As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 24, 2018
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File No. 33-8982 |
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ICA No. 811-4852 |
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U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 |
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Pre-Effective Amendment No. |
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Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 |
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 |
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Amendment No. 163
Victory Portfolios
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Trust Instrument)
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4 th Floor
Brooklyn, Ohio 44114
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(800) 539-3863
(Area Code and Telephone Number)
Copy to:
Charles Booth |
Christopher K. Dyer |
Jay G. Baris |
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. |
Victory Portfolios |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
4400 Easton Commons, Suite 200 |
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4 th Floor |
599 Lexington Avenue |
Columbus, Ohio 43219 |
Brooklyn, OH 44144 |
New York, New York 10022 |
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective .
It is proposed that this filing will become effective:
o Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
x On (November 1, 2018) 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.
November 1, 2018
Prospectus
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MGOAX | MGOTX | | MMSRX | MGOSX | MGOYX |
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MNNAX | MNNCX | | MNNRX | | MNNYX |
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MASCX | | MIGSX | | | MYSGX |
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
VictoryFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
The Fund currently offers those classes listed above with an associated ticker symbol.
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Table of Contents Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Organization and Management of the Funds |
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide 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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 26 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class C | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75% | NONE | NONE | NONE | NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE 1 | 1.00% 2 | NONE | NONE | NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
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Management Fees | 0.75% | 0.75% | 0.75% | 0.75% | 0.75% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.50% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.28% | 0.21% | 0.40% | 0.09% | 0.26% |
Total Fund Operating Expenses | 1.28% | 1.96% | 1.65% | 0.84% | 1.01% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 3 | 0.00% | 0.00% | (0.08)% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 3 |
1.28% | 1.96% | 1.57% | 0.84% | 1.01% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Applies to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
3 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.32% and 1.57% of the Fund's Class A and Class R shares, respectively, through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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 (or continue holding your shares in the case of Class C shares). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $698 | $958 | $1,237 | $2,031 |
Class C (If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $299 | $615 | $1,057 | $2,285 |
Class C (If you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $199 | $615 | $1,057 | $2,285 |
Class R | $160 | $513 | $889 | $1,948 |
Class R6 | $86 | $268 | $466 | $1,037 |
Class Y | $103 | $322 | $558 | $1,236 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 50% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and rights and warrants) of mid-capitalization companies. Mid-capitalization companies means those companies with market capitalizations within the range of companies included in the S&P MidCap 400 ® Index ($177.7 million to $15.6 billion as of September 30, 2018) or within the range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index ($603.6 million to $40.8 billion as of September 30, 2018).
The Fund's investment style, which focuses on both growth prospects and valuation, is known as GARP (Growth at a Reasonable Price). This blended process seeks to perform better than either a pure growth or pure value approach over a complete market cycle.
The Adviser chooses the Fund's investments by reviewing the earnings growth of all publicly traded mid-capitalization companies over the past three years and selecting from those companies primarily based on: above-average, consistent earnings growth; financial stability; relative valuation; strength of industry position and management team; and price changes compared to the Russell Midcap ® Index.
Although the Fund will be invested primarily in domestic securities, up to 25% of the Fund's assets may be invested in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
The Adviser regularly reviews the Funds investments and will sell a security when the Adviser believes the security is no longer attractive due to (1) a deterioration in rank of the security in accordance with the Advisers process, (2) price appreciation, (3) a change in the fundamental outlook of the company or (4) other available investments are considered to be more attractive
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
The performance figures for Class A, C, R, R6 and Y shares reflect the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A, C, R, R6 and Y shares of the Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by Munder Capital Management). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was 4.34%.
Highest Quarter | 16.48% (quarter ended September 30, 2009) |
Lowest Quarter | -25.26% (quarter ended December 31, 2008) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year | 5 Years |
10 Years
(or Life of Class) |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 24.50% | 13.50% | 7.40% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 19.62% | 10.83% | 6.13% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 17.75% | 10.50% | 5.86% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 17.04% | 11.87% | 6.50% |
CLASS C Before Taxes | 22.34% | 12.42% | 6.36% |
CLASS R Before Taxes | 23.85% | 12.92% | 6.87% |
CLASS R6 Before Taxes | 24.73% | 13.71% | 14.72% 1 |
INDEX | |||
Russell Midcap
®
Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
18.52% | 14.96% | 9.11% |
Russell Midcap
®
Growth Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
25.27% | 15.30% | 9.10% |
1 Inception date of Class R6 is June 4, 2012.
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Munder Capital Management ("Munder") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Tony Y. Dong, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since 2001 |
Robert E. Crosby, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since 2012 |
Robert Glise, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager and Analyst | Since 2016 |
Gavin Hayman, CFA | Senior Equity Analyst | Since 2010 |
Brian S. Matuszak, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since 2005 |
Sean D. Wright | Equity Analyst | Since 2014 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class C | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | $2,500 | NONE | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | $50 | NONE | NONE | NONE |
For Class A and Class C shares a $1,000 minimum initial purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and purchases through automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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.
Munder Multi-Cap Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide 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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 26 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class C | Class R | Class Y |
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 | 1.00% 2 | NONE | NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
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Management Fees | 0.75% | 0.75% | 0.75% | 0.75% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.50% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.36% | 0.41% | 2.38% | 0.25% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.36% | 2.16% | 3.63% | 1.00% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 3 | 0.00% | 0.00% | (1.75)% | 0.00% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 3 |
1.36% | 2.16% | 1.88% | 1.00% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Applies to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
3 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.88% of the Fund's Class R shares through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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 (or continue holding your shares in the case of Class C shares). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $706 | $981 | $1,277 | $2,116 |
Class C (If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $319 | $676 | $1,159 | $2,493 |
Class C (If you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $219 | $676 | $1,159 | $2,493 |
Class R | $191 | $950 | $1,730 | $3,775 |
Class Y | $102 | $318 | $552 | $1,225 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 123% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by identifying secular growth trends and investing in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, preferred stocks, depositary receipts, convertible securities and rights and warrants) of companies the Adviser believes will benefit from these trends. The Fund invests in companies with market capitalization of $1 billion and above.
In selecting individual securities for the Fund, the Adviser employs a bottom-up analysis, which involves a thorough review of a company's products and services, competitive positioning, balance sheet and financial stability. In addition, in selecting securities for the Fund, the Adviser attempts to identify and evaluate underlying growth drivers for each company and to arrive at a projected fair value for the company's equity securities.
As a result of the Fund's focus on secular growth trends, a significant portion of the Fund's assets may be invested in one or more sectors, including the information technology sector, industries and types of companies that the Adviser believes have significant growth opportunities and exhibit attractive long-term growth characteristics.
Although the Fund will be invested primarily in domestic securities, up to 25% of the Fund's assets may be invested in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
The Adviser regularly reviews the Funds investments and will sell a security when the Adviser believes the security is no longer attractive due to (1) a deterioration in rank of the security in accordance with the Advisers process, (2) price appreciation, (3) a change in the fundamental outlook of the company or (4) other available investments are considered to be more attractive
As a result of its investment strategy, the Fund may experience annual portfolio turnover in excess of 100%.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
The performance figures for Class A, C, R and Y shares reflect the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A, C, R and Y shares of the Munder Growth Opportunities Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund that was managed by Munder Capital Management). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder Growth Opportunities Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was 1.96%.
Highest Quarter | 27.20% (quarter ended September 30, 2009) |
Lowest Quarter | -24.68% (quarter ended December 31, 2008) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 28.82% | 16.48% | 10.36% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 27.39% | 15.07% | 9.61% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 17.50% | 12.95% | 8.37% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 21.01% | 14.72% | 9.39% |
CLASS C Before Taxes | 26.34% | 15.17% | 9.18% |
CLASS R Before Taxes | 27.65% | 15.63% | 9.68% |
INDEX | |||
Russell 3000
®
Growth Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
29.59% | 17.16% | 9.93% |
Russell 1000
®
Growth Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
30.21% | 17.33% | 10.00% |
S&P 500
®
Index
Index returns reflect no deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
21.83% | 15.79% | 8.50% |
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Munder Capital Management ("Munder") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Tony Y. Dong, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since 2015 |
Michael P. Gura, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since 2010 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class C | Class R | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | $2,500 | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | $50 | NONE | NONE |
For Class A and Class C shares a $1,000 minimum initial purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and purchases through automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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. 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.
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide 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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 26 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class I | Class Y |
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 | NONE | 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 (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 1.59% | 0.46% | 2.13% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 2.69% | 1.31% | 2.98% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 2 | (1.29)% | (0.16)% | (1.73)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 2 |
1.40% | 1.15% | 1.25% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.40%, 1.15% and 1.25% of the Fund's Class A, Class I and Class Y shares, respectively, through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $709 | $1,247 | $1,809 | $3,334 |
Class I | $117 | $399 | $703 | $1,565 |
Class Y | $127 | $758 | $1,415 | $3,176 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 62% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues long-term capital appreciation in the Fund by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and rights and warrants) of small capitalization companies. Small capitalization companies means those companies with market capitalizations within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Growth Index ($11.7 million to $8.5 billion as of September 30, 2018).
The Fund's investment style, which focuses on both growth prospects and valuation, is known as GARP (Growth at a Reasonable Price). This blended process seeks to perform better than either a pure growth or pure value approach over a complete market cycle.
The Adviser chooses the Fund's investments by reviewing the earnings growth of all publicly traded small capitalization companies over the past three years and selecting from those companies primarily based on: above-average, consistent earnings growth; financial stability; relative valuation; strength of industry position and management team; and price changes compared to the Russell 2000 ® Growth Index.
Although the Fund will be invested primarily in domestic securities, up to 25% of the Fund's assets may be invested in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
The Adviser regularly reviews the Funds investments and will sell a security when the Adviser believes the security is no longer attractive due to (1) a deterioration in rank of the security in accordance with the Advisers process, (2) price appreciation, (3) a change in the fundamental outlook of the company or (4) other available investments are considered to be more attractive
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was 24.79%.
Highest Quarter | 12.31% (quarter ended September 30, 2016) |
Lowest Quarter | -7.69% (quarter ended March 31, 2016) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year | Life of Fund 1 |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 20.46% | 7.78% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 20.29% | 7.72% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 11.73% | 6.01% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 13.28% | 5.22% |
CLASS I Before Taxes | 20.52% | 7.88% |
INDEX | ||
Russell 2000
®
Growth Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
22.17% | 10.21% |
1 The inception date of the Fund is May 1, 2015.
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Munder Capital Management ("Munder") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Tony Y. Dong, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since inception |
Robert E. Crosby, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Robert Glise, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager and Analyst | Since 2016 |
Gavin Hayman, CFA | Senior Equity Analyst | Since inception |
Brian S. Matuszak, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Sean D. Wright | Equity Analyst | Since inception |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class I | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | NONE | NONE |
For Class A Shares a $1,000 minimum purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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. 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.
Additional Fund Information
Victory Capital Management Inc., which we refer to as the "Adviser" throughout the Prospectus, manages each Fund.
The Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund , Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund and Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund (the "Funds") are each 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 following section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy the Funds will use under normal market conditions to pursue their investment objectives, as well as any secondary strategies the Funds may use, and the related risks. This Prospectus does not attempt to describe all of the various investment techniques and types of investments that the Adviser may use in managing the Funds. The SAI includes more information about the Funds, their investments, and the related risks. Keep in mind that for cash management purposes, each Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, short-term money market instruments or shares of other investment companies. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market, cause a Fund to fail to meet its investment objective and increase a Fund's expenses.
Unless otherwise stated in a Fund's Principal Investment Strategies or in the SAI, each Fund's investment objective and investment policy (if applicable) to invest under normal market conditions at least 80% of its assets in the type of securities suggested by the Fund's name are each non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders. For purposes of a Fund's 80% investment policy, "assets" means the Fund's net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or please visit VictoryFunds.com.
Investments
The following describes the types of securities each Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy. The Funds will not necessarily buy all of the securities listed below.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock, preferred stock, and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
Foreign Securities
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 foreign corporations, and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") that invest in foreign corporations.
The Adviser may use other types of investment strategies in pursuing each Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities that the Adviser may purchase or investment techniques the Adviser may employ that are not considered to be a part of the Funds' principal investment strategies. Additional securities and techniques are described in the Funds' SAI.
Derivatives
Derivative instruments 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 credit default swap contracts, swaps, futures contracts (both short and long positions), options on futures contracts, options, and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may use derivatives for hedging (attempting to reduce risk by offsetting one investment position with another), for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity), for managing certain risks (such as yield curve exposure, interest rate risk or credit risk), to generate income, to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly or for any other permissible purpose. Hedging may relate to a specific investment, a group of investments, or the Fund's portfolio as a whole. Currently, some swaps may be negotiated bilaterally and others may be subject to mandatory clearing and exchange trading requirements. These requirements may decrease counterparty exposure and increase liquidity, but will not make swap transactions risk free.
Emerging Markets
A part of the Fund's investments in foreign securities may be in companies from emerging market countries, which are developing countries in the early stages of adopting capitalism. Emerging market countries include, without limitation, portions of Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East/Africa, such as China, India, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Poland, Russia and South Africa.
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)
The Funds may at times have the opportunity to invest in securities offered in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). If a Fund's portfolio manager believes that a particular IPO is very likely to increase in value immediately after the initial offering, it is possible (although it will not necessarily be the case) that the Fund will invest in the IPO, even if the security is one in which the Fund might not typically otherwise invest.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies the shares of which 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.
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following provides additional information about some of the Funds principal risks and supplements those risks discussed in each Fund's Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.
Mid-Cap Core Growth | Multi-Cap | Small Cap Growth | |
Equity Securities Risk | X | X | X |
Foreign Investments Risk | X | X | X |
Investment Style Risk | X | X | X |
Liquidity Risk | X | X | |
Portfolio Turnover Risk | X | ||
Smaller-Company Stock Risk | X | X | X |
Stock Market Risk | X | X | X |
General Risks
Market Risk The market value of a security may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector of the economy, or the entire market. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Manager Risk The investment process used by the investment team may produce incorrect judgments about the value of a particular asset or the team may implement its investment strategy in a way that may not produce the desired results.
Stock Selection Risk The value of the Fund's investments may decline if the particular companies in which the Fund invests do not perform well in the market.
