions placed through dealers who are serving as primary market makers reflect the spread between the bid and asked prices.
With respect to equity and fixed income securities, the Adviser may effect principal transactions on behalf of the Funds with a broker or dealer who furnishes brokerage and/or research services, designate any such broker or dealer to receive selling concessions, discounts or other allowances or otherwise deal with any such broker or dealer in connection with the acquisition of securities in underwritings. The prices the Funds pay to underwriters of newly-issued securities usually include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter. The Adviser may receive research services in connection with brokerage transactions, including designations in fixed price offerings.
The Adviser receives a wide range of research services from brokers and dealers covering investment opportunities throughout the world, including information on the economies, industries, groups of securities, individual companies, statistics, political developments, technical market action, pricing and appraisal services, and performance analyses of all the countries in which a Funds portfolio is likely to be invested. The Adviser cannot
readily determine the extent to which commissions charged by brokers reflect the value of their research services, but brokers occasionally suggest a level of business they would like to receive in return for the brokerage and research services they provide. To the extent that research services of value are provided by brokers, the Adviser may be relieved of expenses, which it might otherwise bear. In some cases, research services are generated by third parties but are provided to the Adviser by or through brokers.
Certain broker/dealers, which provide quality execution services, also furnish research services to the Adviser. The Adviser has adopted brokerage allocation policies embodying the concepts of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which permits an investment adviser to cause its clients to pay a broker which furnishes brokerage or research services a higher commission than that which might be charged by another broker which does not furnish brokerage or research services, or which furnishes brokerage or research services deemed to be of lesser value, if such commission is deemed reasonable in relation to the brokerage and research services provided by the broker, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities of the Adviser with respect to the accounts as to which it exercises investment discretion. Accordingly, the Adviser may assess the reasonableness of commissions in light of the total brokerage and research services provided by each particular broker.
Portfolio securities will not be purchased from or sold to the Adviser, or the Distributor, or any affiliated person of any of them acting as principal, except to the extent permitted by rule or order of the SEC.
The table below provides information about the broker commissions paid by the Funds for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the fiscal period ended June 30, 2014 and the fiscal year June 30, 2015:
|
|
Balanced Fund |
|
Growth Fund |
|
Alternative
|
|
|||
June 30, 2015 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
June 30, 2014* |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
November 30, 2013 |
|
$ |
118,327 |
|
$ |
118,327 |
|
$ |
118,327 |
|
*For the period December 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM
The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the Program) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act). To ensure compliance with this law, the Trusts Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program. The Trust appoints an Anti-Money Laundering Officer.
Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Funds Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity and a providing a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications. The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
As a result of the Program, the Trust may be required to freeze the account of a shareholder if the shareholder appears to be involved in suspicious activity or if certain account information matches information on government lists of known terrorists or other suspicious persons, or the Trust may be required to transfer the account or proceeds of the account to a governmental agency.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value per share for each class of shares of each Fund is determined each day the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open, as of the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE that day (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time), by dividing the value of a Funds net assets by the number of its shares outstanding. The NYSE is open Monday through Friday except on the following holidays: New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
In determining each Funds NAV per share, equity securities for which market quotations are readily available are valued at current market value using the last reported sales price. NASDAQ traded securities are valued using the NASDAQ official closing price (NOCP). If no sale price is reported, the mean between the current bid and asked prices is used. If market quotations are not readily available, then securities are valued at fair value as determined by the Board (or its delegate). U.S. government and agency securities are valued at the mean between the most recent bid and asked prices. Short-term debt instruments with a remaining maturity of more than 60 days, intermediate and long-term bonds, convertible bonds, and other debt securities are generally valued on the basis of dealer supplied quotations or by pricing system selected by the Adviser and approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust. Where such prices are not available, valuations will be obtained from brokers who are market makers for such securities. However, in circumstances where the Adviser deems it appropriate to do so, the mean of the bid and asked prices for over- the-counter securities or the last available sale price for exchange-traded debt securities may be used. Where no last sale price for exchange traded debt securities is available, the mean of the bid and asked prices may be used. Short-term debt securities with a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are amortized to maturity, provided such valuations represent par value.
Puts and calls are valued at the last sales price therefore, or, if there are no transactions, at the last reported sales price that is within the spread between the closing bid and asked prices on the valuation date. Futures are valued based on their daily settlement value. When a Fund writes a call, an amount equal to the premium received is included in the Funds Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset, and an equivalent deferred credit is included in the liability section. The deferred credit is adjusted (marked-to-market) to reflect the current market value of the call. If a call written by a Fund is exercised, the proceeds on the sale of the underlying securities are increased by the premium received. If a call or put written by a Fund expires on its stipulated expiration date or if a Fund enters into a closing transaction, it will realize a gain or loss depending on whether the premium was more or less than the transaction costs, without regard to unrealized appreciation or depreciation on the underlying securities. If a put held by a Fund is exercised by it, the amount the Fund receives on its sale of the underlying investment is reduced by the amount of the premium paid by the Fund.
Options are valued at the last reported sale price at the close of the exchange on which the security is primarily traded. If no sales are reported for the exchange-traded options, or the options are not exchange-traded, then they are valued at the mean of them most recent quoted bid and asked price. Futures contracts are valued at the daily quoted settlement prices.
Other securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available or for which valuation cannot be provided are valued as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
Trading in securities on Far Eastern securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets is normally completed well before the close of business on each business day in New York (i.e., a day on which the NYSE is open). In addition, Far Eastern securities trading generally or in a particular country or countries may not take place on all business days in New York. Furthermore, trading takes place in Japanese markets on certain Saturdays in various foreign markets on days, which are not business days in New York, and on which a Funds net asset value is not calculated. Each Fund calculates net asset value per share, and therefore effects sales, redemptions and repurchases of its shares, as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE once on each day on which the NYSE is open. Such calculation may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the majority of the portfolio securities used in such calculation. If events that may materially affect the value of such securities occur between the time when their price is determined and the time when the Funds net asset value is calculated, such securities may be valued at fair value as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE, EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
· Alternative Sales Arrangements - Class A, C and I Shares.
Alternative sales arrangements permit an investor to choose the method of purchasing shares that is more beneficial depending on the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor expects to hold shares and other relevant circumstances. When comparing the classes of shares, when more than one is offered in the same Fund, investors should understand that the purpose and function of the Class C asset-based sales charge are the same as those of the Class A initial sales charge. Any salesperson or other person entitled to receive compensation for selling Fund shares may receive different compensation with respect to one class of shares in comparison to another class of
shares. Generally, Class A shares have lower ongoing expenses than Class C shares, but are subject to an initial sales charge. Which class would be advantageous to an investor depends on the number of years the shares will be held. Over very long periods of time, the lower expenses of Class A shares may offset the cost of the Class A initial sales charge. Not all Investment Professionals will offer all classes of shares.
Each class of shares represents interests in the same portfolio investments of a Fund. However, each class has different shareholder privileges and features. The net income attributable to a particular class and the dividends payable on these shares will be reduced by incremental expenses borne solely by that class, including any asset-based sales charge to which these shares may be subject.
No initial sales charge is imposed on Class C shares. The Distributor may pay sales commissions to dealers and institutions who sell Class C shares of the Trust at the time of such sales. Payments with respect to Class C shares will equal 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares sold by the dealer or institution. The Distributor will retain all payments received by it relating to Class C shares for the first year after they are purchased. After the first full year, the Distributor will make monthly payments in the amount of 0.75% for distribution services and 0.25% for personal shareholder services to dealers and institutions based on the average NAV of Class C shares, which are attributable to shareholders for whom the dealers and institutions are designated as dealers of record. Some of the compensation paid to dealers and institutions is recouped through the CDSC imposed on shares redeemed within 12 months of their purchase. Class C shares are subject to the Rule 12b-1 fees described in the SAI under Distributor Rule 12b-1 Plan. There is no automatic conversion feature applicable to Class C shares, although financial institutions may be permitted to exchange class C shares for a share class with lower expenses under circumstances described in a Funds prospectus. Any options with respect to the reinvestment of distributions made by the Funds to Class C shareholders are offered only by the broker through whom the shares were acquired.
No initial sales charges or CDSCs are imposed on Class I shares. Class I shares are not subject to the Rule 12b-1 fees described in this SAI under Distributor Rule 12b-1 Plan. There is no automatic conversion feature applicable to Class I shares. Distributions paid to holders of a Funds Class I shares may be reinvested in additional Class I shares of that Fund or Class I shares of a different Fund.
The minimum investment required to open an account for Class I shares is $2,000,000. Class I shares are also available for purchase by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 Plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. The Fund will consider a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000. Only certain investors are eligible to buy Class I shares and your financial adviser or other financial intermediary can help you determine whether you are eligible to invest.
The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums. The Fund also reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund and shareholders.
The methodology for calculating the NAV, dividends and distributions of the share classes of each Fund recognizes two types of expenses. General expenses that do not pertain specifically to a class are allocated to the shares of each class, based upon the percentage that the net assets of such class bears to a Funds total net assets and then pro rata to each outstanding share within a given class. Such general expenses include (1) management fees, (2) legal, bookkeeping and audit fees, (3) printing and mailing costs of shareholder reports, prospectuses, statements of additional information and other materials for current shareholders, (4) fees to the Trustees who are not affiliated with the Adviser, (5) custodian expenses, (6) share issuance costs, (7) organization and start-up costs, (8) interest, taxes and brokerage commissions, and (9) non-recurring expenses, such as litigation costs. Other expenses that are directly attributable to a class are allocated equally to each outstanding share within that class. Such expenses include (1) Rule 12b-1 distribution fees and shareholder servicing fees, (2) incremental transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees and expenses, (3) registration fees, and (4) shareholder meeting expenses, to the extent that such expenses pertain to a specific class rather than to a Fund as a whole.
Class A Shares
You may purchase Class A shares at a public offering price equal to the applicable net asset value per share plus an up-front sales charge imposed at the time of purchase as set forth in the Prospectus. Set forth below is an example of
the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the Funds. The example assumes a purchase of Class A shares aggregating less than $50,000 subject to the schedule of sales charges set forth in the Prospectus at a price based upon the net asset value of the Class A shares.
All Funds |
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value per share |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
Per Share Sales Charge5.75% of public offering price (6.10% of net asset value per share) for each Fund |
|
$ |
0.61 |
|
Per Share Offering Price to the Public |
|
$ |
10.61 |
|
Class A Shares may be purchased at the public offering price through any securities dealer having a sales agreement with the Distributor. Shares may also be purchased through banks and certain other financial institutions that have agency agreements with the Distributor. These financial institutions will receive transaction fees that are the same as the commissions to dealers and may charge their customers service fees relating to investments in a Fund. Purchase requests should be addressed to the dealer or agent from which the Prospectus was received which has a sales agreement with the Distributor. Such dealer or agent may place a telephone order with the Distributor for the purchase of Fund shares. It is a dealers or brokers responsibility to promptly forward payment and registration instructions (or completed applications) to the Transfer Agent for shares being purchased in order for investors to receive the next determined net asset value (or public offering price). Reference should be made to the wire order to ensure proper settlement of the trade. Payment for redemptions of shares purchased by telephone normally will be processed within three business days.
Dealer Reallowances. The following table shows the amount of the front-end sales load that is reallowed to dealers as a percentage of the offering price of Class A shares of the Funds.
Amount of Purchase |
|
Initial Sales Charge:
|
|
Concession to Dealers:
|
|
Up to $49,999 |
|
5.75 |
% |
5.00 |
% |
$50,000 to $99,999 |
|
4.50 |
% |
4.00 |
% |
$100,000 to $249,999 |
|
3.50 |
% |
3.00 |
% |
$250,000 to $499,999 |
|
2.50 |
% |
2.00 |
% |
$500,000 to $999,999 |
|
2.00 |
% |
1.75 |
% |
$1,000,000 and above* |
|
0.00 |
% |
** |
|
* There is no initial sales charge on purchases of $1 million or more; however a sales concession and/or advance of a Rule 12b-1 fee may be paid and such purchases are potentially subject to a CDSC, as set forth below.
** Investment Professionals may receive payment on purchases of $1 million or more of Class A shares that are sold at NAV as follows: 0.75% of the current purchase amount if cumulative prior purchases sold at NAV plus the current purchase is less than $3 million; 0.50% of the current purchase amount if the cumulative prior purchases sold at NAV plus the current purchase is $3 million to $4,999,999; and 0.25% on of the current purchase amount if the cumulative prior purchases sold at NAV plus the current purchase is $5 million or more. In addition, in connection with such purchases, the Distributor or its affiliates may advance Rule 12b-1 fees of 0.25% of the purchase amount to Investment Professionals for providing services to shareholders.
Except as noted in this SAI, a CDSC of up to 0.75% may be imposed on any such shares redeemed within the first year after purchase. CDSCs are based on the lower of the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption. No CDSC is imposed on reinvested distributions.
The Distributor reserves the right to pay the entire commission to dealers. If that occurs, the dealer may be considered an underwriter under federal securities laws.
REDUCTION OF UP-FRONT SALES CHARGE ON CLASS A SHARES
Reduced sales charges are available for purchases of $50,000 or more of Class A shares of a Fund alone or in combination with purchases of other Class A shares of the Trust (except Funds that do not impose a sales charge). To obtain the reduction of the sales charge, you or your Investment Professional must notify the transfer agent at the time of purchase whenever a quantity discount is applicable to your purchase. An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner, investment adviser, or trust officer who provides investment information.
In addition to investing at one time in any combination of Class A shares of the Trust in an amount entitling you to a reduced sales charge, you may qualify for a reduction in, or the elimination of, the sales charge under various programs described in the prospectuses. The following points provide additional information about these programs.
Letters of Intent
If you anticipate purchasing $50,000 or more of shares of one Fund, or in combination with Class A shares of certain other Funds (excluding Funds that do not impose a sales charge), within a 13-month period, you may obtain shares of the portfolios at the same reduced sales charge as though the total quantity were invested in one lump sum, by filing a non-binding Letter of Intent (the Letter) within 90 days of the start of the purchases. Each investment you make after signing the Letter will be entitled to the sales charge applicable to the total investment indicated in the Letter. For example, a $2,500 purchase toward a $60,000 Letter would receive the same reduced sales charge as if the $60,000 had been invested at one time. To ensure that the reduced price will be received on future purchases, you or your Investment Professional must inform the transfer agent that the Letter is in effect each time shares are purchased. Neither income dividends nor capital gain distributions taken in additional shares will apply toward the completion of the Letter.
You are not obligated to complete the additional purchases contemplated by a Letter. If you do not complete your purchase under the Letter within the 13-month period, your sales charge will be adjusted upward, corresponding to the amount actually purchased and, if after written notice, you do not pay the increased sales charge, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay such charge.
If you purchase more than the amount specified in the Letter and qualify for a further sales charge reduction, the sales charge will be adjusted to reflect your total purchase at the end of 13 months. Surplus funds will be applied to the purchase of additional shares at the then current offering price applicable to the total purchase.
General
For purposes of determining the availability of reduced initial sales charges through letters of intent, rights of accumulation and concurrent purchases, the Distributor, in its discretion, may aggregate certain related accounts.
Limitation Across Certain Funds
The ability to apply a Letter of Intent or Rights of Accumulation to the Funds covered by this SAI in combination with other Victory Funds that are series of the Trust may be limited to the extent these Victory Funds employ different transfer agents. Similar limitations may exist on exchanges between these groups of Victory Funds. Your Investment Professional can provide information on your ability to combine purchases across these groups of Victory Funds under one of these programs to reduce the sales charge applicable to your investments or to exchange between them.
Rights of Accumulation
Rights of Accumulation permit reduced sales charges on future purchases of Class A shares after you have reached a new breakpoint. To determine your reduced sales charge, you can add the value of your Class A shares (or those held by your spouse (including life partner) and your children under age 21), determined at the previous days NAV, to the amount of your new purchase, valued at the current offering price.
WAIVERS OF UP-FRONT SALES CHARGE ON CLASS A SHARES
The Prospectus describes the classes of persons that may purchase shares without an up-front sales charge. The elimination of the up-front sales charge for purchases by certain classes of persons is provided because of anticipated economies of scale and sales related efforts.
To qualify for a waiver of the up-front sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares through a broker-dealer, when each purchase is made, the individual investor or the broker-dealer must provide the respective Fund with sufficient information to verify that the purchase qualifies for the discount.
The Funds make available, free of charge, more information about sales charge reductions and waivers through the prospectus or through your financial adviser.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
As described in the Funds Prospectus under How To Exchange Shares, each Fund offers an exchange privilege pursuant to which a shareholder in a Fund may exchange some or all of his shares in the other fund, in the same class shares at net asset value. The exchange privilege may be changed or discontinued upon 60 days written notice to shareholders and is available only to shareholders where such exchanges may be legally made. A shareholder considering an exchange should obtain and read the prospectus of that Fund and consider the differences between it and the Fund whose shares he owns before making an exchange. For further information on how to exercise the exchange privilege, contact the Transfer Agent.
REDEEMING SHARES
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Class A and C Shares. No CDSC is imposed on:
· the redemption of shares of any class subject to a CDSC to the extent that the shares redeemed (1) are no longer subject to the holding period for such shares, (2) resulted from reinvestment of distributions, or (3) were exchanged for shares of another Victory fund as allowed by the prospectus, provided that the shares acquired in such exchange or subsequent exchanges will continue to remain subject to the CDSC, if applicable, until the applicable holding period expires. In determining whether the CDSC applies to each redemption, shares not subject to a CDSC are redeemed first;
· redemptions following the death or post-purchase disability of (1) a registered shareholder on an account; or (2) a settlor of a living trust, of shares held in the account at the time of death or initial determination of post-purchase disability;
· certain distributions from individual retirement accounts, Section 403(b), Section 457 and Section 401 qualified plans, where redemptions result from (1) required minimum distributions with respect to that portion of such contributions that does not exceed 12% annually; (2) tax free returns of excess contributions or returns of excess deferral amounts; (3) distributions on the death or disability of the account holder; (4) distributions for the purpose of a loan or hardship withdrawal from a participant plan balance; or (5) distributions as a result of separation of service;
· distributions resulting as a result of a Qualified Domestic Relations Order or Domestic Relations Order required by a court settlement;
· redemptions of shares by the investor where the investors dealer or institution waived its commission in connection with the purchase and notifies the Distributor prior to the time of investment;
· amounts from a Systematic Withdrawal Plan (including Dividends), of up to an annual amount of 12% of the account value on a per fund basis, at the time the withdrawal plan is established; or
· participant-initiated distributions from employee benefit plans or participant-initiated exchanges among investment choices in employee benefit plans.
Reinstatement Privilege
Within 90 days of a redemption, a shareholder may reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds of Class A or Class C shares in the same class of shares of a Fund or any of the other Funds into which shares of the Fund are
exchangeable, as described above, at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. No service charge is currently made for reinvestment in shares of the Funds. Class C share proceeds reinstated do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinstated shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinstatement. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment. Any capital gain that was realized when the shares were redeemed is taxable and reinvestment will not alter any capital gains tax payable on that gain. If there has been a capital loss on the redemption, some or all of the loss may not be tax deductible, depending on the timing and amount of the reinvestment. Under the Code, if the redemption proceeds of Fund shares on which a sales charge was paid are reinvested in shares of the same Fund or another Fund offered by the Trust within 90 days of payment of the sales charge, the shareholders basis in the shares of the Fund that were redeemed may not include the amount of the sales charge paid. That would reduce the loss or increase the gain recognized from redemption. The Funds may amend, suspend, or cease offering this reinvestment privilege at any time as to shares redeemed after the date of such amendment, suspension, or cessation. The reinstatement must be into an account bearing the same registration.
NET ASSET VALUE
For each Fund, net asset value (NAV) per share is determined by dividing the total value of that Funds assets, less any liabilities, by the number of shares of that Fund outstanding.
The net asset value per share of each Fund is determined by the Administrator as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day when the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. The New York Stock Exchange is closed on the following holidays: New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day as observed.
Assets for which market quotations are available are valued as follows: (a) each listed security is valued at its closing price obtained from the respective primary exchange on which the security is listed, or, if there were no sales on that day, at its last reported current bid price; (b) each unlisted security is valued at the last current bid price obtained from the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System; (c) United States Government and agency obligations are valued based upon bid quotations from the Federal Reserve Bank for identical or similar obligations; (d) short-term money market instruments (such as certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances and commercial paper) are most often valued by bid quotation or by reference to bid quotations of available yields for similar instruments of issuers with similar credit ratings. All of these prices are obtained by the Administrator from services, which collect and disseminate such market prices. Bid quotations for short-term money market instruments reported by such a service are the bid quotations reported to it by the major dealers.
When approved by the Trustees, certain securities may be valued on the basis of valuations provided by an independent pricing service when such prices the Trustees believe reflect the fair value of such securities. These securities would normally be those, which have no available recent market value, have few outstanding shares and therefore infrequent trades, or for which there is a lack of consensus on the value, with quoted prices covering a wide range. The lack of consensus would result from relatively unusual circumstances such as no trading in the security for long periods of time, or a companys involvement in merger or acquisition activity, with widely varying valuations placed on the companys assets or stock. Prices provided by an independent pricing service may be determined without exclusive reliance on quoted prices and may take into account appropriate factors such as institutional-size trading in similar groups of securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other market data.
In the absence of an ascertainable market value, assets are valued at their fair value as determined by the Funds Adviser using methods and procedures reviewed and approved by the Trustees.
Short-term securities with remaining maturities of sixty days or less for which market quotations and information pricing service are not readily available are valued either at amortized cost or at original cost plus accrued interest, both of which approximate current value.
REDEMPTIONS IN KIND
Each Fund reserves the right to honor requests for redemption or repurchase orders by making payment in whole or in part in readily marketable securities (redemption in kind) if the amount of such request is large enough to affect operations. For example, if the request is greater than $250,000 or 1% of the Funds assets. The securities will be chosen by the Fund and valued at the Funds NAV. A shareholder may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities to cash.
TAX STATUS
The following discussion is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. All shareholders should consult a qualified tax adviser regarding their investment in the Fund.
Each Fund intends to qualify as regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), which requires compliance with certain requirements concerning the sources of its income, diversification of its assets, and the amount and timing of its distributions to shareholders. Such qualification does not involve supervision of management or investment practices or policies by any government agency or bureau. By so qualifying, the Fund should not be subject to federal income or excise tax on its net investment income or net capital gain, which are distributed to shareholders in accordance with the applicable timing requirements. Net investment income and net capital gain of the Fund will be computed in accordance with Section 852 of the Code.
Net investment income is made up of dividends and interest less expenses. Net capital gain for a fiscal year is computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund. Capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss. Capital loss carryforwards are available to offset future realized capital gains. To the extent that these carry forwards are used to offset future capital gains it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders.
Each Fund intends to distribute all of its net investment income, any excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, and any excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses in accordance with the timing requirements imposed by the Code and therefore should not be required to pay any federal income or excise taxes. Distributions of net investment income and net capital gain will be made after the end of each fiscal year, and no later than December 31 of each year. Both types of distributions will be in shares of the respective Fund unless a shareholder elects to receive cash.
To be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, each Fund must also (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, net income from certain publicly traded partnerships and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in such securities or currencies, and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Funds assets is represented by cash, U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities (for purposes of this calculation, generally limited in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the market value of the Funds assets and 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 of (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) any one issuer, two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.
If a Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M in any fiscal year, it will be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. As such, the Fund would be required to pay income taxes on its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Shareholders of the Fund generally would not be liable for income tax on the Funds net investment income or net realized capital gains in their individual capacities. Distributions to shareholders, whether from the Funds net investment income or net realized capital gains, would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund.
Each Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on certain undistributed amounts of ordinary income and capital gain under a prescribed formula contained in Section 4982 of the Code. The formula requires payment to
shareholders during a calendar year of distributions representing at least 98% of the Funds ordinary income for the calendar year and at least 98.2% of its capital gain net income (i.e., the excess of its capital gains over capital losses) realized during the one-year period ending October 31 during such year plus 100% of any income that was neither distributed nor taxed to the Fund during the preceding calendar year. Under ordinary circumstances, each Fund expects to time its distributions so as to avoid liability for this tax.
The following discussion of tax consequences is for the general information of shareholders that are subject to tax. Shareholders that are IRAs or other qualified retirement plans are exempt from income taxation under the Code.
Distributions of taxable net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.
Distributions of net capital gain (capital gain dividends) generally are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shares of the Fund have been held by such shareholders.
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, will be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their net investment income, which should include dividends from the Funds and net gains from the disposition of shares of the Funds. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in the Funds.
A redemption of Fund shares by a shareholder will result in the recognition of taxable gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholders tax basis in his or her Fund shares. Such gain or loss is treated as a capital gain or loss if the shares are held as capital assets. However, any loss realized upon the redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as capital gain dividends during such six-month period. All or a portion of any loss realized upon the redemption of shares may be disallowed to the extent shares are purchased (including shares acquired by means of reinvested dividends) within 30 days before or after such redemption.
Distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain will be taxable as described above, whether received in additional cash or shares. Shareholders electing to receive distributions in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the net asset value of a share on the reinvestment date.
All distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain, whether received in shares or in cash, must be reported by each taxable shareholder on his or her federal income tax return. Dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December as of a record date in such a month, if any, will be deemed to have been received by shareholders on December 31, if paid during January of the following year. Redemptions of shares may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and are also subject to these reporting requirements.
Under the Code, each Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service all distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case of certain exempt shareholders. Under the backup withholding provisions of Section 3406 of the Code, distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain and proceeds from the redemption or exchange of the shares of a regulated investment company may be subject to withholding of federal income tax in the case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the investment company with their taxpayer identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their status under the federal income tax law, or if the Fund is notified by the IRS or a broker that withholding is required due to an incorrect TIN or a previous failure to report taxable interest or dividends. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.
Options, Futures, Forward Contracts and Swap Agreements
To the extent such investments are permissible for a Fund, the Funds transactions in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, straddles and foreign currencies will be subject to special tax rules (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Funds securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains and convert short-term capital losses into
long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders.
To the extent such investments are permissible, certain of the Funds hedging activities (including its transactions, if any, in foreign currencies or foreign currency-denominated instruments) are likely to produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If the Funds book income exceeds its taxable income, the distribution (if any) of such excess book income will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the Funds remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipients basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If the Funds book income is less than taxable income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regular investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies
Investment by a Fund in certain passive foreign investment companies (PFICs) could subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax (including interest charges) on distributions received from the company or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the company, which tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, the Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a qualified electing fund (QEF election), in which case the Fund will be required to include its share of the companys income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether they receives any distribution from the company.
Each Fund also may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in such holdings to the market as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of the Funds taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed for the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Funds total return.
Foreign Currency Transactions
Each Funds transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt securities and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.
Foreign Taxation
Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties and conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of a Funds total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may be able to elect to pass through to the Funds shareholders the amount of eligible foreign income and similar taxes paid by the Fund. If this election is made, a shareholder generally subject to tax will be required to include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his or her pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund, and may be entitled either to deduct (as an itemized deduction) his or her pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing his or her taxable income or to use it as a foreign tax credit against his or her U.S. federal income tax liability, subject to certain limitations. In particular, a shareholder must hold his or her shares (without protection from risk of loss) on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 more days during the 30-day period surrounding the ex-dividend date to be eligible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to a gain dividend. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a shareholder who does not itemize deductions. Each shareholder will be notified within 60 days after the close of the Funds taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Fund will pass through for that year.
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 the Funds income will flow through to shareholders of the Fund. With respect to a Fund, gains from the sale of securities will be treated as derived from U.S. sources and certain currency fluctuation gains, including fluctuation gains from foreign currency-denominated debt securities, receivables and payables will be treated as ordinary income derived from U.S. sources. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign
source passive income, and to certain other types of income. A shareholder may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of his or her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution (FFI) or a non-financial foreign entity (NFFE) within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) may be subject to a generally nonrefundable 30% withholding tax on: (a) income dividends paid by a Fund after June 30, 2014 and (b) certain capital gain distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares paid by the Fund after December 31, 2016. FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (a) by an FFI, subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreement or other exemption, if it enters into a valid agreement with the IRS to, among other requirements, report required information about certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (b) by an NFFE, if it: (i) certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or (ii) if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them. A Fund may disclose the information that it receives from its shareholders to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of a Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.
Original Issue Discount and Pay-In-Kind Securities
Current federal tax law requires the holder of a U.S. Treasury or other fixed income zero coupon security to accrue as income each year a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased, even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.
Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as debt securities that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount (OID) is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A portion of the OID includable in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities (including certain pay-in-kind securities) may be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the accrued market discount on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
Some debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or OID in the case of certain types of debt securities. Generally, the Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.
A fund that holds the foregoing kinds of securities may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount, which is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would in the absence of such transactions.
Shareholders of the Fund may be subject to state and local taxes on distributions received from the Fund and on redemptions of the Funds shares.
A brief explanation of the form and character of the distribution accompany each distribution. In January of each year the Fund issues to each shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.
Shareholders should consult their tax advisers about the application of federal, state and local and foreign tax law in light of their particular situation.
SPECIAL RISK RELATED TO CYBER SECURITY
The Funds and their service providers have administrative and technical safeguards in place with respect to information security. Nevertheless, the Funds and their service providers are potentially susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a cyber-attack as the Funds are highly dependent upon the effective operation of their computer systems and those of their business partners. These risks include, among other things, the theft, misuse, corruption and destruction of data maintained online or digitally, denial of service on websites and other operational disruption and unauthorized release of confidential customer information. Cyber-attacks affecting the Adviser, the Distributor, the Funds, the custodians, the transfer agent, financial intermediaries and other affiliated or third-party service providers may adversely affect the Funds and their shareholders owners. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of Fund transactions, including the processing of orders, impact a Funds ability to calculate net asset values, cause the release and possible destruction of confidential customer or business information, impede trading, subject a Fund and/or its service providers and intermediaries to regulatory fines and financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. Cyber security risks may also affect the issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which may cause a Funds investments to lose value. A Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management in the future. Although the Funds and their service providers have adopted security procedures to minimize the risk of a cyber-attack, there can be no assurance that the Funds or their service providers will avoid losses affecting the Funds due to cyber-attacks or information security breaches in the future.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TRUST
As a Delaware statutory trust entity, the Trust need not hold regular annual shareholder meetings and, in the normal course, does not expect to hold such meetings. The Trust, however, must hold shareholder meetings for such purposes as, for example: (1) approving certain agreements as required by the 1940 Act; (2) changing fundamental investment objectives, policies, and restrictions of the Funds; and (3) filling vacancies on the Board of Trustees of the Trust in the event that less than a majority of the Trustees were elected by shareholders. Under the Trusts Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his/her earlier death, incapacity, resignation or removal. Vacancies may be filled by a majority of the remaining Trustees, except insofar as the 1940 Act may require the election by shareholders. Therefore, the Trust expects that there will be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by shareholders or unless matters arise requiring a vote of shareholders under the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act. At such time, the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders meeting. In addition, holders of record of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust may remove a Trustee from office by a vote cast in person or by proxy at a shareholder meeting called for that purpose at the request of holders of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of the Trust. The Funds have the obligation to assist in such shareholder communications. Except as set forth above, Trustees will continue in office and may appoint successor Trustees.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Funds independent registered public accounting firm is Cohen Fund Audit Service, LTD., located at 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115. Shareholders will receive annual financial statements, together with a report of the independent registered public accountants, and semiannual unaudited financial statements of the Funds. The independent registered public accountants will report on the Funds annual financial statements, review certain regulatory reports and the Funds income tax returns, and perform other professional accounting, auditing, tax and advisory services when engaged to do so by the Funds.
LEGAL MATTERS
Legal advice regarding certain matters relating to the federal securities laws applicable to the Funds and the offer and sale of their shares provided by Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55 th Street, New York, New York 10019.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements for the Funds are incorporated by reference to the Annual Report for the fiscal period ended June 30, 2015.
You can obtain a copy of the financial statements contained in the Funds Annual or Semi-Annual Report without charge by calling the Fund at 1-800-539-3863.
APPENDIX A - RATINGS
DESCRIPTION OF MOODYS CORPORATE BOND RATINGS
Aaa. Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as gilt edge. Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of these issues.
Aa. Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.
A. Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa. Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba. Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future payments cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.
B. Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Moodys applies the numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through B. The modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category.
DESCRIPTION OF MOODYS MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
Aaa. Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality and carry the smallest degree of investment risk. Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa. Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. They are rated lower than the Aaa bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities, or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude, or there may be other elements present which made the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.
A. Bonds which are rated A are judged to be upper medium grade obligations. Security for principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa. Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e.; they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba. Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate, and therefore not well safeguarded during both good and bad times. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.
B. Bonds which are rated B generally lack the characteristics of a desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of other terms of the contract over long periods may be small.
Caa. Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be elements of danger present with respect to principal or interest.
DESCRIPTION OF S&P CORPORATE BOND RATINGS
AAA. Bonds rated AAA have the highest rating assigned by S&P to a debt obligation. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA. Bonds rated AA have a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differ from the highest rated issues only in a small degree.
A. Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than bonds in higher rated categories.
BB. Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for bonds in this category than for bonds in higher rated categories.
BB and B. Bonds rated BB and B are regarded, on balance, as predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. BB represents a lower degree of speculation than B. While such bonds will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.
DESCRIPTION OF S&PS MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
AAA. Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA. Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree. The AA rating may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the AA rating category.
A. Debt rated A is regarded as safe. This rating differs from the two higher ratings because, with respect to general obligation bonds, there is some weakness that, under certain adverse circumstances, might impair the ability of the issuer to meet debt obligations at some future date. With respect to revenue bonds, debt service coverage is good but not exceptional and stability of pledged revenues could show some variations because of increased competition or economic influences in revenues.
BBB. Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having adequate capacity to pay principal and interest. Whereas they normally exhibit protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay principal and interest for bonds in this capacity than for bonds in the A category.