Equity Risk
The value of an equity security will fluctuate in response to changes in earnings or other conditions affecting the issuer's profitability or in general market conditions. Unlike debt securities, which have preference to a company's assets in case of liquidation, equity securities are entitled to the residual value after the company meets its other obligations.
Foreign Investments 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. In addition to foreign securities, the Fund may be exposed to foreign markets as a result of the Fund's investments in U.S. companies that have international exposure. Certain of these risks may also apply to some extent to U.S. investments that are denominated in foreign currencies and to investments in U.S. companies that have significant foreign operations.
Investment Style Risk
Different types of investment styles, for example growth or value, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions. As a result, the Funds performance may at times be worse than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or that have different investment styles.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities or other instruments at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and the Fund may have to continue to hold such securities or instruments during periods when the Adviser would otherwise have sold them (in order, for example, to meet redemption requests or to take advantage of other investment opportunities). Market values for illiquid securities may not be readily available, and there can be no assurance that any fair value assigned to an illiquid security at any time will accurately reflect the price the Fund might receive upon the sale of that security. Adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer, including rising interest rates, may adversely affect the liquidity of the Funds investments and the Fund may be forced to sell large amounts of securities more quickly than it normally would in the ordinary course of business. In such cases the sale proceeds received by a Fund may be substantially less than if the Fund had been able to sell the securities in more orderly transactions, and the sale price may be substantially lower than the price previously used by the Fund to value the securities for purposes of determining the Funds net asset value. Some securities held by a Fund may be restricted as to resale, and there is often no ready market for such securities. In addition, a Fund, by itself or together with other accounts managed by the Adviser, may hold a position in a security that is large relative to the typical trading volume for that security, which can make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of the position at an advantageous time or price.
Portfolio Turnover Risk
Portfolio turnover generally involves a number of direct and indirect costs and expenses to a Fund, including, for example, dealer mark-ups and bid/asked spreads and transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. Such costs are not reflected in the Funds' Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses set forth under "Fees and Expenses" but do have the effect of reducing a Fund's investment return. Such sales may result in the realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains, which are generally taxed to shareholders at ordinary income tax rates.
Smaller-Company Stock Risk
Small- or mid-sized companies often have more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies and, therefore, may be more susceptible to market downturns or changing economic conditions. In addition, such companies may have been recently organized and have little or no track record of success. Also, the Adviser may not have had an opportunity to evaluate such newer companies performance in adverse or fluctuating market conditions. The securities of smaller-sized companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volume than more widely held securities. Prices of small- or mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile than those of larger companies and small- or mid-sized issuers may be subject to greater degrees of changes in their earnings and prospects. Since smaller company stocks typically have narrower markets and are traded in lower volumes than larger company stocks, they may be often more difficult to purchase and sell.
Stock Market Risk
Stock market risk refers to the fact that stock (equity securities) prices typically fluctuate more than the values of other types of securities, typically in response to changes in the particular companys financial condition and factors affecting the market in general. Over time, the stock market tends to move in cycles, with periods when stock prices rise, and periods when stock prices decline. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on stock prices. Consequently, a broad-based market drop may also cause a stocks price to fall. Portfolio securities may also decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally, such as real or perceived adverse economic, political or regulatory conditions, inflation, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment, or due to factors affecting particular industries represented in the securities markets, such as competitive conditions. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer can impact a market as a whole, and adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may not have the same impact on all types of securities. In addition, the markets may not favor a particular kind of security, including equity securities. Values of securities may fall due to factors affecting a particular issuer, industry or the securities market as a whole.
The Adviser may use several types of investment strategies in pursuing each Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Funds. Additional risks are included in the Funds' SAI.
Derivatives Risk
Derivatives, such as forward currency contracts, 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.
Investment Company Risk
The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of other 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.
IPO Risk
Investments in IPOs may result in increased transaction costs and expenses and the realization of short-term capital gains and distributions. In addition, in the period immediately following an IPO, investments may be subject to more extreme price volatility than that of other equity investments. A Fund may lose all or part of its investment if the companies making their IPOs fail and their product lines fail to achieve an adequate level of market recognition or acceptance. IPOs may not be available to a Fund at all times, and a Fund may not always invest in IPOs offered to it. Investments in IPOs may have a substantial beneficial effect on a Fund's investment performance. A Fund's investment return earned during a period of substantial investment in IPOs may not be sustained during other periods when the Fund makes more limited, or no, investments in IPOs.
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 (1) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (2) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (3) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (4) 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 borrowers 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.
Organization and Management of the Funds
The Funds' Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of each Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each of the Victory Funds pursuant to an investment management agreement. The Adviser oversees the operations of the Funds according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser is a New York corporation that is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). As of September 30, 2018, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $63.6 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's primary 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. Munder Capital Management ("Munder") is the investment franchise responsible for the management of the Funds.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to the following:
Fund | Advisory Fee |
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund | 0.75% |
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund | 0.75% |
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund | 0.85% |
See "Fund Fees and Expenses" for information about any contractual agreement agreed to by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to a Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to a Fund.
A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement will be available in each Fund's semi-annual report for the period ending December 31, 2018.
Portfolio Management
Tony Y. Dong is the Chief Investment Officer of Munder and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. Prior to that, Mr. Dong was Vice Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Munder Capital Management, where he was employed since 1988. Mr. Dong is a portfolio manager of each Fund and Lead Portfolio Manager for Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund , for which he has final investment authority. Mr. Dong is a CFA charterholder.
Robert E. Crosby is a Senior Portfolio Manager of Munder and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. Prior to that, Mr. Crosby was a Senior Portfolio Manager of Munder Capital Management, where he held various positions since 1993. Mr. Crosby is a portfolio manager for the Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund and Munder Small-Cap Growth Fund . Mr. Crosby is a CFA charterholder.
Robert Glise is a Senior Portfolio Manager/Analyst of Munder and has been with the Adviser since September 2016. From 2002 through 2015, Mr. Glise was a Senior Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager with Northpointe Capital Management, where he was the lead manager of the mid-cap growth strategy and a member of the team managing the small-cap growth strategy. Mr. Glise is a portfolio manager for the Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund and Munder Small-Cap Growth Fund. Mr. Glise is a CFA charterholder.
Michael P. Gura is a Senior Portfolio Manager of Munder and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. From 1995-2014, Mr. Gura was an investment professional with Munder Capital Management, where he was a member of the portfolio management team of the Funds predecessor fund since 2010. Mr. Gura is Lead Portfolio Manager for the Munder Multi-Cap Fund , for which he has final investment authority. Mr. Gura is a CFA charterholder.
Gavin Hayman is a Senior Equity Analyst of Munder and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. Prior to that, Mr. Hayman was an Equity Analyst of Munder Capital Management from 2010 through 2014. From 2007 to 2010, Mr. Hayman was Director-Research at Telemus Capital Partners, a high-net-worth management company. Mr. Hayman is a portfolio manager for the Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund and Munder Small-Cap Growth Fund. Mr. Hayman is a CFA charterholder.
Brian S. Matuszak is a Senior Portfolio Manager of Munder and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. From 2006 through 2014, Mr. Matuszak was a Senior Equity Analyst of Munder Capital Management. Mr. Matuszak is a portfolio manager for Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund and the Lead Portfolio Manager for the Munder Small-Cap Growth Fund , for which he has final investment authority. Mr. Matuszak is a CFA charterholder.
Sean D. Wright is an Equity Analyst of Munder and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. Prior to that, Mr. Wright was a Senior Equity Research Associate of Munder Capital Management since 2010. Prior to joining Munder Capital Management, he interned for RFC Financial Planners in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he worked on various tasks related to portfolio management, asset allocation, and client relationship management. Mr. Wright is a portfolio manager for Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund and Munder Small-Cap Growth Fund .
The Funds' SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts they manage and any ownership interests they may have in the Funds.
Investing with the Victory Funds
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
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.
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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class Y shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
This section of the Prospectus describes each share class currently offered by the Victory Funds. Keep in mind that not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. Therefore, certain classes may be discussed below that are not necessarily offered in this Prospectus. The classes of shares that are offered by the Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
This section of the Prospectus also describes how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund. Note, this information may 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-FUND. They will be happy to assist you.
Share Price
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.
Each Victory Fund calculates its share price, called its net asset value ("NAV"), each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, a Fund's share price will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is next calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
To the extent a Funds investments include securities that are primarily traded in foreign markets, the value of those securities may change on days when shareholders are unable to purchase and redeem a Funds shares, such as on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares.
Each Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, a Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. A Fund will fair value a security when:
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 Victory Fund calculates the NAV of each share class 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 a 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 a Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Funds' website at VictoryFunds.com.
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
CLASS C
CLASS I
CLASS R
CLASS R6
CLASS Y
Share Classes
When you purchase shares of a Fund, you must choose a share class. The Victory Funds offer Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class Y shares. Each share class represents an interest in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes differ in the sales charges, if any, and expenses that apply to your investment, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. Not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The Victory Funds may offer additional classes of shares in the future.
Deciding which share class best suits your investment needs 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.
The Funds reserve the right, without notice, to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. For example, a class of shares may be available to purchase only by retirement plans or by institutional investors. The Funds may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
A Fund or any class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons. Certain financial intermediaries who hold shares on behalf of their customers impose fees when the amount of shares of a particular class falls below a minimum threshold. To the extent that the amount of shares falls below that threshold, the Funds reserve the right to liquidate the shares held in accounts maintained by the financial intermediary.
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 NAV plus any applicable initial sales charge, also referred to as the "front-end sales load." The sales charge may be reduced or eliminated for larger purchases, as detailed below or as described under Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares . The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales charge are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through an intermediary specified in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform the Victory Funds or 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 Victory accounts and any linked accounts, such as accounts opened with a different financial intermediary.
The current sales charge rates and breakpoint levels for Class A shares of the Funds 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 1 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
1 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 within twelve months of 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 CDSC Reductions for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries for details.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
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 sales charges.
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Funds' transfer agent, at the time of purchase, with 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 for shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your Investment Professional; (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).
The availability of a sales charge reduction or waiver discussed below will depend upon whether you purchase your shares directly from the Funds or through a financial intermediary. In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Funds or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. Different intermediaries may impose different sales charges. These variations are described in Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries. Except as described with respect to the intermediaries specified in Appendix A, all Class A shares are subject to the terms stated herein. In order to obtain waivers and discounts that are not available through your intermediary, you must purchase Fund shares directly from the Funds or through another intermediary.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions, free of charge, at vcm.com/policies, by clicking on Victory Portfolios' Mutual Funds Pricing Policies.
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in a number of ways:
You should inform the Fund or your Investment Professional at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
CDSC for Class A Shares
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 within twelve months of 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.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries . All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through the intermediaries specified in Appendix A.
CDSC for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within twelve 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 reinvested do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinvested shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinvestment. 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 a CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries .
CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares
No CDSC is imposed on redemptions of Class A and Class C shares in the following circumstances:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Class I shares may only be purchased by:
A 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.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R Shares
A Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
Class R shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R6 Shares
Class R6 shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class Y Shares
Class Y shares may only be purchased by:
A 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 $1,000,000.
Eligibility of Individuals Associated with the Victory Funds and Fund Service Providers
Current and retired Victory Fund trustees and the officers, directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or Affiliated Providers are eligible to purchase the lowest expense share class offered by a Fund. In the case of Class A shares, such purchases are not subject to a front-end sales charge. "Affiliated Providers" are affiliates of the Adviser and organizations that provide services to the Trust.
Information About Fees
Distribution and Service Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A, Class C and Class R shares of the Funds.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, a Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets of Class A shares. Under the Class R Distribution and Service Plan, a Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.50% of its average daily net assets of Class R shares. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A and Class R shares of the Fund and, as applicable, 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 Fund 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, a 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 a 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, if you purchase Fund shares through an Investment Professional, a broker dealer, or other financial intermediary, the Fund may pay for sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping and/or similar administrative services. In addition, the Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Funds, to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities. 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 other Investment Professionals for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing."
In some circumstances, these types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the 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 from the resources of the Adviser or its affiliates on sales of or investments in Class R6 shares.
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 Victory Funds' website, VictoryFunds.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 a 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 Funds.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Funds are unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Funds' Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
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
If you wish to make a purchase directly from the Victory Funds, 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 Funds. 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase with respect to some types of accounts .
For Class C shares, individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares.
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 employees, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when a Fund is purchased through an Advisory Program within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Funds may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when they do so, they always reserve the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at their discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
A Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
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:
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.
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.
By Exchange
You may purchase shares of a 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 VictoryFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at VictoryFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
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 Funds do not charge a fee for ACH transfers but they reserve the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
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.
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 a Fund.
Other Purchase Rules You Should Know
The Funds reserve the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if they believe that doing so would be in the best interest of a Fund or its shareholders. The Funds also reserve 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.
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BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
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BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
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
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ON THE INTERNET |
www.VictoryFunds.com |
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of Fund shares in 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 Funds 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.
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-FUND or by visiting VictoryFunds.com
The shares of any class of a Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or shares of another Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
If you have questions about these, or any of the Funds' 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.
Class C Share Conversion
Class C shares of a Fund will automatically convert to Class A shares in the month following the 10-year anniversary date of the purchase of the Class C shares. The conversion will be effected at the relative NAV of each such class without the imposition of any sales charge, fee or other charge.
You may be able to voluntarily convert your Class C shares before the 10-year anniversary to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower total annual operating expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This voluntary 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 Voluntary Exchange/Conversion
If your exchange or conversion request is received and accepted by the Funds, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled, Share Price, then your request will be processed the same day. If received after the close of trading, your request will be processed on the next business day. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any exchange or conversion.
Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the Funds' share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus. Share class conversions will be based on the respective NAV 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 NAVs.
Requesting an Exchange
You can exchange shares of the Funds by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at VictoryFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other Exchange Rules You Should Know
The Funds may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Funds 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 a Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
How to Sell Shares
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
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.VictoryFunds.com.
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BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-FUND. 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:
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.
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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:
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.
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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 next business day.
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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, 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
Distributions and Taxes
Buying a dividend. You should check the Funds' distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of a Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your share of net income and capital gains on a Fund's investments. Each Fund passes its earnings along to investors in the form of dividends. Dividends paid by a Fund represent the net income from dividends and interest earned on investments after expenses. Each Fund will distribute short-term gains, as necessary, and if the Fund makes a long-term capital gain distribution, it is normally paid once a year.
Ordinarily, each Fund pays dividends annually. However, a 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.
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-FUND.
Reinvestment Option
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of your Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
Cash Option
If you elect to receive your distributions by check, and the distribution amount is $25 or less, the amount will automatically be reinvested in the same Fund. Otherwise, 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 U.S. 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 as described above. Each 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 Fund shares and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
Directed Distributions 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 will pay a sales charge on the amount of 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.
Important Information About Taxes
The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax adviser about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.
A Fund expects to pay no federal income tax on the earnings and capital gains it distributes to shareholders.
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 Victory Funds must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
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 Victory Funds and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Funds may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Victory Funds 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 in all cases by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee (MSG). In some instances a Notary Public stamp is an acceptable alternative. 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.
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.
The Funds' Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Funds will:
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 Funds, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Funds 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 Funds, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Funds that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Funds 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 Funds' market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
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. Each 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 Funds' website, VictoryFunds.com, and on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
Each 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 SECs website, www.sec.gov. Each Fund also discloses its complete portfolio holdings each calendar quarter on the Funds' website, VictoryFunds.com, no earlier than the 15th day after the quarter end.
You can find a complete description of the Funds' policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in a Fund's SAI or on the Funds' website, VictoryFunds.com.
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of a 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 Funds 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.
While this Prospectus and the SAI of the Trust describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Funds, neither this Prospectus nor the SAI represents a contract between the Trust or the Funds and any shareholder.
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, or, if shorter, the period of its 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).
For periods prior to October 31, 2014, the Mid-Cap Core Growth and Multi-Cap Growth Funds' financial highlights includes historical information of each Fund's predecessor, Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth and Munder Growth Opportunities Funds, respectively, each a separate series of Munder Series Trust that was managed by Munder Capital Management.
The information for each period has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's annual report. The Fund's annual and semi-annual reports are available by calling the Fund at 800-539-FUND and at VictoryFunds.com.
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $37.21 | $35.99 | $43.31 | $43.91 | $36.60 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.11) | (0.08) | (0.08) | (0.12) | (0.17) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.55 | 5.79 | (3.36) | 4.35 | 8.27 |
Total from Investment Activities | 4.44 | 5.71 | (3.44) | 4.23 | 8.10 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | | | | (b) | |
Net realized gains from investments | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.83) | (0.79) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.83) | (0.79) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $34.56 | $37.21 | $35.99 | $43.31 | $43.91 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | 12.08% | 17.18% | (7.94)% | 10.03% | 22.24% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $575,926 | $657,496 | $970,418 | $1,266,891 | $1,457,999 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.28% | 1.31% | 1.32% | 1.32% | 1.32% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.29)% | (0.21)% | (0.21)% | (0.27)% | (0.41)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 1.28% | 1.31% | 1.34% | 1.33% | 1.32% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 50% | 55% | 40% | 27% | 37% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class C Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $31.54 | $31.34 | $38.51 | $39.81 | $33.49 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.29) | (0.27) | (0.29) | (0.38) | (0.43) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 3.82 | 4.96 | (3.00) | 3.91 | 7.54 |
Total from Investment Activities | 3.53 | 4.69 | (3.29) | 3.53 | 7.11 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | | | | (b) | |
Net realized gains from investments | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.83) | (0.79) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.83) | (0.79) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $27.98 | $31.54 | $31.34 | $38.51 | $39.81 |
Total Return (excludes contingent deferred sales charge) | 11.28% | 16.43% | (8.58)% | 9.26% | 21.34% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $52,210 | $148,305 | $200,199 | $253,359 | $247,748 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.96% | 1.97% | 2.00% | 2.02% | 2.07% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.94)% | (0.88)% | (0.89)% | (0.96)% | (1.16)% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 50% | 55% | 40% | 27% | 37% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $35.82 | $34.89 | $42.22 | $43.02 | $35.96 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.20) | (0.16) | (0.17) | (0.22) | (0.26) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.38 | 5.58 | (3.28) | 4.25 | 8.11 |
Total from Investment Activities | 4.18 | 5.42 | (3.45) | 4.03 | 7.85 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net realized gains from investments | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.83) | (0.79) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.83) | (0.79) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $32.91 | $35.82 | $34.89 | $42.22 | $43.02 |
Total Return | 11.79% | 16.87% | (8.19)% | 9.76% | 21.94% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $25,939 | $32,913 | $39,928 | $56,807 | $63,454 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.57% | 1.57% | 1.57% | 1.57% | 1.57% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.58)% | (0.47)% | (0.46)% | (0.51)% | (0.65)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 1.65% | 1.64% | 1.62% | 1.68% | 1.57% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 50% | 55% | 40% | 27% | 37% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R6 Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $39.55 | $37.82 | $45.11 | $45.38 | $37.66 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.06 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.08 | 0.03 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.84 | 6.12 | (3.51) | 4.51 | 8.49 |
Total from Investment Activities | 4.90 | 6.22 | (3.41) | 4.59 | 8.52 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | | | | (0.03) | (0.01) |
Net realized gains from investments | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.83) | (0.79) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.86) | (0.80) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $37.36 | $39.55 | $37.82 | $45.11 | $45.38 |
Total Return | 12.56% | 17.73% | (7.54)% | 10.51% | 22.75% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $685,568 | $761,607 | $752,971 | $735,002 | $478,718 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.84% | 0.85% | 0.87% | 0.89% | 0.89% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 0.15% | 0.26% | 0.25% | 0.18% | 0.08% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 0.84% | 0.85% | 0.87% | 0.90% | 0.89% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 50% | 55% | 40% | 27% | 37% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $39.10 | $37.51 | $44.85 | $45.22 | $37.58 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.01) | 0.02 | 0.02 | (0.01) | (0.07) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.79 | 6.06 | (3.48) | 4.48 | 8.50 |
Total from Investment Activities | 4.78 | 6.08 | (3.46) | 4.47 | 8.43 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | | | | (0.01) | |
Net realized gains from investments | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.83) | (0.79) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (7.09) | (4.49) | (3.88) | (4.84) | (0.79) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $36.79 | $39.10 | $37.51 | $44.85 | $45.22 |
Total Return | 12.38% | 17.49% | (7.71)% | 10.29% | 22.55% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $2,240,305 | $2,345,812 | $2,965,306 | $4,026,757 | $4,021,165 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.01% | 1.04% | 1.06% | 1.07% | 1.07% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.02)% | 0.06% | 0.05% | (0.01)% | (0.16)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 1.01% | 1.05% | 1.06% | 1.08% | 1.07% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 50% | 55% | 40% | 27% | 37% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Munder Multi-Cap Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $41.77 | $35.58 | $44.91 | $40.23 | $30.81 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.03) | 0.02 | 0.01 | (0.12) | (0.15) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 5.71 | 6.17 | (1.58) | 4.93 | 9.57 |
Total from Investment Activities | 5.68 | 6.19 | (1.57) | 4.81 | 9.42 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (b) | | | | |
Net realized gains from investments | (2.46) | | (7.80) | (0.13) | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (2.46) | | (7.80) | (0.13) | |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.04 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $44.99 | $41.77 | $35.58 | $44.91 | $40.23 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | 13.37%(c) | 17.40% | (4.01)%(d) | 11.96% | 30.57% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $374,259 | $341,279 | $318,712 | $378,192 | $381,584 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.36% | 1.38% | 1.46% | 1.49% | 1.63% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.07)% | 0.04% | 0.03% | (0.28)% | (0.41)% |
Portfolio turnover (e) | 123% | 109% | 117% | 118% | 124% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the year ended June 30, 2018, the Fund received monies related to certain nonrecurring litigation settlements. The corresponding impact to the total return was an increase of 0.22%.
(d) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.10% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class C Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $34.82 | $29.90 | $39.29 | $35.50 | $27.39 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.34) | (0.26) | (0.27) | (0.41) | (0.37) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.79 | 5.18 | (1.36) | 4.33 | 8.48 |
Total from Investment Activities | 4.45 | 4.92 | (1.63) | 3.92 | 8.11 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net realized gains from investments | (2.46) | | (7.80) | (0.13) | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (2.46) | | (7.80) | (0.13) | |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.04 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $36.81 | $34.82 | $29.90 | $39.29 | $35.50 |
Total Return (excludes contingent deferred sales charge) | 12.48%(b) | 16.45% | (4.82)%(c) | 11.05% | 29.61% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $18,383 | $57,690 | $68,112 | $81,474 | $81,717 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 2.16% | 2.21% | 2.28% | 2.31% | 2.38% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.91)% | (0.80)% | (0.79)% | (1.10)% | (1.16)% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 123% | 109% | 117% | 118% | 124% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) During the year ended June 30, 2018, the Fund received monies related to certain nonrecurring litigation settlements. The corresponding impact to the total return was an increase of 0.22%.
(c) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.10% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $39.88 | $34.13 | $43.57 | $39.18 | $30.09 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.25) | (0.17) | (0.16) | (0.27) | (0.22) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 5.44 | 5.92 | (1.52) | 4.79 | 9.31 |
Total from Investment Activities | 5.19 | 5.75 | (1.68) | 4.52 | 9.09 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net realized gains from investments | (2.46) | | (7.80) | (0.13) | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (2.46) | | (7.80) | (0.13) | |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.04 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $42.61 | $39.88 | $34.13 | $43.57 | $39.18 |
Total Return | 12.76%(b) | 16.85% | (4.43)%(c) | 11.51% | 30.24% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $426 | $515 | $1,276 | $1,144 | $800 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.88% | 1.88% | 1.88% | 1.88% | 1.88% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.58)% | (0.47)% | (0.41)% | (0.65)% | (0.64)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) | 3.63% | 3.01% | 2.48% | 2.19% | 1.88% |
Portfolio turnover (e) | 123% | 109% | 117% | 118% | 124% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) During the year ended June 30, 2018, the Fund received monies related to certain nonrecurring litigation settlements. The corresponding impact to the total return was an increase of 0.22%.
(c) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.10% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(d) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $44.62 | $37.86 | $47.10 | $42.05 | $32.13 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.14 | 0.17 | 0.20 | 0.02 | (0.06) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 6.11 | 6.59 | (1.68) | 5.16 | 9.98 |
Total from Investment Activities | 6.25 | 6.76 | (1.48) | 5.18 | 9.92 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net realized gains from investments | (2.46) | | (7.80) | (0.13) | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (2.46) | | (7.80) | (0.13) | |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.04 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $48.41 | $44.62 | $37.86 | $47.10 | $42.05 |
Total Return | 13.81%(b) | 17.86% | (3.61)%(c) | 12.32% | 30.87% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $33,503 | $24,032 | $20,477 | $25,409 | $23,806 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.00% | 1.01% | 1.01% | 1.16% | 1.38% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 0.29% | 0.42% | 0.47% | 0.04% | (0.15)% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 123% | 109% | 117% | 118% | 124% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) During the year ended June 30, 2018, the Fund received monies related to certain nonrecurring litigation settlements. The corresponding impact to the total return was an increase of 0.22%.
(c) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.10% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund
Class A Shares | ||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Period
Ended June 30, 2015(a) |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $11.14 | $8.59 | $10.47 | $10.00 |
Investment Activities: | ||||
Net investment income (loss)(b) | (0.10) | (0.05) | (0.07) | (0.01) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 2.84 | 2.60 | (1.81) | 0.48 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.74 | 2.55 | (1.88) | 0.47 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | ||||
Net realized gains from investments | (0.07) | | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.07) | | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $13.81 | $11.14 | $8.59 | $10.47 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) (c) | 24.73% | 29.69% | (17.96)% | 4.70% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $174 | $83 | $49 | $52 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d) | 1.40% | 1.40% | 1.40% | 1.40% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (d) | (0.86)% | (0.52)% | (0.73)% | (0.50)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d),(e) | 2.69% | 4.67% | 11.23% | 7.95% |
Portfolio turnover (c),(f) | 62% | 56% | 55% | 6% |
(a) Class A Shares of the Fund commenced operations on May 1, 2015.
(b) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(c) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(e) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(f) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class I Shares | ||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Period
Ended June 30, 2015(a) |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $11.21 | $8.62 | $10.48 | $10.00 |
Investment Activities: | ||||
Net investment income (loss)(b) | (0.07) | (0.01) | (0.05) | (c) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 2.85 | 2.60 | (1.81) | 0.48 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.78 | 2.59 | (1.86) | 0.48 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | ||||
Net realized gains from investments | (0.07) | | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.07) | | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $13.92 | $11.21 | $8.62 | $10.48 |
Total Return (d) | 24.94% | 30.05% | (17.75)% | 4.80% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $7,518 | $6,049 | $4,337 | $4,346 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (e) | 1.15% | 1.15% | 1.15% | 1.15% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (e) | (0.61)% | (0.12)% | (0.51)% | (0.23)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (e),(f) | 1.31% | 1.37% | 2.49% | 1.28% |
Portfolio turnover (d),(g) | 62% | 56% | 55% | 6% |
(a) Class I Shares of the Fund commenced operations on May 1, 2015.
(b) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(c) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(d) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(e) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(f) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(g) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | ||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Period
Ended June 30, 2015(a) |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $11.18 | $8.61 | $10.48 | $10.00 |
Investment Activities: | ||||
Net investment income (loss)(b) | (0.09) | (0.02) | (0.05) | (0.01) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 2.86 | 2.59 | (1.82) | 0.49 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.77 | 2.57 | (1.87) | 0.48 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | ||||
Net realized gains from investments | (0.07) | | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.07) | | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $13.88 | $11.18 | $8.61 | $10.48 |
Total Return (c) | 24.92% | 29.85% | (17.84)% | 4.80% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $70 | $56 | $43 | $52 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d) | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (d) | (0.71)% | (0.22)% | (0.59)% | (0.35)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d),(e) | 2.98% | 3.98% | 13.34% | 7.70% |
Portfolio turnover (c),(f) | 62% | 56% | 55% | 6% |
(a) Class Y Shares of the Fund commenced operations on May 1, 2015.
(b) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(c) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(e) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(f) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge
Reductions and Waivers Available Through
Certain Intermediaries
The availability of certain initial and contingent deferred sales charge reductions and waivers may depend on the particular financial intermediary or type of account through which you purchase or hold Fund shares. The following information about variations in sales charge reductions and waivers is applicable only to investors who purchase Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise Financial, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, or Raymond James platform or account.
In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Fund or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. For reductions and waivers not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive those reductions and waivers.