BB. Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other speculative grade debt, however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions which could lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payment.
B. Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default bit presently has the capacity to meet interest and principal payments. Adverse business, financial or economic conditions would likely impair capacity or willingness to pay interest and repay principal.
CCC. Debt rated CCC has a current identifiable vulnerability to default and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions to meet timely payments of principal. In the event of adverse business, financial or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the capacity to pay interest and repay principal.
DESCRIPTION OF FITCHS MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS
Debt rated AAA, the highest rating by Fitch, is considered to be of the highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable events.
Debt rated AA is regarded as very high credit quality. The obligors ability to pay interest and repay principal is very strong.
Debt rated A is of high credit quality. The obligors ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances than debt with higher ratings.
Debt rated BBB is of satisfactory credit quality. The obligors ability to pay interest and repay principal is adequate, however a change in economic conditions may adversely affect timely payment.
Debt rated BB is considered speculative. The obligors ability to pay interest and repay principal may be affected over time by adverse economic changes, however, business and financial alternatives can be identified which could assist the obligor in satisfying its debt service requirements.
Debt rated B is considered highly speculative. While bonds in this class are currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of continued timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligors limited margin of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic activity throughout the life of the issue.
Debt rated CCC has certain identifiable characteristics which, if not remedied, may lead to default. The ability to meet obligations requires an advantageous business and economic environment.
Plus (+) and minus (-) signs are used with a rating symbol (except AAA) to indicate the relative position within the category.
DESCRIPTION OF MOODYS RATINGS OF STATE AND MUNICIPAL NOTES AND OTHER SHORT-TERM LOANS
Moodys ratings for state and municipal notes and other short-term loans are designated Moodys Investment Grade (MIG). Such ratings recognize the differences between short-term credit risk and long-term risk. A short-term rating designated VMIG may also be assigned on an issue having a demand feature. Factors affecting the liquidity of the borrower and short-term cyclical elements are critical in short-term borrowing. Symbols used will be as follows:
MIG-l/VMIG-1. This designation denotes best quality. There is present strong protection by established cash flows, superior liquidity support or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG-2/VMIG-2. This designation denotes high quality. Margins of protection are ample although not so large as in the preceding group.
DESCRIPTION OF S&PS RATINGS OF STATE AND MUNICIPAL NOTES AND OTHER SHORT-TERM LOANS
Standard & Poors tax exempt note ratings are generally given to such notes that mature in three years or less. The two higher rating categories are as follows:
SP-1.Very strong or strong capacity to pay principal and interest. These issues determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics will be given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2.Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
Commercial paper rated Prime-l by Moodys are judged by Moodys to be of the best quality. Their short-term debt obligations carry the smallest degree of investment risk. Margins of support for current indebtedness are large or stable with cash flow and asset protection well insured. Current liquidity provides ample coverage of near-term liabilities and unused alternative financing arrangements are generally available. While protective elements may change over the intermediate or longer term, such changes are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of short-term obligations.
Issuers (or related supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
Commercial paper rated A by S&P have the following characteristics. Liquidity ratios are better than industry average. Long-term debt rating is A or better. The issuer has access to at least two additional channels of borrowing. Basic earnings and cash flow are in an upward trend. Typically, the issuer is a strong company in a well-established industry and has superior management. Issuers rated A are further refined by use of numbers 1, 2, and 3 to denote relative strength within this highest classification. Those issuers rated A-1 that are determined by S&P to possess overwhelming safety characteristics are denoted with a plus (+) sign designation.
Fitchs commercial paper ratings represent Fitchs assessment of the issuers ability to meet its obligations in a timely manner. The assessment places emphasis on the existence of liquidity. Ratings range from F-1+ which represents exceptionally strong credit quality to F-4 which represents weak credit quality.
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits
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Code of Ethics for NLD, previously filed on September 5, 2012 as an exhibit to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registrants Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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Code of Ethics for Quasar, previously filed on June 27, 2014 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrants Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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Powers of Attorney with respect to each trustee, previously filed on June 26, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 to the Registrants Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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Powers of Attorney for each of CEMPCLSSF Fund Limited and CEMPCSVWF Fund Limited, previously filed on June 26, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 to the Registrants Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
Item 29. Control Persons .
None.
Item 30. Indemnification .
Reference is made to Article VIII of the Registrants Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, Section 10 of the Investment Advisory Agreement, Sections 8 and 9 of the Underwriting Agreement with NLD, Articles 6 and 7 of the Distribution Agreement with Quasar, Section 8 of the Distribution Agreement with VCA, Article X of each Custody Agreement with US Bank, Section 12 of the Global Custodial Services Agreement with Citi, Section 4 of the Fund Services Agreement with GFS, Section 9 of the Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement with USBFS, Section 6 of the Fund Administration Servicing Agreement with USBFS, Section 9 of the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with Victory Capital, Section 7 of the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement with USBFS and Section 13 of the Form of Transfer Agency Agreement with SunGard. The application of these provisions is limited by the following undertaking set forth in the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission:
Article VIII, Section 2(b) provides that every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or document whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust, the officers or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in such Persons capacity as Trustee and/or as officer, and such Trustee or officer, as applicable, shall not be personally liable therefore, except as described in the last sentence of the first paragraph of Section 2 of Article VIII.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in such Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. The Registrant may maintain a standard mutual fund and investment advisory professional and directors and officers liability policy. The policy, if maintained, would provide coverage to the Registrant, its Trustees and officers, and could cover its advisers, among others. Coverage under the policy would include losses by reason of any act, error, omission, misstatement, misleading statement, neglect or breach of duty.
The Investment Advisory Agreement between Adviser and the Registrant provides that i n the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of obligations or duties hereunder on the part of the Adviser, or a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to receipt of compensation, neither the Adviser nor any of its
directors, officers, shareholders, agents, or employees shall be liable or responsible to the Trust, the Funds or to any shareholder of the Funds for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any loss suffered by the Trust, a Fund or any shareholder of a Fund in connection with the performance of the agreement.
The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Registrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold NLD, its several officers and directors, and any person who controls NLD within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act free and harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which NLD, its officers and directors, or any such controlling persons, may incur under the Securities Act, the 1940 Act, or common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon: (i) any untrue statement, or alleged untrue statement, of a material fact required to be stated in either any Registration Statement or any Prospectus, (ii) any omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact required to be stated in any Registration Statement or any Prospectus or necessary to make the statements in any of them not misleading, (iii) the Registrants failure to maintain an effective Registration statement and Prospectus with respect to Shares of the Funds that are the subject of the claim or demand, or (iv) the Registrants failure to provide NLD with advertising or sales materials to be filed with the FINRA on a timely basis.
The Fund Services Agreements with GFS provide that the Registrant agrees to indemnify and hold GFS harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to the Registrants refusal or failure to comply with the terms of the Agreement, or which arise out of the Registrants lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Registrants performance under or in connection with this Agreement.
Each of the Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement, Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement and Fund Administration Servicing Agreement with USBFS provides that USBFS will indemnify and hold the Trust harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys fees) that the Trust may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against the Trust by any person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by USBFS as a result of its refusal or failure to comply with the terms of the agreement, or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under the agreement. The term Trust includes the Trusts directors, trustees, officers and employees for purposes of this paragraph.
The Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement provides that Registrant will indemnify and hold harmless Victory Capital, and its employees, agents, directors, officers and nominees from and against any claims, demands, actions, suits, judgments, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees and other expenses including reasonable investigation expenses resulting directly and proximately from Victory Capitals performance of the Services (as defined in the agreement) or based, if applicable, upon its reasonable reliance on information, records, instructions or requests pertaining to the Services, that are given or made to it by Registrant, or other authorized
agents of Registrant with which Victory Capital must interface in providing the Services; provided that the indemnification does not apply to actions or omissions of Victory Capital involving bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence or reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties.
The Form of Transfer Agency Agreement with SunGard provides that Registrant will indemnify and hold harmless SunGard, its employees, agents, directors, officers and nominees from and against any and all claims, demands, actions and suits, and from and against any and all judgments, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees and other expenses of every nature and character arising out of or in any way relating to SunGard actions taken or omissions with respect to the performance of services under the agreement or based, if applicable, upon reasonable reliance on information, records, instructions or requests given or made to SunGard by Registrant, the investment adviser, fund accountant, administrator, sub-administrator or custodian thereof; provided that the indemnification does not apply to actions or omissions of SunGard in cases of its own bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence (gross negligence with respect to Portal Services) or reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties.
The Distribution Agreement with Quasar provides that the Trust agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Quasar (the Distributor as used in this section) and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Distributor against any loss, liability, claim, damages or expense (i) arising by reason of any person acquiring any shares or creation units, based upon the ground that the registration statement, prospectus, shareholder reports or other information filed or made public by the Trust included an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or an omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading or (ii) any breach of any representation, warranty or covenant made by the Trust in the Distribution Agreement. However, the Trust does not agree to indemnify the Distributor or hold it harmless to the extent that the statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor. In no case is the indemnity of the Trust to be deemed to protect the Distributor against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders to which the Distributor or such person otherwise would be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
Additionally, the Distributor agrees that it will indemnify and hold harmless the Trust and each of its Trustees and officers and each person who controls the Trust, against any loss, liability, damages, claim or expense based upon the Securities Act of 1933 or any other statute or common law and arising by reason of any person acquiring any shares or creation units, and alleging a wrongful act of the Distributor or any of its employees or alleging that the registration statement, prospectus, shareholder reports or other information filed or made public by the Trust included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements not misleading, insofar as the statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor. In no case is the indemnity of the Distributor in favor of the Trust or any other person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Trust or any other person against any liability to which the Trust or such other person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this agreement.
The Distribution Agreement with VCA provides that Registrant will indemnify and hold harmless VCA, its several officers and directors, and any person who controls VCA within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which any of them may become subject (a) as the result of acting as distributor of the Funds and entering into selling agreements, shareholder servicing agreements, or similar agreements with financial intermediaries on behalf of Registrant; (b) under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses or in any application or other document (collectively, Trust Materials) executed by or on behalf of Registrant, (ii) information furnished by or on behalf of Registrant filed in any state in order to qualify the Shares under the securities or blue sky laws thereof (Blue Sky Application), (iii) any omission or alleged omission to state in any Trust Materials or Blue Sky Application a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (iv) any Registrant -related advertisement or sales literature that contains any untrue statement, or alleged untrue statement, of a material fact, or any omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact required to be stated therein to make the statements therein not misleading, due to actions by a Fund or its investment adviser that are contrary to statements made in such advertisements or sales literature; or (c) arising out of or based upon the electronic
processing of orders over the Internet at the Registrants request, and will reimburse VCA, its several officers and directors, and any person who controls VCA within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in investigating, defending, or preparing to defend any such action, proceeding or claim; provided, however, that Registrant shall not be liable in any case to the extent that such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of, or is based upon, (A) any untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses, any Blue Sky Application or any application or other document executed by or on behalf of Registrant in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to Registrant by or on behalf of and with respect to VCA specifically for inclusion therein, or (B) the willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence of VCA in the performance of its duties or VCAs reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement.
Item 31. Activities of Investment Adviser.
Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (VCH). A majority of the equity interest in VCH is owned by Crestview Partners, through one or more investment vehicles, with employees of Adviser owning a substantial minority interest in VCH. Adviser provides investment advisory services to institutional clients including corporations, non-profits, public funds, Taft-Harley and sub-advisory clients. Adviser offers domestic and international equity and domestic fixed income strategies to investors through a variety of products, including mutual funds, separate accounts, and collective trust funds. As of September 30, 2015, Adviser had approximately $33.3 billion in assets under management and advisement. Advisers principal offices are located at 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4 th Floor, Brooklyn, OH 44144, with additional offices in New York, Cincinnati, Tampa and Denver.
To the knowledge of Registrant, none of the directors or officers of the Adviser, except those set forth below, is or has been at any time during the past two calendar years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature, except that prior to August 1, 2013, certain directors and officers of the Adviser also held positions with the former parent company of Adviser, KeyCorp or its subsidiaries, located at 127 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio 44114.
The principal executive officers and directors of Adviser and VCH are as follows :
David C. Brown |
|
· Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Adviser and VCH |
Christopher A. Ohmacht |
|
· Director, President of Adviser and VCH |
Michael D. Policarpo, II |
|
· Director, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Adviser and VCH |
Gregory J. Ewald |
|
· Director, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Adviser and VCH |
The business address of the foregoing individuals is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4 th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
Item 32. Principal Underwriter.
(a)(1)(a) Shares of the mutual fund series of Victory Portfolios II are currently distributed by NLD. In addition to acting as the principal underwriter for the mutual fund series of Victory Portfolios II, NLD acts as principal underwriter for the following: AdvisorOne Funds; AmericaFirst Quantitative Funds; Arrow ETF Trust; Copeland Trust, Equinox Funds Trust; Forefront Income Trust; Forethought Variable Insurance Trust; GL Beyond Income Fund; Miller Investment Trust; Morgan Creek Series Trust; Mutual Fund Series Trust; Nile Capital Investment Trust; North Country Funds; Northern Lights Fund Trust; Northern Lights Fund Trust II; Northern Lights Fund Trust III; Northern Lights Variable Trust; OCM Mutual Fund; The Multi-Strategy Growth & Income Fund; The Saratoga Advantage Trust; Total Income+ Real Estate Fund; Tributary Funds, Inc.; and Two Roads Shared Trust and Vertical Capital Income Fund.
(a)(1)(b) On or about November 9, 2015, VCA will replace NDL as the principal underwriter of the mutual fund series of Victory Portfolios II. VCA also acts as principal underwriter for Victory Portfolios, Victory Variable Insurance Funds and Victory Institutional Funds.
(a)(2) In addition to acting as principal underwriter for the exchange traded fund series of Victory Portfolios II, Quasar acts as the principal underwriter for the following
Academy Funds Trust |
|
Jensen Portfolio, Inc. |
Advisors Series Trust |
|
Kirr Marbach Partners Funds, Inc. |
Aegis Funds |
|
LKCM Funds |
Allied Asset Advisors Funds |
|
LoCorr Investment Trust |
Alpha Architect ETF Trust |
|
Loeb King Trust |
Alpine Equity Trust |
|
Lord Asset Management Trust |
Alpine Income Trust |
|
MainGate Trust |
Alpine Series Trust |
|
Managed Portfolio Series |
Angel Oak Funds Trust |
|
Matrix Advisors Value Fund, Inc. |
Appleton Funds |
|
Merger Fund |
Barrett Opportunity Fund, Inc. |
|
Monetta Trust |
Brandes Investment Trust |
|
Nicholas Family of Funds, Inc. |
Bridge Builder Trust |
|
Oaktree Funds |
Bridges Investment Fund, Inc. |
|
Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds, Inc. |
Brookfield Investment Funds |
|
Perritt Funds, Inc. |
Brown Advisory Funds |
|
PRIMECAP Odyssey Funds |
Buffalo Funds |
|
Professionally Managed Portfolios |
CG Funds Trust |
|
Prospector Funds, Inc. |
DoubleLine Funds Trust |
|
Provident Mutual Funds, Inc. |
ETF Series Solutions |
|
Purisima Funds |
Evermore Funds Trust |
|
Rainier Investment Management Mutual Funds |
FactorShares Trust |
|
RBC Funds Trust |
First American Funds, Inc. |
|
SCS Financial Funds |
First American Investment Funds, Inc. |
|
Stone Ridge Trust |
First American Strategy Funds, Inc. |
|
Stone Ridge Trust II |
FundX Investment Trust |
|
Thompson IM Funds, Inc. |
Glenmede Fund, Inc. |
|
Trust for Professional Managers |
Glenmede Portfolios |
|
Trust for Advised Portfolios |
Greenspring Fund, Inc. |
|
USA Mutuals |
Guinness Atkinson Funds |
|
Victory Portfolios II |
Harding Loevner Funds, Inc. |
|
Wall Street Fund, Inc. |
Hennessy Funds Trust |
|
Westchester Capital Funds |
Hotchkis & Wiley Funds |
|
Wisconsin Capital Funds, Inc. |
Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust |
|
WY Funds |
IronBridge Funds, Inc. |
|
YCG Funds |
Jacob Funds, Inc. |
|
|
(b)(1)NLD is an affiliate of Gemini Fund Services, LLC. To the best of Registrants knowledge, the following are the members and officers of NLD:
Name |
|
Positions and Offices with Underwriter |
|
Positions and Offices with Trust |
Brian Nielsen |
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Manager, CEO, Secretary |
|
None |
Bill Wostoupal |
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President |
|
None |
Daniel Applegarth |
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Treasurer/NLOP |
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None |
Mike Nielsen |
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Chief Compliance Officer and AML Compliance Officer |
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None |
The principal business address of each member and officer of NLD is 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130.
(b)(1)(b) VCA, 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, acts solely as distributor for the investment companies listed above. The officers of VCA, all of whose principal business address is set forth above, are:
Name |
|
Positions and Offices with Underwriter |
|
Positions and Offices with Registrant |
Michael D. Policarpo II |
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President |
|
None |
Donald Inks |
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Financial Operations Principal, Treasurer |
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None |
Kim Oeder |
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Chief Compliance Officer and AML Officer |
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None |
Gregory J Ewald |
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Chief Legal Officer and Secretary |
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None |
(b)(2) To the best of Registrants knowledge, the directors and executive officers of Quasar Distributors, LLC are as follows:
Name |
|
Position and Offices with Underwriter |
|
Positions and Offices with Trust |
James R. Schoenike(1) |
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President, Board Member |
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None |
Andrew M. Strnad(2) |
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Vice President, Secretary |
|
None |
Joe D. Redwine(1) |
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Board Member |
|
None |
Robert Kern(1) |
|
Board Member |
|
None |
Susan LaFond(1) |
|
Vice President, Treasurer |
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None |
Joseph Bree(1) |
|
Chief Financial Officer, Board Member |
|
None |
Teresa Cowan(1) |
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Senior Vice President, Assistant Secretary |
|
None |
John Kinsella(3) |
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Assistant Treasurer |
|
None |
Brett Scribner(3) |
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Assistant Treasurer |
|
None |
(1)Principal business address is 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202.
(2)Principal business address is 6602 East 75th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46250.
(3)Principal business address is 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55402.
(c) Not applicable.
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records .
All accounts, books and documents required to be maintained by the Registrant pursuant to Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Rules 31a-1 through 31a-3 thereunder are maintained at the office of the Registrant, Adviser, Principal Underwriters, Administrators and Custodians at the addresses stated in the SAI.
Item 34. Management Services . Not applicable.
Item 35. Undertakings . The Registrant undertakes that each Subsidiary and each Director of each Subsidiary hereby consents to service of process within the United States, and to examination of its books and records.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act) and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this registration statement under rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of New York and State of New York on the 28th day of October, 2015.
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II |
|
|
|
|
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By: |
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
|
|
|
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Christopher K. Dyer, President |
|
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 28th day of October, 2015.
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
|
President |
Christopher K. Dyer |
|
|
|
|
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/s/ Christopher A. Ponte |
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Treasurer |
Christopher A. Ponte |
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
Chairman of the Board and Trustee |
Leigh A. Wilson |
|
|
|
|
|
* |
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Trustee |
David Brooks Adcock |
|
|
|
|
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* |
|
Trustee |
Nigel D. T. Andrews |
|
|
|
|
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* |
|
Trustee |
E. Lee Beard |
|
|
|
|
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* |
|
Trustee |
David C. Brown |
|
|
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
Sally M. Dungan |
|
|
|
|
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* |
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Trustee |
John L. Kelly |
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|
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
David L. Meyer |
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*By: |
/s/ Jay G. Baris |
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Jay G. Baris |
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Attorney-in-Fact |
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VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Item 36.
Exhibit Number |
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Exhibits: |
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|
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EX-99.(a)(1)(c) |
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Amendment to Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as of October 21, 2015. |
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|
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EX-99.(e)(5)(a) |
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Distribution Agreement with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, dated May 21, 2015 with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant. |
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|
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EX-99.(e)(5)(b) |
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Amendment dated August 19, 2015 to the Distribution Agreement with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. |
|
|
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EX-99.(g)(3)(a) |
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Global Custodial Services Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, dated August 5, 2008 with CitiBank, N.A. |
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|
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EX-99.(g)(3)(b) |
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Amended Fund Appendix with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, dated May 22, 2014 with CitiBank, N.A. |
|
|
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EX-99.(g)(3)(c) |
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Amendment and Joinder to the Global Custodial Services Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, dated August 19, 2015 with CitiBank, N.A. |
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|
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EX-99.(h)(3)(a) |
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Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, dated July 1, 2006 with Victory Capital Management Inc. |
|
|
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EX-99.(h)(3)(b) |
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Amendment dated July 1, 2009 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant. |
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|
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EX-99.(h)(3)(c) |
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Amendment No. 2 dated July 1, 2012 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant. |
|
|
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EX-99.(h)(3)(d) |
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Amendment No. 3 dated May 21, 2015 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant. |
|
|
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EX-99.(h)(3)(e) |
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Amendment No. 4 dated August 19, 2015 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant. |
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EX-99.(h)(5)(a) |
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Form of Transfer Agency Agreement with SunGard Investor Services LLC. with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant. |
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|
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EX-99.(i)(3) |
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Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated October 25, 2015 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated October 25, 2015 relating to the Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6 and Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6. |
|
|
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EX-99.(i)(4) |
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Consent of Morrison & Foerster LLP. |
|
|
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EX-99.(i)(5) |
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Consent of BBD, LLP. |
Exhibit 99.B(a)(1)(c)
AMENDMENT TO
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
COMPASS EMP FUNDS TRUST
DATED AUGUST 19, 2015
THIS AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST OF COMPASS EMP FUNDS TRUST, dated August 19, 2015, (the Declaration of Trust), is made as of October 21, 2015 in accordance with Article IX, Section 5 of the Declaration of Trust and reflects resolutions adopted by the Board of Trustees of Compass EMP Funds Trust on August 19, 2015.
Article I, Section 1 of the Declaration of Trust is hereby amended to read as follows:
The name of the Trust is Victory Portfolios II and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name, or any other name as they may from time to time determine.
All other references to Compass EMP Funds Trust in the Declaration of Trust are hereby replaced with references to Victory Portfolios II.
Signature Page Follows
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being all the Trustees of the Trust, have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.
/s/ David B. Adcock |
|
/s/ Nigel D.T. Andrews |
David B. Adcock, |
|
Nigel D.T. Andrews, |
as Trustee and not individually |
|
as Trustee and not individually |
|
|
|
|
|
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/s/ E. Lee Beard |
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/s/ David C. Brown |
E. Lee Beard, |
|
David C. Brown, |
as Trustee and not individually |
|
as Trustee and not individually |
|
|
|
/s/ Sally M. Dungan |
|
/s/ John L. Kelly |
Sally M. Dungan, |
|
John L. Kelly, |
as Trustee and not individually |
|
as Trustee and not individually |
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ David L. Meyer |
|
/s/ Leigh A. Wilson |
David L. Meyer, |
|
Leigh A. Wilson, |
as Trustee and not individually |
|
as Trustee and not individually |
Exhibit 99.B(e)(5)(a)
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
between
COMPASS EMP FUNDS TRUST
and
VICTORY CAPITAL ADVISERS, INC.
This DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT is made as of this 21 st day of May, 2015 between Compass EMP Funds Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (herein called the Trust), and Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., a Delaware corporation (herein called the Distributor).
WHEREAS , the Trust is an open-end management investment company and is so registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act); and
WHEREAS , the Trust desires to retain the Distributor as distributor for each of the Trusts separate portfolios set forth on Schedule I hereto, as such Schedule may be revised from time to time (each a Fund and, collectively, the Funds) to provide for the sale and distribution of shares of beneficial interest of the Funds (herein collectively called Shares), and the Distributor is willing to render such services;
NOW THEREFORE , in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants set forth herein the parties hereto agree as follows:
I. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS
The Trust has delivered to the Distributor copies of each of the following documents and will promptly deliver to it all future amendments and supplements thereto, if any:
(a) The Trusts Certificate of Trust and Trust Instrument and all amendments thereto (such Certificate of Trust and Trust Instrument, together with any amendments thereto, as presently in effect and as it shall from time to time be amended, herein called the Trusts Certificate);
(b) The Bylaws of the Trust (such Bylaws, as presently in effect and as they shall from time to time be amended, herein called the Bylaws);
(c) Resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board) authorizing the execution and delivery of this Agreement;
(d) The Trusts most recent Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ( the Securities Act), and under the 1940 Act, on Form N-1A as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC or Commission) (said Registration Statement, as presently in effect and as amended or supplemented from time to time, is herein called the Registration Statement);
(e) Notification of Registration of the Trust under the 1940 Act on Form N-8A as filed with the Commission; and
(f) prospectuses and the statement of additional information for the Funds, as presently filed with the Commission (said prospectuses and statement of additional information as presently in effect and as amended or supplemented from time to time herein called individually the Prospectus and, collectively, the Prospectuses).
(g) 12b-1 Plan(s); and
(h) Shareholder servicing plan(s).
II. DISTRIBUTION
1. Appointment of Distributor . The Trust hereby appoints the Distributor as Principal Distributor of the Funds Shares and the Distributor hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to render the services and duties set forth in this Section II.
2. Services and Duties .
(a) The Trust agrees to sell Shares of the Funds (whether authorized but unissued or treasury shares, in the Trusts sole discretion) through the Distributor from time to time during the term of this Agreement, upon the terms and at the current offering price as described in the Prospectus. In affecting such sales, the Distributor shall, in all cases, act as an agent of the Trust, and will act in its own behalf as principal only in making agreements with selected dealers or others for the sale and redemption of Shares. The Distributor shall not be obligated to sell any certain number of Shares. Each Fund reserves the right to issue Shares in connection with any merger or consolidation of the Trust or any Fund with any other investment company or personal holding company or in connection with offers of exchange exempted from Section 11(a) of the 1940 Act.
(b) In all matters relating to the sale and redemption of Shares, the Distributor will act in conformity with the Trusts Certificate, Bylaws, Registration Statement and Prospectus and with the instructions and directions of the Board and will conform to and comply with the requirements of the Securities Act, the 1940 Act, the regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and all other applicable federal or state laws and regulations. In connection with such sales, the Distributor acknowledges and agrees that it is not authorized to provide any information or make any representations other than as contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectuses and any sales literature specifically approved by the Trust.
(c) The Distributor will bear the cost of (i) printing and distributing any Prospectus (including any supplement thereto) to persons who are not either shareholders or counsel, independent accountants or other persons providing similar services to the Trust, and (ii) preparing, printing and distributing any literature, advertisement or material which is primarily intended to result in the sale of the Shares; provided , however , that the Distributor shall not be obligated to bear the expenses incurred by the Trust in connection with the preparation and printing of any amendment to any Registration Statement or Prospectuses necessary for the continued effective registration of the Shares under the Securities Act; and provided further , that each Fund will bear the expenses incurred and other payments made in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement and any plan now in existence or hereafter adopted with respect to such Fund, or any class or classes of shares of such Fund, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (each a Plan).
(d) The Distributor agrees to be responsible for implementing and/or operating the Plans in accordance with the terms thereof. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, the Distributor and the Trust agree that, in cases where the Distributor enters into a contract on behalf of the Trust with a seller of the Shares under which contract the Distributor agrees to make payments to the seller in accordance with the Plans or shareholder servicing plans adopted by the Funds (the Shareholder Servicing Plans) or to cause such payments to be made, the Trust shall, subject to and in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Plans, the Shareholder Servicing Plans, the Prospectuses and the statements of additional information of the Funds (as all are in existence at the time of the sale of the Shares), make such payments directly to the Distributor and the Distributor shall, promptly upon receipt of such payments from the Trust, transfer and pay over such payments to the appropriate seller. In the event the Distributor contemplates entering into such a contract with a seller, the Distributor must notify the Trust of its intention to do so and obtain the Trusts consent thereto prior to entering into the contract, which consent may be given or withheld in the Trust sole discretion and may be oral or in writing.
(e) All Shares of the Funds offered for sale by the Distributor shall be offered for sale at a price per Share (the offering price) equal to their net asset value (determined in the manner set forth in the Trusts Certificate and then current Prospectuses) plus any applicable sales charge as set forth in the then current Prospectuses. The offering price, if not an exact multiple of one cent, shall be adjusted to the nearest cent.
(f) If any Shares sold by the Distributor under the terms of this Agreement are redeemed or repurchased by the Trust or by the Distributor as an agent of the Trust, or are tendered for redemption within seven (7) business days after the date of confirmation of the original purchase of said Shares, the Distributor shall forfeit the amount (if any) of the net asset value received by it in respect of such Shares, provided that the portion, if any, of such amount (if any) re-allowed by the Distributor from the broker-dealers or other persons shall be repayable to the Trust only to the extent recovered by the Distributor from the broker-dealers or other person concerned. The Distributor shall include in the forms of agreement with such broker-dealers and other persons a corresponding provision for the forfeiture by them of their concession with respect to Shares sold by them or their principals and redeemed or repurchased by the Trust or by the Distributor as agent (or tendered for redemption) within seven (7) business days after the date of confirmation of such original purchases.
3. Sales and Redemptions .
(a) The Trust shall pay all costs and expenses in connection with the registration of Shares under the Securities Act, and all expenses in connection with maintaining facilities for the issue and transfer of the Shares and for supplying
information, prices and other data to be furnished by the Trust hereunder, and all expenses in connection with preparing, printing and distributing the Prospectuses except as set forth in subsection 2(c) of Section II hereof.
(b) The Trust shall execute all documents, furnish all information and otherwise take all actions which may be reasonably necessary in the discretion of the Trusts officers in connection with the qualification of the Shares for sale in such states as the Distributor may designate to the Trust and the Trust may approve, and the Trust shall pay all filing fees which may be incurred in connection with such qualification. The Distributor shall pay all expenses connected with its qualification as a dealer under state or federal laws and, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, all other expenses incurred by the Distributor in connection with the sale of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement. It is understood that certain advertising, marketing, shareholder servicing, administration and/or distribution expenses to be incurred in connection with the Shares will be paid by the Funds as provided in this Agreement and in the Plans relating thereto.
(c) The Trust shall furnish from time to time, for use in connection with the sale of the Shares, such supplemental information with respect to the Funds and the Shares as the Distributor may reasonably request, and the Trust warrants that any such supplemental information fairly shows or represents what it purports to show or represent. The Trust shall also furnish the Distributor upon request with: (i) unaudited semi-annual financial statements of the Funds prepared by the Trust, (ii) a monthly itemized list of the securities held by each Fund, (iii) monthly balance sheets as soon as practicable after the end of each month, and (iv) from time to time such additional information regarding the financial condition of the Funds as the Distributor may reasonably request.
(d) The Trust shall have the right to suspend the sale of Shares of any Fund at any time in response to conditions in the securities markets or otherwise, and to suspend the redemption of Shares of any Fund at any time permitted by the 1940 Act or the rules of the SEC (Rules).
(e) The Trust reserves the right to reject any purchase order for Shares.
(f) The Trust may use, or may request the Distributor to use, an electronic processing system over the internet in which electronically transmitted orders are forwarded electronically for processing under circumstances in which the Distributor will not review the orders. Under such circumstances, the Trust acknowledges and agrees that it will independently determine that any third party used by the Trust to process orders is a satisfactory service provider to process such orders without the Distributors review.
(g) The Trust authorizes the Distributor and dealers to use the most current Prospectus in the form furnished by the Trust in connection with the sale of the Shares.
(h) The Trust agrees to advise (directly or through one of its service providers) the Distributor as soon as reasonably practical by a notice in writing delivered to the Distributor pursuant to Section VIII.:
(i) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the Registration Statement or Prospectuses then in effect or for additional information;
(ii) in the event of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or Prospectuses then in effect or the initiation by service of process on the Trust of any proceeding for that purpose;
(iii) of the happening of any event that makes untrue any statement of a material fact in the Registration Statement or Prospectuses then in effect or that requires the making of a change in such Registration Statement or Prospectuses in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and
(iv) of any action of the Commission with respect to any amendment to any Registration Statement or Prospectuses that may from time to time be filed with the Commission, that could reasonably be expected to have a material negative impact upon the offering of Shares;
provided that, for purposes of this Section, informal requests by or acts of the staff of the Commission shall not be deemed actions of or requests by the Commission unless they would reasonably be expected to have a material negative impact upon the offering of Shares.
4. Payments to Service Providers . The Funds may pay the Distributor an amount under the Plan. The Distributor may pay such amounts to service providers, some of whom may be affiliates of the Trust or affiliates of affiliates of the Trust.
III. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
1. Distributor Liability . The Distributor shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust or any Fund in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
2. Trust Liability . The Trust shall not be responsible in any way for any information, statements or representations given or made by the Distributor or its representatives or agents other than such information, statements or representations contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectuses or other financial statements of the Trust, or in any sales literature or advertisements specifically approved by the Trust.
IV. CONFIDENTIALITY
The Distributor will treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust all records and other information relative to the Trust, to the Trusts prior or present shareholders
and to those persons or entities who respond to the Distributors inquiries concerning investment in the Trust, and except as provided below, will not use such records and information for any purpose other than (i) the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder or the performance of its responsibilities and duties with regard to sales of the shares of any Fund which may be added to the Trust in the future and (ii) its internal compliance and compliance monitoring. Any other use by the Distributor of the information and records referred to above may be made only after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust. Such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where (i) the Distributor may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to divulge such information; (ii) the Distributor is requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities; or (iii) the Distributor is so requested by the Trust.
V. REPRESENTATIONS AND INDEMNIFICATION
1. Trust Representations . The Trust represents and warrants to the Distributor that at all times the Registration Statement and Prospectuses will in all material respects conform to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that no representation or warranty in this subsection shall apply to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of and with respect to the Distributor expressly for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectuses.