Merrill Lynch
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or in the SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan |
Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan |
Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch's platform |
Shares of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if applicable) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date |
Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members |
Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund's investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
CDSC Waivers on A and C Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ |
Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to a fee based account or platform (applicable to A and C shares only) |
Front-end load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable) |
Ameriprise Financial
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Ameriprise Financial |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs |
Shares purchased through an Ameriprise Financial investment advisory program (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Ameriprise Financials platform (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to such shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply to exchanges following such shorter period. To the extent that this Prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares for load waived shares, that waiver will also apply to such exchanges |
Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members |
Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisors spouse, advisors lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisors lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement) |
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account are eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Morgan Stanley |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans |
Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley's account linking rules |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund |
Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account |
Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Managements share class conversion program |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge |
Raymond James
Effective March 1, 2019, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent-deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Raymond James |
Shares purchased in an investment advisory program |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James |
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C Shares available at Raymond James |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Front-End Load Discounts Available at Raymond James: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
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 do not 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 VictoryFunds.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:
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.
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-MUN-PRO (11/18) |
November 1, 2018
Prospectus
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MMEAX | MMECX | | MMERX | | MMEYX |
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MAIMX | | | | MRIMX | MYIMX |
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
VSCVX | MCVSX | | MRVSX | MVSSX | VSVIX |
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MAISX | | | | MIRSX | MYISX |
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
VictoryFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
The Fund currently offers those classes listed above with an associated ticker symbol.
|
|
Table of Contents Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Organization and Management of the Funds |
Integrity Discovery Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide 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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 29 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class C | Class R | Class Y |
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 | 1.00% 2 | NONE | NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
||||
Management Fees | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.50% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.29% | 0.32% | 0.77% | 0.28% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.54% | 2.32% | 2.27% | 1.28% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | 0.00% | 0.00% | (0.19)% | 0.00% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 3 |
1.54% | 2.32% | 2.08% | 1.28% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Applies to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
3 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 2.08% of Class R shares through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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 (or continue holding your shares in the case of Class C shares). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $723 | $1,033 | $1,366 | $2,304 |
Class C (If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $335 | $724 | $1,240 | $2,656 |
Class C (If you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $235 | $724 | $1,240 | $2,656 |
Class R | $211 | $691 | $1,198 | $2,591 |
Class Y | $130 | $406 | $702 | $1,545 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 45% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and rights and warrants) of micro-capitalization companies. Micro-capitalization companies are those companies with market capitalizations lower than the largest company in the bottom 75% (based on index weightings) of the Russell 2000 ® Index, which as of September 30, 2018 included companies with market capitalizations below $3.4 billion.
The Fund focuses on undiscovered, small-sized companies in its attempt to provide investors with potentially higher returns than a fund that invests primarily in larger, more established companies. Since micro-capitalization companies are generally not as well known to investors and have less of an investor following than larger companies, the Adviser believes these inefficiencies in the marketplace may provide higher returns.
When selecting securities to invest in, the Adviser seeks out companies that appear to be undervalued according to certain financial measurements of their intrinsic net worth or business prospects. The Adviser chooses the Fund's investments by employing a value-oriented approach that focuses on securities that offer value with improving investor sentiment. The Adviser finds these value-oriented investments by, among other things: (1) rigorously analyzing the company's financial characteristics and assessing the quality of the company's management; (2) considering comparative price-to-book, price-to-sales and price-to-cash flow ratios; and (3) analyzing cash flows to identify stocks with the most attractive potential returns.
Although the Fund will be invested primarily in domestic securities, up to 25% of the Fund's assets may be invested in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
From time to time, due to changes in sector weights of the benchmark index, the Fund's investments can be more focused in companies in one or more economic sectors, such as the financials sector.
The Adviser regularly reviews the Fund's investments and will sell securities when the Adviser believes the securities are no longer attractive because (1) a deterioration in rank of the security in accordance with the Advisers process, (2) of price appreciation, (3) of a change in the fundamental outlook of the company or (4) other investments available are considered to be more attractive.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
Performance of Class A, C, R and Y shares reflects the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A, C, R and Y shares of the Munder Micro-Cap Equity Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by Munder Capital Management and sub-advised by Integrity Asset Management, LLC). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder Micro-Cap Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was 5.59%.
Highest Quarter | 29.30% (quarter ended June 30, 2009) |
Lowest Quarter | -26.53% (quarter ended December 31, 2008) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 11.02% | 16.62% | 9.68% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 8.03% | 14.25% | 8.06% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 7.74% | 12.92% | 7.57% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 4.37% | 14.96% | 8.76% |
CLASS C Before Taxes | 8.97% | 15.44% | 8.58% |
CLASS R Before Taxes | 10.21% | 15.87% | 9.05% |
INDEX | |||
Russell Microcap
®
Value Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
11.09% | 14.60% | 7.89% |
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Integrity Asset Management ("Integrity") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Daniel J. DeMonica, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since 2011 |
Mirsat Nikovic | Portfolio Manager | Since 2011 |
Sean A. Burke | Portfolio Manager | Since 2015 |
Michael P. Wayton | Portfolio Manager | Since November 2018 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class C | Class R | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | $2,500 | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | $50 | NONE | NONE |
For Class A and Class C shares a $1,000 minimum initial purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and purchases through automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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. 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.
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide 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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 29 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class R6 | Class Y |
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 | NONE | NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||
Management Fees | 0.75% | 0.75% | 0.75% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.67% | 0.42% | 0.38% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.67% | 1.17% | 1.13% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 2 | (0.67)% | (0.57)% | (0.38)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 2 |
1.00% | 0.60% | 0.75% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.00%, 0.60% and 0.75% of the Fund's Class A, Class R6 and Class Y shares, respectively, through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $671 | $1,010 | $1,371 | $2,385 |
Class R6 | $61 | $315 | $589 | $1,370 |
Class Y | $77 | $321 | $586 | $1,341 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 73% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and rights and warrants) of mid-capitalization companies.
Mid-capitalization companies are those companies with market capitalizations within the range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index ($603.6 million to $40.8 billion as of September 30, 2018). The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
When selecting securities to invest in, the Adviser seeks out companies that appear to be undervalued according to certain financial measurements of their intrinsic net worth or business prospects. The Adviser chooses the Fund's investments by employing a value-oriented approach that focuses on securities that offer value with improving investor sentiment. The Adviser finds these value-oriented investments by, among other things: (1) rigorously analyzing the company's financial characteristics and assessing the quality of the company's management; (2) considering comparative price-to-book, price-to-sales and price-to-cash flow ratios; and (3) analyzing cash flows to identify stocks with the most attractive potential returns.
The Adviser regularly reviews the Fund's investments and will sell securities when the Adviser believes the securities are no longer attractive because (1) a deterioration in rank of the security in accordance with the Adviser's process, (2) of price appreciation, (3) of a change in the fundamental outlook of the company or (4) other investments available are considered to be more attractive.
From time to time, the Fund may focus its investments in companies in one or more economic sectors, including the financials sector.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
The performance figures for Class A and Y shares reflect the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A and Y shares of the Munder Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by Munder Capital Management and sub-advised by Integrity Asset Management, LLC). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was 3.25%.
Highest Quarter | 13.30% (quarter ended March 31, 2013) |
Lowest Quarter | -9.52% (quarter ended September 30, 2015) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year |
5 Years
(or Life of Class) |
Life of Fund 1 |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 16.33% | 14.85% | 12.58% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 15.10% | 14.24% | 12.11% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 10.05% | 11.85% | 10.14% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 9.41% | 13.17% | 11.26% |
CLASS R6 Before Taxes | 16.45% | 18.94% 2 | N/A |
INDEX | |||
Russell Midcap
®
Value Index
returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
13.34% | 14.68% | 12.50% |
1 Inception date of Class A and Y Shares is July 5, 2011.
2 Inception date of Class R6 is December 15, 2015.
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Integrity Asset Management ("Integrity") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Daniel G. Bandi, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since inception |
Daniel J. DeMonica, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Adam I. Friedman | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Joe A. Gilbert, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
J. Bryan Tinsley, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Michael P. Wayton | Portfolio Manager | Since November 2018 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class R6 | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | NONE | NONE |
For Class A Shares a $1,000 minimum purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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.
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital growth.
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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 29 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class C | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75% | NONE | NONE | NONE | NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE 1 | 1.00% 2 | NONE | NONE | NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||
Management Fees | 0.86% | 0.86% | 0.86% | 0.86% | 0.86% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.50% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.43% | 0.27% | 0.53% | 0.09% | 0.26% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.54% | 2.13% | 1.89% | 0.95% | 1.12% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 3 | (0.04)% | 0.00% | (0.14)% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 3 |
1.50% | 2.13% | 1.75% | 0.95% | 1.12% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Applies to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
3 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.50% and 1.75% of the Fund's Class A and Class R shares, respectively, through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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 (or continue holding your shares in the case of Class C shares). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $719 | $1,030 | $1,363 | $2,301 |
Class C (If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $316 | $667 | $1,144 | $2,462 |
Class C (If you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $216 | $667 | $1,144 | $2,462 |
Class R | $178 | $580 | $1,008 | $2,200 |
Class R6 | $97 | $303 | $525 | $1,166 |
Class Y | $114 | $356 | $617 | $1,363 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 70% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and rights and warrants) of small-capitalization companies. Small-capitalization companies are those companies with market capitalizations within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index ($11.7 million to $8.5 billion as of September 30, 2018). The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
When selecting securities to invest in, the Adviser seeks out companies that appear to be undervalued according to certain financial measurements of their intrinsic net worth or business prospects. The Adviser chooses the Fund's investments by employing a value-oriented approach that focuses on securities that offer value with improving investor sentiment. The Adviser finds these value-oriented investments by, among other things: (1) rigorously analyzing the company's financial characteristics and assessing the quality of the company's management; (2) considering comparative price-to-book, price-to-sales and price-to-cash flow ratios; and (3) analyzing cash flows to identify stocks with the most attractive potential returns.
The Adviser regularly reviews the Fund's investments and will sell securities when the Adviser believes the securities are no longer attractive because (1) a deterioration in rank of the security in accordance with the Adviser's process, (2) of price appreciation, (3) of a change in the fundamental outlook of the company or (4) other investments available are considered to be more attractive.
From time to time, the Fund may focus its investments in companies in one or more economic sectors, including the financials sector.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
The performance figures for Class A, C, R, R6 and Y shares reflect the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A, C, R, R6 and Y shares of the Munder Veracity Small-Cap Value Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by Munder Capital Management and sub-advised by Integrity Asset Management, LLC) (Munder Fund). The Funds performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder Fund. The historical performance for the Munder Funds Class A and Y shares in the bar chart and table below for the periods prior to May 14, 2011 is that of the Class R and I shares, respectively, of the Veracity Small Cap Value Fund (the predecessor to the Munder Fund) (Veracity Fund). The performance for Class A and Y shares have not been restated to reflect any difference in the expenses of the Veracity Funds Class R and I shares, respectively. The performance for Class C and R shares in the table below for the periods prior to May 14, 2011 is the performance and inception date of the Veracity Funds Class I shares adjusted for differences in the applicable sales loads and Rule 12b-1 fees of these classes.
Calendar Year Returns for Class A Shares
(Applicable sales loads or account fees are not reflected in the bar chart. If these amounts were reflected, returns would be less than those shown.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class A shares as of September 30, 2018 was 1.91%.
Highest Quarter | 23.78% (quarter ended June 30, 2009) |
Lowest Quarter | -21.93% (quarter ended September 30, 2011) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year | 5 Years |
10 Years
(or Life of Class) |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 5.52% | 12.87% | 9.17% |
CLASS A After Taxes on Distributions | 4.12% | 12.48% | 7.86% |
CLASS A After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 4.29% | 10.30% | 6.85% |
CLASS C Before Taxes | 10.26% | 13.40% | 9.08% |
CLASS R Before Taxes | 11.70% | 13.94% | 9.58% |
CLASS R6 Before Taxes | 12.59% | 14.75% | 16.49% 1 |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 12.35% | 14.57% | 10.13% |
INDEX | |||
Russell 2000
®
Value Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
7.84% | 13.01% | 8.17% |
1 Inception date of Class R6 is June 4, 2012.
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Integrity Asset Management ("Integrity") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Daniel G. Bandi, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since inception |
Daniel J. DeMonica, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Adam I. Friedman | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Joe A. Gilbert, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
J. Bryan Tinsley, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Michael P. Wayton | Portfolio Manager | Since November 2018 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class C | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | $2,500 | NONE | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | $50 | NONE | NONE | NONE |
For Class A and Class C shares a $1,000 minimum initial purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and purchases through automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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.
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide 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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 29 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class R6 | Class Y |
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 | NONE | 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 (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.69% | 0.46% | 0.33% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.74% | 1.26% | 1.13% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 2 | (0.61)% | (0.43)% | (0.25)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 2 |
1.13% | 0.83% | 0.88% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.13%, 0.83% and 0.88% of the Fund's Class A, Class R6 and Class Y shares, respectively, through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $684 | $1,035 | $1,411 | $2,461 |
Class R6 | $85 | $357 | $650 | $1,485 |
Class Y | $90 | $334 | $598 | $1,352 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 77% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and rights and warrants) of small- to mid-capitalization companies. Small- to mid-capitalization companies are those companies with market capitalizations within the range of companies included in the Russell 2500 ® Index ($11.7 million to $29.9 billion as of September 30, 2018). The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
When selecting securities to invest in, the Adviser seeks out companies that appear to be undervalued according to certain financial measurements of their intrinsic net worth or business prospects. The Adviser chooses the Fund's investments by employing a value-oriented approach that focuses on securities that offer value with improving investor sentiment. The Adviser finds these value-oriented investments by, among other things: (1) rigorously analyzing the company's financial characteristics and assessing the quality of the company's management; (2) considering comparative price-to-book, price-to-sales and price-to-cash flow ratios; and (3) analyzing cash flows to identify stocks with the most attractive potential returns.
The Adviser regularly reviews the Fund's investments and will sell securities when the Adviser believes the securities are no longer attractive because (1) a deterioration in rank of the security in accordance with the Advisers process, (2) of price appreciation, (3) of a change in the fundamental outlook of the company or (4) other investments available are considered to be more attractive.