2. Distributor Representations . The Distributor represents and warrants to the Trust that it is duly organized as a Delaware corporation and is, and at all times will remain, duly authorized and licensed to carry out its services as contemplated herein.
3. Trust Indemnification . The Trust will indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor, its several officers and directors, and any person who controls the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which any of them may become subject (a) as the result of acting as distributor of the Funds and entering into selling agreements, shareholder servicing agreements, or similar agreements with financial intermediaries on behalf of the Trust; (b) under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses or in any application or other document (collectively, Trust Materials) executed by or on behalf of the Trust, (ii) information furnished by or on behalf of the Trust filed in any state in order to qualify the Shares under the securities or blue sky laws thereof (Blue Sky Application), (iii) any omission or alleged omission to state in any Trust Materials or Blue Sky Application a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (iv) any Trust-related advertisement or sales literature that contains any untrue statement, or alleged untrue statement, of a material fact, or any omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact required to be stated therein to make the statements therein not misleading, due to actions by a Fund or its investment adviser that are contrary to statements made in such advertisements or sales literature; or (c) arising out of or based upon the electronic processing of
orders over the Internet at the Trusts request, and will reimburse the Distributor, its several officers and directors, and any person who controls the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in investigating, defending, or preparing to defend any such action, proceeding or claim; provided, however, that the Trust shall not be liable in any case to the extent that such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of, or is based upon, (A) any untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses, any Blue Sky Application or any application or other document executed by or on behalf of the Trust in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of and with respect to the Distributor specifically for inclusion therein, or (B) the willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence of the Distributor in the performance of its duties or the Distributors reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
The Trust shall not indemnify any person pursuant to this subsection 3 unless the court or other body before which the proceeding was brought has rendered a final decision on the merits that such person was not liable by reason of his willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of his duties, or his reckless disregard of obligations and duties, under this Agreement (disabling conduct) or, in the absence of such a decision, a reasonable determination (based upon a review of the facts) that such person was not liable by reason of disabling conduct has been made by the vote of a majority of a quorum of trustees of the Trust who are neither interested persons of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) nor parties to the proceeding, or by an independent legal counsel in a written opinion.
Each Fund shall advance attorneys fees and other expenses incurred by any person in defending any claim, demand, action or suit which is the subject of a claim for indemnification pursuant to this subsection 3, so long as: (i) such person shall undertake to repay all such advances unless it is ultimately determined that he is entitled to indemnification hereunder; and (ii) such person shall provide security for such undertaking, or the Fund shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or 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 such person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification hereunder.
4. Distributor Indemnification . The Distributor will indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, the Trusts several officers and trustees and any person who controls the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which any of them may become subject under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect hereof) arise out of, or are based upon, (a) any breach of its representations and warranties in subsection 2 hereof or its agreements in subsection 2(a) of Section II hereof, or which arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectuses, any Blue Sky Application or any application or other document executed by or on behalf of the Trust, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, which statement or omission or alleged statement or alleged omission was made in reliance upon or in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Trust or any of its several officers and trustees by or on behalf of and with respect to the Distributor specifically for inclusion therein, (b) the Distributors willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or the Distributors reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (c) the Distributors failure to comply with laws applicable to it in connection with its activities hereunder (other than in respect of Trust-related advertisements or sales literature that fails to comply with applicable laws due to actions by a Fund or its investment adviser that are contrary to statements made in such advertisements or sales literature), and will reimburse the Trust, the Trusts several officers and trustees, and any person who controls the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any of them in investigating, defending or preparing to defend any such action, proceeding or claim.
5. General Indemnity Provisions . No indemnifying party shall be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in subsection 3 or 4 hereof with respect to any claim made against such indemnifying party unless the indemnified party shall have notified the indemnifying party in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the indemnified party (or after the indemnified party shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the indemnifying party of any such claim shall not relieve it from any liability which it may otherwise have to the indemnified party. The indemnifying party will be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, and if the indemnifying party elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. In the event the indemnifying party elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, the indemnified party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by the indemnified party.
VI. DURATION AND TERMINATION
This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first above written, and, unless sooner terminated as provided herein, shall continue for a period of two years from such date. Thereafter, if not terminated, this Agreement shall continue automatically for successive terms of one year, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by a majority of those members of the Board who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party (the Disinterested Trustees), pursuant to a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section VI, this Agreement may be terminated by the Trust at any time with respect to any Fund, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund on 60 days written notice to the Distributor, or by the Distributor at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on 60 days written notice to the Trust. This Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. (As used in this Agreement, the terms majority of the outstanding voting securities, interested person and assignment shall have the same meanings as such terms have in the 1940 Act.)
VII. AMENDMENT OF THIS AGREEMENT
No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated except by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which an enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought.
VIII. NOTICES
Notices of any kind to be given to the Trust hereunder by the Distributor shall be in writing and shall be duly given if mailed or delivered to the Trust c/o Victory Capital Management Inc., Mutual Fund Administration, 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, Attn: Christopher K. Dyer with a copy to Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New, York 10019, Attention: Jay G. Baris, Esquire, or at such other address or to such individual as shall be so specified by the Trust to the Distributor. Notices of any kind to be given to the Distributor hereunder by the Trust shall be in writing and shall be duly given if mailed or delivered to the Distributor at Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, OH 44144, Attention: President or at such other address or to such individual as shall be so specified by the Distributor to the Trust.
IX. COMPENSATION
The Distributor shall not receive compensation with respect to the provision of distribution services under this Agreement; provided , however , that the Distributor shall be entitled to receive payments, if any, under any Plan in accordance with the terms thereof and payments, if any, of sales charges as set forth in the Prospectuses.
X. MISCELLANEOUS
1. Construction . The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. Subject to the provisions of Section VI hereof, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors.
2. About The Victory Portfolios . The name Compass EMP Funds Trust and phrase Trustees of Compass EMP Funds Trust refer respectively to the Trust created and the Trustees, as trustees but not individually or personally, acting from time to time under a Certificate of Trust filed April 12, 2012, at the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware which is hereby referred to and is also on file at the principal office of the Trust. The obligations of the Trust entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any of the Trustees, representatives or agents are made not individually, but in such capacities, and are not binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders or representatives of the Trust personally, but bind only the Trust property, and all persons dealing with any class of shares of the Trust must look solely to the Trust property belonging to such class for the enforcement of any claims against the Trust. The Trust has entered into this Agreement on behalf of the Funds listed on Schedule I severally and not jointly and, therefore, the responsibilities and benefits set forth in this Agreement shall refer to each Fund severally and not jointly. No individual Fund shall have any responsibility for
any obligation, if any, with respect to any other Fund arising out of this Agreement. In seeking to enforce any claim against any Fund, Distributor shall look to the assets only of that Fund and not to the assets of any other Fund.
3. Privacy . Nonpublic personal financial information relating to consumers or customers of the Funds provided by, or at the direction of, the Trust to the Distributor, or collected or retained by the Distributor to perform its duties as distributor, shall be considered confidential information. The Distributor shall not disclose or otherwise use nonpublic financial information relating to present or former shareholders of the Funds other than for the purposes for which that information was disclosed to the Distributor, including use under an exception in Rules 13, 14 or 15 of SEC Regulation S-P in the ordinary course of business to carry out those purposes. The Distributor shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of the Funds. The Trust represents to the Distributor that it has adopted a statement of its privacy policies and practices as required by SEC Regulation S-P and agrees to provide the Distributor with a copy of that statement annually.
4. Anti-Money Laundering Program . Each of Distributor and the Trust acknowledges that it is a financial institution subject to the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended, which require among other things, that financial institutions adopt compliance programs to guard against money laundering. Each of Distributor and the Trust agrees that it will take such further steps, and cooperate with the other to facilitate such compliance. The Distributor acknowledges that it is a Covered Service Provider as defined in the Trusts Anti-Money Laundering Program (Trust AML Program) and shall assume responsibility for the implementation of the requirements of the Trust AML Program with respect to the services provided under this Agreement. The Distributor represents and warrants that it has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to detect and prevent money laundering activities in compliance with applicable laws, regulations and regulatory interpretations. The Distributor undertakes that it shall (a) conduct its operations in accordance with the provisions of the Trust AML Program and applicable laws, regulations and regulatory interpretations; (b) provide access to its books, records and operations relating to its anti-money laundering compliance only with respect to the Funds, by appropriate regulatory authorities, the Funds, and the Trusts anti-money laundering Compliance Officer (the Trusts Compliance Officer shall have no access to any of Distributors anti-money laundering operations, books or records pertaining to other clients of Distributor); (c) certify, in writing, no less frequently than annually, that it is in compliance with applicable anti-money laundering laws, rules, regulations and regulatory interpretations with respect to the services provided under this Agreement; (d) upon request, provide a copy of its anti-money laundering program (or a summary of its program) to the Trusts anti-money laundering Compliance Officer; (e) provide periodic reports to the Trusts Board of Trustees concerning anti-money laundering activities and compliance exceptions, as the parties may agree from time to time; and (f) ensure that selling group agreements require selling group members to adopt, as applicable, reasonable anti-money laundering procedures and otherwise comply with applicable anti-money laundering regulations and regulatory interpretations with respect to the sale and redemption of Shares. The Trust represents and warrants that it will conduct its operations in accordance with the provisions of the Trust AML Program and applicable laws, regulations and regulatory interpretations.
5. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original but all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same agreement.
6. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by, and its provisions shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act or any rule or regulation of the SEC thereunder, the latter shall control.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed by their officers designated below as of the day and year first above written.
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VICTORY CAPITAL ADVISERS, INC. |
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SCHEDULE I
To the Distribution agreement between
Compass EMP Funds Trust and Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. dated May 21, 2015
FUNDS
Compass EMP US EQ Income 100 Enhanced
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Compass EMP US High Dividend 100
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As of May 21, 2015 |
COMPASS EMP FUNDS TRUST |
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Christopher K. Dyer |
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President |
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Accepted: |
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VICTORY CAPITAL ADVISERS, INC. |
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Michael Policarpo |
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President |
Exhibit 99.B(e)(5)(b)
AMENDMENT TO
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
between
COMPASS EMP FUNDS TRUST
and
VICTORY CAPITAL ADVISERS, INC.
AMENDMENT made as of the 19 th day of August, 2015, between Compass EMP Funds Trust (the Trust) and Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (VCA), to the Distribution Agreement dated May 21, 2015, between the Trust and VCA (as may have been previously amended and in effect on the date hereof, the Agreement). All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given them in the Agreement.
WHEREAS, VCA and the Trust wish to enter into this Amendment to the Agreement to (1) add additional Funds to the terms of the Agreement, (2) revise the names of certain Funds and (3) revise the name of the Trust; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises hereinafter contained and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, intending to be legally bound, the Trust and VCA hereby agree as follows:
1. Effective October 27, 2015, the Trust is renamed Victory Portfolios II.
2. Effective October 28, 2015, Schedule I to the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced by the new Schedule I attached hereto.
3. Except as set forth in this Amendment, the Agreement is unaffected and shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.
[signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
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VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II,
on behalf of each
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Christopher K. Dyer |
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President |
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VICTORY CAPITAL ADVISERS, INC. |
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/s/ Michael Policarpo |
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Michael Policarpo II |
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SCHEDULE I
TO THE DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
between
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II
(formerly Compass EMP Funds Trust)
and
VICTORY CAPITAL ADVISERS, INC.
Funds
1. Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund
2. Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
3. Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
4. Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund
5. Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund
6. Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
7. Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund
8. Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund
9. Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund
10. Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund
11. Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund
12. Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
13. Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund
14. Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
15. Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund
16. Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund
17. Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
18. Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund
As of October 28, 2015
Exhibit 99.B(g)(3)(a)
GLOBAL
CUSTODIAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS ACTING
FOR AND ON BEHALF OF EACH FUND
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Schedules:
· Fund Appendix
· Fee Schedule
THIS GLOBAL CUSTODIAL SERVICES AGREEMENT is made on August 5th, 2008, by and between The Victory Portfolios, acting for and on behalf of each Fund, a business trust organised under the laws of Delaware, (the Client ) and Citibank, N.A. acting through its offices located in New York (the Custodian ).
WHEREAS, the Custodian represents to the Client that it is eligible to serve as a custodian for a management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), and
WHEREAS, the Client is a management investment company registered under the 1940 Act, and
WHEREAS, the Client wishes to appoint the Custodian as the custodian for the Funds,
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
(A) Definitions.
Authorised Person means the Client or any person (including any individual or entity) authorised by the Client to act on its behalf in the performance of any act, discretion or duty under this Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any officer or employee of such person) in a notice reasonably acceptable to the Custodian.
Cash means all cash or cash equivalents in any currency received and held on the terms of this Agreement.
Citigroup Organisation means Citigroup, Inc. and any company or other entity of which Citigroup, Inc. is directly or indirectly a shareholder or owner. For purposes of this Agreement, each branch of Citibank, N.A. shall be a separate member of the Citigroup Organisation.
Clearance System means any clearing agency, settlement system or depository (including any entity that acts as a system for the central handling of Securities in the country where it is incorporated or organised or that acts as a transnational system for the central handling of Securities) used in connection with transactions relating to Securities and any nominee of the foregoing.
Fee Schedule means the schedule referred to in Section 14, as annexed hereto.
Fund means the fund or funds listed in the Fund Appendix to this Agreement, such Fund Appendix may be amended or supplemented from time to time by agreement between the parties hereto.
Instructions means any and all instructions (including approvals, consents and notices) received by the Custodian from, or reasonably believed by the Custodian to be from, any Authorised Person, including any instructions communicated through any manual or electronic medium or system (in a form that can be converted into print) agreed between the Client and the Custodian.
Securities means any financial asset (other than Cash) from time to time held for the Client on the terms of this Agreement.
Taxes means all taxes, levies, imposts, charges, assessments, deductions, withholdings and related liabilities, including additions to tax, penalties and interest imposed on or in respect of (i) Securities or Cash, (ii) the transactions effected under this Agreement or (iii) the Client; provided that Taxes does not include income or franchise taxes imposed on or measured by the net income of the Custodian or its agents.
(B) Interpretation.
References in this Agreement to schedules shall be deemed to be references to schedules, the terms of which shall be incorporated into and form part of this Agreement.
2. ESTABLISHMENT OF ACCOUNTS
(A) Accounts . The Client authorises the Custodian to establish on its books, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, (i) a custody account or accounts (the Custody Account) and (ii) a cash account or accounts (the Cash Account). The Custody Account will be a custody account for the receipt, safekeeping and maintenance of Securities, and the Cash Account will be a current account for Cash.
(B) Acceptance of Securities and Cash. The Custodian will determine in its reasonable discretion whether to accept (i) for custody in the Custody Account, Securities of any kind and (ii) for deposit in the Cash Account, Cash in any currency (other than U.S. dollars).
(C) Designation of Accounts .
(i) The Custody Account will be in the name of the Client or such other name as the Client may reasonably designate and will indicate that Securities do not belong to the Custodian and are segregated from the Custodians assets.
(ii) The Cash Account will be in the name of the Client or such other name as the Client may reasonably designate and will be held by the Custodian as banker.
(D) Segregation.
(i) The Custodian will hold Securities with a subcustodian only in an account which holds exclusively assets held by the Custodian for its customers. The Custodian will direct each subcustodian to identify on its books that Securities are held for the account of the Custodian as custodian for its customers. The Custodian will direct each subcustodian to hold Securities in a Clearance System only in an account of the subcustodian which holds exclusively assets held by the subcustodian for its customers.
(ii) Any Securities deposited by the Custodian with a subcustodian will be subject only to the instructions of the Custodian, and any Securities held in a Clearance System for the account of a subcustodian will be subject only to the instructions of the subcustodian.
(iii) The Custodian shall require the subcustodian to agree that Securities will not be subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favour of the subcustodian.
3. CUSTODY ACCOUNT PROCEDURES
(A) Credits to the Custody Account . The Custodian is authorised, but not obligated to credit Securities to the Custody Account before receipt of such Securities by final settlement.
(B) Debits to the Custody Account. If the Custodian has received Instructions that would result in the delivery of Securities exceeding credits to the Custody Account for that Security, the Custodian may reject the Instructions or may decide which deliveries it will make (in whole or in part and in the order it selects).
(C) Denomination of Securities . The Client shall bear the risk and expense associated with investing in Securities denominated in any currency.
4. CASH ACCOUNT PROCEDURES
(A) Credits and Debits to the Cash Account . The Custodian is authorised, but not obligated to make a credit or debit to the Cash Account before receipt by the Custodian of a corresponding and final payment in cleared funds. If the Custodian makes a credit or debit before such receipt, the Custodian may at any time reverse all or part of the credit or debit (including any interest thereon), make an appropriate entry to the Cash Account, and if it reasonably so decides, require repayment of any amount corresponding to any debit.
(B) Debit Balances in the Cash Account . The Custodian is not obligated to make any debit to the Cash Account which might result in or increase a debit balance. The Custodian may make any debit to the Cash Account even if this results in (or increases) a debit balance. If the total amount of debits to the Cash Account at any time would otherwise result in a debit balance or exceed the immediately available funds credited to the Cash Account, the Custodian may decide which debits it will make (in whole or in part and in the order it selects).
(C) Payments. The Custodian may at any time cancel any extension of credit. The Client will transfer to the Custodian on closure of the Cash Account and otherwise on demand from the Custodian sufficient immediately available funds to cover any debit balance on the Cash Account or any other extension of credit and any interest, fees and other amounts owed.
(D) Foreign Currency Risks. The Client shall bear the risk and expense associated with Cash denominated in any currency.
5. INSTRUCTIONS
The Custodian is entitled to rely and act in good faith upon Instructions of any Authorised Person until the Custodian has received notice of any change from the Client and has had a reasonable time to note and implement such change. The Custodian is authorised to rely upon any Instructions received by any means, provided that the Custodian and the Client have agreed upon the means of transmission and the method of identification for the Instructions. In particular:
(i) The Client and the Custodian will comply with security procedures designed to verify the origination of Instructions.
(ii) The Custodian is not responsible for errors or omissions made by the Client or resulting from fraud or the duplication of any Instruction by the Client, and the Custodian may act on any Instruction by reference to an account number only, even if any account name is provided.
(iii) The Custodian may act on an Instruction if it reasonably believes it contains sufficient information.
(iv) The Custodian may decide not to act on an Instruction where it reasonably doubts its contents, authorisation, origination or compliance with any security procedures and will promptly notify the Client of its decision.
(v) If the Custodian acts on any Instruction sent manually (including facsimile), then, if the Custodian complies with the security procedures, the Client will be responsible for any loss the Custodian may incur in connection with that Instruction. The Client expressly acknowledges that the Client is aware that the use of manual forms of communication to convey Instructions increases the risk of error, security and privacy issues and fraudulent activities.
(vi) Instructions are to be given in the English language.
(vii) The Custodian is obligated to act on Instructions only within applicable cut-off times on banking days when the Custodian and the applicable financial markets are open for business.
(viii) In some securities markets, securities deliveries and payments therefor may not be or are not customarily made simultaneously. Accordingly, notwithstanding the Clients Instruction to deliver Securities against payment or to pay for Securities against delivery, the Custodian may make or accept payment for or
delivery of Securities at such time and in such form and manner as is in accordance with relevant local law and practice or with the customs prevailing in the relevant market.
6. PERFORMANCE BY THE CUSTODIAN
(A) Custodial Duties Requiring Instructions . The Custodian shall promptly carry out the following actions but only upon receipt of and in accordance with specific Instructions:
(i) make payment for and/or receive any Securities or deliver or dispose of any Securities except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Agreement;
(ii) deal with rights, conversions, options, warrants, exchanges, calls, tenders, consent solicitations, redemptions, dividends and other similar interests or any other discretionary right in connection with Securities; and
(iii) carry out any action affecting Securities or the Custody Account or Cash or the Cash Account other than those specified in Section 6(B) below, but in each instance subject to the agreement of the Custodian, which agreement shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
(B) Non-Discretionary Custodial Duties . Absent a contrary Instruction, the Custodian shall promptly carry out the following without further Instructions:
(i) in the Clients name or on its behalf, sign any affidavits, certificates of ownership and other certificates and documents relating to Securities which may be required (i) to obtain any Securities or Cash or (ii) by any tax or regulatory authority;
(ii) collect, receive, and/or credit the Custody Account or Cash Account, as appropriate, with all income, payments and distributions in respect of Securities and any capital arising out of or in connection with Securities (including all Securities received by the Custodian as a result of a stock split or dividend, bonus issue, share sub-division or reorganisation, capitalisation of reserves or otherwise) and take any action necessary in connection therewith;
(iii) exchange interim or temporary receipts for definitive certificates, and old or overstamped certificates for new certificates and hold such new or definitive certificates in the Custody Account;
(iv) notify the Client promptly of notices, circulars, reports and announcements which the Custodian has received, in the course of acting in the capacity of custodian, concerning Securities held on the Clients behalf that require discretionary action;
(v) make any payment by debiting the Cash Account or any other designated account of the Client with the Custodian as required to effect any Instruction;
(vi) endorse for collection, in the name of the Client, checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments;
(vii) at least monthly, furnish the Client with a detailed statement of the Securities and Cash held by it;
(viii) supply the Client or its designee with such daily information regarding the Securities and Cash as the Custodian and the Client or its designee shall from time to time agree. It is understood that such information will not be audited by the Custodian and the Custodian represents that such information will be the best information then available to the Custodian; and
(ix) in general, attend to all non-discretionary matters in connection with anything provided in this Section 6(B) or any Instruction or in connection with the sale, exchange, or other disposition, substitution, purchase, transfer, delivery of, or other dealings with, the Securities and Cash of the Client.
7. TAX STATUS/WITHHOLDING TAXES
(A) Information. The Client will provide the Custodian, from time to time and in a timely manner, with information and proof (copies or originals) as the Custodian reasonably requests, as to the Clients and/or the underlying beneficial owners tax status or residence. Information and proof may include, as appropriate, executing certificates, making representations and warranties, or providing other information or documents in respect of Securities, as the Custodian deems necessary or proper to fulfill obligations under applicable law.
(B) Payment. If any Taxes become payable with respect to any payment to be made to the Client, such Taxes will be payable by the Client and the Custodian may withhold the Taxes from such payment. The Custodian may withhold any Cash held or received with respect to the Cash Account and apply such Cash in satisfaction of such Taxes. If any Taxes become payable with respect to any prior payment made to the Client by the Custodian, the Custodian may withhold any Cash in satisfaction of such prior Taxes. The Client shall remain liable for any deficiency.
(C) Tax Relief . In the event the Client requests that the Custodian provide tax relief services and the Custodian agrees to provide such services, the Custodian shall apply for appropriate tax relief (either by way of reduced tax rates at the time of an income payment or retrospective tax reclaims in certain markets as agreed from time to time); provided the Client provides to the Custodian such documentation and information as to it or its underlying beneficial owner clients as is necessary to secure such tax relief. However, in no event shall the Custodian be responsible, or liable, for any Taxes resulting from the inability to secure tax relief, or for the failure of any Client or beneficial owner to obtain the benefit of credits, on the basis of foreign taxes withheld, against any income tax liability.
8. USE OF THIRD PARTIES
(A) General Authority .
(i) The Custodian is hereby authorised to appoint subcustodians and administrative support providers as its delegates and to use or participate in market infrastructures and Clearance Systems to perform any of the duties of the Custodian under this Agreement.
(ii) Subcustodians are those persons utilised by the Custodian for the safe-keeping, clearance and settlement of Securities.
(iii) Administrative support providers are those persons utilised by the Custodian to perform ancillary services of a purely administrative nature such as couriers, messengers or other commercial transport systems.
(iv) Market infrastructures are public utilities, external telecommunications facilities and other common carriers of electronic and other messages, and external postal services. Market infrastructures are not delegates of the Custodian.
(v) Securities deposited with Clearance Systems hereunder will be subject to the laws, rules, statements of principle and practices of such Clearance Systems. Clearance Systems are not delegates of the Custodian.
(B) Responsibility.
(i) The Custodian shall act in good faith and use reasonable care in the selection and continued appointment of subcustodians and administrative support providers.
(ii) The Custodian may deposit or procure the deposit of Securities with any Clearance System as required by law, regulation or best market practice. The Custodian has no responsibility for selection or appointment of, or for performance by, any Clearance System or market infrastructure.
(iii) The Custodian agrees that any subcustodian will be a bank as defined in Section 2(a)(5) of the 1940 Act meeting the requirements of a custodian under Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act or a Qualified Foreign Bank meeting the requirements of an Eligible Foreign Custodian as specified in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act. With regard to each Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Custodian agrees to accept the responsibility it would have assumed if it had been delegated responsibility to serve as the Funds Foreign Custody Manager as defined in Rule 17f-5(a)(3) under the 1940 Act, in respect to the Clients foreign investments held from time to time by the Custodian with any subcustodian that is an Eligible Foreign Custodian. Foreign investments are any Securities for which the primary market is outside the United States of America.
In regard to each selection and appointment of a subcustodian that is an Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Custodian shall:
(1) select the Eligible Foreign Custodian to serve as foreign custodian and place and maintain the Funds foreign investments with respect to the relevant market with such foreign custodian;
(2) in selecting an Eligible Foreign Custodian, first determine that foreign investments placed and maintained in the safekeeping of the Eligible Foreign Custodian shall be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market, after having considered all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such investments including, without limitation, those factors set forth in Rule 17f-5;
(3) enter into written agreements with the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Custodian hereunder;
(4) determine that the written contract with the Eligible Foreign Custodian requires that the Eligible Foreign Custodian will provide reasonable care for the foreign investments, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market, and that all such contracts, rules, practices and procedures satisfy the requirements of Rule 17f-5;
(5) provide written reports (x) notifying the Client of the placement of foreign investments with the Eligible Foreign Custodian, such reports to be provided at such time as the Client deems reasonable and appropriate, but not less than quarterly, and (y) promptly notifying the Client of the occurrence of any material change in the arrangements with the Eligible Foreign Custodian; and
(6) monitor the continued appropriateness of (x) maintaining the foreign investments with the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected hereunder and (y) the governing contractual arrangement; it being understood, however, that in the event the Custodian shall determine that the Eligible Foreign Custodian would no longer afford the foreign investments reasonable care, the Custodian shall promptly so advise the Client and shall then act in accordance with Instructions with respect to the disposition of the foreign investments; and
Nothing in this paragraph shall relieve the Custodian of any responsibility otherwise provided in this Agreement for loss or damage suffered by the Client or the Fund from an act of negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Custodian.
Nothing in this Agreement shall require the Custodian to make any selection that would entail consideration of any factor reasonably related to the systemic risk of holding assets in a particular country including, but not limited to, such countrys financial infrastructure and prevailing settlement practices. The Custodian agrees to provide to the Client such information relating to such risk as the Client shall reasonably request from time to time and such other information as the Custodian generally makes available to customers with regard to such countries and risk.
(iv) The Custodian agrees that in connection with Securities settled within the United States it will meet the requirements specified in Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act with respect to the use of Clearance Systems. The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain assets of the Fund that consist of foreign investments only in a Clearance System located outside of the United States of America that the Custodian has
determined satisfies the requirements of Rule 17f-7(b)(1) as an Eligible Securities Depository, as defined therein. In such manner as the Custodian deems reasonable, the Custodian shall give the Client prompt notice of any material change known to the Custodian that would adversely affect the Custodians determination that a Clearance System is an Eligible Securities Depository. The Custodian shall provide the Client with an analysis (in form and substance as reasonably determined by the Custodian) of the custody risks associated with maintaining securities with each Eligible Securities Depository in accordance with Rule 17f-7. The Custodian shall monitor such custody risks on a continuing basis and in such manner as the Custodian deems reasonable and shall promptly notify the Client of any adverse material changes in such risks in accordance with Rule 17f-7.
(1) In performing its obligations under Sections 8(B)(iii) and 8(B)(iv), the Custodian may obtain information from sources the Custodian believes to be reliable, but the Custodian does not warrant its completeness or accuracy and has no duty to verify or confirm any such information. The Custodian is not obligated to make any determination regarding whether any Eligible Securities Depository provides reasonable care for foreign investments or to provide any information or evaluation comparing any Eligible Securities Depository to any other Clearance System or any existing or proposed standards for securities depositories.
(2) Upon the receipt of Instructions, the Custodian shall withdraw securities from any Clearance System to the extent and as soon as reasonably practicable; provided, however, the Custodian shall have no obligation to obtain, safekeep or provide any services in respect of any certificated or physical security in any jurisdiction where the Custodian does not offer or provide such services generally to customers within that jurisdiction.
(C) Shareholders Voting . The Custodians only obligation in regard to any matter where the Client may exercise shareholder voting rights will be to provide shareholder voting services as specified in a separate proxy services letter between the Custodian and the Client.
9. REPRESENTATIONS
(A) General. The Client and the Custodian each represents at the date this Agreement is entered into and any custodial service is used or provided that:
(i) It is duly organised and in good standing in every jurisdiction where it is required so to be;
(ii) It has the power and authority to sign and to perform its obligations under this Agreement;
(iii) This Agreement is duly authorised and signed and is its legal, valid and binding obligation;
(iv) Any consent, authorisation or instruction required in connection with its execution and performance of this Agreement has been provided by any relevant third party;
(v) Any act required by any relevant governmental or other authority to be done in connection with its execution and performance of this Agreement has been or will be done (and will be renewed if necessary); and
(vi) Its performance of this Agreement will not violate or breach any applicable law, regulation, contract or other requirement.
(B) Client . The Client also represents at the date this Agreement is entered into and any custodial service is used or provided that:
(i) It has authority to deposit the Securities received in the Custody Account and the Cash in the Cash Account and there is no claim or encumbrance that adversely affects any delivery of Securities or payment of Cash made in accordance with this Agreement;
(ii) Where it acts as an agent on behalf of any of its own customers, whether or not expressly identified to the Custodian from time to time, any such customers shall not be customers or indirect customers of the Custodian; and
(iii) It has not relied on any oral or written representation made by the Custodian or any person on its behalf.
10. SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY
(A) Standard of Care. The Custodian shall exercise the due care of a professional custodian for hire.
(B) Responsibility for Losses.
(i) Direct Damages. The Custodian will be liable for the Clients direct damages resulting from the negligence, wilful misconduct or fraud of the Custodian or any subcustodian, administrative support provider or their nominee. The Custodian will not be liable for any damages or losses by reason only of the liquidation or insolvency of any subcustodian or administrative support provider, other than a subcustodian or administrative support provider that is a branch of the Custodian.
(ii) Stop Loss. The Client will promptly notify the Custodian of any loss known to the Client which it believes was caused by the Custodian or any subcustodian or administrative support provider or their nominee. Absent such notification, the Custodians liability for any loss will not accrue beyond the date the Client should have provided such notice.
(C) Limitations on the Custodians Responsibility.
(i) General. The Custodian is responsible for the performance of only those duties as are expressly set forth herein, including the performance of any Instruction given in accordance with this Agreement. The Custodian shall have no implied duties or obligations.
(ii) Sole Obligations of the Custodian . The Client understands and agrees that (i) the obligations and duties of the Custodian will be performed only by the Custodian and are not obligations or duties of any other member of the Citigroup Organisation (including any branch or office of the Custodian) and (ii) the rights of the Client with respect to the Custodian extend only to such Custodian and, except as provided by law, do not extend to any other member of the Citigroup Organisation.
(iii) No Liability for Third Parties. Except as provided in Section 10 hereof, the Custodian is not responsible for the acts, omissions, defaults or insolvency of any third party including, but not limited to, any broker, counterparty or issuer of Securities.
(iv) Performance Subject to Laws . The Client understands and agrees that the Custodians performance of this Agreement is subject to the relevant local laws, regulations, decrees, orders and government acts, and the rules, operating procedures and practices of any relevant stock exchange, Clearance System or market where or through which Instructions are to be carried out and to which the Custodian is subject and as exist in the country in which any Securities or Cash are held. The Custodian agrees to maintain eligibility to serve as a custodian in the United States of America.
(v) Prevention of Performance. The Custodian will not be responsible for any failure to perform any of its obligations (nor will it be responsible for any unavailability of funds credited to the Cash Account) if such performance is prevented, hindered or delayed by a Force Majeure Event, in such case its obligations will be suspended for so long as the Force Majeure Event continues. Force Majeure Event means any event due to any cause beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian, such as restrictions on convertibility or transferability, requisitions, involuntary transfers, unavailability of communications system, sabotage, fire, flood, explosion, acts of God, civil commotion, strikes or industrial action of any kind, riots, insurrection, war or acts of government. Upon the occurrence of any Force Majeure Event, the Custodian will inform the Client and will use its reasonable efforts to mitigate any losses that the Client may suffer as a result thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the Custodian confirms that it maintains and regularly tests disaster recovery plans and contingency back-up services.
(vi) Clients Reporting Obligations. The Client shall be solely responsible for all filings, tax returns and reports on any transactions in respect of Securities or Cash or relating to Securities or Cash as may be required by any relevant authority, whether governmental or otherwise.
(vii) Validity of Securities. The Custodian shall exercise reasonable care in receiving Securities but does not warrant or guarantee the form, authenticity, value or validity of any Security received by the Custodian. If the Custodian becomes aware of any defect in title or forgery of any Security, the Custodian shall promptly notify the Client.
(viii) Capacity of Custodian . The Custodian is not acting under this Agreement as an investment manager, nor as an investment, legal or tax adviser to the Client, and the Custodians duty is solely to act as a Custodian in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(ix) Forwarded Information. The Custodian is not responsible for the form, accuracy or content of any notice, circular, report, announcement or other material received from a third party and forwarded to the Client.
11 . SUBROGATION
To the extent permissible by law or regulation and upon the Clients request, the Client shall be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claim for any loss, damage or claim suffered by the Client, in each case to the extent that the Custodian fails to pursue any such claim or the Client is not made whole in respect of such loss, damage or claim. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, in no event is the Custodian obligated to bring suit in its own name or to allow suit to be brought in its name.