From time to time, the Fund may focus its investments in companies in one or more economic sectors, including the financials sector.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
The performance figures for Class A and Y shares reflect the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A and Y shares of the Munder Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by Munder Capital Management and sub-advised by Integrity Asset Management, LLC). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was -0.16%.
Highest Quarter | 13.65% (quarter ended March 31, 2013) |
Lowest Quarter | -10.24% (quarter ended September 30, 2015) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year |
5 Years
(or Life of Class) |
Life of Fund 1 |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 18.38% | 13.73% | 11.44% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 17.96% | 13.18% | 11.00% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 10.75% | 10.90% | 9.16% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 11.30% | 12.14% | 10.17% |
CLASS R6 Before Taxes | 18.47% | 9.58% 2 | N/A |
INDEX | |||
Russell 2500
®
Value Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
10.36% | 13.27% | 11.25% |
1 Inception date of Class A and Class Y is July 5, 2011.
2 Inception date of Class R6 shares is March 4, 2015.
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Integrity Asset Management ("Integrity") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Daniel G. Bandi, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since inception |
Daniel J. DeMonica, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Adam I. Friedman | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Joe A. Gilbert, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
J. Bryan Tinsley, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Michael P. Wayton | Portfolio Manager | Since November 2018 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class R6 | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | NONE | NONE |
For Class A Shares a $1,000 minimum purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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.
Additional Fund Information
Victory Capital Management Inc., which we refer to as the "Adviser" throughout the Prospectus, manages each Fund.
The Victory Integrity Discovery Fund, Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund and Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund (the "Funds") are each 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 following section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy the Funds will use under normal market conditions to pursue their investment objectives, as well as any secondary strategies the Funds may use, and the related risks. This Prospectus does not attempt to describe all of the various investment techniques and types of investments that the Adviser may use in managing the Funds. The SAI includes more information about the Funds, their investments, and the related risks. Keep in mind that for cash management purposes, each Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, short-term money market instruments or shares of other investment companies. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market, cause a Fund to fail to meet its investment objective and increase a Fund's expenses.
Unless otherwise stated in a Fund's Principal Investment Strategies or in the SAI, each Fund's investment objective and investment policy (if applicable) to invest under normal market conditions at least 80% of its assets in the type of securities suggested by the Fund's name are each non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders. For purposes of a Fund's 80% investment policy, "assets" means the Fund's net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or please visit VictoryFunds.com.
Investments
The following describes the types of securities each Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy. The Funds will not necessarily buy all of the securities listed below.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock, preferred stock, and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
Foreign Securities
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 foreign corporations, and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") that invest in foreign corporations.
The Adviser may use other types of investment strategies in pursuing each Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities that the Adviser may purchase or investment techniques the Adviser may employ that are not considered to be a part of the Funds' principal investment strategies. Additional securities and techniques are described in the Funds' SAI.
Derivatives
From time to time, the Fund may enter into futures contracts and write covered call options. Derivative instruments 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 futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives for hedging (attempting to reduce risk by offsetting one investment position with another), 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. Hedging may relate to a specific investment, a group of investments, or a Fund's portfolio as a whole. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies the shares of which are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)
The Funds may at times have the opportunity to invest in securities offered in initial public offerings ("IPOs"). If a Fund's portfolio manager believes that a particular IPO is very likely to increase in value immediately after the initial offering, it is possible (although it will not necessarily be the case) that the Fund will invest in the IPO, even if the security is one in which the Fund might not typically otherwise invest.
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.
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following provides additional information about some of the Funds principal risks and supplements those risks discussed in each Fund's Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.
General Risks
Market Risk The market value of a security may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector of the economy, or the entire market. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Manager Risk The investment process used by the investment team may produce incorrect judgments about the value of a particular asset or the team may implement its investment strategy in a way that may not produce the desired results.
Stock Selection Risk The value of the Fund's investments may decline if the particular companies in which the Fund invests do not perform well in the market.
Equity Risk
The value of an equity security will fluctuate in response to changes in earnings or other conditions affecting the issuer's profitability or in general market conditions. Unlike debt securities, which have preference to a company's assets in case of liquidation, equity securities are entitled to the residual value after the company meets its other obligations.
Foreign Investments 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. In addition to foreign securities, the Fund may be exposed to foreign markets as a result of the Fund's investments in U.S. companies that have international exposure. Certain of these risks may also apply to some extent to U.S. investments that are denominated in foreign currencies and to investments in U.S. companies that have significant foreign operations.
Investment Style Risk
Different types of investment styles, for example growth or value, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions. As a result, the Funds performance may at times be worse than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or that have different investment styles.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities or other instruments at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and the Fund may have to continue to hold such securities or instruments during periods when the Adviser would otherwise have sold them (in order, for example, to meet redemption requests or to take advantage of other investment opportunities). Market values for illiquid securities may not be readily available, and there can be no assurance that any fair value assigned to an illiquid security at any time will accurately reflect the price the Fund might receive upon the sale of that security. Adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer, including rising interest rates, may adversely affect the liquidity of the Funds investments and the Fund may be forced to sell large amounts of securities more quickly than it normally would in the ordinary course of business. In such cases the sale proceeds received by a Fund may be substantially less than if the Fund had been able to sell the securities in more orderly transactions, and the sale price may be substantially lower than the price previously used by the Fund to value the securities for purposes of determining the Funds net asset value. Some securities held by a Fund may be restricted as to resale, and there is often no ready market for such securities. In addition, a Fund, by itself or together with other accounts managed by the Adviser, may hold a position in a security that is large relative to the typical trading volume for that security, which can make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of the position at an advantageous time or price.
Sector Focus Risk
To the extent the Fund focuses in one or more sectors, market or economic factors impacting those sectors could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund's investments. Additionally, the Fund's performance may be more volatile when the Fund's investments are focused in a particular sector. Since benchmark sector weights influence the Fund's sector exposure, the Fund may tend to be more heavily weighted in companies in the financials sector. The values of companies in the financials sector are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns and changes in government regulation and interest rates.
Smaller-Company Stock Risk
Small- or mid-sized companies often have more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies and, therefore, may be more susceptible to market downturns or changing economic conditions. In addition, such companies may have been recently organized and have little or no track record of success. Also, the Adviser may not have had an opportunity to evaluate such newer companies performance in adverse or fluctuating market conditions. The securities of smaller-sized companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volume than more widely held securities. Prices of small- or mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile than those of larger companies and small- or mid-sized issuers may be subject to greater degrees of changes in their earnings and prospects. Since smaller company stocks typically have narrower markets and are traded in lower volumes than larger company stocks, they may be often more difficult to purchase and sell.
Stock Market Risk
Stock market risk refers to the fact that stock (equity securities) prices typically fluctuate more than the values of other types of securities, typically in response to changes in the particular companys financial condition and factors affecting the market in general. Over time, the stock market tends to move in cycles, with periods when stock prices rise, and periods when stock prices decline. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on stock prices. Consequently, a broad-based market drop may also cause a stocks price to fall. Portfolio securities may also decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally, such as real or perceived adverse economic, political or regulatory conditions, inflation, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment, or due to factors affecting particular industries represented in the securities markets, such as competitive conditions. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer can impact a market as a whole, and adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may not have the same impact on all types of securities. In addition, the markets may not favor a particular kind of security, including equity securities. Values of securities may fall due to factors affecting a particular issuer, industry or the securities market as a whole.
The Adviser may use several types of investment strategies in pursuing each Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Funds. Additional risks are included in the Funds' SAI.
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.
Investment Company Risk
The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of other 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.
IPO Risk
Investments in IPOs may result in increased transaction costs and expenses and the realization of short-term capital gains and distributions. In addition, in the period immediately following an IPO, investments may be subject to more extreme price volatility than that of other equity investments. A Fund may lose all or part of its investment if the companies making their IPOs fail and their product lines fail to achieve an adequate level of market recognition or acceptance. IPOs may not be available to a Fund at all times, and a Fund may not always invest in IPOs offered to it. Investments in IPOs may have a substantial beneficial effect on a Fund's investment performance. A Fund's investment return earned during a period of substantial investment in IPOs may not be sustained during other periods when the Fund makes more limited, or no, investments in IPOs.
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 (1) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (2) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (3) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (4) 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 borrowers 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.
Organization and Management of the Funds
The Funds' Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of each Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each of the Victory Funds pursuant to an investment management agreement. The Adviser oversees the operations of the Funds according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser is a New York corporation that is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). As of September 30, 2018, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $63.6 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's primary 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. Integrity Asset Management ("Integrity") is the investment franchise responsible for the management of the Funds.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to the following:
Fund | Advisory Fee |
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund | 1.00% |
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund | 0.75% |
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund | 0.86% |
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund | 0.80% |
See "Fund Fees and Expenses" for information about any contractual agreement agreed to by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to a Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to a Fund.
A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement will be available in each Fund's semi-annual report for the period ending December 31, 2018.
Portfolio Management
Daniel G. Bandi is the Chief Investment Officer of Integrity and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Integrity Asset Management, LLC. From 2003-2014, Mr. Bandi was the Chief Investment Officer and a Principal of Integrity Asset Management, LLC. He has been a member of the portfolio management teams of the Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund, Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, and Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund since their inceptions. Mr. Bandi is a CFA charterholder.
Sean Burke is a Portfolio Manager of Integrity and has been with the Adviser since 2014. Prior to that, Mr. Burke was an Equity Analyst with Integrity Asset Management, LLC from 2011-2014 and held other positions with Integrity from 2006-2011. He has been a member of the portfolio management team of the Victory Integrity Discovery Fund since 2015.
Daniel J. DeMonica is a Senior Portfolio Manager of Integrity and has been with the Adviser since 2014. From 2003-2014, Mr. DeMonica was a Senior Portfolio Manager and a Principal of Integrity Asset Management LLC. He has been a Co-Lead Portfolio Manager of the Victory Integrity Discovery Fund since 2011 and a member of the portfolio management teams of the Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund, Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, and Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund since their inception. Mr. DeMonica is a CFA charterholder.
Adam I. Friedman is a Senior Portfolio Manager of Integrity and has been with the Adviser since 2014. From 2003-2014, Mr. Friedman was a Senior Portfolio Manager and a Principal of Integrity Asset Management, LLC. He has been a member of the portfolio management teams of the Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund , Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund , and Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund since their inceptions.
Joe A. Gilbert is a Portfolio Manager of Integrity and has been with the Adviser since 2014. From 2003-2014, Mr. Gilbert was a Portfolio Manager of Integrity Asset Management, LLC. He has been a member of the portfolio management teams of the Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund , Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund , and Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund since their inceptions. Mr. Gilbert is a CFA charterholder.
Mirsat Nikovic is a Portfolio Manager of Integrity and has been with the Adviser since 2014. From 2007-2014, Mr. Nikovic was a Portfolio Manager of Integrity Asset Management, LLC. He has been a Co-Lead Portfolio Manager of the Victory Integrity Discovery Fund since 2013.
J. Bryan Tinsley is a Portfolio Manager of Integrity and has been with the Adviser since 2014. From 2003-2014, Mr. Tinsley was a Portfolio Manager of Integrity Asset Management, LLC. He has been a member of the portfolio management teams of the Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund , Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund , and Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund since their inceptions. Mr. Tinsley is a CFA charterholder.
Michael P. Wayton is a Portfolio Manager of Integrity and has been with the Adviser since 2014. From 2013-2014, Mr. Wayton was a Portfolio Manager of Integrity Asset Management, LLC. He has been a member of the portfolio management teams of the Victory Integrity Discovery Fund, Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund, Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, and Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund since November 2018.
The Funds' SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts they manage and any ownership interests they may have in the Funds.
Investing with the Victory Funds
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
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.
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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class Y shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
This section of the Prospectus describes each share class currently offered by the Victory Funds. Keep in mind that not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. Therefore, certain classes may be discussed below that are not necessarily offered in this Prospectus. The classes of shares that are offered by the Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
This section of the Prospectus also describes how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund. Note, this information may 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-FUND. They will be happy to assist you.
Share Price
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.
Each Victory Fund calculates its share price, called its net asset value ("NAV"), each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, a Fund's share price will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is next calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
To the extent a Funds investments include securities that are primarily traded in foreign markets, the value of those securities may change on days when shareholders are unable to purchase and redeem a Funds shares, such as on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares.
Each Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, a Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. A Fund will fair value a security when:
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 Victory Fund calculates the NAV of each share class 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 a 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 a Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Funds' website at VictoryFunds.com.
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
CLASS C
CLASS I
CLASS R
CLASS R6
CLASS Y
Share Classes
When you purchase shares of a Fund, you must choose a share class. The Victory Funds offer Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class Y shares. Each share class represents an interest in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes differ in the sales charges, if any, and expenses that apply to your investment, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. Not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The Victory Funds may offer additional classes of shares in the future.
Deciding which share class best suits your investment needs 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.
The Funds reserve the right, without notice, to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. For example, a class of shares may be available to purchase only by retirement plans or by institutional investors. The Funds may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
A Fund or any class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons. Certain financial intermediaries who hold shares on behalf of their customers impose fees when the amount of shares of a particular class falls below a minimum threshold. To the extent that the amount of shares falls below that threshold, the Funds reserve the right to liquidate the shares held in accounts maintained by the financial intermediary.
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 NAV plus any applicable initial sales charge, also referred to as the "front-end sales load." The sales charge may be reduced or eliminated for larger purchases, as detailed below or as described under Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares . The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales charge are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through an intermediary specified in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform the Victory Funds or 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 Victory accounts and any linked accounts, such as accounts opened with a different financial intermediary.
The current sales charge rates and breakpoint levels for Class A shares of the Funds 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 1 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
1 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 within twelve months of 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 CDSC Reductions for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries for details.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
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 sales charges.
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Funds' transfer agent, at the time of purchase, with 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 for shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your Investment Professional; (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).
The availability of a sales charge reduction or waiver discussed below will depend upon whether you purchase your shares directly from the Funds or through a financial intermediary. In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Funds or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. Different intermediaries may impose different sales charges. These variations are described in Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries. Except as described with respect to the intermediaries specified in Appendix A, all Class A shares are subject to the terms stated herein. In order to obtain waivers and discounts that are not available through your intermediary, you must purchase Fund shares directly from the Funds or through another intermediary.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions, free of charge, at vcm.com/policies, by clicking on Victory Portfolios' Mutual Funds Pricing Policies.