12. INDEMNITY
(A) Indemnity to the Custodian. The Client shall indemnify the Custodian and its respective nominees and their employees, officers and directors (each, a Custodian Indemnified Party) and defend and hold each Custodian Indemnified Party harmless from and against any direct damages incurred by any Custodian Indemnified Party in connection with this Agreement other than direct damages resulting from the negligence, wilful misconduct or fraud of the Custodian, or any subcustodian or administrative support provider or any of their nominees, or any Custodian Indemnified Party. For purpose of this indemnity direct damages will include (i) the reimbursement of the Custodian for any amount payable to the Custodian by the Client in connection with any advance, extension of credit, or other obligation assumed for the benefit of the Client in the performance of this Agreement and (ii) reasonable attorneys fees or other reasonable expenses actually incurred and paid by a Custodian Indemnified Party including amounts required to be paid to any third party in any claim jointly made against the Custodian and the Client. Under no circumstances will the Client be liable to any Custodian Indemnified Party for special or punitive damages, or consequential loss or damage, or any loss of profits, goodwill, business opportunity, business, revenue or anticipated savings, in relation to this Agreement, whether or not the relevant loss was foreseeable, or the Client was advised of the possibility of such loss or damage or that such loss was in the contemplation of the Custodian Indemnified Party.
(B) Indemnity to the Client. The Custodian shall indemnify the Client and its respective nominees and their employees, officers and directors (each, a Client Indemnified Party) and defend and hold each Client Indemnified Party harmless from and against any direct damages incurred by any Client Indemnified Party in connection with this Agreement due to the negligence, wilful misconduct or fraud of the Custodian, or any subcustodian or administrative support provider or any of their nominees, or any Custodian Indemnified Party. For purpose of this indemnity direct damages will include reasonable attorneys fees or other reasonable expenses actually incurred and paid by a Client Indemnified Party including amounts required to be paid to any third party in any claim jointly made against the Client and the Custodian. Under no circumstances will the Custodian be liable for special or punitive damages, or consequential loss or damage, or any loss of profits, goodwill, business opportunity, business, revenue or
anticipated savings, in relation to this Agreement, whether or not the relevant loss was foreseeable, or the Custodian was advised of the possibility of such loss or damage or that such loss was in the contemplation of the relevant Client Indemnified Party.
(C) Clients Direct Liability. The disclosure by the Client to the Custodian that the Client has entered into this Agreement as the agent or representative of another person shall not relieve the Client of any of its obligations under this Agreement.
13. LIEN AND SET OFF
(A) Lien. In addition to any other remedies available to the Custodian under applicable law, the Custodian shall have, and the Client hereby grants, a continuing general lien on all Securities until the satisfaction of liabilities arising under this Agreement of the Client to the Custodian in respect to any fees and expenses or credit exposures incurred in the performance of services under this Agreement.
(B) Set Off. To the extent permitted by applicable law and in addition to any other remedies available to the Custodian under applicable law, the Custodian may, with prior notice to the Client, set off any payment obligation owed to it by the Client in connection with all liabilities arising under this Agreement against any payment obligation owed by it to the Client under this Agreement regardless of the place of payment or currency of either obligation (and for such purpose may make any currency conversion necessary).
14. FEES AND EXPENSES
The Client agrees to pay all fees, charges and obligations incurred from time to time for any services pursuant to this Agreement as determined in accordance with the terms of the Fee Schedule, which may be changed from time to time by the Custodian upon prior written notice to the Client, together with any other amounts payable to the Custodian under this Agreement. The Custodian may debit the Cash Account to pay any such fees, charges and obligations that are not paid in accordance with the Fee Schedule.
15. CITIGROUP ORGANISATION INVOLVEMENT
The Client agrees and understands that any member of the Citigroup Organisation can engage as principal or otherwise in any transaction effected by the Client or by any person for its account and benefit, or by or on behalf of any counterparty or issuer. When instructed to effect any transactions (particularly foreign exchange transactions), the Custodian is entitled to effect any transaction by or with itself or any member of the Citigroup Organisation and to pay or keep any fee, commissions or compensation as specified in the Clients Instruction or, if no specification is provided, any charges, fees, commissions or similar payments generally in effect from time to time with regard to such or similar transactions.
16. RECORDS AND ACCESS
(A) Generally. The books and records pertaining to the Client which are in possession of the Custodian shall be the property of the Client. Such books and records shall be prepared and maintained as required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and Rule 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder.
(B) Examination of Statements. The Client shall examine each statement sent by the Custodian and notify the Custodian in writing within sixty (60) days of the date of such statement of any discrepancy between Instructions given by the Client and the position shown on the statement and of any other errors known to the Client. Absent such notification, the Custodians liability for any loss or damage in regard to such discrepancy or errors shall not accrue beyond such sixty (60) days.
(C) Access to Records. The Custodian shall allow the Client and its independent public accountants, agents or regulators reasonable access to the books and records of the Custodian relating to Securities or Cash as is required by the Client in connection with an examination of the books and records pertaining to the affairs of the Client and will seek to obtain such access from each subcustodian and Clearance System. Upon the reasonable request of the Client, the Custodian shall provide in hard copy or on computer disc any records included in any such delivery which are maintained by Custodian on a computer disc, or are similarly maintained.
(D) Access to Third Party Records . The Custodian shall also, subject to restrictions under applicable laws and regulations, seek to obtain from any entity with which the Custodian maintains the physical possession or book-entry record of anything held in the Custody Account or the Cash Account such records as may be required by the Client or its agents.
17. INFORMATION
The Custodian will treat information related to the Client as confidential but, unless prohibited by law, the Client authorises the transfer or disclosure of any information relating to the Client to and between the branches, subsidiaries, representative offices, affiliates and agents of the Custodian and third parties selected by any of them, wherever situated, for confidential use only in connection with the provision of services to the Client (including for data processing, statistical and risk analysis purposes), and further acknowledges that any such branch, subsidiary, representative office, affiliate, agent or third party may transfer or disclose any such information as required by any law, court, regulator or legal process. The Custodian agrees (i) to cause any person to whom the Custodian discloses any confidential information of the Client to keep such information confidential to the same extent the Custodian is obligated to keep such information confidential pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise and (ii) to be responsible and liable for any breach of confidentiality by any such person as if they were directly a party to this Agreement; provided, however, this obligation shall not apply to any disclosure required to be made by any law, court, regulator or legal process.
During the term of this Agreement and thereafter, the Custodian shall maintain policies reasonably designed to prohibit the dissemination or use of a Clients nonpublic portfolio holdings information by Custodian or its employees .
The Client will treat the terms of this Agreement, including any Fee Schedule, as confidential.
18. ADVERTISING
Neither the Client nor the Custodian shall display the name, trade mark or service mark of the other without the prior written consent of the other, nor will the Client display that of Citigroup, Inc. or any subsidiary of Citigroup, Inc. without prior written approval from Citigroup, Inc. or the subsidiary concerned. The Client shall not advertise or promote any service provided by the Custodian without the Custodians prior written consent.
19. TERMINATION
(A) Date of Termination. Any party may terminate this Agreement in whole or as between itself and the other parties hereto by giving not less than sixty (60) days prior written notice to such other parties.
(B) Effect on Property. The Custodian shall deliver the Securities and Cash as instructed by the Client. If by the termination date the Client has not given instructions to deliver any Securities or Cash, the Custodian will continue to safekeep such Securities and/or Cash until the Client provides instructions to effect a free delivery of such. However, the Custodian will provide no other services as regard to any such Securities except to collect and hold any cash distributions. Notwithstanding termination of this
Agreement or any Instruction, the Custodian may retain sufficient Securities or Cash to close out or complete any transaction that the Custodian will be required to settle on the Clients behalf.
(C) Surviving Terms. The rights and obligations contained in Sections 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20 and 22 of this Agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
20. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION
(A) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws (and not the laws of conflicts) of the State of New York.
(B) Jurisdiction. The federal or state courts in the state of New York located in New York County shall have non-exclusive jurisdiction to hear any disputes arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, and the parties irrevocably submit to the jurisdiction of such courts.
(C) Venue. Each party hereto waives any objection it may have at any time, to the laying of venue of any actions or proceedings brought in any federal or state court in the state of New York located in New York County, waives any claim that such actions or proceedings have been brought in an inconvenient forum and further waives the right to object that such court does not have jurisdiction over such party.
(D) Sovereign Immunity. The Client and the Custodian each irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, with respect to itself and its revenues and assets, all immunity on the grounds of sovereignty or similar grounds in respect of its obligations under this Agreement.
21. MISCELLANEOUS
(A) Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement consists exclusively of this document together with the schedules. The Custodian may notify the Client of terms which are applicable to the provision of services in the location of a particular office and such terms shall be contained in a schedule and shall supplement this Agreement in relation to that office. In case of inconsistency with the rest of this Agreement, such terms shall prevail in relation to that office.
Except as specified in this Agreement, this Agreement may only be modified by written agreement of the Client and the Custodian.
(B) Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes illegal, invalid or unenforceable under any applicable law, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect (as shall that provision under any other law).
(C) Waiver of Rights. No failure or delay of the Client or the Custodian in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall constitute a waiver of that right. Any waiver of any right will be limited to the specific instance. The exclusion or omission of any provision or term from this Agreement shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any right or remedy the Client or the Custodian may have under applicable law.
(D) Recordings. The Client and the Custodian consent to telephonic or electronic recordings for security and quality of service purposes and agree that either may produce telephonic or electronic recordings or computer records as evidence in any proceedings brought in connection with this Agreement.
(E) Further Information. The Client agrees to execute further documents and provide materials and information as may be reasonably requested by the Custodian to enable it to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
(F) Assignment. No party may assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the others prior written consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
(G) Headings . Titles to Sections of this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and shall be disregarded in construing the language contained in this Agreement.
(H) Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorised.
CITIBANK, N.A. |
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS, ACTING FOR AND ON BEHALF OF EACH FUND |
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/s/ Carey Ryan |
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Carey Ryan |
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Michael Policarpo |
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Vice President GTS/Global Custody |
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Title: |
President |
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Exhibit 99.B(g)(3)(b )
AMENDED FUND APPENDIX
As of May 22, 2014
VICTORY EMERGING MARKETS SMALL CAP FUND
VICTORY GLOBAL EQUITY FUND
VICTORY INTERNATIONAL FUND
VICTORY INTERNATIONAL SELECT FUND
VICTORY MUNDER INTERNATIONAL FUND-CORE EQUITY
VICTORY MUNDER INTERNATIONAL SMALL CAP FUND
VICTORY MUNDER EMERGING MARKETS SMALL CAP FUND
CITIBANK, N.A. |
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS ACTING FOR AND ON BEHALF OF EACH FUND |
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By: |
/s/ DEBORAH MERCER-MILLER |
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By: |
/s/ Christopher K Dyer |
Name: |
DEBORAH MERCER-MILLER |
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Name: |
Christopher K Dyer |
Title: |
VICE PRESIDENT |
Title: |
Secretary |
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CITI TRANSACTION SERVICES |
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388 GREENWICH STREET |
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NEW YORK, NY 10013 |
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212-616-6861 |
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FEE SCHEDULE
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS ACTING
FOR AND ON BEHALF OF EACH FUND
Market** |
|
Code |
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Ccy |
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Sk (Eq) |
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Trx (Eq) |
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Sk (Fi) |
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Trx (Fi) |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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ARGENTINA |
|
BUE |
|
USD |
|
10.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
35.00 |
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AUSTRALIA |
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MEL |
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USD |
|
1.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
15.00 |
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AUSTRIA |
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VIE |
|
USD |
|
2.25 |
|
15.00 |
|
1.75 |
|
15.00 |
|
BAHRAIN |
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BAH |
|
USD |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
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BANGLADESH |
|
DHA |
|
USD |
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38.00 |
|
130.00 |
|
38.00 |
|
130.00 |
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BELGIUM |
|
BRU |
|
USD |
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1.25 |
|
17.50 |
|
1.00 |
|
17.50 |
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BERMUDA |
|
BER |
|
USD |
|
38.00 |
|
115.00 |
|
38.00 |
|
115.00 |
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BOTSWANA |
|
BOT |
|
USD |
|
35.00 |
|
115.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
115.00 |
|
BRAZIL |
|
SAO |
|
USD |
|
9.00 |
|
28.00 |
|
9.00 |
|
28.00 |
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BULGARIA |
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SOF |
|
USD |
|
17.00 |
|
130.00 |
|
17.00 |
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90.00 |
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CANADA |
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TOR |
|
USD |
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0.80 |
|
8.00 |
|
0.80 |
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8.00 |
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CHILE |
|
SAN |
|
USD |
|
9.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
9.00 |
|
45.00 |
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CLEARSTREAM |
|
CED |
|
USD |
|
2.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
7.00 |
|
COLOMBIA |
|
BOG |
|
USD |
|
24.00 |
|
55.00 |
|
24.00 |
|
55.00 |
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COSTA RICA |
|
CTR |
|
USD |
|
35.00 |
|
60.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
60.00 |
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CROATIA |
|
ZAG |
|
USD |
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34.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
34.00 |
|
50.00 |
|
CYPRUS |
|
CYP |
|
USD |
|
8.00 |
|
17.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
17.00 |
|
CZECH REPUBLIC |
|
PRA |
|
USD |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
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DENMARK |
|
COP |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
18.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
18.00 |
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DUBAI |
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UAE |
|
USD |
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35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
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EGYPT |
|
CAI |
|
USD |
|
15.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
35.00 |
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ESTONIA |
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EST |
|
USD |
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20.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
20.00 |
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EUROCLEAR DEPOSITORY |
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ECB |
|
USD |
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2.00 |
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20.00 |
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1.00 |
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7.00 |
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FINLAND |
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HEL |
|
USD |
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1.25 |
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17.50 |
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1.25 |
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17.50 |
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FRANCE |
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PAR |
|
USD |
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1.00 |
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12.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
12.00 |
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GERMANY |
|
FFT |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
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GREECE |
|
ATH |
|
USD |
|
7.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
7.00 |
|
25.00 |
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HONG KONG |
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HKG |
|
USD |
|
2.00 |
|
16.00 |
|
2.00 |
|
16.00 |
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HONG KONG/CHINA-B Shares |
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CHI |
|
USD |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
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HUNGARY |
|
BUD |
|
USD |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
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ICELAND |
|
ICE |
|
USD |
|
4.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
4.00 |
|
15.00 |
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INDIA |
|
BOM |
|
USD |
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8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
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INDONESIA |
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JAK |
|
USD |
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5.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
5.00 |
|
25.00 |
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IRELAND |
|
DUB |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
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ISRAEL |
|
TEL |
|
USD |
|
8.50 |
|
35.00 |
|
8.50 |
|
35.00 |
|
ITALY |
|
MIL |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
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JAPAN |
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TOK |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
12.50 |
|
1.00 |
|
12.50 |
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JORDAN |
|
AMM |
|
USD |
|
35.00 |
|
95.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
95.00 |
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KAZAKHSTAN |
|
KZT |
|
USD |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
LATVIA |
|
RIG |
|
USD |
|
17.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
17.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
LITHUANIA |
|
LIT |
|
USD |
|
20.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
MALAYSIA |
|
KUL |
|
USD |
|
4.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
4.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
MALTA |
|
MAL |
|
USD |
|
18.00 |
|
75.00 |
|
18.00 |
|
75.00 |
|
MAURITIUS |
|
MAU |
|
USD |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
MEXICO |
|
MEX |
|
USD |
|
2.50 |
|
14.00 |
|
2.50 |
|
14.00 |
|
MOROCCO |
|
CAS |
|
USD |
|
27.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
27.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
NETHERLANDS |
|
AMS |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
NEW ZEALAND |
|
AUK |
|
USD |
|
1.75 |
|
17.50 |
|
1.75 |
|
17.50 |
|
NORWAY |
|
OSL |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
18.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
18.00 |
|
OMAN |
|
OMR |
|
USD |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
PAKISTAN |
|
KAR |
|
USD |
|
15.00 |
|
50.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
50.00 |
|
PALESTINE |
|
PAL |
|
USD |
|
30.00 |
|
100.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
100.00 |
|
PHILLIPPINES |
|
MAN |
|
USD |
|
5.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
5.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
POLAND |
|
WAR |
|
USD |
|
9.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
7.50 |
|
30.00 |
|
PORTUGAL |
|
LIS |
|
USD |
|
5.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
5.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
QATAR |
|
DOH |
|
USD |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
ROMANIA |
|
BUC |
|
USD |
|
15.00 |
|
55.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
55.00 |
|
RUSSIA |
|
MOS |
|
USD |
|
14.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
50.00 |
|
SINGAPORE |
|
SIN |
|
USD |
|
2.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
2.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
SLOVAKIA |
|
BRA |
|
USD |
|
20.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
SLOVENIA |
|
LJU |
|
USD |
|
30.00 |
|
80.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
80.00 |
|
SOUTH AFRICA |
|
JOH |
|
USD |
|
2.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
2.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
SOUTH KOREA |
|
SEO |
|
USD |
|
5.00 |
|
17.50 |
|
5.00 |
|
17.50 |
|
SPAIN |
|
MAD |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
SRI LANKA |
|
COL |
|
USD |
|
12.00 |
|
65.00 |
|
12.00 |
|
65.00 |
|
SWEDEN |
|
STO |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
14.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
14.00 |
|
SWITZERLAND |
|
ZUR |
|
USD |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
TAIWAN |
|
TAI |
|
USD |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
THAILAND |
|
BAN |
|
USD |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
TUNISIA |
|
TUN |
|
USD |
|
40.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
TURKEY |
|
IST |
|
USD |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
UKRAINE |
|
UKR |
|
USD |
|
75.00 |
|
110.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
85.00 |
|
UNITED KINGDOM |
|
LON |
|
USD |
|
0.50 |
|
7.00 |
|
0.50 |
|
7.00 |
|
UNITED STATES |
|
NYK |
|
USD |
|
0.19 |
|
4.50 |
|
0.19 |
|
4.50 |
|
VENEZUELA |
|
CAR |
|
USD |
|
35.00 |
|
100.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
100.00 |
|
ZIMBABWE |
|
ZIM |
|
USD |
|
45.00 |
|
150.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
150.00 |
|
VIETNAM |
|
HAN |
|
USD |
|
25.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
PERU |
|
LIM |
|
USD |
|
24.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
24.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
** For Clearstream Vestima and Euroclear Fundsettle pricing refers only to Safekeeping and settlement of Collective Investment assets and not those of Equities
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Fees (USD) |
* Additional Standard fees are as follows (International): |
|
Manual instruction (Fax / Telex): additional per settlement |
20.00 |
Late instruction: additional per settlement |
15.00 |
Cancellations: per instruction |
15.00 |
Free Cash Receipt |
10.00 |
Free Cash Payment |
10.00 |
Repair of Electronic instruction: additional per item |
15.00 |
Corporate Action processing per event (per account) |
waived |
Income Processing per event (per account) |
waived |
Proxy Voting (per event notification) |
15.00 |
Proxy Voting (per Vote instruction per client) |
15.00 |
Delivery by Volume (DBV) Note: Subject to GPM approval for ALL deals |
waived |
Block Trading (applied to the second and each additional legs settled) |
waived |
Monthly Account Maintenance (Per account) |
100.00 |
Same Day Settlement |
20.00 |
Free Cash Payment |
5.00 |
Repair of Electronic instruction: additional per item |
10.00 |
Corporate Action processing per event (per account) |
waived |
Income Processing per event (per account) |
waived |
Proxy Voting (per event notification) |
N/A |
Proxy Voting (per Vote instruction per client) |
N/A |
Delivery by Volume (DBV) Note: Subject to GPM approval for ALL deals |
waived |
P & I PAYDOWNS (MBS AGENCY, CMO ASSET BACKED, MEIC, PF |
5.00 |
Monthly Account Maintenance (Per account) |
20.00 |
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Fees (USD) |
Taxation Services |
|
Retrospective Tax Reclaim (per submission) |
130.00 |
ADR statements |
130.00 |
Exceptional certification and issuance of documentation |
130.00 |
Business As Usual Tax Reclaim (per submission by post) |
25.00 |
Business As Usual Tax Reclaim (per submission by electronic means) |
15.00 |
Stamp Duty Tax Reclaims (SDTR) |
25.00 |
Out-of-Pocket expenses: |
All charges will be payable by the client where appropriate. These include, but are not limited to: |
Re-registration fees |
Stamp duties |
Crest Fines / Fines from any other Depository |
Depository charges (ICSD Euclid reporting, account maintenance fees etc) |
Fiscalization Levies |
Notarization and consularization fees |
Stock certificate splits |
Crossing of Stocks |
Turnover Taxes |
Scrip Fees |
Transportation / courier / postage charges |
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Unpriced Securities: |
Bonds will be priced at Par and the Basis Point charge per market applied as per normal. |
Equities will be priced at $1.00 per share and the Basis Point charge per market applied as per normal. |
/s/ Carey Ryan |
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Vice President |
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GTS/Global Custody |
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388 Greenwich Street/14th FL |
|
212-816-6820 |
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Exhibit 99.B(g)(3)(c)
The Victory Portfolios and Compass EMP Funds Trust
|
|
This Fee Agreement should be read in conjunction with and consistent with the terms of the Global Custodial Services Agreement between The Victory Portfolios and Compass EMP Funds Trust and Citibank N.A. through its New York offices, dated and the terms of that agreement shall be deemed to apply to this Fee Agreement including the governing law specified in that agreement.
Country |
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Safekeeping Fee for
|
|
Transaction fee for
|
|
Safekeeping Fee for
|
|
Transaction fee for
|
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ARGENTINA |
|
10.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
AUSTRALIA |
|
1.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
AUSTRIA |
|
2.25 |
|
15.00 |
|
1.75 |
|
15.00 |
|
BAHRAIN |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
BANGLADESH |
|
38.00 |
|
130.00 |
|
38.00 |
|
130.00 |
|
BELGIUM |
|
1.25 |
|
17.50 |
|
1.00 |
|
17.50 |
|
BENIN |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
BERMUDA |
|
38.00 |
|
115.00 |
|
38.00 |
|
115.00 |
|
BOTSWANA |
|
35.00 |
|
115.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
115.00 |
|
BRAZIL |
|
9.00 |
|
28.00 |
|
9.00 |
|
28.00 |
|
BULGARIA |
|
17.00 |
|
130.00 |
|
17.00 |
|
90.00 |
|
BURKINA FASO |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
CANADA |
|
0.80 |
|
8.00 |
|
0.80 |
|
8.00 |
|
CHILE |
|
9.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
9.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
CHINA A-SHARES |
|
9.00 |
|
40.00 |
|
9.00 |
|
40.00 |
|
CLEARSTREAM |
|
2.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
7.00 |
|
COLOMBIA |
|
24.00 |
|
55.00 |
|
24.00 |
|
55.00 |
|
COSTA RICA |
|
35.00 |
|
60.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
60.00 |
|
CROATIA |
|
34.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
34.00 |
|
50.00 |
|
CYPRUS |
|
8.00 |
|
17.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
17.00 |
|
CZECH REPUBLIC |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
DENMARK |
|
1.00 |
|
18.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
18.00 |
|
EGYPT |
|
15.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
ESTONIA |
|
20.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
EUROCLEAR DEPOSITORY |
|
2.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
7.00 |
|
FINLAND |
|
1.25 |
|
17.50 |
|
1.25 |
|
17.50 |
|
FRANCE |
|
1.00 |
|
12.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
12.00 |
|
GERMANY |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
GHANA |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
GREECE |
|
7.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
7.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
GUINEA BISSAU |
|
40.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
40.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
HONG KONG |
|
2.00 |
|
16.00 |
|
2.00 |
|
16.00 |
|
HONG KONG/CHINA-B Shares |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
HUNGARY |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
ICELAND |
|
4.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
4.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
INDIA |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
INDONESIA |
|
5.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
5.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
IRELAND |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
ISRAEL |
|
8.50 |
|
35.00 |
|
8.50 |
|
35.00 |
|
ITALY |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
IVORY COAST |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
JAPAN |
|
1.00 |
|
12.50 |
|
1.00 |
|
12.50 |
|
JORDAN |
|
35.00 |
|
95.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
95.00 |
|
KAZAKHSTAN |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
KENYA |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
KUWAIT |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
LATVIA |
|
17.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
17.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
LEBANON |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
LITHUANIA |
|
20.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
MALAYSIA |
|
4.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
4.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
MALI |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
MALTA |
|
18.00 |
|
75.00 |
|
18.00 |
|
75.00 |
|
MAURITIUS |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
MEXICO |
|
2.50 |
|
14.00 |
|
2.50 |
|
14.00 |
|
MOROCCO |
|
27.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
27.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
NAMBIA |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
NETHERLANDS |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
NEW ZEALAND |
|
1.75 |
|
17.50 |
|
1.75 |
|
17.50 |
|
NIGER |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
NIGERIA |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
NORWAY |
|
1.00 |
|
18.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
18.00 |
|
OMAN |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
PAKISTAN |
|
15.00 |
|
50.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
50.00 |
|
PALESTINE |
|
30.00 |
|
100.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
100.00 |
|
PERU |
|
24.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
24.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
PHILLIPPINES |
|
5.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
5.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
POLAND |
|
9.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
7.50 |
|
30.00 |
|
PORTUGAL |
|
5.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
5.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
QATAR |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
ROMANIA |
|
15.00 |
|
55.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
55.00 |
|
RUSSIA |
|
14.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
50.00 |
|
SINGAPORE |
|
2.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
2.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
SLOVAKIA |
|
20.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
20.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
SLOVENIA |
|
30.00 |
|
80.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
80.00 |
|
SOUTH AFRICA |
|
2.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
2.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
SOUTH KOREA |
|
5.00 |
|
17.50 |
|
5.00 |
|
17.50 |
|
SPAIN |
|
1.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
SRI LANKA |
|
12.00 |
|
65.00 |
|
12.00 |
|
65.00 |
|
SWEDEN |
|
1.00 |
|
14.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
14.00 |
|
SWITZERLAND |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
1.00 |
|
10.00 |
|
TAIWAN |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
THAILAND |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
TOGO |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
TUNISIA |
|
40.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
30.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
TURKEY |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
8.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
Country |
|
Safekeeping Fee for
|
|
Transaction fee for
|
|
Safekeeping Fee for
|
|
Transaction fee for
|
|
UGANDA |
|
35.00 |
|
120.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
100.00 |
|
UKRAINE |
|
75.00 |
|
110.00 |
|
15.00 |
|
85.00 |
|
UNITED KINGDOM |
|
0.50 |
|
7.00 |
|
0.50 |
|
7.00 |
|
VENEZUELA |
|
35.00 |
|
100.00 |
|
35.00 |
|
100.00 |
|
VIETNAM |
|
25.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
25.00 |
|
70.00 |
|
ZAMBIA |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
32.00 |
|
124.00 |
|
ZIMBABWE |
|
45.00 |
|
150.00 |
|
45.00 |
|
150.00 |
|
|
|
Domestic Assets Under Custody |
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
$0-$10BN |
|
>$10BN |
|
|
|
|
|
United States Fees (All-in) |
|
0.5 |
Bps |
0.4 |
Bps |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees (USD) |
|
Mutual Fund Order Routing Service |
|
|
|
Mutual Fund Account Opening Fee (per account) |
|
50.00 |
|
Mutual Fund order Routing-Subscription/Redemption/Transfer |
|
35.00 |
|
|
|
Fees (USD) |
|
Taxation Services |
|
|
|
Retrospective Tax Reclaim (per submission) |
|
130.00 |
|
ADR statements |
|
130.00 |
|
Customised exceptional report requests |
|
waived |
|
Exceptional certification and issuance of documentation. |
|
130.00 |
|
Business As Usual Tax Reclaim (per submission by post) |
|
25.00 |
|
Business As Usual Tax Reclaim (per submission by electronic means) |
|
15.00 |
|
Stamp Duty Tax Reclaims (SDRT) |
|
25.00 |
|
Out-of-Pocket expenses: |
All charges will be payable by the client where appropriate. These include, but are not limited to: |
Re-registration fees |
Stamp duties |
Crest Fines / Fines from any other Depository |
Depository charges (ICSD Euclid reporting, account maintenance, ADR & Depository Receipt Fees etc) |
Fiscalization Levies |
Notarization and consularization fees |
Stock certificate splits |
Crossing of Stocks |
Turnover Taxes |
Scrip Fees |
Transportation / courier / postage Charges |
Unpriced Securities: |
|
Bonds will be priced at Par and the basis point charge will be applied per market |
|
Equities will be be priced at $1.00 per share with a bp charge per market assessed. |
|
Accepted by: |
Accepted by: |
|||
The Victory Portfolios and
|
Citibank, N.A. |
|||
|
|
|||
Name |
/s/ Christopher K Dyer |
|
Name |
/s/ Deborah Mercer-Miller |
Title |
President |
|
Title |
Vice President |
Date |
8/19/15 |
|
Date |
8/19/2015 |
AMENDMENT and JOINDER TO THE GLOBAL CUSTODIAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
Citibank, N.A. acting as custodian through its offices in New York (the Custodian) has entered into a Global Custodial Services Agreement (the Custody Agreement) with the Victory Portfolios acting for and on behalf of each Fund (as defined in the Custody Agreement) dated August 5th, 2008, together with any Fund Appendix and amendments made thereto. A copy of the Custody Agreement and Fund Appendix is annexed hereto.
Compass EMP Funds Trust wishes to obtain custodial services from the Custodian under precisely the same terms and conditions as agreed between the Victory Portfolios and the Custodian under the Custody Agreement.
In consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, Citibank, N.A. as Custodian, the Victory Portfolios, and Compass EMF Funds Trust each agree to the following:
1. The first sentence which comprises the first paragraph of the Custody Agreement on page one of the Custody Agreement and begins, THIS GLOBAL CUSTODIAL SERVICES AGREEMENT shall be stricken and replaced with the following:
THIS MASTER GLOBAL CUSTODIAL SERVICES AGREEMENT (the Agreement) is made on August 19 th , 2015, by and between Citigroup, N.A. acting through its offices located in New York (the Custodian) and, severally and not jointly, the Victory Portfolios and Compass EMP Funds Trust, each a Delaware Statutory Trust, located in Delaware (each a Trust) on behalf of each open-ended management investment company listed underneath the name of that Trust on the Funds Appendix to this Agreement, as amended from time to time (each a Fund and collectively with the Trust acting on behalf of such Funds, a Client).
It is understood and agreed that this document shall constitute a separate agreement between Custodian and each Trust listed above, as if each Trust listed above had executed a separate document naming only itself as Client, and that no Trust listed above shall have any liability under this document for the obligations of any other Trust so listed, and the term this Agreement shall be construed accordingly. For the avoidance of doubt, there shall be no cross-liability or cross-collateralization between the entities set forth above or on the Fund Appendix hereto. In the event the Global Custodial Services Agreement is terminated between either the Trusts listed above and the Custodian, the equivalent agreement between the Custodian and the remaining Trust shall continue in full force and effect unless and until either party hereto terminates such agreement in accordance with the terms herein.
2. The Compass EMP Funds Trust and the Custodian agree as follows:
2.1 The Custodian agrees to provide global custodial services to Compass EMP Funds Trust and agrees to be bound by the terms, conditions and provisions of, the Custody Agreement and amendments thereto, including the terms of this Amendment and Joinder, as if signed directly between the Custodian and Compass EMP Funds Trust and such terms, conditions and provisions are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference.
Remainder of page left blank
This agreement is executed as of August 19 th , 2015 by the Victory Portfolios, Compass EMP Funds Trust, and by Citibank N.A. through its offices in New York.
CITIBANK N.A. through its offices in New York |
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS, ACTING FOR
|
||||
|
|
||||
By: |
/s/ DEBORAH MERCER-MILLER |
|
By: |
/s/ Christopher K Dyer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name: |
DEBORAH MERCER-MILLER |
|
Name: |
Christopher K Dyer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Title: |
VICE PRESIDENT |
|
Title: |
President |
|
|
CITI TRANSACTION SERVICES
|
|
|
||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
COMPASS EMP FUNDS TRUST, ACTING FOR
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
By: |
/s/ Christopher K Dyer |
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
Name: |
Christopher K Dyer |
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
Title: |
President |
|
|||
FUND APPENDIX
As of August 19 th , 2015
The Victory Portfolios
Victory Newbridge Global Equity Fund
Victory Expedition Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund
Victory Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Growth Fund
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund
Compass EMP Funds Trust
Compass EMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP International 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP U.S. Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP U.S. 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP REC Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP Long/Short Strategies Fund
Compass EMP Market Neutral Income Fund
Compass EMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund
Compass EMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund
Compass EMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund
Compass EMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund
Compass EMP Alternative Strategies Fund
Compass EMP US High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Fund
Compass EMP US EQ Income 100 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund
CITIBANK, N.A. |
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS ACTING FOR
|
|||
|
|
|||
By: |
/s/ DEBORAH MERCER-MILLER |
|
By: |
/s/ Christopher K Dyer |
|
|
|
|
|
Name: |
DEBORAH MERCER-MILLER |
|
Name: |
Christopher K Dyer |
|
|
|
|
|
Title: |
VICE PRESIDENT |
|
Title: |
President |
|
CITI TRANSACTION SERVICES
|
|
|
COMPASS EMP FUNDS TRUST ACTING
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Christopher K Dyer |
|
|
|
|
Name: |
Christopher K Dyer |
|
|
|
|
Title: |
President |
|
Exhibit 99.B(h)(3)(a)
ADMINISTRATION AND
FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT
THIS ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT (the Agreement) is made as of July 1, 2006, by and between (i) The Victory Portfolios and The Victory Variable Insurance Funds, both, Delaware statutory trusts (each, a Trust and, together, the Trusts) on behalf of those investment company portfolios listed on Schedule D which may be amended from time to time (each, a Fund and, together, the Funds) in the case of both the Trusts and the Funds, individually and not jointly and (ii) VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC. (VCM), a New York corporation.
WHEREAS, VCM currently acts as co-administrator for the Trusts and BISYS Fund Services Ohio, Inc (BISYS) currently acts as co-administrator of and fund accountant for the Trusts, each of which is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act);
WHEREAS, this Agreement supersedes the current co-administration and accounting agreements with respect to the subject matter herein;
WHEREAS, the Trusts desire to retain VCM as administrator and fund accountant for the Trusts to perform certain administration and fund accounting services for the Trusts and each investment portfolio of the Trusts, as now in existence and listed on Schedule D to this Agreement, or as hereafter may be established from time to time;
WHEREAS, VCM is willing to perform Services (as defined below) on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto wish to enter into this Agreement in order to set forth the terms under which VCM will perform the Services set forth herein for the Trusts.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual premises and covenants hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Retention of VCM .
(a) Each Trust respectively and separately hereby appoints VCM as its administrator and fund accountant. VCM shall, for all purposes herein, be deemed to be an independent contractor and, except as otherwise expressly provided or authorized, shall have no authority to act for or represent the Trusts or the Funds in any way, and shall not be deemed an agent of the Trusts or any Funds.
2. Responsibilities of VCM .
VCM shall perform the administration services set forth in Schedule A to this Agreement and the fund accounting services set forth in Schedule B to this Agreement. VCM shall perform such other services, and furnish such other reports, for the Funds that are mutually agreed upon by the parties from time to time, for which the Trust will pay VCM the amounts agreed upon between them. This Agreement uses the term Services to refer to the services described in Schedules A and B, as well additional services as agreed by the parties.
VCM may, at its expense, utilize agents in its performance of Services; provided, however, that (i) the approval of the Trust shall be required to establish an arrangement in which an agent of VCM acts as sub-administrator or sub-fund accountant (an Agent); and (ii) any agent (including any Agent) retained by VCM shall be the agent of VCM and not the agent of the Trusts, and VCM shall be fully responsible for the acts of any such agent (or Agent) and shall not be relieved of any of its responsibilities hereunder by the appointment of such agent (or Agent). In the event that an Agent is retained by VCM at the request or instruction of the Trust, the foregoing shall not apply to the extent it is inconsistent with any written agreement(s) entered into by the parties with respect to such arrangement.
3. Allocation of Charges and Expenses .
VCM shall bear its own expenses in connection with the performance of its duties and responsibilities hereunder, except as provided herein; provided, however, that the Trust shall reimburse VCM for its and BISYS reasonable travel and related expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Boards of Trustees of the Trusts (the Boards) in their capacities as administrator and sub-administrator. VCM shall also furnish at its own expense the executive, supervisory and clerical personnel necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement. VCM shall pay all compensation, if any, of officers of the Trusts who are its own officers, employees or directors or who are officers employees or directors of its affiliated entities. Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, VCM shall not be obligated to pay the compensation of any employee or agent of the Trusts (who is not an officer employee or director of VCM or its affiliated entities) retained by the Boards.
The Trust will pay or cause to be paid any other expenses incurred in the operation of the Funds that are not otherwise allocated herein, including, without limitation, Fund organization costs, taxes, expenses for Fund legal and auditing services, costs of maintaining corporate existence, the expenses of preparing (including typesetting), printing and mailing reports, prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information (the SAI), proxy solicitation material and notices to existing Shareholders, all expenses incurred in connection with issuing and redeeming shares of beneficial interest in the Funds (Shares), fund accounting agents fees, the cost of initial and ongoing registration of the Shares under federal and state securities laws, fees and out-of-pocket expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of VCM or any affiliate of VCM, Trust meetings, insurance, interest, brokerage costs and commissions, if any,
litigation and other extraordinary or nonrecurring expenses, and all fees and charges of investment advisers.
4. Compensation of VCM .
(a) The Trust shall pay VCM the fees set forth in Schedule C to this Agreement for the services described in Schedules A and B. For purposes of determining fees, the value of each Funds net assets shall be computed in accordance with the terms of the Funds Prospectus. Such fee as is attributable to each Fund shall be a separate (and not joint or joint and several) obligation of each such Fund. No individual Fund shall have any responsibility for any obligation, if any, with respect to any other Fund arising out of this Agreement.
In addition, the Trust shall also reimburse VCM and BISYS for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the Services, except those specifically allocated to VCM pursuant to Section 3 hereof.
(b) If this Agreement becomes effective subsequent to the first day of a month or terminates in accordance with its terms before the last day of a month, VCMs compensation for that part of the month in which this Agreement is in effect shall be prorated in a manner consistent with the calculation of the fees as set forth on Schedule C.
(c) All rights of compensation under this Agreement for the services described in Schedules A and B performed as of the termination date shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
5. Term .
(a) This Agreement becomes effective on the date first set forth above (the Effective Date). Upon the Effective Date, the Services, compensation (other than compensation for services not described in Schedules A or B) and expense provisions of this Agreement shall become fully effective. Unless otherwise terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall continue in effect from the Effective Date through June 30, 2009 (such period, the Initial Term). Thereafter, unless otherwise terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall be renewed automatically for successive one-year periods (Rollover Periods); provided that such continuance is specifically approved by a vote of a majority of those members of the Boards who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party, and by the vote of the Boards or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund. This Agreement may be terminated: (i) by provision of a written notice of non-renewal at least sixty (60) days prior to the end of the Initial Term or any Rollover Period, as the case may be; (ii) by mutual agreement of the parties; (iii) for cause, as defined below, upon the provision of sixty (60) days advance written notice by the party alleging cause; (iv) by the Trusts upon 60 days written notice to VCM provided that the Trust otherwise complies with its obligation to pay liquidated damages where applicable; or (v) if VCM is terminated as the investment advisor to the Trust, by VCM upon 60 days advance notice
to the Trust, provided that, in such event, the Trust may elect to extend this Agreement for a reasonable period of time to permit the Trust to retain a successor to provide the Services, but in no event shall such continuation extend beyond one hundred and eighty (180) days after the date VCM is terminated as investment advisor.
(b) For purposes of this Section 5, Cause shall mean: (i) a material breach of this Agreement, including a material breach of any representations and warranties contained herein, that has not been remedied for thirty (30) days following written notice of such breach from the non-breaching party; (ii) a final, unappealable judicial, regulatory or administrative ruling or order in which the party to be terminated has been found guilty of criminal or unethical behavior in the conduct of its business; or (iii) financial difficulties on the part of the party to be terminated that are evidenced by the authorization or commencement of, or involvement by way of pleading, answer, consent or acquiescence in, a voluntary or involuntary case under Title 11 (Bankruptcy) of the United States Code, as from time to time is in effect, or any applicable law, other than said Title 11, of any jurisdiction relating to the liquidation or reorganization of debtors or to the modification or alteration of the rights of creditors. VCM shall not terminate this Agreement pursuant to clause (i) above based solely upon Trusts failure to pay an amount to VCM which is the subject of a good faith dispute, if: (x) the Trust is attempting in good faith to resolve such dispute with as much expediency as may be possible under the circumstances; and (y) the Trust continues to perform its obligations hereunder in all other material respects (including paying all fees and expenses not subject to reasonable dispute hereunder).
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing termination provisions, following any such termination, in the event that VCM in fact continues to perform any one or more of the Services with the consent of the Trust, the provisions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the provisions dealing with compensation and indemnification, shall continue in full force and effect. Fees and out-of-pocket expenses incurred by VCM but unpaid by the Trust upon such termination shall be immediately due and payable upon and notwithstanding such termination. In the event of a termination other than a termination for Cause or by VCM, VCM shall be entitled to collect from the Trust, in addition to the fees and expenses provided in Sections 3 and 4 of this Agreement, the amount of all of VCMs reasonable cash disbursements in connection with VCMs activities in effecting such termination, including without limitation, the delivery to the Trust, and/or other parties of the Funds property, records, instruments and documents. Subsequent to such termination, for a reasonable fee, VCM will provide the Trust with reasonable access to any Trust documents or records remaining in its possession to any successor administrator or fund accountant.
(d) If for any reason other than (i) non-renewal, (ii) mutual agreement of the parties, (iii) Cause for termination of VCM hereunder, or (iv) termination by VCM with respect to either Trust, this Agreement is terminated during the Initial Term, then the Trust shall make a one-time cash payment, in consideration of the fee structure and services to be provided under this Agreement, and not as a penalty, to VCM equal to the balance that would be due VCM for its services hereunder during (x) the next nine (9) months or (y) if less than nine (9) months remain until the end of the Initial Term, the
number of months remaining in the Initial Term, assuming for purposes of the calculation of the one-time payment that the fees that would be earned by VCM for each month shall be based upon the average fees payable to VCM monthly during the nine (9) months prior to the date of termination.
(e) If BISYS is, during the Initial Term of this Agreement, acting as sub-administrator under an agreement between VCM and BISYS (the Sub-Administration Agreement), and if, at the express direction of the Board, BISYS services are terminated under the Sub-Administration Agreement, BISYS is replaced as sub-administrator or sub-fund accountant under the Sub-Administration Agreement or if a third party is added to perform a substantive portion of the administration or accounting services to be provided by BISYS under the Sub-Administration Agreement, then the Trust shall make a one-time cash payment to BISYS, in consideration of the fee structure and services being provided by BISYS under the Sub-Administration Agreement, and not as a penalty, equal to the balance that would be due BISYS for its services under the Sub-Administration Agreement during (x) the next nine (9) months or (y) if less than nine (9) months remain until the end of the Initial Term of the Sub-Administration Agreement, the number of months remaining in the Initial Term, assuming for purposes of the calculation of the one-time payment that the fees that would be earned by BISYS for each month shall be based upon the average fees payable to BISYS by VCM monthly during the nine (9) months prior to the date that services terminate, BISYS is replaced or a third party is added; provided, however, that this liquidated damages provision shall not be applicable to liquidations of individual Funds which may occur from time to time for legitimate economic or regulatory reasons, as determined by the Board. This provision, and any obligation by the Trust to pay liquidated damages, shall not apply if a third party is substituted for BISYS at the express direction of the Board for Cause. For purposes of this provision, Cause shall mean: (i) a material breach of the Sub-Administration Agreement, including a material breach of any representations and warranties contained therein, that has not been remedied for thirty (30) days following written notice of such breach from the non-breaching party; (ii) a final, unappealable judicial, regulatory or administrative ruling or order in which BISYS has been found guilty of criminal or unethical behavior in the conduct of its business; or (iii) financial difficulties on the part BISYS that are evidenced by the authorization or commencement of, or involvement by way of pleading, answer, consent or acquiescence in, a voluntary or involuntary case under Title 11 (Bankruptcy) of the United States Code, as from time to time is in effect, or any applicable law, other than said Title 11, of any jurisdiction relating to the liquidation or reorganization of debtors or to the modification or alteration of the rights of creditors.
(f) The one-time cash payments referenced above shall be due and payable on the day prior to the first day in which this Agreement is terminated, services are terminated, VCM is replaced or a third party is added, as applicable.
(g) The parties further acknowledge and agree that, in the event this Agreement is terminated with respect to VCM under subsection (d), above, BISYS services are terminated, BISYS is replace, or a third party is added, as set forth in subsection (e),
above, (i) a determination of actual damages incurred by VCM or BISYS, respectively, would be extremely difficult, and (ii) the liquidated damages provisions contained herein are intended to adequately compensate VCM and BISYS for their respective damages incurred and are not intended to constitute any form of penalty.
(h) With respect to any termination of this Agreement occurring during a Rollover Period, the Trust shall not be obligated to pay to VCM any amounts pursuant to this Agreement other than fees and out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with Section 5(c) of this Agreement.
6. Standard of Care; Uncontrollable Events; Limitation of Liability .
VCM shall use reasonable professional diligence in the performance of Services but shall not be liable to the Trust for any action taken or omitted by it in the absence of bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence or reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties. The duties of VCM shall be confined to those expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against VCM hereunder.
VCM shall maintain adequate and reliable computer and other equipment necessary or appropriate to carry out its obligations under this Agreement. Upon the Trusts reasonable request, VCM shall provide supplemental information concerning the aspects of its disaster recovery and business continuity plan that are relevant to the Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement, VCM does not assume any responsibility hereunder, and shall not be liable for, any damage, loss of data, delay or any other loss whatsoever caused by events beyond its reasonable control. Events beyond VCMs reasonable control include, without limitation, force majeure events. Force majeure events include natural disasters, actions or decrees of governmental bodies, and communication lines failures that are not the fault of either party. In the event of force majeure, computer or other equipment failures or other events beyond its reasonable control, VCM shall follow applicable procedures in its disaster recovery and business continuity plan and use all commercially reasonable efforts to minimize any service interruption or damages to the Trusts.
VCM shall provide the Trust, at such times as the Trust may reasonably request, copies of reports rendered by independent public accounting firms on its Agents internal controls and procedures relating to the Services.
NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, IN NO EVENT SHALL VCM, ITS AFFILIATES OR ANY OF ITS OR THEIR DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR SUBCONTRACTORS BE LIABLE FOR EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR LOST PROFITS, EACH OF WHICH IS HEREBY EXCLUDED BY AGREEMENT OF THE PARTIES REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES WERE FORESEEABLE OR WHETHER A PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL IN ANY WAY CONSTITUTE A WAIVER OR LIMITATION OF ANY RIGHTS THAT THE TRUST MAY HAVE UNDER FEDERAL SECURITIES LAWS.
7. Legal Advice .
VCM may rely on written advice provided by Fund Counsel or other expert authorized in writing by the Trust, provided that Fund Counsel is not obligated to provide advice to VCM for any reason or for no reason. In no event shall VCM be liable to the Trust or any Fund or any shareholder or beneficial owner of the Trust for any action reasonably taken pursuant to written advice provided by an expert explicitly authorized by the Trust.
As to the Services, this Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions under which the Services are to be performed (except with respect to the fees payable for services not described in Schedules A and B). To the extent of any inconsistency between this Agreement and any description, if any, of the Services that may be contained in the Prospectuses and SAI of the Trust relating to the relevant Funds, VCM may rely on the description contained in that Prospectus or SAI unless VCM receives written instructions to the contrary in a timely manner from the Trust.
8. Instructions / Certain Procedures, etc.
VCM shall be protected in acting upon any document that it reasonably believes to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by a duly authorized person on behalf of the Trust. Unless VCM is otherwise aware of such change of authority, VCM will not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any officers, employees or agents of the Trust until receipt of actual notice thereof from the Trust.
In performing the Services, VCM may rely conclusively upon the terms of the Prospectuses and SAIs relating to the relevant Funds, as well as the minutes of Board meetings (if applicable) and other records of the Trust. VCM shall be protected in acting upon any document which it reasonably believes to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person or persons, excluding VCM employees.
9. Indemnification .
The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless VCM, and its employees, agents, directors, officers and nominees from and against any claims, demands, actions, suits, judgments, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees and other expenses including reasonable investigation expenses (collectively, Losses) resulting directly and proximately from VCMs performance of the Services or based, if applicable, upon its reasonable reliance on information, records, instructions or requests pertaining to the Services, that are given or made to it by the Trust, or other authorized agents of the Trust with which VCM must interface in providing the Services; provided that this indemnification shall not apply to actions or omissions of VCM involving bad
faith, willful misfeasance, negligence or reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties.
VCM shall indemnify, defend, and hold the Trust, and its Trustees, officers, agents and nominees harmless from and against Losses resulting directly and proximately from VCMs willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of, or the reckless disregard of, its duties or obligations hereunder.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, under no circumstances will VCM be obligated to indemnify the Trust for or be liable to the Trust for any Losses arising from or attributable to the Trusts failure or refusal, for any or no reason, to act or refrain from acting in accordance with or to follow VCMs advice, recommendation or direction with respect to any one or all of the Services, including, without limitation, the Services provided for in Section 17, below.
The indemnification rights hereunder shall include the right to reasonable advances of defense expenses in the event of any pending or threatened litigation with respect to which indemnification hereunder may ultimately be merited provided that any such advanced expenses shall be reimbursed by the indemnified party if an ultimate determination is made on the merits by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction that the indemnified party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder. In order that the indemnification provisions contained herein shall apply, however, it is understood that if in any case a party may be asked to indemnify or hold the other party harmless, the indemnified party will use all reasonable care to identify and notify the indemnifying party promptly concerning any situation which presents or appears likely to present the probability of such a claim for indemnification against the indemnifying party together with all facts pertinent to the situation, but failure to do so in good faith shall not affect the rights hereunder except to the extent the indemnifying party is materially prejudiced thereby. As to any matter eligible for indemnification, an indemnified party shall act reasonably and in accordance with good faith business judgment and shall not effect any settlement or confess judgment without the consent of the indemnifying party, which consent shall not be withheld or delayed unreasonably.
The indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate at its own expense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any claims subject to this indemnity provision. If the indemnifying party elects to assume the defense of any such claim, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, whose approval shall not be withheld or delayed unreasonably. In the event that the indemnifying party elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the indemnified party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it. An indemnifying party shall not effect any settlement without the consent of the indemnified party (which shall not be withheld or delayed unreasonably by the indemnified party) unless such settlement imposes no liability, responsibility or other obligation upon the indemnified party and does not express, imply or impute fault to the indemnified party. If the indemnifying party does not elect to assume the defense of suit, it will reimburse the indemnified party for the reasonable fees and expenses of any
counsel retained by the indemnified party. The indemnity and defense provisions set forth herein shall indefinitely survive the termination of this Agreement.
10. Record Retention and Confidentiality .
VCM shall keep and maintain all books and records that are customary or that are required to be kept in connection with the Services pursuant to applicable statutes, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 under the 1940 Act. VCM further agrees that all such books and records shall be the property of the Trust. VCM shall surrender such documents promptly to the Trust on request, and made available for inspection by the Trust, or by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) upon demand.
VCM shall otherwise keep confidential all books and records relating to the Trust and its shareholders, except when (i) disclosure is required by law, (ii) VCM is advised by counsel that it may incur liability for failure to make a disclosure, (iii) VCM is requested to divulge such information by a court, governmental agency or entity or by a self-regulatory organization registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or (iv) as requested or authorized by the Trust (including pursuant to its policies and procedures). VCM shall provide the Trust with reasonable advance notice of disclosure pursuant to items (i) (iii) of the previous sentence, to the extent reasonably practicable.
11. Return of Records .
VCM, shall promptly upon the Trusts demand, turn over to the Trust and cease to retain the files, records and documents created and maintained by it pursuant to this Agreement that are no longer needed by it in the performance of the Services or for its legal protection.
12. Representations and Warranties of the Trust .
The Trust represents and warrants to VCM that:
(a) The Trust is a trust duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its state of organization, and has full capacity and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder;
(b) It has all necessary authorizations, licenses and permits to carry out its business as currently conducted;
(c) It is in compliance in all material respects with all laws and regulations applicable to its business and operations; and
(d) This Agreement has been duly authorized by the Trust and, when executed and delivered by the Trust, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable against the Trust in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the right and remedies of creditors and secured parties.
13. Representations and Warranties of VCM .
VCM represents and warrants to the Trust that:
(a) It is a corporation duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of the state of its organization, and has full capacity and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder;
(b) It has all necessary authorizations, licenses and permits to carry out its business as currently conducted;
(c) It is, and shall continue to be, in compliance in all material respects with all provisions of law applicable to it in connection with the Services;
(d) The various procedures and systems that it has implemented with regard to safekeeping from loss or damage attributable to fire, theft or any other cause of the blank checks, records, and other data and its equipment, facilities, and other property used in the performance of its obligations hereunder are reasonable and adequate and that it will make such changes therein from time to time as are reasonably required for the secure performance of its obligations hereunder;
(e) This Agreement has been duly authorized by it and, when executed and delivered by it, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of it, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the right and remedies of creditors and secured parties; and
(f) it will maintain or hire an Agent with sufficient and experienced personnel and an adequate infrastructure to enable it to perform the Services.
EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT, ALL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES REGARDING QUALITY, SUITABILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR OTHERWISE (IRRESPECTIVE OF ANY COURSE OF DEALING, CUSTOM OR USAGE OF TRADE) CONCERNING THE SERVICES OR ANY GOODS PROVIDED INCIDENTAL TO THE SERVICES ARE COMPLETELY DISCLAIMED.
14. Insurance .
VCM shall maintain a fidelity bond covering larceny and embezzlement and an insurance policy with respect to directors and officers errors and omissions coverage, in
amounts that are appropriate in light of its duties and responsibilities hereunder. Upon the request of the Trust, VCM shall provide evidence that coverage is in place. VCM shall notify the Trust should its insurance coverage with respect to professional liability or errors and omissions coverage be reduced or canceled. Such notification shall include the date of cancellation or reduction and the reasons therefore. VCM shall notify the Trust promptly of any material claims against it with respect to the Services, whether or not they may be covered by insurance, and shall notify the Trust promptly should the total outstanding claims made by VCM under its insurance coverage materially impair, or threaten to materially impair, the adequacy of its coverage.
15. Information to be Furnished by the Trust .
(a) The Trust will furnish to VCM the following upon request:
(i) A copy of each Trust Instrument and any amendments thereto;
(ii) A copy of each Trusts By-laws and any amendments thereto;
(iii) A certified list of all officers of the Funds, including the Funds AML Compliance Officer (as defined in section 17(c) of this Agreement), and any other persons together with specimen signatures of those officers and other persons who (except as otherwise provided herein to the contrary) shall be authorized to instruct VCM in all matters. Any delay in delivery of this list shall not relieve VCM of any actual knowledge it may possess of any change in authority of persons authorized to provide instructions to VCM;
(iv) A copy of each Trusts anti-money laundering program, including any related policies and procedures (AML Program);
(v) Each Trusts most recent Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), and under the 1940 Act, on Form N-1A as filed with the SEC relating to the Shares and any further amendment thereto;
(vi) Notification of registration of the Trust under the 1940 Act on Form N-8A as filed with the SEC;
(vii) Prospectuses and SAIs of the Trust with respect to the Funds (such prospectuses and SAIs , as presently in effect and as they shall from time to time be amended and supplemented, herein called individually, the Prospectus and collectively, the Prospectuses); and
(ix) The Trusts disclosure and control procedures (the Trust DCPs).
(b) The Trust shall furnish VCM written copies of any amendments to, or changes in, any of the items referred to in Section 15(a) hereof, forthwith upon such amendments or changes becoming effective. In addition, the Trust agrees that no amendments will be made to the AML Program or the Trust DCPs that might have the effect of changing the procedures employed by VCM in providing the Services or that might affect the duties of VCM hereunder, unless the Trust first obtains VCMs approval of such amendments or changes, which approval shall not be withheld unreasonably.
(c) VCM may rely on all documents furnished to it by the Trust and its agents in connection with the Services, including any amendments to or changes in any of the items to be provided by the Trust pursuant to Section 15(a), and shall be entitled to indemnification in accordance with Section 9 above with regard to such reliance.
(d) The Trust represents and warrants that (A) the provision of certain officers of the Trust by VCM, as provided in Section 17 of this Agreement, has been approved by the Boards, and (B) each of the individuals nominated by VCM as the Trusts AML Compliance Officer or Financial Officer has been approved and appointed as an officer of the Trust by the Boards.
(e) VCM shall be deemed to have received any document with respect to the Trust that is filed with the SEC and available on EDGAR, unless the Trust files such document without VCMs knowledge.
16. Information Furnished by VCM .
VCM will furnish to the Trust upon request, evidence of the approval of this Agreement by VCM, and authorization of a specified officer of VCM to execute and deliver this Agreement.
17. Compliance with Laws; Provision of Executive Officers .
(a) Prospectus and Public Offering. Except for information VCM is obligated to keep pursuant to Section 10 hereof and in connection with its role as the Trusts investment adviser, and as specifically provided in the schedules hereto, the Trust assumes full responsibility for the preparation, contents, and distribution of each Prospectus of the Trust in compliance with all applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, and any other laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction. VCM shall have no obligation under this Agreement to take cognizance hereunder of laws relating to the sale of the Trusts shares except to the extent that VCM receives payments from the Trust pursuant to Rule 12b-1. The Trust represents and warrants that all shares of the Trust that are
offered to the public are covered by an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act.
(b) Anti-Money Laundering. Both VCM and the Trust acknowledge that they are financial institutions subject to the law entitled Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (U.S.A. Patriot) Act of 2001 and the Bank Secrecy Act and shall comply with the such Acts and applicable regulations adopted thereunder (such Acts and regulations collectively, the Applicable AML Laws) in all relevant respects, unless exempted in part or whole thereunder.
(c) Provision of AML Compliance Officer. Subject to the provisions set forth in Section 17(b) above, this Section 17(c), and Section 17(e) below, VCM agrees to make available to the Trust a person to serve as the Trusts AML Compliance Officer (AML Compliance Officer). VCMs obligation in this regard shall be met by providing an appropriately qualified employee or agent of VCM (or its affiliates) who, in the exercise of his or her duties to the Trust, shall act in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed by him or her to be in the best interests of the Trust. Subject to the Trusts cooperation in implementing and complying with its AML Program, the AML Compliance Officer will assist the Trust in operating its AML Program, and shall perform the duties assigned to the AML Compliance Officer which are set forth in the AML Program.
The Trust shall provide copies of all books and records of the Trust, as the AML Compliance Officer deems necessary or desirable in order to carry out his or her duties hereunder on behalf of the Trust. Each party agrees to provide promptly to the other party (and to the AML Compliance Officer), upon request, copies of such other records and documentation relating to the compliance by such party with Applicable AML Laws (in relation to the Trust), and each party also agrees otherwise to assist the other party (and the AML Compliance Officer) in complying with the requirements of the AML Program and Applicable AML Laws.
Each party agrees to retain a copy of all documents and records prepared, maintained or obtained by it relating to shareholders and transactions for a period of at least five (5) years after either the relationship with the shareholder has ended or the execution of the transaction. The foregoing is not intended to limit any obligation to retain any specified records for any other period that may be specified in the AML Program or under Applicable AML Laws.
(d) Provision of Certifying Officer
Subject to the provisions of this Section 17(d) and Section 17(e) below, VCM shall make (i) a VCM employee or an agent of VCM available to the Trust to serve, upon designation as such by the Board, as the Chief Financial Officer of the Trust or under such other title to perform similar functions and (ii) a VCM employee to serve, upon designation as such by the Board, as the President of the Trust or under such other title to perform similar functions (each, (a Certifying Officer). VCMs obligation in this regard shall be met by providing an appropriately qualified employee or agent of VCM (or its affiliates) who, in the exercise of his or her duties to the Trust, shall act in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed by him or her to be in the best interests of the Trust. Subject to Board approval, VCM shall select, and may replace, the specific employee or agent that it makes available to serve in the designated capacity as a Certifying Officer, in VCMs reasonable discretion, taking into account such persons responsibilities concerning, and familiarity with, the Trusts operations.
For so long as VCM provides a Certifying Officer, (a) there shall be a DCP Committee (as defined below), and (b) the Trusts DCPs shall contain (or the Trust and VCM shall otherwise establish) mutually agreeable procedures governing the certification of Form N-CSR, Form N-Q, and any other forms required to be certified pursuant to Sections 302 or 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Rule 30a-2 under the 1940 Act, or any other related law or regulation (collectively, SO Laws and such forms, collectively, Reports), and the parties shall comply with such procedures in all material respects. Among other things, the procedures shall provide as follows:
· VCM shall establish and maintain a Disclosure Controls and Procedures Committee (the DCP Committee) to evaluate the Trust DCPs in accordance with Rule 30a-3 under the 1940 Act. The DCP Committee shall include (at a minimum) the Trusts President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer and such other individuals as may be necessary or appropriate to enable the DCP Committee to ensure the cooperation of, and to oversee, each of the Trusts agents that records, processes, summarizes, or reports information contained in Trust Reports (or any information from which such information is derived), including the Funds investment advisors, custodians, and other service providers to the Trust or any Fund (Other Providers). VCM may from time to time request appropriate approvals from the Board with respect to the DCP Committee and the Trust DCPs.
· The Trust shall require: (A) that sub-certifications on internal controls, upon which the Certifying Officers may rely in certifying Reports, be provided by Other Providers in form and content reasonably acceptable to the Certifying Officers and consistent with the SO Laws; and (B) that such sub-certifications are delivered to the DCP Committee and the Certifying Officers sufficiently in advance of the DCP Committee meeting described in (iii) below. VCM shall obtain such sub-certifications from such Other Providers.
· The DCP Committee shall (A) establish a schedule to ensure that all required disclosures in any Report, including the financial statements, for the Trust are identified and prepared in a timeframe sufficient to allow review, (B) meet prior to the filing date of each Report to review the accuracy and completeness of the relevant Report, and (C) record its considerations and conclusions in a written memorandum sufficient to support conclusions pertaining to Trust DCPs as required by the instructions to Form N-CSR or Form N-Q. In conducting its review and evaluations, the DCP Committee shall:
A. review SAS 70 reports pertaining to VCM and Other Providers, if applicable, or in the absence of any such reports, consider the adequacy of the sub-certifications supplied by the service provider. In cases where the SAS 70 report is dated more than 90 days prior to the issuance of a Report, the DCP Committee shall request a written representation from the service provider regarding the continued application and effectiveness of internal controls described in the report, or descriptions of any changes in internal control structure, as of the date of the representation;
B. consider whether there are any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of the Trust DCPs or internal controls over financial reporting that could adversely affect the Trusts ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information, and in the event that any such weaknesses or deficiencies are identified, disclose them to the Trusts Certifying Officers, Audit Committee, and independent registered public accounting firm;
C. consider whether, to the knowledge of any member of the DCP Committee, there has been or may have been any fraud, whether or not material, and, if so, disclose to the Certifying
Officers, and the Trusts Audit Committee and independent registered public accounting firm; and
D. determine whether there was any change in internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the Trusts second quarter of the period covered by the Report for Reports on Form N-CSR or during the most recent fiscal quarter for Reports on Form N-Q that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Trusts internal control over financial reporting.
A Certifying Officer shall have the full discretion to decline to certify a particular Report that fails to meet the standards set forth in the Certification, and to report matters involving fraud or other failures to meet the standards of applicable law to the audit committee of the Board.
The Trust shall, in its own capacity, take all reasonably necessary and appropriate measures to comply with its obligations under SO Laws. Without limitation of the foregoing, except for those obligations which are expressly delegated to or assumed by VCM in this Agreement, the Trust shall support and facilitate the role of each Certifying Officer and the DCP Committee in, designing and maintaining the Trusts DCPs in accordance with applicable laws.
(e) Additional Provisions Concerning Executive Officers
It is mutually agreed and acknowledged by the parties that any Certifying Officers provided by VCM under the provisions of this Section 17 will be executive officers of the Trust (Executive Officers). In addition, the parties agree that an AML Compliance Officer provided by VCM shall be considered an Executive Officer of the Trust for purposes of this Section 17(e). The provisions of Sections 17(c) - (d) are subject to the internal policies of VCM concerning the activities of its employees and their service as officers of funds (the VCM Policies), a copy of which shall be provided to the Trust upon request. VCM shall also provide to the Trusts any amendments or changes to the VCM Policies, and the Trusts will not be bound by any amendments or changes to the VCM Policies that materially change the Trusts obligations under this Agreement unless the Trusts give their prior approval of such amendments or changes.
The Trusts governing documents (including its Trust Instrument and By-Laws) shall contain, or the Board may adopt resolutions containing, mandatory indemnification provisions that are applicable to each Executive Officer, that are designed and intended to have the effect of fully indemnifying him or her and holding him or her harmless with respect to any claims, liabilities and costs arising out of or relating to his or her service in good faith in a manner
reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Trust, except to the extent he or she would otherwise be liable to the Trust by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
The Trust shall provide coverage to each Executive Officer under its directors and officers liability policy that is appropriate to the Executive Officers role and title, and consistent with coverage applicable to other officers holding positions of executive management.
In appropriate circumstances, each Executive Officer shall have the discretion to resign from his or her position, in the event that he or she reasonably determines that there has been or is likely to be (a) a material deviation from the VCM Policies; (b) a violation of SO Laws, Applicable AML Laws, or federal or state securities laws and regulations applicable to the Trust (Applicable Securities Laws), or (c) a material deviation by the Trust from the terms of this Agreement governing the services of such Executive Officer that (in either case) is not primarily caused by the failure of such Executive Officer or VCM to meet their own obligations under applicable laws and this Agreement. In addition, each Executive Officer shall have reasonable discretion to resign from his or her position in the event that he or she determines that he or she has not received sufficient cooperation from the Trust or its Other Providers to make an informed determination regarding any of the matters listed above.
Each Executive Officer may, and the Trust shall, promptly notify VCM of any issue, matter or event that would be reasonably likely to result in any claim by the Trust, the Trusts shareholders or any third party which involves an allegation that any Executive Officer failed to exercise his or her obligations to the Trust in a manner consistent with applicable laws (including but not limited to any claim that a Report failed to meet the standards of SO Laws and other applicable laws).
Notwithstanding any provision of the Agreement that expressly or by implication provides to the contrary, (a) it is expressly agreed and acknowledged that VCM cannot ensure that the Trust complies with Applicable AML Laws, the Applicable Securities Laws or SO Laws, and (b) whenever an employee or agent of VCM serves as an Executive Officer of the Trust, as long as such Executive Officer acts in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Trust (and would not otherwise be liable to the Trust by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office), the Trust shall indemnify the Executive Officer and VCM
and hold the Executive Officer and VCM harmless from any loss, liability, expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees) and damages incurred by them arising out of or resulting to the service of such Employee/Executive Officer as an Executive Officer of the Trust.
It is understood by the parties to this Agreement that the federal securities laws impose liabilities under certain circumstances on persons who act in good faith, and therefore nothing herein shall in any way constitute a waiver or limitation of any rights, or responsibilities that either party may have under federal securities laws.