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in a number of ways:
You should inform the Fund or your Investment Professional at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
CDSC for Class A Shares
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 within twelve months of 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.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries . All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through the intermediaries specified in Appendix A.
CDSC for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within twelve 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 reinvested do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinvested shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinvestment. 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 a CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries .
CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares
No CDSC is imposed on redemptions of Class A and Class C shares in the following circumstances:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Class I shares may only be purchased by:
A 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.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R Shares
A Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
Class R shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R6 Shares
Class R6 shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class Y Shares
Class Y shares may only be purchased by:
A 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 $1,000,000.
Eligibility of Individuals Associated with the Victory Funds and Fund Service Providers
Current and retired Victory Fund trustees and the officers, directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or Affiliated Providers are eligible to purchase the lowest expense share class offered by a Fund. In the case of Class A shares, such purchases are not subject to a front-end sales charge. "Affiliated Providers" are affiliates of the Adviser and organizations that provide services to the Trust.
Information About Fees
Distribution and Service Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A, Class C and Class R shares of the Funds.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, a Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets of Class A shares. Under the Class R Distribution and Service Plan, a Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.50% of its average daily net assets of Class R shares. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A and Class R shares of the Fund and, as applicable, 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 Fund 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, a 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 a 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, if you purchase Fund shares through an Investment Professional, a broker dealer, or other financial intermediary, the Fund may pay for sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping and/or similar administrative services. In addition, the Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Funds, to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities. 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 other Investment Professionals for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing."
In some circumstances, these types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the 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 from the resources of the Adviser or its affiliates on sales of or investments in Class R6 shares.
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 Victory Funds' website, VictoryFunds.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 a 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 Funds.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Funds are unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Funds' Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
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
If you wish to make a purchase directly from the Victory Funds, 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 Funds. 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase with respect to some types of accounts .
For Class C shares, individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares.
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 employees, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when a Fund is purchased through an Advisory Program within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Funds may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when they do so, they always reserve the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at their discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
A Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
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:
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.
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.
By Exchange
You may purchase shares of a 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 VictoryFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at VictoryFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
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 Funds do not charge a fee for ACH transfers but they reserve the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
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.
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 a Fund.
Other Purchase Rules You Should Know
The Funds reserve the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if they believe that doing so would be in the best interest of a Fund or its shareholders. The Funds also reserve 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.
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BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
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BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
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
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ON THE INTERNET |
www.VictoryFunds.com |
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of Fund shares in 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 Funds 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.
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-FUND or by visiting VictoryFunds.com
The shares of any class of a Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or shares of another Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
If you have questions about these, or any of the Funds' 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.
Class C Share Conversion
Class C shares of a Fund will automatically convert to Class A shares in the month following the 10-year anniversary date of the purchase of the Class C shares. The conversion will be effected at the relative NAV of each such class without the imposition of any sales charge, fee or other charge.
You may be able to voluntarily convert your Class C shares before the 10-year anniversary to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower total annual operating expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This voluntary 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 Voluntary Exchange/Conversion
If your exchange or conversion request is received and accepted by the Funds, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled, Share Price, then your request will be processed the same day. If received after the close of trading, your request will be processed on the next business day. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any exchange or conversion.
Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the Funds' share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus. Share class conversions will be based on the respective NAV 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 NAVs.
Requesting an Exchange
You can exchange shares of the Funds by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at VictoryFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other Exchange Rules You Should Know
The Funds may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Funds 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 a Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
How to Sell Shares
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
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.VictoryFunds.com.
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BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-FUND. 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:
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.
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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:
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.
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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 next business day.
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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, 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
Distributions and Taxes
Buying a dividend. You should check the Funds' distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of a Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your share of net income and capital gains on a Fund's investments. Each Fund passes its earnings along to investors in the form of dividends. Dividends paid by a Fund represent the net income from dividends and interest earned on investments after expenses. Each Fund will distribute short-term gains, as necessary, and if the Fund makes a long-term capital gain distribution, it is normally paid once a year.
Ordinarily, each Fund pays dividends annually. However, a 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.
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-FUND.
Reinvestment Option
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of your Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
Cash Option
If you elect to receive your distributions by check, and the distribution amount is $25 or less, the amount will automatically be reinvested in the same Fund. Otherwise, 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 U.S. 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 as described above. Each 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 Fund shares and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
Directed Distributions 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 will pay a sales charge on the amount of 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.
Important Information About Taxes
The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax adviser about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.
A Fund expects to pay no federal income tax on the earnings and capital gains it distributes to shareholders.
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 Victory Funds must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
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 Victory Funds and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Funds may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Victory Funds 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 in all cases by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee (MSG). In some instances a Notary Public stamp is an acceptable alternative. 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.
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.
The Funds' Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Funds will:
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 Funds, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Funds 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 Funds, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Funds that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Funds 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 Funds' market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
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. Each 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 Funds' website, VictoryFunds.com, and on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
Each 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 SECs website, www.sec.gov. Each Fund also discloses its complete portfolio holdings each calendar quarter on the Funds' website, VictoryFunds.com, no earlier than the 15th day after the quarter end.
You can find a complete description of the Funds' policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in a Fund's SAI or on the Funds' website, VictoryFunds.com.
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of a 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 Funds 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.
While this Prospectus and the SAI of the Trust describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Funds, neither this Prospectus nor the SAI represents a contract between the Trust or the Funds and any shareholder.
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, or, if shorter, the period of its 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).
For periods prior to October 31, 2014, the Funds' financial highlights include historical information of each Fund's predecessor fund, each of which was a separate series of Munder Series Trust managed by Munder Capital Management and sub-advised by Integrity Asset Management, LLC.
The information for each period has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's annual report. The Fund's annual and semi-annual reports are available by calling the Fund at 800-539-FUND and at VictoryFunds.com.
Integrity Discovery Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $41.01 | $32.71 | $38.13 | $37.51 | $35.12 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.16) | (0.19) | (0.09) | (0.24) | (0.38) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 6.40 | 10.10 | (2.73) | 4.22 | 8.01 |
Total from Investment Activities | 6.24 | 9.91 | (2.82) | 3.98 | 7.63 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net realized gains from investments | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) | (5.24) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) | (5.24) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.05 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $42.75 | $41.01 | $32.71 | $38.13 | $37.51 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | 15.76% | 30.36% | (7.34)%(b) | 11.32% | 21.75% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $67,840 | $85,228 | $48,759 | $60,621 | $82,905 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.54% | 1.55% | 1.60% | 1.70% | 1.83% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.39)% | (0.50)% | (0.27)% | (0.66)% | (1.00)% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 45% | 110% | 42% | 38% | 62% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.16% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class C Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $31.69 | $25.76 | $30.85 | $31.20 | $30.16 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.34) | (0.38) | (0.28) | (0.43) | (0.55) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.84 | 7.92 | (2.21) | 3.44 | 6.83 |
Total from Investment Activities | 4.50 | 7.54 | (2.49) | 3.01 | 6.28 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net realized gains from investments | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) | (5.24) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) | (5.24) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.05 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $31.69 | $31.69 | $25.76 | $30.85 | $31.20 |
Total Return (excludes contingent deferred sales charge) | 14.88% | 29.33% | (8.04)%(b) | 10.41% | 20.86% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $9,871 | $15,796 | $14,096 | $16,989 | $17,532 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 2.32% | 2.36% | 2.38% | 2.50% | 2.58% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (1.10)% | (1.28)% | (1.05)% | (1.45)% | (1.75)% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 45% | 110% | 42% | 38% | 62% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.16% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $39.49 | $31.71 | $37.21 | $36.81 | $34.63 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.28) | (0.37) | (0.24) | (0.36) | (0.46) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 6.05 | 9.76 | (2.66) | 4.12 | 7.88 |
Total from Investment Activities | 5.77 | 9.39 | (2.90) | 3.76 | 7.42 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net realized gains from investments | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) | (5.24) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) | (5.24) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.05 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $40.76 | $39.49 | $31.71 | $37.21 | $36.81 |
Total Return | 15.15% | 29.67% | (7.76)%(b) | 10.88% | 21.46% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $3,465 | $2,291 | $1,696 | $1,232 | $921 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 2.08% | 2.08% | 2.08% | 2.08% | 2.08% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.70)% | (0.99)% | (0.75)% | (1.00)% | (1.24)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 2.27% | 2.56% | 2.39% | 2.75% | 2.08% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 45% | 110% | 42% | 38% | 62% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.16% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $44.11 | $35.02 | $40.52 | $39.55 | $36.72 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.05) | (0.13) | (0.01) | (0.15) | (0.29) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 6.91 | 10.83 | (2.89) | 4.48 | 8.36 |
Total from Investment Activities | 6.86 | 10.70 | (2.90) | 4.33 | 8.07 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (b) | | | | |
Net realized gains from investments | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) | (5.24) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) | (5.24) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.05 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $46.47 | $44.11 | $35.02 | $40.52 | $39.55 |
Total Return | 16.08% | 30.62% | (7.10)%(c) | 11.60% | 22.08% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $78,079 | $49,468 | $27,622 | $36,217 | $22,279 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.28% | 1.38% | 1.35% | 1.45% | 1.58% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.12)% | (0.30)% | (0.03)% | (0.39)% | (0.75)% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 45% | 110% | 42% | 38% | 62% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.16% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $17.91 | $15.43 | $15.54 | $15.83 | $12.59 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.19 | 0.03 | 0.07 | (0.02) | (0.04) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.84 | 2.45 | (0.01)(b) | 0.16 | 3.56 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.03 | 2.48 | 0.06 | 0.14 | 3.52 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.15) | | (0.04) | | |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.62) | | (0.13) | (0.43) | (0.28) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.77) | | (0.17) | (0.43) | (0.28) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $19.17 | $17.91 | $15.43 | $15.54 | $15.83 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | 11.32% | 16.07% | 0.41% | 0.84% | 28.20% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $4,255 | $2,864 | $11,086 | $10,396 | $4,283 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.09% | 1.35% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.01% | 0.19% | 0.44% | (0.14)% | (0.27)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 1.67% | 1.94% | 1.63% | 2.10% | 4.75% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 73% | 68% | 71% | 58% | 51% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period does not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in the portfolio of securities during the period because of timing of sales and purchases of fund shares in relation to fluctuating market values during the period.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R6 Shares | |||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Period
Ended June 30, 2016(a) |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $18.02 | $15.53 | $14.38 |
Investment Activities: | |||
Net investment income (loss)(b) | 0.22 | 0.12 | 0.06 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.87 | 2.43 | 1.30 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.09 | 2.55 | 1.36 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||
Net investment income | (0.19) | (0.06) | (0.08) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.62) | | (0.13) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.81) | (0.06) | (0.21) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $19.30 | $18.02 | $15.53 |
Total Return (c) | 11.68% | 16.42% | 9.50% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $6,750 | $1,375 | $726 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d) | 0.77% | 0.89% | 1.04% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (d) | 1.14% | 0.71% | 0.75% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d),(e) | 1.17% | 3.01% | 3.10% |
Portfolio turnover (c),(f) | 73% | 68% | 71% |
(a) Class R6 Shares of the Fund commenced operations on December 15, 2015.