18. Notices .
Any notice provided hereunder shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified mail to the party required to be served with such notice at the following address: if to VCM, to it at Victory Capital Management Inc., Investment Products Group, 127 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, Mailcode: OH-01-27-1414 Attn: [Michael Policarpo], with a copy to Greg Edgehouse, 127 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, Mailcode: OH-01-27-0200; and Jay G. Baris, Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036; or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party pursuant to this Section.
19. Assignment .
This Agreement and the rights and duties hereunder shall not be assignable by either of the parties hereto except by the specific written consent of the other party. This Section 19 shall not limit or in any way affect VCMs right to appoint an agent pursuant to Section 2 hereof. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
20. Governing Law .
This Agreement shall be governed by and provisions shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Ohio, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.
21. Activities of VCM .
The Services are not to be deemed to be exclusive. VCM is free to render such Services to others and to have other businesses and interests. It is understood that Trustees, officers, employees and Shareholders of the Trusts are or may be or become interested in VCM, as officers, employees or otherwise and that partners, officers and employees of VCM and its counsel are or may be or become similarly interested in the
Trusts, and that VCM may be or become interested in the Trusts as a Shareholder or otherwise.
22. Privacy .
Nonpublic personal financial information relating to consumers or customers of the Trusts provided by, or at the direction of the Trust to VCM, or collected or retained by VCM in the course of performing its duties under this Agreement, shall be considered confidential information. VCM shall not give, sell or in any way transfer such confidential information to any person or entity, other than affiliates of VCM involved in servicing the Funds except at the direction of the Trust or the Funds or as required or permitted by law. VCM represents, warrants and agrees that it has in place and will maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of records and information relating to consumers or customers of the Funds. The Trust represents to VCM that the Trust has adopted a statement of its privacy policies and practices as required by the SECs Regulation S-P and agrees to provide VCM with a copy of that statement annually.
23. Miscellaneous .
(a) Paragraph headings in this Agreement are included for convenience only and are not to be used to construe or interpret this Agreement.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the complete agreement of the parties hereto as to the subject matter covered by this Agreement, and supersedes all prior negotiations, understandings and agreements bearing upon the subject matter covered herein.
(c) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original but all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(d) No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated, except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties to this Agreement. For special cases, the parties hereto may amend such procedures set forth herein as may be appropriate or practical under the circumstances, and VCM may conclusively assume that any special procedure that has been approved by the Trust does not conflict with or violate any requirements of its Trust Instrument or then-current Prospectuses, or any rule, regulation or requirement of any regulatory body. In addition, the Trust agrees that no amendments will be made to the Prospectuses, SAI, the AML Program, or the Trust DCPs that might have the effect of changing the procedures employed by
VCM in providing the Services or that might affect the duties of VCM hereunder unless the Trust first obtains VCMs approval of such amendments or changes, which approval shall not be withheld unreasonably.
(e) It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Trusts in this Agreement shall not be binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, nominees, officers, agents or employees of the Trusts personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trusts. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trusts has been authorized by the Boards, and this Agreement has been signed and delivered by an authorized officer of each Trust, acting on behalf of that Trust, and neither such authorization by the Boards nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall, with respect to obligations of the Trust in this Agreement, bind only the trust property of that Trust as provided in the Certificate of Trust.
(f) If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
(g) The names The Victory Portfolios and Trustees of The Victory Portfolios refer respectively to the Trust created and the Trustees, as trustees but not individually or personally, acting from time to time under a Certificate of Trust filed on December 21, 1995 at the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, which is hereby referred to, and is also on file at the principal office of such Trust.
(h) The names The Victory Variable Insurance Funds and Trustees of The Victory Variable Insurance Funds refer respectively to the Trust created and the Trustees, as trustees but not individually or personally, acting from time to time under a Certificate of Trust filed on February 11, 1998 at the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, which is hereby referred to, and is also on file at the principal office of such Trust.
(i) Every reference to a Trust or a Fund will be deemed a reference solely to the particular Trust or Fund (as set forth in Schedule D, as may be amended from time to time). Under no circumstances shall the rights, obligations or remedies with respect to a particular Trust or Fund constitute a right, obligation or remedy applicable to any other Trust or Fund. In particular, and without otherwise limiting the scope of this paragraph, VCM shall not have any right to set off
claims of a Trust or a Fund by applying property of any other Trust or Fund.
24. Rights of Ownership .
All computer programs, systems and procedures employed or developed by VCM, or on behalf of VCM by system providers or vendors used by VCM, to perform the Services are the property of VCM. All records and other data maintained hereunder, excepting such computer programs, systems and procedures, are the exclusive property of the Trust. All such records and other data that is the property of the Trust shall be furnished to the Trust in appropriate form as soon as practicable after termination of this Agreement for any reason.
25. About the Victory Portfolios .
The name The Victory Portfolios refers to the Trust created under a Certificate of Trust filed at the office of the State Secretary of Delaware. The obligations of The Victory Portfolios entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any of the Trustees, representatives or agents thereof are made not individually but in such capacities, and are not binding upon any of the Trustees, Shareholders, representatives or agents of the Trust personally, but bind only the Trust Property (as defined in the Trust Instrument), and all persons dealing with any class of Shares of the Trust must look solely to the Trust Property belonging to such class for the enforcement of any claims against the Trust. The Trust has entered into this Agreement with respect to some or all of its Funds individually, and jointly. The rights and obligations of the Trust described in this Agreement apply to each individual Fund. No Fund shall have any liability for any costs or expenses incurred by any other Fund. In seeking to enforce a claim against any Fund, VCM shall look to the assets only of that Fund and not to the assets of any other Fund.
26. About the Victory Variable Insurance Funds .
The name The Victory Variable Insurance Funds refers to the Trust created under a Certificate of Trust filed at the office of the State Secretary of Delaware. The obligations of The Victory Variable Insurance Funds entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any of the Trustees, representatives or agents thereof are made not individually but in such capacities, and are not binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, representatives or agents of the Trust personally, but bind only the Trust Property (as defined in the Trust Instrument), and all persons dealing with any class of shares of the Trust must look solely to the Trust Property belonging to such class for the enforcement of any claims against the Trust. The Trust has entered into this Agreement with respect to some or all of its Funds individually, and not jointly. The rights and obligations of the Trust described in this Agreement apply to each individual Fund. No Fund shall have any liability for any costs or expenses incurred by any other Fund. In seeking to enforce a claim against any Fund, VCM shall look to the assets only of that Fund and not to the assets of any other Fund.
27. Each Trust shall be deemed to have entered into this Agreement severally and not jointly, and the provisions of this Agreement shall be construed accordingly. Under no circumstances shall the rights, obligations or remedies hereunder with respect to a particular Trust constitute a right, obligation or remedy applicable to the other Trust.
28. The Administrator shall develop policies and procedures to identify potential conflicts of interest that may affect the delivery of the Services to the Funds. At a minimum, the policies and procedures shall provide that the Administrator shall communicate to the Board material conflicts of interest and potential conflicts of interest of which it is aware. In addition to any information that the Board may reasonably request, the Administrator shall provide to the Board all information that the Board, in consultation with counsel, reasonably would consider material to the Boards evaluation of the Services provided under this agreement, except where provision of such information is prohibited by law or contract.
* * * * *
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC. |
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By: |
/s/ Michael Policarpo |
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Name: |
Michael Policarpo II |
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Title: |
Senior Managing Director |
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THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS, |
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on behalf of its Funds, individually and not jointly |
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By: |
/s/ David C. Brown |
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Name: |
David C. Brown |
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Title: |
President |
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THE VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS, |
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on behalf of its Funds, individually and not jointly |
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By: |
/s/ David C. Brown |
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Name: |
David C. Brown |
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Title: |
President |
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SCHEDULE A
TO THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN VCM
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS AND
THE VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
ADMINISTRATION SERVICES
VCM will provide all administrative services required for the operation of the business and affairs of the Trust, other than any additional service not set forth in this Agreement which the Trusts request VCM to provide and which VCM declines to provide in writing. Subject to the foregoing, VCMs responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following services:
1. Calculate contractual Trust expenses and make and control all disbursements for the Trust, subject to review and approval of an officer of the Trust or other authorized person including administration of trustee and vendor fees and compensation on behalf of the Trust, and as appropriate.
2. Calculate all capital gain and distribution information relating to the Funds and its shareholders;
3. Prepare such reports, applications and documents (including reports regarding the sale and redemption of shares in the Trust as may be required in order to comply with Federal and state securities laws) as may be necessary or desirable to register the shares in the Trust (Shares) with state securities authorities, monitor the sale of Shares for compliance with state securities laws, and file with the appropriate state securities authorities the registration statements and reports for the Trust and the Shares and all amendments thereto, as may be necessary or convenient to register and keep effective the registration of the Trust and the Shares with state securities authorities to enable each Trust to make a continuous offering of its Shares;
4. Prepare drafts of the annual report to Shareholders and certified semi-annual report for each Fund; prepare and file the final certified versions thereof on Form N-CSR; prepare and file the Trusts Form N-SAR; and file all required notices pursuant to Rule 24f-2;
5. Coordinate with the Trusts transfer agent with respect to the payment of dividends and other distributions to Shareholders;
6. Calculate performance data of the Funds for dissemination to information services covering the investment company industry;
7. Prepare and file the Trusts tax returns, including federal, state, local and excise tax returns, issue all tax-related information to shareholders, including IRS Form -1099 and other applicable tax forms;
8. Make available appropriate individuals to serve as officers of the Trust (to serve only in ministerial or administrative capacities relevant to the Services, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, upon designation as such by the Boards;
9. Assist with the design, development, and operation of the Funds, including new classes, investment objectives, policies and structure;
10. Monitor and advise the Trust and its Funds on their regulated investment company status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. In connection with the foregoing, prepare and send quarterly reminder letters related to such status, and prepare quarterly compliance checklist for use by investment adviser(s) if requested;
11. Assist the Trust in developing portfolio compliance procedures for each Fund. VCM will also provide the Boards with quarterly results of compliance reviews;
12. Reports to the Boards regarding amounts paid under Shareholder Service Agreements and the nature of services provided by the Shareholder Service Agents thereunder; and maintain appropriate records in connection with the foregoing;
13. Provide assistance and guidance to the Trust with respect to matters governed by or related to regulatory requirements and developments including: monitoring regulatory and legislative developments which may effect the Trust, and assisting in strategic planning in response thereto.
14. Provide appropriate assistance with respect to audits conducted by the Funds independent accountants including compiling data and other information as necessary;
15. Furnish advice and recommendations with respect to other aspects of the business and affairs of the Funds as the Trust shall request and the parties shall agree in writing;
16. Prepare quarterly brokerage allocation compliance checklist and supporting documentation for use by investment adviser(s), as requested;
17. Maintain corporate records on behalf of the Trust, including, but not limited to, minute books, the Trust Instruments and By-Laws;
18. To assist the Trust in connection with its obligations under SO Laws, VCM will internally establish and maintain its own controls and procedures (VCM internal controls) designed to ensure that information recorded, processed, summarized, or reported by VCM on behalf of the Trust and included in Reports is (a)
recorded, processed, summarized, and reported by VCM within the time periods specified in the SECs rules and forms and the Trust DCPs, and (b) communicated to the relevant Certifying Officers consistent with the Trust DCPs.
Solely for the purpose of providing any Certifying Officer with a basis for certification, VCM will (i) provide a sub-certification with respect to the Services during any fiscal period in which VCM served as financial administrator to the Trust consistent with the requirements of the certification required under SO Laws and/or (ii) inform the Certifying Officers of any reason why all or part of such certification would be inaccurate. In rendering any such sub-certification, VCM may (a) limit its representations to information prepared, processed and reported by VCM; (b) rely upon and assume the accuracy of the information provided by officers and other authorized agents of the Trust, including all Other Providers to the Trust, and compliance by such officers and agents with the Trust DCPs; and (c) assume that the Trust has selected the appropriate accounting policies for the Fund(s).
The Trust shall assist and cooperate with VCM (and shall cause its officers, and Other Providers to assist and cooperate with VCM) to facilitate the delivery of information requested by VCM in connection with the preparation of the Trusts Form N-CSR, and Form N-Q, including Trust financial statements, so that VCM may submit a draft Report to the Trusts Disclosure Controls and Procedures Committee (Fund DCP Committee) prior to the date the relevant Report is to be filed.
The Certifying Officers and the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust shall be deemed to constitute the Fund DCP Committee in cases in which no other Fund DCP Committee has been designated or is operative. In connection with its review and evaluations, the Fund DCP Committee shall establish a schedule to ensure that all required disclosures in Form N-CSR and in the financial statements for each Fund are identified and prepared in a timeframe sufficient to allow review by the Fund DCP Committee at least 10 days prior to the date the relevant report is to be filed. At the request of the Trust or its Certifying Officers, VCM shall provide reasonable administrative assistance to the Trust in connection with obtaining service provider sub-certifications, SAS-70 reports on internal controls, and any applicable representations to bring such certifications current to the end of the reporting period, and in preparing summaries of issues raised in such documents. VCM shall provide all administrative services that are necessary and appropriate for the Trust to comply with its obligations under SO Laws. The Trust shall support and facilitate the role of each Certifying Officer and the Fund DCP Committee in, designing and maintaining the Trust DCPs in accordance with applicable laws, including (a) ensuring that the Fund DCP Committee and/or Certifying Officers obtain and review sub-certifications and reports on internal controls from the Trusts investment adviser(s) and other service providers, if any, sufficiently in advance of the date upon which the relevant financial statements must be finalized by VCM (in order to print, distribute and/or file the same hereunder), (b) evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Trust DCPs, under the supervision, and with the participation of, the Certifying
Officers, within the requisite timeframe prior to the filing of each Report, and (c) ensuring that its Certifying Officers render the requisite certifications or take such other actions as may be permitted or required under applicable laws.
19. File holdings reports on Form N-Q as required at the end of the first and third fiscal quarters of each year.
20. Notify the Adviser and Fund counsel of all documents filed by VCM with the SEC.
21. Obtain, maintain and file fidelity bonds and directors and officers/errors and omissions insurance policies for the Trust at the expense of the Trust and Funds in accordance with the requirements of Rules 17g-1 and 17d-1(7) under the 1940 Act, to the extent such bonds and policies are approved by the Boards.
22. Coordinate, subject to review by counsel to the Trust, (i) the annual update to the Trusts registration statement on Form N-1A, (ii) other amendments to the Trusts registration statement and supplements to its Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, and (iii) Notices of Annual or Special Meetings of shareholders of the Trust and proxy materials relating thereto, and file same with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) upon the request of the Trust or counsel to the Trust;
23. Coordinate with Other Providers the preparation of, with the assistance and approval of counsel and officers of the Trust, drafts of communications to shareholders of record of the Funds (Shareholders), including the annual report to Shareholders and prepare drafts of the certified semi-annual report for each Fund;
24. Coordinate the distribution of prospectuses, supplements, proxy materials and reports to Shareholders; and coordinate the solicitation and tabulation of proxies in connection with the annual meeting of Shareholders each year, if one is held;
25. Administer contracts on behalf of the Trust with, among others, the Trusts investment adviser, distributor, custodian and transfer agent.
26. Assist with the layout and printing of prospectuses and assist with and coordinate layout and printing of the Funds semi-annual and annual reports to Shareholders;
27. Provide daily and periodic compliance monitoring services incorporating certain of those procedures, which will include, among other matters, compliance with investment restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act, each Funds investment objective, defined investment policies, and restrictions, tax diversification, and distribution and income requirements, provided such are determinable based upon the Funds accounting records. In connection with the foregoing, review quarterly compliance reports that are prepared by the investment adviser(s), and notify appropriate Fund officers and advisor of mark-to-market issues pursuant to Board-approved procedures. VCM will also provide the Board with quarterly results of compliance reviews;
28. Coordinate the implementation of service arrangements covered by Shareholder Service Plans adopted by the Board with the financial institutions that serve, or propose to serve, as shareholder services agents thereunder (Shareholder Service Agents); review the qualifications of Shareholder Service Agents to serve as such under the relevant Shareholder Service Plan; and coordinate and assist in the Trusts execution and delivery of Shareholder Service Agreements;
29. Assist the Trust and provide on-site personnel in preparing responses to and providing documents for routine regulatory examinations or investigations; and coordinating with and taking instructions from counsel to the Trust in response to such routine or non-routine regulatory matters. The assistance to be provided with respect to SEC inspections includes (i) rendering advice regarding proposed responses (ii) compiling data and other information in response to SEC requests for information and (iii) communicating with Fund management and portfolio managers to provide status updates.
30. Prepare for Board meetings by (i) preparing and coordinating collection of the relevant sections of the Board materials pertaining to the responsibilities of VCM and the various service providers, (ii) assisting and coordinating special materials related to annual contract approvals and approval of rule 12b-1 plans and related matters, (iii) attending Board meetings, and (iv) performing such other Board meeting functions as agreed by the parties;
31. Not less frequently than annually, review the business of the Trust and the Services and determine: (a) that the Services are adequate and complete so as to provide the Funds with all administrative services required by applicable laws and rules and the business needs of the Trust and (b) whether additional or supplemental services are necessary for the operation of the Funds and inform the Board of Trustees of the Trust how these additional or supplemental services, if any, shall be provided and what additional costs and fees would be associated with same.
SCHEDULE B
TO THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN VCM, THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS AND THE VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
FUND ACCOUNTING SERVICES
VCM will keep and maintain the following books and records of each Fund pursuant to Rule 31a-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Rule):
a. Journals containing an itemized daily record in detail of all purchases and sales of securities, all receipts and disbursements of cash and all other debits and credits, as required by subsection (b)(1) of the Rule;
b. General and auxiliary ledgers reflecting all asset, liability, reserve, capital, income and expense accounts, including interest accrued and interest received, as required by subsection (b)(2)(i) of the Rule;
c. Separate ledger accounts required by subsection (b)(2)(ii) and (iii) of the Rule; and
d. A monthly trial balance of all ledger accounts (except shareholder accounts) as required by subsection (b)(8) of the Rule.
All such books and records shall be the property of the applicable Trust, and VCM agrees to make such books and records available for inspection by the Trust or by the SEC at reasonable times and otherwise to keep confidential all records and other information relative to the Trust; except when requested to divulge such information by duly-constituted authorities or court process, or when requested by the Trust.
In addition to the maintenance of the books and records specified above, VCM shall perform the following account services daily for each Fund:
a. Calculate the net asset value per Share utilizing prices obtained from the sources described below;
b. Obtain security prices from independent pricing services, or if such quotes are unavailable, then provide such prices or obtain them from each Funds designee, as approved by the Boards;
c. Verify and reconcile with the Funds custodian all daily trade activity;
d. Compute, as appropriate, each Funds net income and capital gains, dividend payables, dividend factors, 7-day yields, 7-day effective yields, 30-day yields, and weighted average portfolio maturity;
e. Review daily the net asset value calculation and dividend factor (if any) for each Fund prior to release to shareholders, check and confirm the net asset values and dividend factors for reasonableness and deviations, and distribute net asset values and yields to NASDAQ;
f. Calculate the dividend and capital gain distribution, if any;
g. Calculate the yield;
h. Provide the following reports:
(i) a current security position report;
(ii) a summary report of transactions and pending maturities (including the principal, cost, and accrued interest on each portfolio security in maturity date order); and
(iii) a current cash position report (including cash available from portfolio sales and maturities and sales of a Funds Shares less cash needed for redemptions and settlement of portfolio purchases); and
i. Such other similar services with respect to a Fund as may be reasonably requested by the Trust.
SCHEDULE C
TO THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN VCM THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS AND THE VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
FEES
The Trust shall pay VCM on the first business day of each month, or at such time(s) as VCM shall request and the parties shall agree the following fees for the services described in Schedules A and B at the annual rates set forth below. For these purposes, the rate at which the asset-based fees are applied is determined by aggregating the assets of all Funds together. The fees are accrued daily and paid monthly.
Asset-Based Fees
0.108% of the first $8 Billion in aggregate net assets of all Funds; plus
0.078% of aggregate net assets of all Funds from in excess of $8 Billion to $10 Billion; plus
0.075% of aggregate net assets of all Funds in excess of $10 Billion to $12 Billion; plus
0.065% of aggregate net assets of all Funds in excess of $12 Billion
In addition, the Trust shall also reimburse VCM and Bisys for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the Services, except those specifically allocated to VCM pursuant to Section 3 of the Agreement.
SCHEDULE D
TO THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN VCM THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS AND THE VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
TRUSTS AND FUNDS
The Victory Portfolios
Balanced Fund
Diversified Stock Fund
Core Bond Fund
Ohio Municipal Bond Fund
Prime Obligations Fund
Special Value Fund
Stock Index Fund
Tax-Free Money Market Fund
Value Fund
Financial Reserves Fund
Fund for Income
Institutional Money Market Fund
National Municipal Bond Fund
Ohio Municipal Money Market Fund
Federal Money Market Fund
Convertible Fund
Gradison Government Reserves Fund
Small Company Opportunity Fund
Established Value Fund
Focused Growth Fund
The Victory Variable Insurance Funds
Diversified Stock Fund
Exhibit 99.B(h)(3)(b)
AMENDMENT TO
ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT
AMENDMENT made as of the 1st day of July, 2009, to that certain Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement entered into as of July 1, 2006 (the Agreement) by and between (i) The Victory Portfolios and The Victory Variable Insurance Funds, both Delaware statutory trusts (each, a Trust and, together, the Trusts) on behalf of those investment company portfolios listed on Schedule D which may be amended from time to time (each, a Fund and, together, the Funds) in the case of both the Trusts and the Funds, individually and not jointly and (ii)Victory Capital Management Inc. (VCM), a New York corporation. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Agreement.
WHEREAS, VCM acts as administrator and fund accountant for the Funds;
WHEREAS, the Trusts and VCM wish to enter into this Amendment to the Agreement to extend the term of the Agreement and revise certain other provisions of the Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises hereinafter contained and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, intending to be legally bound, VCM and the Trusts hereby agree as follows:
1. The third sentence of Section 5(a) of the Agreement is deleted and replaced with the following:
Unless otherwise terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall continue in effect from the Effective Date through June 30, 2012 (such period, the Initial Term).
2. A new Section 29 of the Agreement is added as follows and a new Schedule E to the Agreement is attached hereto:
VCM shall perform the Services in accordance with the standards set forth in Schedule E. The parties agree to include additional mutually agreed upon standards prior to December 31, 2009. Additional standards that the parties mutually agree upon may also be added at anytime. For the avoidance of doubt, the standards set forth in Schedule E are intended by the parties to help ensure service quality and the termination provision set forth in Schedule E shall be the Trusts sole remedy for a failure to meet the service standards unless such failure is also an independent breach by VCM of its standard of care as described in Section 6.
3. In all other respects, the Agreement is hereby ratified, confirmed and continued.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC.
By: |
/s/ Michael Policarpo |
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Name: |
Michael Policarpo |
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Title: |
Managing Director |
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THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS, on behalf of its Funds, individually and not jointly
By: |
/s/ Christopher Dyer |
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Name: |
Christopher Dyer |
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Title: |
Secretary |
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THE VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS, on behalf of its Funds, individually and not jointly
By: |
/s/ Christopher Dyer |
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Name: |
Christopher Dyer |
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Title: |
Secretary |
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SCHEDULE E
SERVICE STANDARDS
In the event that VCM fails to meet the same service standard listed below for two consecutive quarters, the Trusts shall have the right, exercisable over the next thirty days, to terminate this Agreement upon ninety days written notice to VCM. Any failure to meet the standard due to a circumstance outside of VCMs control shall not be deemed a failure by VCM to meet its standard.
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Standard |
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- NAV Calculation Accuracy |
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99% per quarter based on ICI guidelines |
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- NASDAQ Reporting Accuracy |
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98% per quarter |
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- Communication of NAV error |
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On the date of discovery. |
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- Written analysis that details the root cause and shareholder impact of a NAV error. |
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Within 24 hours of discovery (excluding weekends and holidays), unless extension agreed upon due to complexity of the issue. |
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- Final written analysis with mitigation plan. |
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Within 72 hours of discovery (excluding weekends and holidays), unless extension agreed upon due to complexity of the issue. |
Exhibit 99.B(h)(3)(c)
AMENDMENT No. 2 TO
ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT
AMENDMENT made as of the 1 st day of July 2012, to that certain Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement entered into as of July 1, 2006, as amended July 1, 2012, (the Agreement) by and between (i) The Victory Portfolios and The Victory Variable Insurance Funds, both Delaware statutory trusts (each, a Trust and, together, the Trusts) on behalf of those investment company portfolios listed on Schedule D which may be amended from time to time (each, a Fund and, together, the Funds) in the case of both the Trusts and the Funds, individually and not jointly, and (ii) Victory Capital Management Inc. (VCM), a New York corporation. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Agreement.
WHEREAS, VCM acts as administrator and fund accountant for the Funds; and
WHEREAS, the Trusts and VCM wish to enter into this Amendment to the Agreement to extend the term of the Agreement for a period of three years, and to revise the notice provisions and Schedule D as attached hereto.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises hereinafter contained and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, intending to be legally bound, VCM and the Trusts hereby agree as follows:
1. The term of the Agreement is extended through June 30, 2015 (such period, a Rollover Period), subject to termination as otherwise provided in the Agreement. In the event of termination of the Agreement by either or both Trusts, there shall be no obligation to pay liquidated damages.
2. Section 18 of the Agreement is amended and restated as follows:
Any notice provided hereunder shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified mail to the party required to be served with such notice at the following address: if to VCM, to it at Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, Attn: President, with a copy to Greg Edgehouse, Esq., 127 Public Square, Cleveland, Ohio 44114; if to the Trust, to The Victory Portfolios or The Victory Variable Insurance Funds, as the case may be, 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, Attn: Chairman of the Board, with a copy to Morrison & Foerster LLP, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10104, Attn: Jay G. Baris, Esq.; or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party pursuant to this Section.
3. In all other respects, the Agreement is hereby ratified, confirmed, and continued.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC. |
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By: |
/s/ Michael D. Policarpo |
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Name: |
Michael D. Policarpo |
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Title: |
Senior Managing Director |
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THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS , on behalf of its Funds, individually and not jointly
By: |
/s/ Michael D. Policarpo |
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Name: |
Michael D. Policarpo |
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Title: |
President |
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THE VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS , on behalf of its Funds, individually and not jointly
By: |
/s/ Michael D. Policarpo |
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Name: |
Michael D. Policarpo |
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Title: |
President |
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SCHEDULE D
TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT
BETWEEN VCM, THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS AND
THE VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
TRUSTS AND FUNDS
The Victory Portfolios
1. Balanced Fund, Classes A, C, I and R Shares
2. Core Bond Fund, Classes A and I Shares
3. Diversified Stock Fund, Classes A, C, I, R and Y Shares
4. Established Value Fund, Classes A, I, R and Y Shares
5. Fund for Income, Classes A, C, I, R and Y Shares
6. Global Equity Fund, Classes A, C and I Shares
7. International Fund, Classes A, C, I and Y Shares
8. International Select Fund, Classes A, C, I and Y Shares
9. Investment Grade Convertible Fund, Classes A and I Shares
10. Large Cap Growth Fund, Classes A, C, I, R and Y Shares
11. National Municipal Bond Fund, Classes A and Y Shares
12. Ohio Municipal Bond Fund, Class A Shares
13. Small Company Opportunity Fund, Classes A, I, R and Y Shares
14. Special Value Fund, Classes A, C, I, R and Y Shares
15. Stock Index Fund, Classes A and R Shares
16. Value Fund, Classes A, C, I and R Shares
The Victory Variable Insurance Funds
1. Diversified Stock Fund
As of July 1, 2012
Exhibit 99.B(h)(3)(d)
AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO THE
ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT
AMENDMENT made as of May 21, 2015 to that certain to Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement entered into as of June 1, 2006, as amended (Agreement) by and between (i) The Victory Portfolios and The Victory Variable Insurance Funds, both Delaware statutory trusts (each, a Trust and, together, the Trusts) on behalf of those investment company portfolios listed on Schedule D which may be amended from time to time (each, a Fund and, together, the Funds) in the case of both the Trusts and the Funds, individually and not jointly and (ii) VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC. (VCM), a New York corporation. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Agreement.
WHEREAS , the Board of Trustees of the Trusts and Compass EMP Funds Trust desire to add Compass EMP Funds Trust to the terms of the Agreement on the same terms that apply to the Trusts; and
WHEREAS , VCM desires to act as administrator and fund accountant of certain investment company portfolios of Compass EMP Funds Trust.
NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises hereinafter contained and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, intended to be legally bound, VCM, the Trusts and Compass EMP Funds Trust hereby agree as follows:
1. (a) Compass EMP Funds Trust is hereby added as a party to the Agreement and shall be considered a Trust in accordance with the terms of the Agreement; (b) the definition of the Funds which currently refers to the portfolios of The Victory Portfolios and The Victory Variable Insurance Funds is expanded to include the portfolios of Compass EMP Funds Trust listed on Schedule D from time to time.
2. A new Section 30 of the Agreement is added as follows:
30. About Compass EMP Funds Trust
The name Compass EMP Funds Trust refers to the Trust created under a Certificate of Trust filed at the office of the State Secretary of Delaware. The obligations of Compass EMP Funds Trust entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any of the Trustees, representatives or agents thereof are made not individually but in such capacities, and are not binding upon any of the Trustees, Shareholders, representatives or agents of the Trust personally, but bind only the Trust Property (as defined in the Trust Instrument), and all persons dealing with any class of Shares of the Trust must look solely to the Trust Property belonging to such class for the enforcement of any claims against the Trust. The Trust has entered into this Agreement with respect to some or all of its Funds individually, and jointly. The rights and obligations of the Trust described in this Agreement apply to each individual Fund. No Fund shall have any liability for any costs or expenses incurred by any other Fund. In seeking to enforce a claim against any
Fund, VCM shall look to the assets only of that Fund and not to the assets of any other Fund.
3. Schedule D to the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the Schedule D attached hereto;
4. Section 18 is hereby replaced in its entirety as follows:
Any notice provided hereunder shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified mail to the party required to be served with such notice at the following address: Michael Policarpo, 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, OH 44144; and Jay G. Baris, Morrison & Foerster LLP, 250 West 55th Street, New York, New York 10019; or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party pursuant to this Section.
5. Except as set forth in this Amendment, the Agreement is unaffected and shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.
[signature page follows]
Please confirm your agreement with the foregoing by signing and returning the enclosed copy of this letter, following which this will be a legally binding agreement between us as of May 1, 2015.
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Very truly yours, |
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The Victory Portfolios |
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By: |
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
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Name: Christopher K. Dyer |
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Title: President |
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Date: May 21, 2015 |
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The Victory Variable Insurance Funds |
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By: |
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
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Name: Christopher K. Dyer |
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Title: President |
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Date: May 21, 2015 |
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Compass EMP Funds Trust |
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By: |
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
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Name: Christopher K. Dyer |
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Title: President |
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Date: May 21, 2015 |
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Accepted and Agreed: |
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Victory Capital Management Inc. |
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By: |
/s/ Michael Policarp |
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Name: Michael Policarpo |
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Title: Chief Financial Officer |
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Date: May 21, 2015 |
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SCHEDULE D
TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT
BETWEEN VCM, THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS,
THE VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
AND COMPASS EMP FUNDS TRUST
TRUSTS AND FUNDS
The Victory Portfolios
1. Balanced Fund, Classes A, C, I and R Shares
2. Diversified Stock Fund, Classes A, C, I, R, R6 and Y Shares
3. Dividend Growth Fund, Classes A, C, I, R and Y Shares
4. Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund, Classes A, C, I and Y Shares
5. Established Value Fund, Classes A, I, R, R6 and Y Shares
6. Fund for Income, Classes A, C, I, R and Y Shares
7. Global Equity Fund, Classes A, C and I Shares
8. Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, Classes A, and Y Shares
9. Integrity Micro-Cap Equity Fund, Classes A, C, R, and Y Shares
10. Integrity Micro-Cap Equity Fund, Classes A, C, R, and Y Shares
11. Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund, Classes A, and Y Shares
12. International Fund, Classes A, C, I, R6 and Y Shares
13. International Select Fund, Classes A, C, I and Y Shares
14. Investment Grade Convertible Fund, Classes A and I Shares
15. Large Cap Growth Fund, Classes A, C, I, R and Y Shares
16. Munder Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund, Classes A and Y Shares
17. Munder Growth Opportunities Fund, Classes A, C, R and Y Shares
18. Munder Index 500 Fund, Classes A, R and Y Shares
19. Munder International Fund-Core Equity, Classes A, C, I and Y Shares
20. Munder International Small-Cap Fund, Classes A, C, I, R6 and Y Shares
21. Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund, Classes A, C, R, R6, and Y Shares
22. Munder Small Cap Growth Fund, Classes A, I, and Y Shares
23. Munder Total Return Bond Fund, Classes A, C, and Y Shares
24. National Municipal Bond Fund, Classes A and Y Shares
25. Ohio Municipal Bond Fund, Class A Shares
26. Select Fund, Classes A and I Shares
27. Small Company Opportunity Fund, Classes A, I, R and Y Shares
28. Special Value Fund, Classes A, C, I, R and Y Shares
The Victory Variable Insurance Funds
1. Diversified Stock Fund
Exhibit 99.B(h)(3)(e)
AMENDMENT No. 4 TO ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
and FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT
AMENDMENT made as of August 19 th , 2015 to that certain to Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement entered into as of June 1, 2006, as amended (Agreement) by and between (i) The Victory Portfolios, The Victory Variable Insurance Funds, and Compass EMP Fund Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust (each, a Trust and, together, the Trusts) on behalf of those investment company portfolios listed on Schedule D which may be amended from time to time (each, a Fund and, together, the Funds) in the case of both the Trusts and the Funds, individually and not jointly and (ii) Victory Capital Management Inc. (VCM), a New York corporation. All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Agreement
WHEREAS, VCM and the Trusts wish to enter into this Amendment to the Agreement to add additional Funds to the terms of the Agreement, (2) revise the names of certain Funds, and (3) revise the name of the Trusts; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises hereinafter contained and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, intending to be legally bound, VCM and the Trusts hereby agree as follows:
1. The Victory Portfolios is renamed Victory Portfolios.
2. The Victory Variable Insurance Funds is renamed Victory Variable Insurance Funds.
3. Compass EMP Fund Trust is renamed Victory Portfolios II.
4. Schedule D to the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced by the new Schedule D attached hereto.
5. Except as set forth in this Amendment, the Agreement is unaffected and shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.
[signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
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VICTORY PORTFOLIOS, on behalf of each Fund listed on Schedule A, individually and not jointly |
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By: |
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
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Name: |
Christopher K. Dyer |
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Title: |
President |
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VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS, on behalf of each Fund listed on Schedule A, individually and not jointly |
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By: |
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
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Name: |
Christopher K. Dyer |
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Title: |
President |
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VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II, on behalf of each Fund listed on Schedule A, individually and not jointly |
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By: |
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
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Name: |
Christopher K. Dyer |
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Title: |
President |
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VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC. |
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By: |
/s/ Michael Policarpo |
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Name: |
Michael Policarpo |
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Title: |
Chief Financial Officer |
SCHEDULE D
TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT BETWEEN VCM, VICTORY PORTFOLIOS, VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II AND VICTORY VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
TRUSTS AND FUNDS
Victory Portfolios
1. Victory Balanced Fund
2. Victory Diversified Stock Fund
3. Victory Expedition Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund
4. Victory INCORE Fund for Income*
5. Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund*
6. Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund*
7. Victory Integrity Discovery Fund*
8. Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund
9. Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund
10. Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund
11. Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund*
12. Victory Munder Index 500 Fund
13. Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund
14. Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund
15. Victory National Municipal Bond Fund
16. Victory NewBridge Global Equity Fund
17. Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Fund
18. Victory Ohio Municipal Bond Fund
19. Victory Select Fund
20. Victory Special Value Fund
21. Victory Sycamore Established Value Fund
22. Victory Sycamore Small Company Opportunity Fund
23. Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund
24. Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity
25. Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund
Victory Variable Insurance Funds
1. Diversified Stock Fund
Victory Portfolios II*
1. Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund
2. Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
3. Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
4. Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund
5. Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund
6. Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
7. Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund
8. Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund
9. Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund
10. Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund
11. Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund
12. Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
13. Victory CEMP Ultra Short Term Fixed Income Fund
14. Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
15. Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund
16. Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund
17. Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
18. Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd
*As of October 28, 2015
Exhibit 99.B(h)(5)(a)
FORM OF TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this 7th day of November, 2015, between THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II (the Trust), a Delaware statutory trust having its principal place of business at 681304900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, OH 44144, on behalf of each investment portfolio of the Trust listed on Schedule A, and such additional investment portfolios as are hereafter created (individually referred to herein as a Fund and collectively, as the Funds), individually and not jointly, and SUNGARD INVESTOR SERVICES LLC (SunGard), a Delaware limited liability company having its principal place of business at 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219.
WHEREAS, the Trust desires that SunGard perform transfer agency services for the Trust and each Fund;
WHEREAS, SunGard is willing to perform such services on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, SunGard and Trust wish to enter into this Agreement in order to set forth the terms under which SunGard will perform the transfer agency services set forth herein for the Trust.
1. Services .
SunGard shall perform for the Trust the transfer agent services set forth in Schedule B hereto. SunGard also agrees to perform for the Trust such special services incidental to the performance of the services enumerated herein as agreed to by the parties from time to time. SunGard shall perform such additional services as are provided on an amendment to Schedule B hereof, in consideration of such fees as the parties hereto may agree.
SunGard may, with prior notice to the Trust, appoint in writing other parties qualified to perform transfer agency services (individually, a Sub-transfer Agent) acceptable to the Trust in writing to carry out some or all of its responsibilities as transfer agent under this Agreement with respect to a Fund; provided, however, that the Sub-transfer Agent shall be the agent of SunGard and not the agent of the Trust or such Fund, and that SunGard shall be fully responsible, to the extent provided in Section 9, for the acts of such Sub-transfer Agent and shall not be relieved of any of its responsibilities hereunder by the appointment of such Sub-transfer Agent.
2. Compliance with AML Laws / Delegation to SunGard.
The Trust acknowledges that it is a financial institution subject to the law entitled Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (U.S.A. Patriot) Act of 2001 and the Bank Secrecy Act (collectively, the AML Acts) and shall comply with the AML Acts and applicable regulations adopted thereunder (collectively, the Applicable AML Laws) in all relevant respects, subject to the delegation of certain responsibilities to SunGard, as provided in the next paragraph below.
The Trust hereby delegates to SunGard the performance, on behalf of the Trust, of the AML Services set forth in Schedule B to this Agreement as concerns the shareholder accounts maintained by SunGard pursuant to the Agreement (including direct accounts; accounts maintained through FUND/SERV and Networking, to the extent provided below; and omnibus accounts, to the extent provided below). SunGard agrees to the foregoing delegation and agrees to perform the delegated services in accordance with the anti-money laundering program that has been adopted by the Trust (the AML Program). In connection therewith, SunGard agrees to maintain policies and procedures, and related internal controls, that are consistent with the Trusts AML Program and the requirement that the Trust employ procedures reasonably designed to achieve compliance with the Applicable AML Laws, including the requirement to have policies and procedures that can be reasonably expected to detect and cause the reporting of transactions under Section 5318 of the Bank Secrecy Act. SunGards obligations under this delegation shall be subject to Sections 22(b)(iii) and 24 of this Agreement, which require that the AML Program adopted by the Trust and any material amendments thereto be submitted to SunGard.
The Trust agrees and acknowledges that, notwithstanding the delegation provided for in the foregoing paragraph, the Trust maintains full responsibility for ensuring that its AML Program is, and shall continue to be, reasonably designed to ensure compliance with the Applicable AML Laws, in light of the particular business of the Trust, taking into account factors such as its size, location, activities and risks or vulnerabilities to money laundering.
In connection with the foregoing delegation, the Trust also acknowledges that the performance of the anti-money laundering services enumerated in Schedule B involves the exercise of discretion, which in certain circumstances may result in consequences to the Trust and its shareholders (such as in the case of the reporting of suspicious activities and the freezing of shareholder accounts). In this regard, (i) under circumstances in which the AML Program authorizes the taking of certain actions, SunGard is granted the discretion to take any such action as may be authorized, and consultation with the Trust shall not be required in connection therewith unless expressly required by the AML Program, and (ii) the Trust instructs SunGard that it may avail the Trust of any safe harbor from civil liability that may be available under Applicable AML Laws for making a disclosure or filing a report thereunder.
As concerns Networking Level III accounts and omnibus accounts, the AML Services performed by SunGard are subject to a more limited scope, as contemplated under the interim final rule of the Department of the Treasury, 31 CFR 103, effective April 24, 2002 (the Interim Final Rule) and the performance by the Trust of the risk-based evaluation of entities holding such accounts, as contemplated under the Interim Final Rule.
The provisions of the Agreement concerning recordkeeping and confidentiality are subject to the provisions of this Section.
SunGard shall grant reasonable access to each of the Trust, the AML Compliance Officer, and regulators having jurisdiction over the Trust, to the books and records maintained by SunGard as the same relates to the services performed hereunder on behalf of the Trust. Records may be edited or redacted to maintain confidentiality of materials related to other clients of SunGard. SunGard shall make its relevant personnel available to meet with the Trustees
concerning the AML Services at least annually or at such other internals as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate.
3. Procedures for Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares.
The Trust intends to enter into a Supplemental Fund Services Agreement (Services Agreement) with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (Merrill Lynch) with respect to certain of its underling investment portfolios which are set forth on Exhibit A hereto, which may be amended from time to time upon mutual agreement of the parties hereto (collectively referred to for purposes of this Section 3 as the Services Agreement Funds and individually as a Services Agreement Fund). The services to be provided relate only to the Shares of Funds specified in Exhibit A, as amended from time to time.
Merrill Lynch provides recordkeeping and investment related services to certain employee benefit plans (the Plans). The Plans or the plan participants (Participants) wish to invest in the Services Agreement Funds and Merrill Lynch is the record owner of the shares of the Services Agreement Funds and maintains such ownership through an omnibus account (Omnibus Account) established for each Services Agreement Fund. For each Services Agreement Fund, SunGard will recognize one Omnibus Account in Merrill Lynchs name and will provide the following services in relation to each account:
(a) In accordance with the Services Agreement, on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business (Business Day) Merrill Lynch or its agent may receive instructions from Participants for the purchase, redemption and exchange of shares of the Services Agreement Funds. The Services Agreement provides that Instructions received after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) or the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, whichever is earlier (the Close of Business), on any Business Day will be treated as if received on the next following Business Day.
(i) By 11:00 a.m. ET on the next Business Day following receipt of such instructions by Merrill Lynch, in accordance with the Services Agreement, Merrill Lynch will provide to SunGard (as agent of the Services Agreement Fund) via the NSCC Defined Contribution Platform (which utilizes the as of record layout within Fund/SERV) or the NSCC Fund/SERV Platform one or more files detailing the instructions received with respect to the Omnibus Account prior to the Close of Business on the prior Business Day. Such instructions shall be effected at the public offering price of the shares calculated as of the close of trading on the prior Business Day. SunGard acknowledges that in accordance with the Services Agreement, if for any reason Merrill Lynch is unable to transmit the file(s) with respect to any Business Day, Merrill Lynch will notify SunGard by 11:00 a.m. ET on the next following Business Day.
(ii) By 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) each Business Day, SunGard will take appropriate efforts to provide to Merrill Lynch by means
of the NSCC Profile, (i) the Services Agreement Funds net asset value at the Close of Business, (ii) in the case of income Services Agreement Funds , the daily accrual or interest rate factor (mil rate) and (iii) when applicable, the record date, ex-dividend date and payable date information for dividends and capital gains. In lieu of transmitting this information through the NSCC Profile medium, SunGard may provide such information through an alternative channel.
(iii) For purchase and redemption instructions with respect to a Services Agreement Fund, Merrill Lynch and SunGard will settle the purchase and redemption transactions referred to above and received in good order, via the NSCC Fund/SERV settlement process on the next Business Day following the effective trade date. SunGard will provide to Merrill Lynch a daily transmission of positions and trading activity taking place in the Omnibus Accounts using the proprietary Inventory Control System (ICS).
(b) The Trust represents and warrants that it has full power and authority to enter into and perform the Services Agreement, that the Services Agreement has been duly authorized by the Trust and, when executed and delivered by the Trust, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable against the Trust in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties. The Trust agrees and acknowledges that (i) except as specifically provided hereunder, SunGard makes no representations concerning, and takes no responsibility for, the Services Agreement, and (ii) the Trust is not relying upon SunGard to review or evaluate the Services Agreement on behalf of the Trust.
(c) The Trust shall provide SunGard with a copy of the executed Services Agreement and any subsequent amendments to the executed Services Agreement. The Trust shall promptly notify SunGard in the event that (i) the Services Agreement is terminated by any party thereto, (ii) any representation or warranty set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement is no longer true and accurate for any reason, or (iii) if the Trust is unable to continue to perform any of its obligations under the Services Agreement for any reason (other than an inability to perform due to an inability or failure of SunGard to perform its services hereunder).
(d) If the Trust notifies SunGard of any of the foregoing items (i)-(iii) above, or if any of the foregoing items (i)-(iii) occurs, SunGard may terminate the services provided under this Supplement upon notice to the Trust.
4. Portal Services.
SunGard will provide to dealers and financial advisors associated with the Trust (collectively, Users) internet-based access to certain information stored on SunGards mutual fund shareholder recordkeeping system (the Information) as set forth on Schedule B to this Agreement (the Portal Services).
SunGard will provide to Users, during SunGards normal business hours, telephone support regarding a Users proper and authorized use of the then-current Portal Services, provided that support with respect to Portal Services other than Broker Browser shall be limited to issues regarding SunGards provision of Information through such Portal Service. For any non-support-related assistance or consulting, the Trust may contract with SunGard for additional Professional Services at an agreed upon rate.
The Portal Services are not subject to the disaster recovery provisions of the Agreement.
With the exception of the Broker Browser Portal Service, the Trust is responsible for entering into an agreement with any provider of a Portal Service it wishes to make available to Users, and for ensuring that such Portal Service provides appropriate security measures. The Trust will provide, or cause the relevant Portal Service to provide, to SunGard such information as SunGard requires to make Information available through the Portal Service.
Information furnished to a User as part of any Service is furnished at the express direction of the Trust, including for purposes of Section 30 of this Agreement. The Trust is solely responsible for ensuring that the release of Information complies with applicable privacy and other laws and regulations.
5. Fees .
The Trust shall pay SunGard for the services to be provided by SunGard under this Agreement in accordance with, and in the manner set forth in, Schedule C hereto. Fees for any additional services to be provided by SunGard pursuant to an amendment to Schedule B hereto shall be subject to mutual agreement at the time such amendment to Schedule B is proposed.
6. Reimbursement of Expenses and Miscellaneous Service Fees .
(a) In addition to paying SunGard the fees set forth in the Fee Agreement, the Trust agrees to reimburse SunGard for SunGard out-of-pocket expenses in providing services hereunder, including without limitation, the following:
(i) All freight and other delivery and bonding charges incurred by SunGard in delivering materials to and from the Trust and in delivering all materials to shareholders;
(ii) All direct telephone, telephone transmission and telecopy or other electronic transmission expenses incurred by SunGard in communication with the Trust, the Trusts investment adviser or custodian, dealers, shareholders or others as required for SunGard to perform the services to be provided hereunder;
(iii) Sales taxes paid on behalf of the Trust;
(iv) Expenses associated with the tracking of as-of trades;
(v) The cost of microfilm or microfiche of records or other materials;
(vi) Any expenses SunGard shall incur at the written direction of an officer of the Trust thereunto duly authorized;
(vii) check processing fees;
(viii) fulfillment costs;
(ix) IRA Custody and related fees;
(x) NSCC and related fees.
(b) In addition, SunGard shall be entitled to receive the following fees:
(i) A fee for managing and overseeing the report, print and mail functions performed by SunGard using third-party vendors, and costs for postage, couriers, stock computer paper, statements, labels, envelopes, checks, reports, letters, tax forms, proxies, notices or other forms of printed material (including the costs of preparing and printing all printed materials) which shall be required for the performance of the services to be provided hereunder;
(ii) System development fees, billed at the rate of $150 per hour, as approved by the Trust, and all systems-related expenses, agreed in advance, associated with the provision of special reports and services pursuant to Item 8 of Schedule D attached hereto;
(iii) Ad hoc reporting fees, billed at a mutually agreed upon rate;
(iv) Expenses associated with the tracking of as-of trades, billed at the rate of $50 per hour, as approved by the Trust.
7. Effective Date.
This Agreement shall become effective as of April 1, 2002 (the Effective Date).
8. Term.
Unless otherwise terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall continue in effect through June 30, 2017 (such period, the Initial Term). Thereafter, unless otherwise terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall renew for a two year period (a Rollover Period and thereafter shall be renewed automatically for successive one-year periods (each, also Rollover Periods); provided that such continuance is specifically approved by a vote of a majority of those members of the Boards who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as defined in
the 1940 Act) of any such party, and by the vote of the Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund. This Agreement may be terminated: (i) by provision of a written notice of non-renewal at least sixty (60) days prior to the end of the Initial Term or any Rollover Period, as the case may be; (ii) by mutual agreement of the parties; (iii) for cause, as defined below, upon the provision of sixty (60) days advance written notice by the party alleging cause; or (iv) by the Trust upon sixty (60) days advance written notice to SunGard, provided that the Trust complies with its obligation to pay liquidated damages where applicable. SunGard shall notify VCM within thirty (30) days after any unaffiliated entity or group of entities acquires a controlling interest in SunGard through any sale, merger, consolidation or other transaction which involves substantially all of the assets and property of SunGard, except that SunGard does not need to provide notice with respect to any stock offering, including any initial public offering. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, either party may terminate the Agreement without any requirement to pay liquidated damages by: (i) providing written notice within thirty (30) days from the date of notice of the change in control, with such termination to be effective within ninety (90) days or (ii) as set forth in Schedule E. For purposes of this Section 8(a), control means (i) ownership of, or possession of the right to vote, more than 25% of the outstanding voting equity of that person or (ii) the right to control the appointment of the board of directors, management or executive officers of that person. In addition, the mere receipt by SunGard, directly or indirectly, of investments or monies from the Federal government, the sale by SunGard of any assets to a pooled investment vehicle sponsored or created by the Federal government or a stock offering, including an initial public offering, shall not be deemed to result in a change of control for purposes of this Agreement.
(b) For purposes of this Section 8, cause shall mean (i) a material breach of this Agreement, including a material breach of any representations and warranties contained herein, that has not been remedied for thirty (30) days following written notice of such breach from the non-breaching party; (ii) a final, unappealable judicial, regulatory or administrative ruling or order in which the party to be terminated has been found guilty of criminal or unethical behavior in the conduct of its business; or (iii) financial difficulties on the part of the party to be terminated that are evidenced by the authorization or commencement of, or involvement by way of pleading, answer, consent or acquiescence in, a voluntary or involuntary case under Title 11 (Bankruptcy) of the United States Code, as from time to time is in effect, or any applicable law, other than said Title 11, of any jurisdiction relating to the liquidation or reorganization of debtors or to the modification or alteration of the rights of creditors. SunGard shall not terminate this Agreement pursuant to clause (i) above based solely upon the Trusts failure to pay an amount to SunGard which is the subject of a good faith dispute, if: (x) the Trust is attempting in good faith to resolve such dispute with as much expediency as may be possible under the circumstances; and (y) the Trust continues to perform its obligations hereunder in all other material respects (including paying all fees and expenses not subject to reasonable dispute hereunder).
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing termination provisions, following any such termination, in the event that SunGard in fact continues to perform any one or more of the Services with the consent of the Trust, the provisions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the provisions dealing with compensation and indemnification, shall continue in full force and effect. Fees and out-of-pocket expenses incurred by SunGard but unpaid by the Trust upon such termination shall be immediately due and payable upon and notwithstanding such termination. In the event of a termination other than a termination for cause, SunGard shall be entitled to collect from the Trust, in addition to the fees and expenses provided in Sections 5 and 6 of this Agreement, the amount of all of SunGards reasonable cash disbursements in
connection with SunGards activities in effecting such termination, including without limitation, the delivery to the Trust, and/or other parties of the Funds property, records, instruments and documents. Subsequent to such termination, for a reasonable fee, SunGard will provide the Trust with reasonable access to any Trust documents or records remaining in its possession, and provide such documents to any successor transfer agent.
(d) If for any reason other than (i) non-renewal, (ii) mutual agreement of the parties, or (iii) Cause for termination of SunGard hereunder, SunGards services are terminated hereunder, SunGard is replaced as transfer agent, or if a third party is added to perform a substantive portion of the services to be provided by SunGard under this Agreement (excluding any Sub-transfer Agent appointed as provided in Section 1 hereof), during the Initial Term, then the Trust shall make a one-time cash payment, in consideration of the fee structure and services to be provided under this Agreement, and not as a penalty, to SunGard equal to the balance that would be due SunGard for its services hereunder during (x) the next nine (9) months or (y) if less than nine (9) months remain until the end of the Initial Term, the number of months remaining in the Initial Term , assuming for purposes of the calculation of the one-time payment that the fees that would be earned by SunGard for each month shall be based upon the average fees payable to SunGard monthly during the nine (9) months prior to the date that services terminate, SunGard is replaced or a third party is added; provided, however, that this liquidated damages provision shall not be applicable to liquidations of individual Funds which may occur from time to time for legitimate economic or regulatory reasons, as determined by the Trustees.
(e) The one-time cash payments referenced above shall be due and payable on the day prior to the first day in which this Agreement is terminated, services are terminated, SunGard is replaced or a third party is added, as applicable.
(f) The parties further acknowledge and agree that, in the event services are terminated, SunGard is replaced, or a third party is added, as set forth above, (i) a determination of actual damages incurred by SunGard would be extremely difficult, and (ii) the liquidated damages provision contained herein is intended to adequately compensate SunGard for damages incurred and is not intended to constitute any form of penalty.
(g) With respect to any termination of this Agreement occurring during a Rollover Period, the Trust shall not be obligated to pay to SunGard any amounts pursuant to this Agreement other than fees and out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with Section 8(c) of this Agreement.
(h) In addition to and not in limitation of the provisions of the Agreement governing the termination of the Agreement, SunGard may terminate the services provided under Section 3 of this Agreement upon ninety (90) days written notice to the Trust.
(i) Either party may terminate one or more of the Portal Services at any time by giving the other at least 30 days written notice.
9. Standard of Care; Uncontrollable Events; Limitation of Liability.
SunGard shall use diligence to ensure the accuracy of all services performed under this Agreement, but shall not be liable to the Trust for any action taken or omitted by SunGard in the absence of bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence (gross negligence with respect to Portal Services) or reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties. The duties of SunGard shall be confirmed to those expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against SunGard hereunder.
SunGard shall maintain adequate and reliable computer and other equipment necessary or appropriate to carry out its obligations under this Agreement. Upon the Trusts reasonable request, SunGard shall provide supplemental information concerning the aspects of its disaster recovery and business continuity plan that are relevant to the services provided hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement, SunGard assumes no responsibility hereunder, and shall not be liable for, any damage, loss of data, delay or any other loss caused by events beyond its reasonable control.
SunGard shall provide the Trust, at such times as the Trust may reasonably require, copies of reports rendered by independent public accountants on the internal controls and procedures of SunGard relating to the services provided by SunGard under this Agreement.
NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, IN NO EVENT SHALL SUNGARD, ITS AFFILIATES OR ANY OF ITS OR THEIR DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR SUBCONTRACTORS BE LIABLE FOR PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, EACH OF WHICH IS HEREBY EXCLUDED BY AGREEMENT OF THE PARTIES.
10. Legal Advice.
SunGard may rely on written advice provided by Fund Counsel or other expert authorized in writing by the Trust, provided that Fund Counsel is not obligated to provide advice to SunGard for any reason or for no reason. In no event shall SunGard be liable to the Trust or any Fund or any shareholder or beneficial owner of the Trust for any action reasonably taken pursuant to written advice provided by an expert explicitly authorized by the Trust.
11. Conflicts of Interest and Material Information .
(a) Conflicts of Interest . SunGard shall develop policies and procedures reasonably designed to identify actual and potential conflicts of interest that may affect the delivery of the Services to the Funds (Fund Related Conflicts of Interest). At a minimum, the policies and procedures shall provide that SunGard shall communicate to the Trusts Board of Trustees (hereafter referred to as the Trustees) any Fund Related Conflicts of Interest of which it becomes aware in accordance with its policies and procedures.
(b) Material Information . In addition to any information that the Trustees may reasonably request, SunGard shall provide to the Trustees all information of which it becomes aware with respect to SunGard or any of its affiliates that could reasonably be expected
to have a material adverse impact on SunGards ability to provide the Services to the Trust, except where provision of such information is prohibited by law or contract.
12. Instructions.
Whenever SunGard is requested or authorized to take action hereunder pursuant to instructions from a shareholder, or a properly authorized agent of a shareholder (shareholders agent), concerning an account in a Fund, SunGard shall be entitled to rely upon any certificate, letter or other instrument or communication, reasonably believed by SunGard to be genuine and to have been properly made, signed or authorized by an officer or other authorized agent of the Trust or by the shareholder or shareholders agent, as the case may be, and shall be entitled to receive as conclusive proof of any fact or matter required to be ascertained by it hereunder a certificate signed by an officer of the Trust or any other person authorized by the Trusts Board of Trustees (hereafter referred to as the Trustees) or by the shareholder or shareholders agent, as the case may be.
As to the services to be provided hereunder, SunGard may rely conclusively upon the terms of the Prospectuses and Statement of Additional Information of the Trust relating to the relevant Funds to the extent that such services are described therein unless SunGard receives written instructions to the contrary in a timely manner from the Trust.
The Trust acknowledges and agrees that deviations from SunGards written transfer agent compliance procedures may involve a substantial risk of loss. In the event an authorized representative of the Trust requests that an exception be made from any written compliance or transfer agency procedures adopted by SunGard, or adopted by the Trust and approved by SunGard (including any requirements of the Trusts AML Program), SunGard may in its sole discretion determine whether to permit such exception. In the event SunGard determines to permit such exception, the same shall become effective when set forth in a written instrument executed by an authorized representative of the Trust (other than an employee of SunGard) and delivered to SunGard (an Exception); provided that an Exception concerning the requirements of the Trusts AML Program shall be authorized by the Trusts anti-money laundering compliance officer (AML Compliance Officer). An Exception shall be deemed to remain effective until the relevant instrument expires according to its terms (or if no expiration date is stated, until SunGard receives written notice from the Trust that such instrument has been terminated and the Exception is no longer in effect). Notwithstanding any provision of the Agreement that expressly or by implication provides to the contrary, as long as SunGard acts in good faith and without willful misconduct, SunGard shall have no liability for any loss, liability, expenses or damages to the Trust resulting from the Exception. Victory Capital Management Inc. will provide indemnity to SunGard for losses, liabilities, or expenses that may be suffered or incurred by SunGard due to an Exception, pursuant to the terms of a separate Indemnification Agreement between such parties.
The Trust acknowledges receipt of a copy of SunGards policy related to the acceptance of trades for prior day processing (the SunGard As-Of Trading Policy). SunGard may amend the SunGard As-of Trading Policy from time to time in its sole discretion. A copy of any such amendments shall be delivered to the Trust upon taking effect. SunGard may apply the
SunGard As-Of Trading Policy whenever applicable, unless SunGard agrees in writing to process trades according to such other as-of trading policy as may be adopted by the Trust and furnished to SunGard by the Trust.
The parties may amend any procedures adopted, approved or set forth under the Agreement by mutual written agreement as may be appropriate or practical under the circumstances. SunGard may conclusively assume that any special procedure which has been approved by an executive officer of the Trust (other than an officer or employee of SunGard) does not conflict with or violate any requirements of the Trusts Declaration of Trust, By-Laws or then-current prospectuses, or any rule, regulation or requirement of any regulatory body.
13. Indemnification.
The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless SunGard, its employees, agents, directors, officers and nominees from and against any and all claims, demands, actions and suits, and from and against any and all judgments, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees and other expenses of every nature and character arising out of or in any way relating to SunGard actions taken or omissions with respect to the performance of services under this Agreement or based, if applicable, upon reasonable reliance on information, records, instructions or requests given or made to SunGard by the Trust, the investment adviser, fund accountant, administrator, sub-administrator or custodian thereof; provided that this indemnification shall not apply to actions or omissions of SunGard in cases of its own bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence (gross negligence with respect to Portal Services) or reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties; and further provided that prior to confessing or settling any claim against it which may be the subject of this indemnification, SunGard shall give the Trust written notice of and reasonable opportunity to defend against said claim in its own name or in the name of SunGard.
SunGard shall indemnify, defend, and hold the Trust harmless from and against any and all third party claims, actions and suits and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, payments, expenses and liabilities (including reasonable investigation expenses) resulting directly and proximately from SunGards willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence (gross negligence with respect to Portal Services) in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder.
The indemnification rights hereunder shall include the right to reasonable advances of defense expenses in the event of any pending or threatened litigation with respect to which indemnification hereunder may ultimately be merited. In order that the indemnification provisions contained herein shall apply, however, it is understood that if in any case a party may be asked to indemnify or hold the other party harmless, the indemnifying party shall be fully and promptly advised of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and it is further understood that the indemnified party will use all reasonable care to identify and notify the indemnifying party promptly concerning any situation which presents or appears likely to present the probability of such a claim for indemnification against the indemnifying party, but
failure to do so in good faith shall not affect the rights hereunder except to the extent the indemnifying party is materially prejudiced thereby.
The indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate at its own expense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any claims subject to this indemnity provision. If the indemnifying party elects to assume the defense of any such claim, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event that the indemnifying party elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the indemnified party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it. If the indemnifying party does not elect to assume the defense of suit, it will reimburse the indemnified party for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by the indemnified party. The indemnity and defense provisions set forth herein shall indefinitely survive the termination of this Agreement.
14. Record Retention and Confidentiality.
SunGard shall keep and maintain on behalf of the Trust all books and records which the Trust or SunGard is, or may be, required to keep and maintain pursuant to any applicable statutes, rules and regulations, including without limitation Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), relating to the maintenance of books and records in connection with the services to be provided hereunder. SunGard further agrees that all such books and records shall be the property of the Trust and to make such books and records available for inspection by the Trust or by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) at reasonable times. SunGard shall otherwise keep confidential all books and records relating to the Trust and its shareholders, except when (i) disclosure is required by law, (ii) SunGard is advised by counsel that it may incur liability for failure to make a disclosure, (iii) SunGard is requested to divulge such information by duly-constituted authorities or court process, or (iv) SunGard is requested to make a disclosure by a shareholder or shareholders agent with respect to information concerning an account as to which such shareholder has either a legal or beneficial interest or when requested by the Trust or the dealer of record as to such account.
SunGard and the Trust will each treat as proprietary and confidential any facts, circumstances, information, plans, projects and technical or commercial knowledge gained about the other party through the relationship created by this Agreement, except that information in the public domain and technical, operational or commercial knowledge that was or is independently discovered or developed shall not be subject to any such restriction. Each party agrees that it will not disclose any such covered proprietary or confidential information gained in relation to the other party to any unaffiliated third parties, except (i) in the case of disclosure by SunGard, to a transfer Agent, or to any third party vendor used by SunGard, provided that further dissemination inconsistent with this provision would be prohibited, (ii) to financial or legal advisers (in either case in such manner as to ensure no further dissemination), (iii) with the written consent of the other party; (iv) as may be required by law, or (v) as necessary to gain or retain regulatory approvals. The parties further agree that a breach of this paragraph by either party would irreparably damage the other party, and accordingly agree that each party shall be
entitled to an injunction or other equitable relief to prevent the breach or a further breach of this provision.
15. Reports.
SunGard shall furnish to the Trust and to its properly-authorized auditors, investment advisers, examiners, distributors, dealers, underwriters, salesmen, insurance companies and others designated by the Trust in writing, such reports at such times as are prescribed in Schedule D attached hereto, or as subsequently agreed upon by the parties pursuant to an amendment to Schedule D. The Trust agrees to examine each such report or copy promptly and will report or cause to be reported any errors or discrepancies therein.
16. Rights of Ownership.
All computer programs and procedures developed to perform services required to be provided by SunGard under this Agreement are the property of SunGard. All records and other data except such computer programs and procedures are the exclusive property of the Trust and all such other records and data shall be furnished to the Trust in appropriate form as soon as practicable after termination of this Agreement for any reason.
17. Return of Records.
SunGard may at its option at any time, and shall promptly upon the Trusts demand, turn over to the Trust and cease to retain SunGard files, records and documents created and maintained by SunGard pursuant to this Agreement which are no longer needed by SunGard in the performance of its services or for its legal protection. If not so turned over to the Trust, such documents and records shall be retained by SunGard for six years from the year of creation. At the end of such six-year period, such records and documents shall be turned over to the Trust unless the Trust authorizes in writing the destruction of such records and documents.
18. Bank Accounts.
SunGard is hereby granted such power and authority as may be necessary to establish one or more bank accounts for the Trust with such bank or banks as are selected or approved by the Trust, as may be necessary or appropriate from time to time in connection with the services performed by SunGard. The Trust shall be deemed to be the customer of such Bank or Banks for all purposes in connection with such accounts. To the extent that the performance of such services hereunder shall require SunGard to disburse amounts from such accounts in payment of dividends, redemption proceeds or for other purposes, the Trust shall provide such bank or banks with all instructions and authorizations necessary for SunGard to effect such disbursements.
19. Representations and Warranties of the Trust.
The Trust represents and warrants to SunGard that: (a) as of the close of business on the Effective Date, each Fund which is in existence as of the Effective Date has authorized unlimited shares, and (b) by virtue of its Declaration of Trust, shares of each Fund which are redeemed by the Trust may be sold by the Trust from its treasury, and (c) this Agreement has been duly authorized by the Trust and, when executed and delivered by the Trust, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable against the Trust in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties.
The Trust represents and warrants that (a) the Trust has adopted the written AML Program that has been submitted to SunGard pursuant to Section 22, and has appointed the Trusts AML Compliance Officer, who is, or who will be appointed at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Trustees, an officer of the Trust; (b) the AML Program and the designation of the AML Officer have been approved by the Trustees; (c) the delegation of certain services thereunder to SunGard, as provided in Section 1 of this Agreement, has been approved by the Trustees; and (d) the Trust will submit any material amendments to the AML Program to SunGard for SunGards review. Any amendment that would have a material impact upon the AML Services to be rendered by SunGard or the responsibilities of SunGard shall be subject to approval by SunGard prior to adoption. The Trusts AML Compliance Officer need not be an officer of the Trust if not required by applicable laws and regulations.
20. Representations and Warranties of SunGard.
SunGard represents and warrants that: (a) SunGard has been in, and shall continue to be in, substantial compliance with all provisions of law, including Section 17A(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), required in connection with the performance of its duties under this Agreement; (b) the various procedures and systems which SunGard has implemented with regard to safekeeping from loss or damage attributable to fire, theft or any other cause of the blank checks, records, and other data of the Trust and SunGard records, data, equipment, facilities and other property used in the performance of its obligations hereunder are adequate and that it will make such changes therein from time to time as are required for the secure performance of its obligations hereunder; and (c) this Agreement has been duly authorized by SunGard and, when executed and delivered by SunGard , will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of SunGard, enforceable against SunGard in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the right and remedies of creditors and secured parties.
SunGard represents and warrants to the Trust that it has adopted and will maintain a written program concerning the anti-money laundering services it provides to its various clients, and that its policies and procedures are reasonably adequate for it to provide the AML Services and comply with its obligations with respect to the AML Services under this Agreement.