(b) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(c) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(e) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(f) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $18.06 | $15.58 | $15.65 | $15.89 | $12.61 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.24 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.01 | (0.01) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.85 | 2.43 | (0.02)(b) | 0.18 | 3.57 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.09 | 2.56 | 0.11 | 0.19 | 3.56 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.19) | (0.08) | (0.05) | | |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.62) | | (0.13) | (0.43) | (0.28) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.81) | (0.08) | (0.18) | (0.43) | (0.28) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $19.34 | $18.06 | $15.58 | $15.65 | $15.89 |
Total Return | 11.58% | 16.43% | 0.73% | 1.15% | 28.48% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $59,866 | $47,989 | $8,442 | $4,507 | $3,133 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.84% | 0.89% | 1.15% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.25% | 0.74% | 0.85% | 0.08% | (0.09)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 1.13% | 1.18% | 1.15% | 1.75% | 4.80% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 73% | 68% | 71% | 58% | 51% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period does not accord with the change in aggregate gains and losses in the portfolio of securities during the period because of timing of sales and purchases of fund shares in relation to fluctuating market values during the period.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $37.70 | $30.72 | $33.48 | $32.77 | $25.95 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.04) | (0.08) | 0.01 | (0.03) | (0.13) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.76 | 7.06 | (2.31) | 0.74 | 6.97 |
Total from Investment Activities | 4.72 | 6.98 | (2.30) | 0.71 | 6.84 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | | | | | (0.02) |
Net realized gains from investments | (2.36) | | (0.46) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (2.36) | | (0.46) | | (0.02) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $40.06 | $37.70 | $30.72 | $33.48 | $32.77 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | 12.55% | 22.72% | (6.87)% | 2.17% | 26.36% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $221,775 | $219,113 | $216,492 | $246,351 | $168,289 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.10)% | (0.22)% | 0.04% | (0.08)% | (0.44)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 1.54% | 1.52% | 1.57% | 1.53% | 1.52% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 70% | 58% | 47% | 38% | 92% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class C Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $33.76 | $27.69 | $30.45 | $30.03 | $23.94 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.24) | (0.28) | (0.19) | (0.25) | (0.33) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.24 | 6.35 | (2.11) | 0.67 | 6.42 |
Total from Investment Activities | 4.00 | 6.07 | (2.30) | 0.42 | 6.09 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net realized gains from investments | (2.36) | | (0.46) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (2.36) | | (0.46) | | |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $35.40 | $33.76 | $27.69 | $30.45 | $30.03 |
Total Return (excludes contingent deferred sales charge) | 11.86% | 21.92% | (7.56)% | 1.40% | 25.44% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $16,746 | $27,015 | $27,987 | $28,090 | $25,035 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 2.13% | 2.16% | 2.22% | 2.25% | 2.25% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.70)% | (0.89)% | (0.68)% | (0.85)% | (1.20)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 2.13% | 2.16% | 2.22% | 2.25% | 2.28% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 70% | 58% | 47% | 38% | 92% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $36.86 | $30.11 | $33.00 | $32.29 | $25.61 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (0.13) | (0.16) | (0.06) | (0.12) | (0.21) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.65 | 6.91 | (2.37) | 0.83 | 6.89 |
Total from Investment Activities | 4.52 | 6.75 | (2.43) | 0.71 | 6.68 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net realized gains from investments | (2.36) | | (0.46) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (2.36) | | (0.46) | | |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $39.02 | $36.86 | $30.11 | $33.00 | $32.29 |
Total Return | 12.29% | 22.42% | (7.36)% | 2.20% | 26.08% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $14,952 | $15,317 | $15,042 | $11,850 | $5,350 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.75% | 1.75% | 1.75% | 1.75% | 1.75% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.35)% | (0.46)% | (0.19)% | (0.37)% | (0.70)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 1.89% | 2.06% | 1.96% | 2.02% | 1.75% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 70% | 58% | 47% | 38% | 92% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R6 Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $38.86 | $31.60 | $34.31 | $33.43 | $26.41 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.18 | 0.12 | 0.18 | 0.13 | (0.01) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.92 | 7.28 | (2.38) | 0.75 | 7.11 |
Total from Investment Activities | 5.10 | 7.40 | (2.20) | 0.88 | 7.10 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.09) | (0.14) | (0.05) | | (0.08) |
Net realized gains from investments | (2.36) | | (0.46) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (2.45) | (0.14) | (0.51) | | (0.08) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $41.51 | $38.86 | $31.60 | $34.31 | $33.43 |
Total Return | 13.17% | 23.40% | (6.41)% | 2.63% | 26.89% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $938,831 | $871,150 | $608,927 | $423,831 | $286,897 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.95% | 0.96% | 1.00% | 1.04% | 1.07% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 0.45% | 0.33% | 0.57% | 0.37% | (0.02)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 0.95% | 0.96% | 1.00% | 1.04% | 1.07% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 70% | 58% | 47% | 38% | 92% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $38.63 | $31.45 | $34.15 | $33.33 | $26.35 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.11 | 0.05 | 0.13 | 0.07 | (0.06) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 4.89 | 7.23 | (2.37) | 0.75 | 7.10 |
Total from Investment Activities | 5.00 | 7.28 | (2.24) | 0.82 | 7.04 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.02) | (0.10) | (b) | | (0.06) |
Net realized gains from investments | (2.36) | | (0.46) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (2.38) | (0.10) | (0.46) | | (0.06) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | (b) | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $41.25 | $38.63 | $31.45 | $34.15 | $33.33 |
Total Return | 13.01% | 23.14% | (6.54)% | 2.46% | 26.72% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $1,467,901 | $1,329,435 | $981,741 | $726,193 | $537,362 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.12% | 1.15% | 1.15% | 1.20% | 1.25% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 0.28% | 0.13% | 0.40% | 0.22% | (0.19)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 1.12% | 1.15% | 1.15% | 1.20% | 1.27% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 70% | 58% | 47% | 38% | 92% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $16.04 | $13.26 | $14.08 | $15.15 | $12.18 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.07 | 0.02 | 0.02 | (0.05) | (0.08) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.89 | 2.76 | (0.81) | (0.14) | 3.27 |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.96 | 2.78 | (0.79) | (0.19) | 3.19 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.05) | | (0.03) | | |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.20) | | | (0.88) | (0.22) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.25) | | (0.03) | (0.88) | (0.22) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $17.75 | $16.04 | $13.26 | $14.08 | $15.15 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | 12.16% | 20.97% | (5.59)% | (1.34)% | 26.29% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $2,996 | $2,304 | $716 | $516 | $511 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.13% | 1.21% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 0.42% | 0.13% | 0.13% | (0.35)% | (0.55)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (b) | 1.74% | 2.40% | 2.15% | 3.71% | 3.60% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 77% | 65% | 60% | 57% | 50% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R6 Shares | ||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Period
Ended June 30, 2015(a) |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $16.20 | $13.35 | $14.17 | $14.41 |
Investment Activities: | ||||
Net investment income (loss)(b) | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.02 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.99 | 2.82 | (0.81) | (0.26) |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.04 | 2.85 | (0.76) | (0.24) |
Distributions to Shareholders: | ||||
Net investment income | (0.08) | | (0.06) | |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.20) | | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.28) | | (0.06) | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $17.96 | $16.20 | $13.35 | $14.17 |
Total Return (c) | 12.54% | 21.35% | (5.33)% | (1.67)% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $24,926 | $18 | $3,381 | $3,586 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d) | 0.83% | 1.09% | 1.21% | 1.21% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (d) | 0.28% | 0.20% | 0.40% | 0.48% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d),(e) | 1.26% | 1.96% | 1.58% | 3.21% |
Portfolio turnover (c),(f) | 77% | 65% | 60% | 57% |
(a) Class R6 Shares of the Fund commenced operations on March 4, 2015.
(b) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(c) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(e) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(f) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $16.17 | $13.35 | $14.16 | $15.20 | $12.19 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.12 | 0.06 | 0.05 | (0.01) | (0.04) |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.91 | 2.78 | (0.81) | (0.15) | 3.27 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.03 | 2.84 | (0.76) | (0.16) | 3.23 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.08) | (0.02) | (0.05) | | |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.20) | | | (0.88) | (0.22) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.28) | (0.02) | (0.05) | (0.88) | (0.22) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $17.92 | $16.17 | $13.35 | $14.16 | $15.20 |
Total Return | 12.51% | 21.25% | (5.34)% | (1.14)% | 26.60% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $92,019 | $53,509 | $18,918 | $18,821 | $9,184 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.88% | 0.96% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 0.67% | 0.38% | 0.37% | (0.04)% | (0.30)% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (b) | 1.13% | 1.21% | 1.26% | 1.70% | 3.35% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 77% | 65% | 60% | 57% | 50% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge
Reductions and Waivers Available Through
Certain Intermediaries
The availability of certain initial and contingent deferred sales charge reductions and waivers may depend on the particular financial intermediary or type of account through which you purchase or hold Fund shares. The following information about variations in sales charge reductions and waivers is applicable only to investors who purchase Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise Financial, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, or Raymond James platform or account.
In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Fund or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. For reductions and waivers not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive those reductions and waivers.
Merrill Lynch
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or in the SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan |
Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan |
Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch's platform |
Shares of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if applicable) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date |
Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members |
Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund's investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
CDSC Waivers on A and C Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ |
Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to a fee based account or platform (applicable to A and C shares only) |
Front-end load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable) |
Ameriprise Financial
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Ameriprise Financial |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs |
Shares purchased through an Ameriprise Financial investment advisory program (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Ameriprise Financials platform (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to such shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply to exchanges following such shorter period. To the extent that this Prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares for load waived shares, that waiver will also apply to such exchanges |
Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members |
Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisors spouse, advisors lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisors lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement) |
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account are eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Morgan Stanley |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans |
Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley's account linking rules |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund |
Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account |
Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Managements share class conversion program |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge |
Raymond James
Effective March 1, 2019, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent-deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Raymond James |
Shares purchased in an investment advisory program |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James |
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C Shares available at Raymond James |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Front-End Load Discounts Available at Raymond James: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
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 do not 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 VictoryFunds.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:
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.
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-INT-PRO (11/18) |
November 1, 2018
Prospectus
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MAEMX | | | | | MYEMX |
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MAICX | MICCX | MICIX | | MAIRX | MICYX |
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MISAX | MCISX | MISIX | | MSSIX | MYSIX |
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
VictoryFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
The Fund currently offers those classes listed above with an associated ticker symbol.
|
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Table of Contents Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund Trivalent International Fund Core Equity Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Organization and Management of the Funds |
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital.
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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 25 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class Y |
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 | NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
||
Management Fees | 1.10% | 1.10% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 2.11% | 1.92% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.02% | 0.02% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 3.48% | 3.04% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 2 | (1.73)% | (1.54)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 2 | 1.75% | 1.50% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.73% and 1.48% of the Fund's Class A and Class Y shares, respectively, through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $743 | $1,430 | $2,139 | $4,007 |
Class Y | $153 | $794 | $1,461 | $3,247 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 93% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing primarily in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, depositary receipts, preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and warrants) of companies in emerging markets countries, which are developing countries in the early stages of adopting capitalism. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets will be in securities of small-capitalization companies that are tied economically to emerging markets countries.
In selecting emerging market small-capitalization investments for the Fund, the Adviser employs a bottom-up investment approach that emphasizes individual stock selection. The Adviser's investment process uses a combination of quantitative and traditional qualitative, fundamental analysis to identify companies exhibiting improving business momentum and attractive valuations. The stock selection process is designed to produce a diversified portfolio that, relative to the MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index and the S&P ® Emerging Plus SmallCap Index, tends to have a below-average price-to-earnings ratio and an above-average earnings growth trend. However, the Fund is not designed to replicate the performance of either of those indexes.
The Adviser considers emerging markets countries to be the countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index and the S&P ® Emerging Plus SmallCap Index. The Adviser considers any company with a market capitalization that is within the smallest 15% (based on market capitalization) of companies from each emerging markets country to be a small-capitalization company.
The MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index is designed to measure equity market performance of 24 emerging markets and targets approximately 14% of each market's free-float adjusted market capitalization. The S&P ® Emerging Plus SmallCap Index consists of the bottom 15% (based on market capitalization) of companies from each country represented in the S&P ® Emerging BMI plus Korea. The S&P ® Emerging BMI includes companies domiciled in over 20 emerging markets countries with float-adjusted market capitalizations of at least US$100 million and annual trading liquidity of at least US$50 million.
As of the date of this prospectus, emerging market countries include, without limitation, portions of Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East/Africa, such as Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates.
The Adviser regularly reviews the Funds investments and will sell a security if the Adviser believes there has been a deterioration in the rank of the security in accordance with the Advisers process, the securitys valuation has become unattractive relative to other stocks in the universe or other available investments are considered to be more attractive.
As a result of its investment strategy, the Fund may experience annual portfolio turnover in excess of 100%.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 Funds website at VictoryFunds.com.
The performance figures for Class A and Y shares and table below reflect the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A and Y shares of the Munder Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by Munder Capital Management). The Funds performance has not yet been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was -10.03%.
Highest Quarter | 14.89% (quarter ended March 31, 2017) |
Lowest Quarter | -14.68% (quarter ended September 30, 2015) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year |
Life of
Fund 1 |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 43.02% | 9.84% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 42.10% | 9.61% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 25.24% | 7.84% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 34.40% | 8.12% |
INDEX | ||
MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes. |
33.84% | 6.70% |
S&P
®
Emerging Plus Small Cap Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes. |
33.72% | 7.29% |
1 Inception date of the Fund is July 2, 2013.
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Trivalent Investments ("Trivalent") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
John W. Evers, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Robert D. Cerow, CFA | Equity Analyst | Since inception |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | NONE |
For Class A Shares a $1,000 minimum purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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. 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.
Trivalent International Fund — Core Equity Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital.
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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 25 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R6 | Class Y |
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75% | NONE | NONE | NONE | NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE 1 | 1.00% 2 | NONE | NONE | 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% | 0.80% | 0.80% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.86% | 1.81% | 1.87% | 0.91% | 0.69% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.93% | 3.63% | 2.69% | 1.73% | 1.51% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 3 | (0.96)% | (1.91)% | (2.07)% | (1.16)% | (0.79)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 3 |
0.97% | 1.72% | 0.62% | 0.57% | 0.72% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Applies to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
3 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.95%, 1.70%, 0.60%, 0.55% and 0.70% of the Fund's Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R6 and Class Y shares, respectively, through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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 (or continue holding your shares in the case of Class C shares). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $668 | $1,058 | $1,473 | $2,626 |
Class C (If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $275 | $935 | $1,716 | $3,764 |
Class C (If you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $175 | $935 | $1,716 | $3,764 |
Class I | $63 | $638 | $1,239 | $2,869 |
Class R6 | $58 | $432 | $830 | $1,944 |
Class Y | $74 | $400 | $749 | $1,734 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 51% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing primarily in securities of companies in countries represented in the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index, but may also invest in companies from other countries. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets will be invested in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, depositary receipts, preferred stocks, convertible securities and rights and warrants).
The Adviser employs a bottom-up investment approach that emphasizes individual stock selection. The Adviser's investment process uses a combination of quantitative and traditional qualitative, fundamental analysis to identify attractive stocks with low relative price multiples and positive trends in earnings forecasts. The stock selection process is designed to produce a diversified portfolio that, relative to the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index ("Index"), tends to have a below-average price-to-earnings ratio and an above-average earnings growth trend.
The Fund's investment allocation to countries and sectors tends to approximate the country and sector allocations of the Index, which may focus its exposure in one or more countries, regions or sectors. The Index captures large and mid-cap representation across 22 of 23 developed markets countries (excluding the US) and 24 emerging markets countries. The Index covers approximately 85% of the global equity opportunity set outside the US. The Fund normally invests in a minimum of ten countries.
There is no limit on the market capitalization in which the Fund may invest; therefore, the Fund's investments may include small-, mid- and large-capitalization companies.
The Adviser regularly reviews the Funds investments and will sell a security if the Adviser believes there has been a deterioration in the rank of the security in accordance with the Advisers process, the securitys valuation has become unattractive relative to other stocks in the universe or other available investments are considered to be more attractive.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
The performance figures for Class A, C, I and Y shares for periods ending on or before October 31, 2014 reflect the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A, C, I and Y shares of the Munder International Fund Core Equity, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by Munder Capital Management). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder International Fund Core Equity.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was -3.46%.
Highest Quarter | 21.92% (quarter ended June 30, 2009) |
Lowest Quarter | -23.95% (quarter ended September 30, 2008) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year |
5 Years
(or Life of Class) |
10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 27.08% | 8.47% | 0.82% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 25.10% | 7.71% | 0.27% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 16.95% | 6.72% | 0.82% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 19.55% | 6.95% | -0.02% |
CLASS C Before Taxes | 24.83% | 7.40% | -0.19% |
CLASS I Before Taxes | 27.26% | 8.78% | 1.09% |
CLASS R6 Before Taxes | 27.50% | 7.30% 1 | N/A |
INDEX | |||
MSCI ACWI ex USA Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except for withholding taxes. |
27.19% | 6.80% | 1.84% |
1 Inception date of Class R6 is March 4, 2015.
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Trivalent Investments ("Trivalent") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Peter S. Carpenter, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Jeffrey R. Sullivan, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R6 | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | $2,500 | $2,000,000 | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | $50 | NONE | NONE | NONE |
For Class A and Class C shares a $1,000 minimum initial purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and purchases through automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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.
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital.