21. Insurance.
SunGard shall maintain a fidelity bond covering larceny and embezzlement in an amount that is appropriate in light of its duties and responsibilities hereunder. SunGard shall have the option, either alone or in conjunction with SunGards ultimate parent corporation, or any subsidiaries or affiliates of SunGard, to maintain self insurance and/or provide or maintain any insurance required by this Agreement under blanket insurance policies maintained by SunGard, or provide or maintain insurance through such alternative risk management programs as SunGard may provide or participate in from time to time (such types of insurance programs being herein collectively and severally referred to as self insurance), provided the same does not thereby decrease the insurance coverage or limits sets forth in this Section. Any self insurance shall be deemed to contain all of the terms and conditions applicable to such insurance as required in this Section. If SunGard elects to self-insure, then, with respect to any claims which may result from incidents occurring during the term of this Agreement, such self insurance obligation shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement to the same extent as the insurance required would survive.
22. Information to be Furnished by the Trust and Funds.
The Trust has furnished to SunGard the following, as amended and current as of the Effective Date (receipt of which is acknowledged):
(a) Copies of the Declaration of Trust of the Trust and of any amendments thereto, certified by the proper official of the state in which such Declaration has been filed.
(b) Copies of the following documents:
(i) The Trusts Bylaws and any amendments thereto;
(ii) Certified copies of resolutions of the Trustees covering the following matters:
A. Approval of this Agreement and authorization of a specified officer of the Trust to execute and deliver this Agreement and authorization for specified officers of the Trust to instruct SunGard hereunder; and
B. Authorization of SunGard to act as Transfer Agent for the Trust.
(iii) A copy of the Trusts written AML Program, as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, including related Policies and Procedures.
(c) A list of all officers of the Trust, with the Trusts AML Compliance Officer included among the officers therein, and any other persons (who may be associated with the Trust or its investment advisor), together with specimen signatures of those officers and other persons, who (except as otherwise provided herein to the contrary) are authorized to instruct SunGard in all matters.
(d) Two copies of the following (if such documents are employed by the Trust):
(i) Prospectuses and Statement of Additional Information;
(ii) Distribution Agreement; and
(iii) All other forms commonly used by the Trust or its Distributor with regard to their relationships and transactions with shareholders of the Funds.
(e) A certificate as to shares of beneficial interest of the Trust authorized, issued, and outstanding as of the Effective Date and as to receipt of full consideration by the Trust for all shares outstanding, such statement to be certified by the Treasurer of the Trust.
23. Information Furnished by SunGard.
SunGard has furnished to the Trust evidence of the following:
(a) Approval of this Agreement by SunGard, and authorization of a specified officer of SunGard to execute and deliver this Agreement;
(b) Authorization of SunGard to act as Transfer Agent for the Trust.
(c) The currently effective SunGard As-of Trading Policy.
(d) The written program concerning anti-money laundering services rendered by SunGard to its various clients.
24. Amendments to Documents.
The Trust shall furnish SunGard written copies of any amendments to, or changes in, any of the items referred to in Section 22 hereof forthwith upon such amendments or changes becoming effective. In addition, the Trust agrees that no amendments will be made to the Prospectuses or Statement of Additional Information of the Trust which might have the effect of changing the procedures employed by SunGard in providing the services agreed to hereunder or which amendment might affect the duties of SunGard hereunder unless the Trust first obtains SunGard approval of such amendments or changes, which approval shall not be withheld unreasonably.
25. Reliance on Amendments.
SunGard may rely on any amendments to or changes in any of the documents and other items to be provided by the Trust pursuant to Sections 22 and 24 of this Agreement and the Trust hereby indemnifies and holds harmless SunGard from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, suits, judgments, liabilities, losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees and other expenses of every nature and character which may result from actions or omissions on the part of SunGard in reasonable reliance upon such amendments and/or changes. Although SunGard is authorized to rely on the above-mentioned amendments to and changes in the documents and other items to be provided pursuant to Sections 22 and 24 hereof, in the event the same relate to services provided by SunGard hereunder, SunGard shall have no liability for
failure to comply with or take any action in conformity with such amendments or changes unless the Trust first obtains SunGard written consent to and approval of such amendments or changes.
26. Compliance with Law.
Except for the obligations of SunGard set forth in Section 14 hereof, the Trust assumes full responsibility for the preparation, contents, and distribution of each prospectus of the Trust as to compliance with all applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), the 1940 Act, and any other laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction. SunGard shall have no obligation to take cognizance of any laws relating to the sale of the Trusts shares. The Trust represents and warrants that all shares of the Trust that are offered to the public are covered by an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act.
27. Notices.
Any notice provided hereunder shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified mail to the party required to be served with such notice at the following address: if to the Trust, to it at c/o Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedemann Road, Brooklyn, OH 44144 Attn: President,, with a copy to Morrison & Foerster LLP, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104, Attn: Jay G. Baris, Esquire; and if to SunGard, to it at 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219, Attn: President, or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party pursuant to this Section.
28. Assignment .
This Agreement and the rights and duties hereunder shall not be assignable by either of the parties hereto except by the specific written consent of the other party. This Section 28 shall not limit or in any way affect SunGard right to appoint a Sub-transfer Agent pursuant to Section 1 hereof. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
29. Governing Law and Matters Relating to the Trust as a Delaware Statutory Trust .
This Agreement shall be governed by and provisions shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Ohio, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control. It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, nominees, officers, agents or employees of the Trust personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees, and this Agreement has been signed and delivered by an authorized officer of the Trust, acting as such, and neither such authorization by the Trustees nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust as provided in the Trusts Declaration of Trust.
30. Privacy .
Nonpublic personal financial information relating to consumers or customers of the Trust provided by, or at the direction of the Trust to SunGard, or collected or retained by SunGard in the course of performing its duties as transfer agent shall be considered confidential information. SunGard shall not give, sell or in any way transfer such confidential information to any person or entity, other than affiliates of SunGard except at the direction of the Trust or as required or permitted by law (including Applicable AML Laws). SunGard represents, warrants and agrees that it has in place and will maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of records and information relating to consumers or customers of the Trust. The Trust represents to SunGard that it has adopted a Statement of its privacy policies and practices as required by Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-P and agrees to provide SunGard with a copy of that statement annually.
31. Activities of SunGard . The services of SunGard rendered to the Trust hereunder are not to be deemed to be exclusive. SunGard is free to render such services to others and to have other businesses and interests. It is understood that Trustees, officers, employees and Shareholders of the Trust are or may be or become interested in SunGard, as officers, employees or otherwise and that partners, officers and employees of SunGard and its counsel are or may be or become similarly interested in the Trust, and that SunGard may be or become interested in the Trust as a shareholder or otherwise.
32. Miscellaneous .
(a) Paragraph headings in this Agreement are included for convenience only and are not to be used to construe or interpret this Agreement.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the complete agreement of the parties hereto as to the subject matter covered by this Agreement, and supercedes all prior negotiations, understandings and agreements bearing upon the subject matter covered herein, including, without limitation, the 1998 Agreement.
(c) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original but all of which, taken together, shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(d) No amendment to this Agreement shall be valid unless made in writing and executed by both parties hereto.
33. Performance of Services .
SunGard shall perform the Services in accordance with the standards set forth in Schedule E. Additional standards that the parties mutually agree upon may also be added at any time. For the avoidance of doubt, the standards set forth in Schedule E are intended by the parties to help ensure service quality and the
termination provision set forth in Schedule E shall be the Trusts sole remedy for a failure to meet the service standards unless such failure is also an independent breach by SunGard of its standard of care as described in Section 9.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
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THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II , |
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on behalf of each Fund listed on Schedule A, |
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individually and not jointly |
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By: |
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Title: |
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SUNGARD INVESTOR SERVICES LLC |
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By: |
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Title: |
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SCHEDULE A
TO THE TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II
AND
SUNGARD INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
FUNDS
Name of Portfolio
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund
Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
SCHEDULE B
TO THE TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II
AND
SUNGARD INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
TRANSFER AGENCY SERVICES
1. Shareholder Transactions
a. Process shareholder purchase and redemption orders.
b. Set up account information, including address, dividend option, taxpayer identification numbers and wire instructions.
c. Issue confirmations in compliance with Rule 10b-10 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
d. Issue periodic statements for shareholders.
e. Process transfers and exchanges.
f. Process dividend payments, including the purchase of new shares, through dividend reimbursement.
2. Shareholder Information Services
a. Make information available to shareholder servicing unit and other remote access units regarding trade date, share price, current holdings, yields, and dividend information.
b. Produce detailed history of transactions through duplicate or special order statements upon request.
c. Provide mailing labels for distribution of financial reports, prospectuses, proxy statements or marketing material to current shareholders.
3. Compliance Reporting
a. Provide reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and the States in which the Fund is registered.
b. Prepare and distribute appropriate Internal Revenue Service forms for corresponding Fund and shareholder income and capital gains.
c. Issue tax withholding reports to the Internal Revenue Service.
d. Prepare reports to the Board of Trustees summarizing issues relating to the provision of SunGard services of which SunGard is aware and the Board of Trustees should be aware.
4. Dealer/Load Processing (if applicable)
a. Provide reports for tracking rights of accumulation and purchases made under a Letter of Intent.
b. Account for separation of shareholder investments from transaction sale charges for purchase of Fund shares.
c . Calculate fees due under 12b-1 plans for distribution and marketing expenses.
d. Track sales and commission statistics by dealer and provide for payment of commissions on direct shareholder purchases in a load Fund.
5. Shareholder Account Maintenance
a. Maintain all shareholder records for each account in the Trust.
b. Issue customer statements on scheduled cycle, providing duplicate second and third party copies if required.
c. Record shareholder account information changes.
d. Maintain account documentation files for each shareholder.
6. AML Services
a. Verify shareholder identity upon opening new accounts.
b. Monitor, identify and report shareholder transactions and identify and report suspicious activities that are required to be so identified and reported, and provide other required reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service or each agencys designated agent, in each case consistent with the Trusts AML Program.
c. Place holds on transactions in shareholder accounts or freeze assets in shareholder accounts, as provided in the Trusts AML Program.
d. Create documentation to provide a basis for law enforcement authorities to trace illicit funds.
e. Maintain all records or other documentation related to shareholder accounts and transactions therein that are required to be prepared and maintained pursuant to the Trusts AML Program, and make the same available for inspection by (i) the Trusts AML Compliance Officer, (ii) any auditor of the Trusts AML Program or related procedures, policies or controls that has been designated by the Trust in writing, or (iii) regulatory or law enforcement authorities, and otherwise make said records or other documents available at the direction of the Trusts AML Compliance Officer.
f. Arrange for periodic reviews, at least annually, to be performed by internal auditors or other auditors chosen by SunGard concerning the SunGard operations related to the AML Services.
g. Perform such other related services as are required by the AML Program.
7. Portal Services DST Vision
a. SunGard will coordinate access to the Trusts investment portfolios such that Users will have access to mutual fund and shareholder account data, including consolidated account views, total market value, comprehensive account detail, transaction history, and tax summaries. Specific User IDs will be tagged for access to some or all of the above information for one or more shareholders and/or dealers.
b. SunGard will facilitate obtaining User IDs for Trust and SunGard personnel, as well as resolution of any system interference with data access. SunGard will provide appropriate personnel to accept phone calls, during regular business hours, regarding problems with data access to Information.
c. SunGard is not affiliated with DST Vision or any provider thereof, and is not responsible for errors or problems with the DST Vision system, but will coordinate on behalf of the Trust with DST Vision to assist in resolving any such problems.
8. Profile II Services
SunGard will populate the Mutual Fund Profile II database (Profile II) of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) for the pertinent record types with respect to the Funds. SunGard will obtain the information from SunGards internal records, the Funds prospectus and other Fund documents, and third parties that provide services to the Funds or to SunGard. SunGard will use all commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that such information is accurate and updated on a timely basis. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, SunGards aggregate liability for any and all claims with respect to the Profile II services described above will be limited to the amount of actual monetary damages sustained by the applicable Fund(s) not to exceed the amount of fees paid to SunGard by the Fund(s) for the Profile II services during the 12 months immediately preceding the date on which SunGard receives written notice of the first damages claim related to the Profile II services.
9. Blue Sky
(a) Register the Trust and its shares with appropriate state blue sky authorities.
(b) Respond to state comments during the registration process.
(c) Obtain all sales permits required by relevant state authorities.
(d) Amend and renew sales permits as required.
(e) Monitor the sales of Shares in individual states on a daily basis and report required sales to appropriate states.
(f) File all registration statements, prospectuses and other Fund reports and documents as required by state law.
(g) Maintain Fund blue sky calendars.
(h) Respond to all blue sky audit and examination issues.
(i) File all renewal registrations for existing Funds.
(j) Conduct blue sky fee analysis, upon request.
(k) Monitor blue sky regulations for registration exemptions that may be available for sales to existing shareholders, and use reasonable efforts to avail the Trust of such exemptions.
(l) Based on mutually agreed upon procedures, monitor for registration exemptions that may be available for sales to corporate and institutional investors, coordinate with and obtain information from the Advisor or the Trust pertaining to attributes of specific investors as may bear upon or relate to qualification for such exemptions, and based upon such information, use reasonable efforts to avail the Trust of such exemptions.
10. OLA Services
Account Access
Product Features:
· Continuous 24x7 availability (except for scheduled maintenance).
· Secure access through user-ID and PIN validation.
· Two-factor Authentication
· Link to Trust Site for Form Access
· Single Log-on for Administrators to access fund direct shareholder information.
· Assign and maintain user profile information for registered users.
· Link accounts for registered users.
· Access to usage information
· Significant branding and customization options by site.
· Customized email notifications to be sent to the email address on record for registration updates, account updates, and transactions.
· All pages contain link to the Disclosure Page, Privacy Policy Page, and Fund Home site.
User Registration and Functionality
Individual and corporate investors will have the ability to:
· Register online.
· Create User-defined password with unlimited changes.
· Encounter an account lock-out facility after specified number of failed log-on attempts.
· Access statements and other related products with no reentry of User ID and password.
· Reset passwords online.
· Update e-mail, user profile, and security questions online.
· Contact Customer Service.
Account Information
Web-based access to general account information including:
· Account balances including shares, accruals, and total value
· Cumulative value of all linked accounts
· Account history
· Pending transactions
· Current and prior year activity summary
· Electronic document delivery designation
· Distribution elections
Account Maintenance
Web-based access to general account updates including:
· Address Maintenance (some restrictions apply)
· Account Option Maintenance
· Automated Investment Plan (a.k.a: Pre-Authorized Draft) (Add, change, stop)
· Systemic Withdraw Plans- SWP (Add, change, stop and transfer)
· Automatic Exchange Systematic Withdrawal Plan (Directed SWP Add, change, and stop)
Online Transaction Functionality
Web-based trading including the ability to place the following orders:
· Purchases
· Redemptions
· Exchanges (including to a new fund)
NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING IN THE AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, USE OF THE OLA SERVICES IS AS IS AND SUNGARD WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM USE OF THE OLA SERVICES. SUNGARD DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, CONCERNING THE OLA SERVICES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES REGARDING QUALITY, SUITABILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR OTHERWISE (IRRESPECTIVE OF ANY COURSE OF DEALING, CUSTOM OR USAGE OF TRADE)..
The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that the content and the design of OLA Services (excluding Fund information) are valuable trade secrets. Accordingly, the Trust agrees not to (a) copy or duplicate the OLA Services; (b) reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the OLA Services; (c) make derivative works therefrom; or (d) modify the OLA Services without SunGards written consent.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, SunGard may terminate OLA Services at any time if the provision of all or part of such services: (i) becomes the subject of a claim that such services violate or infringe any intellectual property rights of any Person or that SunGard otherwise does not have the right to permit others to use the OLA Services; or (ii) becomes illegal or contrary to any applicable law.
SCHEDULE C
TO THE TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II
AND
SUNGARD INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
TRANSFER AGENT FEES
The Trust shall pay SunGard on the first business day of each month, or at such time(s) as SunGard shall request and the parties shall agree the following fees for the services provided under this Agreement at the annual rates set forth below. The fees listed below (except the AML Services Fees) apply in the aggregate to The Victory Portfolios, The Victory Portfolios II, The Victory Institutional Funds and The Victory Variable Insurance Funds. The fees are accrued daily and paid monthly.
Base Annual Fee : |
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$1,100,000 |
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Annual Per Account Fees |
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Active Direct, Non-Level 3 Account |
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$12.00 |
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Active Level 3 Account |
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$5.75 |
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Inactive/Closed Account |
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$1.00 |
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Minimum Complex Annual Fee |
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$2,500,000 |
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IRA Custodian Fee (paid by shareholder) |
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$15.00 |
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Custom Programming and Development |
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$200/hr |
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Out of Pocket Fees |
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Billed as incurred |
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The fees above are inclusive of the following fees: transfer agency, OLA, Profile II, 22c-2 Per Cusip (but not 22c-2 data storage charges) provided under a separate agreement, AML (except per transaction search charges) and blue sky services (but not blue sky out of pocket filing fees). Out-of-pocket and other fees and services (with the exception of those listed above) will continue to be billed as they are today. CPI increases will continue to be applied.
AML Services Fees
Identity Check/Early Warning Review: |
$575/year |
Equifax Search: |
$5/request |
Early Warning: |
$0.17/search |
Additional Services
Additional services such as development of interface capabilities, servicing of 403(b) and 408(c) accounts, management of cash sweeps between DDAs and mutual fund accounts and coordination of the printing and distribution of prospectuses, annual reports and semi-annual reports are subject to additional fees which will be quoted upon request. Programming costs or database management fees for special reports or specialized processing will be quoted upon request.
SCHEDULE D
TO THE TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II
AND
SUNGARD INVESTOR SERVICES LLC
REPORTS
1. Daily Shareholder Activity Journal
2. Daily Fund Activity Summary Report
a. Beginning Balance
b. Dealer Transactions
c. Shareholder Transactions
d. Reinvested Dividends
e. Exchanges
f. Adjustments
g. Ending Balance
3. Daily Wire and Check Registers
4. Monthly Dealer Processing Reports
5. Monthly Dividend Reports
6. Sales Data Reports for Blue Sky Registration
7. A copy of the most recent report by independent public accountants describing control structure policies and procedures relating to transfer agency operations pursuant to AICPA Statement on Auditing Standards Number 70.
8. Such special reports and additional information that the parties may agree upon, from time to time.
9. Sales reporting as created by Activate.
10. Following each quarterly period, SunGard will provide a report to the following effect pertaining to the AML Services rendered by SunGard hereunder during such quarterly period:
· performed good order review for all new and reregistered accounts;
· performed acceptance review for all monetary instruments received;
· administered signature guarantee policy in accordance with prospectus requirements;
· administered escrow hold policy in accordance with prospectus requirements;
· verified customer address changes;
· verified customer identification for all new accounts and all name changes on existing accounts;
· monitored all purchase transactions made with cash equivalents totaling in excess of $10,000, resulting in the filing of [x] Form 8300 reports during the period. The Fund does not accept cash or currency;
· monitored all accounts for suspicious activity resulting in the filing of [x] Form SAR reports during the period;
· reviewed shareholder names against lists of suspected terrorist and terrorist organizations supplied by various governmental organizations, such as the Office of Foreign Asset Control resulting in the freezing and reporting of [x] accounts during the period;
· created the documentation necessary to provide a basis for law enforcement authorities to trace illicit funds;
· maintained all records and other documentation related to shareholder accounts and transactions required to be prepared and maintained pursuant to the Funds anti-money laundering program for all SunGard transfer agent services;
[The following items will be provided if the Trust falls under the related USA PATRIOT Act provisions:]
· performed the required due diligence to help prevent the opening of any accounts for foreign shell banks during the period either directly or through correspondent accounts; and
· performed required due diligence on any new correspondent accounts opened during the period.
SCHEDULE E
TO THE TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE VICTORY PORTFOLIOS
AND
SUNGARD FUND SERVICES OHIO, INC.
SERVICE STANDARDS
In the event that SunGard fails to meet the same service standard listed below for three consecutive months, SunGard must remedy the deficiency by meeting the standard in the next month. If SunGard does not meet the standard in the next month, the Tmst shall have the right, exercisable over the next thirty days, to terminate this Agreement upon sixty days written notice to SunGard. Any failure to meet the standard due to a circumstance outside of SunGards control shall not be deemed a failure by SunGard to meet its standard. For the purposes of this Schedule E, the services that SunGard provides to the Trust, other than with respect to telephone servicing, shall be aggregated with the services that SunGard provides to its other mutual fund clients and SunGards performance shall be determined accordingly.
Item |
Standard |
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Financial Transactions |
98% |
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Maintenance Transactions |
98% |
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New Accounts |
95% |
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Timeliness |
85% (in 20 seconds or less standard) |
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ASA |
< 20 seconds |
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Abandoned Calls |
< 2.5% standard |
Exhibit A
Name of Portfolio
Victory CEMP Long/Short Strategy Fund
Victory CEMP REC Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund
Victory CEMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund
Victory CEMP Market Neutral Income Fund
Victory CEMP Commodity Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
Victory CEMP Commodity Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Strategy Fund
Victory CEMP International Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP Emerging Market Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP International Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP US Small Cap Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP Alternative Strategies Fund
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund
Victory CEMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund
Victory CEMP US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Victory CEMP US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund
Exhibit 99.B(i)(3)
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250 WEST 55TH STREET
TELEPHONE: 212.468.8000
WWW.MOFO.COM
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MORRISON FOERSTER LLP
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October 28, 2015
Victory Portfolios II
3435 Stelzer Road
Columbus, Ohio 43219
Re: |
Victory Portfolios II (Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6; Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6) |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Victory Portfolios II, a Delaware statutory trust (the Trust), in connection with certain matters relating to the issuance of Class R6 Shares of the: Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund; and Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund (the Funds), each a Series of the Trust. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise herein defined are used as defined in the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust dated as of August 19, 2015, as amended by the Amendment thereto dated as of October 21, 2015 (as so amended, the Governing Instrument).
In rendering this opinion, we have examined and relied on copies of the following documents, each in the form provided to us:
(1) the Certificate of Trust of the Trust as filed in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the State Office) on April 11, 2012 (under the name Compass EMP Funds Trust), as amended by the Certificate of Amendment thereto as filed in the State Office on October 22, 2015 (reflecting a change in its name to Victory Portfolios II) (as so amended, the Certificate);
(2) the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust dated as of April 12, 2012, as amended on February 21, 2013 (as so amended, the Initial Governing Instrument);
(3) the Governing Instrument;
(4) the Bylaws of the Trust, amended and restated as of May 1, 2015;
(5) certain resolutions of the Trustees of the Trust including resolutions dated July 12, 2012 and August 19, 2015 relating to the establishment of the Funds and the Classes thereof (such terms used as defined below), the adoption of the Governing Instrument and the change in the name of (a) Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund to Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund, (b) Compass EMP U.S. 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund to Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund and (c) the Trust from Compass EMP Funds Trust to Victory Portfolios II (collectively, the Resolutions and, together with the Governing Instrument and Bylaws of the Trust, the Governing Documents);
(6) the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of the Trust as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) on May 4, 2012;
(7) a certification of good standing of the Trust obtained as of a recent date from the State Office; and
(8) a Certificate of the Secretary of the Trust dated on or about the date hereof certifying as to the Governing Instrument and the due adoption of the Resolutions referenced above.
In such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies or drafts of documents to be executed, and the legal capacity of natural persons to complete the execution of documents. We have further assumed for purposes of this opinion:
(i) the due adoption, authorization, execution and delivery, as applicable, by or on behalf of each of the parties thereto of the above-referenced agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents (including the Resolutions), and of all documents contemplated by the Governing Documents to be executed by investors desiring to become Shareholders;
(ii) the payment of consideration for Shares, and the application of such consideration, as provided in the Governing Documents and compliance with all other terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in the Governing Documents in connection with the issuance of Shares;
(iii) that appropriate notation of the names and addresses of, the number of Shares held by, and the consideration paid by, Shareholders will be maintained in the appropriate registers and other books and records of the Trust in connection with the issuance or transfer of Shares;
(iv) that no event has occurred that would cause a termination or dissolution of the Trust under Sections 2 or 4 of Article IX of the Initial Governing Instrument or the Governing Instrument, as applicable;
(v) that no event has occurred that would cause a termination or dissolution of the Funds under Section 6 of Article III or Sections 2 or 4 of Article IX of the Initial Governing Instrument or the Governing Instrument, as applicable;
(vi) that the activities of the Trust have been and will be conducted in accordance with the terms of the Initial Governing Instrument or the Governing Instrument, as applicable, and the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del . C . §§ 3801 et seq .;
(vii) that the name of Compass EMP U.S. Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund was duly changed to Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund in accordance with the provisions of the Initial Governing Instrument;
(viii) that the name of Compass EMP U.S. Equity Hedged Volatility Weighted Fund was duly changed to Compass EMP U.S. 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund in accordance with the provisions of the Initial Governing Instrument;
(ix) that the Trust became, prior to or within 180 days following the first issuance of beneficial interests therein, a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; and
(x) that each of the documents examined by us is in full force and effect and has not been amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, except as herein referenced.
No opinion is expressed herein with respect to the requirements of, or compliance with, federal or state securities or blue sky laws. Further, we express no opinion on the sufficiency or accuracy of any registration or offering documentation relating to the Trust or the Shares. As to any facts material to our opinion, other than those assumed, we have relied without independent investigation on the above-referenced documents and on the accuracy, as of the date hereof, of the matters therein contained.
We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and do not hold ourselves out as experts on, or express any opinion as to, the law of any other state or jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of New York and applicable federal laws of the United States. In rendering this opinion, without independent verification, and with your permission, we have relied solely upon an opinion of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP (the Local Counsel Opinion), special Delaware counsel to the Trust, a copy of which is attached hereto, concerning the organization of the Trust and the authorization and issuance of the Shares, and our opinion is subject to the qualifications and limitations set forth in the Local Counsel Opinion, which are incorporated herein by reference. Further, we express no
opinion on the sufficiency or accuracy of any registration or offering documentation relating to the Trust or the Shares.
Based on and subject to the foregoing, and limited in all respects to matters of Delaware law, it is our opinion that:
(1) The Trust is a duly formed and validly existing statutory trust in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The following Series of the Trust (each a Fund) and each class of such Fund referenced herein (each a Class) is a validly existing Series or Class thereof, as applicable, of the Trust: Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6; Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6.
(2) Shares of Class R6 of each Fund, when issued to Shareholders in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements and procedures set forth in the Governing Documents and all applicable resolutions of the Trustees, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable Shares of beneficial interest in the Trust.
This opinion is solely for your benefit, may not be relied on by any person or for any purpose and is not to be quoted in whole or in part, summarized or otherwise referred to, nor is it to be filed with or supplied to any governmental agency or other person without the written consent of this firm. This opinion letter is rendered as of the date hereof, and we specifically disclaim any responsibility to update or supplement this letter to reflect any events or facts which may hereafter come to our attention, or any changes in statutes or regulations or any court decisions which may hereafter occur.
Notwithstanding the previous paragraph, we consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Trusts Registration Statement on Form N-1A. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
1201 NORTH MARKET STREET
P.O. Box 1347
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE 19899-1347
302 658 9200
302 658 3989 FAX
October 28, 2015
Morrison & Foerster LLP
250 West 55th Street
New York, NY 10019-9601
Re: |
Victory Portfolios II (Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6; Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6) |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Delaware counsel to Victory Portfolios II, a Delaware statutory trust (the Trust), in connection with certain matters relating to the formation of the Trust and the issuance of Shares therein. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise herein defined are used as defined in the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust dated as of August 19, 2015, as amended by the Amendment thereto dated as of October 21, 2015 (as so amended, the Governing Instrument).
In rendering this opinion, we have examined and relied on copies of the following documents, each in the form provided to us: the Certificate of Trust of the Trust as filed in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the State Office) on April 11, 2012 (under the name Compass EMP Funds Trust), as amended by the Certificate of Amendment thereto as filed in the State Office on October 22, 2015 (reflecting a change in its name to Victory Portfolios II) (as so amended, the Certificate); the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust dated as of April 12, 2012, as amended on February 21, 2013 (as so amended, the Initial Governing Instrument); the Governing Instrument; the Bylaws of the Trust, amended and restated as of May 1, 2015; certain resolutions of the Trustees of the Trust including resolutions dated July 12, 2012 and August 19, 2015 relating to the establishment of the Funds and the Classes thereof (such terms used as defined below), the adoption of the Governing Instrument and the change in the name of (a) Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund to Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund, (b) Compass EMP U.S. 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund to Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund and (c) the Trust from Compass EMP Funds Trust to Victory Portfolios II (collectively, the Resolutions and, together with the Governing Instrument and Bylaws of the Trust, the Governing Documents); the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of the Trust as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) on May 4, 2012; and a certification of good standing of the Trust obtained as of a recent date from the State Office. In such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies or drafts of documents to be executed, and
the legal capacity of natural persons to complete the execution of documents. We have further assumed for purposes of this opinion: (i) the due adoption, authorization, execution and delivery, as applicable, by or on behalf of each of the parties thereto of the above-referenced agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents (including the Resolutions), and of all documents contemplated by the Governing Documents to be executed by investors desiring to become Shareholders; (ii) the payment of consideration for Shares, and the application of such consideration, as provided in the Governing Documents and compliance with all other terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in the Governing Documents in connection with the issuance of Shares; (iii) that appropriate notation of the names and addresses of, the number of Shares held by, and the consideration paid by, Shareholders will be maintained in the appropriate registers and other books and records of the Trust in connection with the issuance or transfer of Shares; (iv) that no event has occurred that would cause a termination or dissolution of the Trust under Sections 2 or 4 of Article IX of the Initial Governing Instrument or the Governing Instrument, as applicable; (v) that no event has occurred that would cause a termination or dissolution of the Funds under Section 6 of Article III or Sections 2 or 4 of Article IX of the Initial Governing Instrument or the Governing Instrument, as applicable; (vi) that the activities of the Trust have been and will be conducted in accordance with the terms of the Initial Governing Instrument or the Governing Instrument, as applicable, and the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del . C .§§ 3801 et seq .; (vii) that the name of Compass EMP U.S. Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund was duly changed to Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund in accordance with the provisions of the Initial Governing Instrument; (viii) that the name of Compass EMP U.S. Equity Hedged Volatility Weighted Fund was duly changed to Compass EMP U.S. 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund in accordance with the provisions of the Initial Governing Instrument; (ix) that the Trust became, prior to or within 180 days following the first issuance of beneficial interests therein, a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; and (x) that each of the documents examined by us is in full force and effect and has not been amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, except as herein referenced. No opinion is expressed herein with respect to the requirements of, or compliance with, federal or state securities or blue sky laws. Further, we express no opinion on the sufficiency or accuracy of any registration or offering documentation relating to the Trust or the Shares. As to any facts material to our opinion, other than those assumed, we have relied without independent investigation on the above-referenced documents and on the accuracy, as of the date hereof, of the matters therein contained.
Based on and subject to the foregoing, and limited in all respects to matters of Delaware law, it is our opinion that:
1. The Trust is a duly formed and validly existing statutory trust in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The following Series of the Trust (each a Fund) and each class of such Fund referenced herein (each a Class) is a validly existing Series or Class thereof, as applicable, of the Trust: Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6; Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund Class R6.
2. Shares of Class R6 of each Fund, when issued to Shareholders in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements and procedures set forth in the Governing Documents and all applicable resolutions of the Trustees, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable Shares of beneficial interest in the Trust.
We understand that you wish to rely on this opinion in connection with the delivery of your opinion to the Trust dated on or about the date hereof and we hereby consent to such reliance. Except as provided in the immediately preceding sentence, this opinion may not be relied on by any person or for any purpose without our prior written consent. We hereby consent to the filing of a copy of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Trusts Registration Statement on Form N-1A. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. This opinion speaks only as of the date hereof and is based on our understandings and assumptions as to present facts, and on the application of Delaware law as the same exist on the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update or supplement this opinion after the date hereof for the benefit of any person or entity with respect to any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in facts or law that may hereafter occur or take effect.
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Sincerely, |
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MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT & TUNNELL LLP |
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/s/ David A. Harris |
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David A. Harris |
Exhibit 99.B(i)(4)
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250 WEST 55TH STREET NEW YORK, NY 10019-9601
TELEPHONE: 212.468.8000 FACSIMILE: 212.468.7900
WWW.MOFO.COM |
MORRISON FOERSTER LLP
BEIJING, BERLIN, BRUSSELS, DENVER, HONG KONG, LONDON, LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, NORTHERN VIRGINIA, PALO ALTO, SACRAMENTO, SAN DIEGO, SAN FRANCISCO, SHANGHAI, SINGAPORE, TOKYO, WASHINGTON, D.C. |
October 28, 2015
Victory Portfolios II
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, Ohio 44144
Re: |
Victory Portfolios II |
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Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 |
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File No. 333-181176; ICA No. 811-22696 |
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Ladies and Gentleman:
We hereby consent to the reference to our firm as counsel in Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to Registration Statement No. 333-181176 and to the incorporation of our opinion dated October 28, 2015.
Sincerely, |
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/s/Morrison & Foerster LLP |
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Morrison & Foerster LLP |
Exhibit 99.B(i)(5)
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the references to our firm in the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Compass EMP Funds Trust and to the use of our report dated August 28, 2015 on the financial statements and financial highlights of Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP U.S. Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP REC Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP U.S. 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Long/Short Strategies Fund, Compass EMP International 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Market Neutral Income Fund, Compass EMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund, Compass EMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed Income Fund, Compass EMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund, Compass EMP Multi-Asset Growth Fund, and Compass EMP Alternative Strategies Fund, each a series of shares of beneficial interest of Compass EMP Funds Trust. Such financial statements and financial highlights appear in the June 30, 2015 Annual Report to Shareholders which is incorporated by reference into the Statement of Additional Information.
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BBD, LLP |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 28, 2015