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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 25 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R6 | Class Y |
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75% | NONE | NONE | NONE | NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE 1 | 1.00% 2 | NONE | NONE | NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||||
Management Fees | 0.93% | 0.93% | 0.93% | 0.93% | 0.93% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.38% | 0.43% | 0.21% | 0.15% | 0.26% |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses | 0.04% | 0.04% | 0.04% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.60% | 2.40% | 1.18% | 1.12% | 1.23% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 3 | (0.21)% | (0.26)% | (0.19)% | 0.00% | (0.09)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 3 |
1.39% | 2.14% | 0.99% | 1.12% | 1.14% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Applies to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
3 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.35%, 2.10%, 0.95%, 1.10% and 1.10% of the Fund's Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R6 and Class Y shares, respectively, through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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 (or continue holding your shares in the case of Class C shares). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $708 | $1,032 | $1,377 | $2,349 |
Class C (If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $317 | $724 | $1,257 | $2,717 |
Class C (If you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $217 | $724 | $1,257 | $2,717 |
Class I | $101 | $356 | $631 | $1,415 |
Class R6 | $114 | $356 | $617 | $1,363 |
Class Y | $116 | $381 | $667 | $1,481 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 62% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing primarily in equity securities (i.e., common stocks, depositary receipts, preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and warrants) of companies principally in countries represented in the S&P ® Developed ex-U.S. SmallCap Index ("Index").
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets will be invested in securities of small-capitalization companies. The Adviser considers any company with a market capitalization that is within such country's smallest 15% based on market capitalization to be a small-capitalization company.
The Adviser employs a bottom-up investment approach that emphasizes individual stock selection. The Adviser's investment process uses a combination of quantitative and traditional qualitative, fundamental analysis to identify attractive stocks with low relative price multiples and positive trends in earnings forecasts. The stock selection process is designed to produce a diversified portfolio that, relative to the Index, tends to have a below-average price-to-earnings ratio and an above-average earnings growth trend.
The Fund's investment allocation to countries and sectors tends to approximate the country and sector allocations of the Index, which concentrates its exposure in one or more countries, regions or sectors. The Index consists of the stocks representing the lowest 15% of float-adjusted market capitalization in each country other than the U.S. represented in the S&P ® Developed Broad Market Index (BMI). The S&P ® Developed BMI includes all listed shares of companies from 24 developed countries with float-adjusted market capitalizations of at least US$100 million and annual trading value of at least US$50 million. The Fund normally invests in a minimum of ten countries.
The Adviser regularly reviews the Funds investments and will sell a security if the Adviser believes there has been a deterioration in the rank of the security in accordance with the Advisers process, the securitys valuation has become unattractive relative to other stocks in the universe or other available investments are considered to be more attractive.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
The performance figures for Class A, C, I, R6 and Y shares reflect the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A, C, I, R6 and Y shares of the Munder International Small-Cap Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by Munder Capital Management). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder International Small-Cap Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was -1.71%.
Highest Quarter | 27.25% (quarter ended June 30, 2009) |
Lowest Quarter | -27.05% (quarter ended September 30, 2008) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year | 5 Years |
10 Years
(or Life of Class) |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 36.89% | 14.17% | 5.40% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 36.33% | 13.80% | 5.22% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 21.34% | 11.42% | 4.40% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 28.73% | 12.55% | 4.53% |
CLASS C Before Taxes | 34.57% | 13.04% | 4.36% |
CLASS I Before Taxes | 37.13% | 14.35% | 5.61% |
CLASS R6 Before Taxes | 36.96% | 14.21% | 17.17% 1 |
INDEX | |||
S&P
®
Developed ex-U.S. SmallCap Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes. |
31.85% | 11.69% | 4.78% |
1 Inception date of Class R6 is June 4, 2012.
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Trivalent Investments ("Trivalent") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Daniel B. LeVan, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since inception |
John W. Evers, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R6 | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | $2,500 | $2,000,000 | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | $50 | NONE | NONE | NONE |
For Class A and Class C shares a $1,000 minimum initial purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and purchases through automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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.
Additional Fund Information
Victory Capital Management Inc., which we refer to as the "Adviser" throughout the Prospectus, manages each Fund.
The Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund , Victory Trivalent International Fund - Core Equity and Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund (the "Funds") are each 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 following section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy the Funds will use under normal market conditions to pursue their investment objectives, as well as any secondary strategies the Funds may use, and the related risks. This Prospectus does not attempt to describe all of the various investment techniques and types of investments that the Adviser may use in managing the Funds. The SAI includes more information about the Funds, their investments, and the related risks. Keep in mind that for cash management purposes, each Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, short-term money market instruments or shares of other investment companies. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market, cause a Fund to fail to meet its investment objective and increase a Fund's expenses.
Unless otherwise stated in a Fund's Principal Investment Strategies or in the SAI, each Fund's investment objective and investment policy (if applicable) to invest under normal market conditions at least 80% of its assets in the type of securities suggested by the Fund's name are each non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders. For purposes of a Fund's 80% investment policy, "assets" means the Fund's net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or please visit VictoryFunds.com.
Investments
The following describes the types of securities each Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy. The Funds will not necessarily buy all of the securities listed below.
Foreign Securities
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 foreign corporations, and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") that invest in foreign corporations.
Convertible Preferred Stock
A class of stock that pays dividends at a specified rate, has preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of assets, and is convertible into common stock.
The Adviser may use other types of investment strategies in pursuing each Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities that the Adviser may purchase or investment techniques the Adviser may employ that are not considered to be a part of the Funds' principal investment strategies. Additional securities and techniques are described in the Funds' 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.
Forward Foreign-Currency Exchange Contracts
Contracts that attempt to eliminate currency exposure between the time of a securities transaction and settlement of that transaction. A forward foreign currency contract is an agreement to buy or sell a country's currency at a specific price on a specific date, usually 30, 60, or 90 days in the future. In other words, the contract guarantees an exchange rate on a given date.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies the shares of which 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.
Risk Factors
By matching your investment objective with an acceptable level of risk, you can create your own customized investment plan.
The following provides additional information about some of the Funds principal risks and supplements those risks discussed in each Fund's Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.
Emerging Markets Small-Cap | International Fund - Core Equity | International Small-Cap | |
Currency Risk | X | X | X |
Emerging Markets Risk | X | X | |
Equity Securities Risk | X | X | X |
Foreign Securities Risk | X | X | X |
Geographic Focus Risk | X | X | X |
Investment Style Risk | X | X | X |
Liquidity Risk | X | X | X |
Smaller-Company Stock Risk | X | X | X |
Stock Market Risk | X | X | X |
General Risks
Market Risk The market value of a security may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector of the economy, or the entire market. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Manager Risk The investment process used by the investment team may produce incorrect judgments about the value of a particular asset or the team may implement its investment strategy in a way that may not produce the desired results.
Stock Selection Risk The value of the Fund's investments may decline if the particular companies in which the Fund invests do not perform well in the market.
Currency Risk
Since foreign securities often are denominated and traded in foreign currencies, the value of a Fund's assets may be affected favorably or unfavorably by currency exchange rates, currency exchange control regulations, foreign withholding or other taxes, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies. To attempt to protect against changes in currency exchange rates, a Fund may, but will not necessarily, engage in forward foreign-currency exchange transactions (such as foreign currency forwards or futures contracts, and foreign currency options). The use of foreign-currency exchange transactions to reduce foreign-currency exposure can eliminate some or all of the benefit of an increase in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. dollar.
If a Fund purchases securities denominated in foreign currencies, a change in the value of any such currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a change in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund's assets and potentially the Fund's income available for distribution. The values of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar fluctuate in response to, among other factors, interest rate changes, intervention (or failure to intervene) by the U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund; the imposition of currency controls; and political and regulatory developments in the United States or abroad. Officials in foreign countries may from time to time take actions in respect of their currencies which could adversely affect the values of a Fund's assets denominated in those currencies or the liquidity of such investments. Foreign-currency values can decrease significantly both in the short term and over the long term in response to these and other developments.
Emerging Markets Risk
There are greater risks involved in investing in emerging market countries than those associated with investment in developed foreign markets. The risks of investing in foreign securities generally are amplified for investments in emerging markets securities. Generally, markets in emerging market countries are less diverse and mature than those of developed countries and their political systems are less stable. Further, due to the smaller securities markets, lower trading volumes and less government regulation of securities markets in emerging market countries compared to those in developed countries, investments in emerging market securities generally are more illiquid and volatile and subject to a higher risk of settlement disruptions than investments in securities of issuers in developed countries. Consequently, emerging market securities may be subject to relatively more abrupt and severe price declines.
Equity Risk
The value of an equity security will fluctuate in response to changes in earnings or other conditions affecting the issuer's profitability or in general market conditions. Unlike debt securities, which have preference to a company's assets in case of liquidation, equity securities are entitled to the residual value after the company meets its other obligations.
Foreign Securities Risk
Geographic Focus Risk
The Fund may invest a substantial portion of its assets within one or more countries or geographic regions. When the Fund focuses its investments in a country or countries, it is particularly susceptible to the impact of market, economic, political, regulatory and other factors affecting those countries. Additionally, the Fund's performance may be more volatile when the Fund's investments are focused in a country or countries.
Investment Style Risk
Different types of investment styles, for example growth or value, tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions. As a result, the Funds performance may at times be worse than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or that have different investment styles.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities or other instruments at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and the Fund may have to continue to hold such securities or instruments during periods when the Adviser would otherwise have sold them (in order, for example, to meet redemption requests or to take advantage of other investment opportunities). Market values for illiquid securities may not be readily available, and there can be no assurance that any fair value assigned to an illiquid security at any time will accurately reflect the price the Fund might receive upon the sale of that security. Adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer, including rising interest rates, may adversely affect the liquidity of the Funds investments and the Fund may be forced to sell large amounts of securities more quickly than it normally would in the ordinary course of business. In such cases the sale proceeds received by a Fund may be substantially less than if the Fund had been able to sell the securities in more orderly transactions, and the sale price may be substantially lower than the price previously used by the Fund to value the securities for purposes of determining the Funds net asset value. Some securities held by a Fund may be restricted as to resale, and there is often no ready market for such securities. In addition, a Fund, by itself or together with other accounts managed by the Adviser, may hold a position in a security that is large relative to the typical trading volume for that security, which can make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of the position at an advantageous time or price.
Smaller-Company Stock Risk
Small- or mid-sized companies often have more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies and, therefore, may be more susceptible to market downturns or changing economic conditions. In addition, such companies may have been recently organized and have little or no track record of success. Also, the Adviser may not have had an opportunity to evaluate such newer companies performance in adverse or fluctuating market conditions. The securities of smaller-sized companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volume than more widely held securities. Prices of small- or mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile than those of larger companies and small- or mid-sized issuers may be subject to greater degrees of changes in their earnings and prospects. Since smaller company stocks typically have narrower markets and are traded in lower volumes than larger company stocks, they may be often more difficult to purchase and sell.
Stock Market Risk
Stock market risk refers to the fact that stock (equity securities) prices typically fluctuate more than the values of other types of securities, typically in response to changes in the particular companys financial condition and factors affecting the market in general. Over time, the stock market tends to move in cycles, with periods when stock prices rise, and periods when stock prices decline. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on stock prices. Consequently, a broad-based market drop may also cause a stocks price to fall. Portfolio securities may also decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally, such as real or perceived adverse economic, political or regulatory conditions, inflation, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment, or due to factors affecting particular industries represented in the securities markets, such as competitive conditions. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer can impact a market as a whole, and adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may not have the same impact on all types of securities. In addition, the markets may not favor a particular kind of security, including equity securities. Values of securities may fall due to factors affecting a particular issuer, industry or the securities market as a whole.
The Adviser may use several types of investment strategies in pursuing each Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Funds. Additional risks are included in the Funds' SAI.
Derivatives Risk
Derivatives, such as forward currency contracts, 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.
Investment Company Risk
The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of other 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.
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 (1) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (2) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (3) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (4) 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 borrowers 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.
Organization and Management of the Funds
The Funds' Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of each Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each of the Victory Funds pursuant to an investment management agreement. The Adviser oversees the operations of the Funds according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser is a New York corporation that is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). As of September 30, 2018, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $63.6 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's primary 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. Trivalent Investments ("Trivalent") is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to the following:
Fund | Advisory Fee |
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund | 1.10% |
Victory Trivalent Internaltional Fund - Core Equity | 0.80% |
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund | 0.93% |
See "Fund Fees and Expenses" for information about any contractual agreement agreed to by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to a Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to a Fund.
A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement will be available in each Fund's semi-annual report for the period ending December 31, 2018.
Portfolio Management
Daniel B. LeVan is a Senior Portfolio Manager and the Chief Investment Officer of Trivalent and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. From 2007-2014, Mr. LeVan was a Senior Portfolio Manager of Munder Capital Management. He has been the Lead Portfolio Manager, with final investment authority, for the Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund since its inception. Mr. LeVan is a CFA charterholder.
Peter S. Carpenter is a Senior Portfolio Manager of Trivalent and has been with the Adviser since 2014. From 2007-2014, Mr. Carpenter was a Senior Portfolio Manager of Munder Capital Management. He has been the Lead Portfolio Manager, with final investment authority, for the Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity since inception. Mr. Carpenter is a CFA charterholder.
Robert D. Cerow is an Equity Analyst of Trivalent and has been with the Adviser since 2014. From 2007-2014, Mr. Cerow was an Equity Analyst of Munder Capital Management. He has been a portfolio manager of the Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund since its inception. Mr. Cerow is a CFA charterholder.
John W. Evers is a Senior Portfolio Manager of Trivalent and has been with the Adviser since 2014. From 2007-2014, Mr. Evers was a Senior Portfolio Manager of Munder Capital Management. He has been the Lead Portfolio Manager, with final investment authority, for the Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund and a portfolio manager of the Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund since each Fund's inception. Mr. Evers is a CFA charterholder.
Jeffrey R. Sullivan is a Senior Portfolio Manager of Trivalent and has been with the Adviser or an affiliate since 2014. From 2007-2014, Mr. Sullivan was a Senior Portfolio Manager of Munder Capital Management. He has been a portfolio manager of the Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity since its inception. Mr. Sullivan is a CFA charterholder.
The Funds' SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts they manage and any ownership interests they may have in the Funds.
Investing with the Victory Funds
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
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.
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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class Y shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
This section of the Prospectus describes each share class currently offered by the Victory Funds. Keep in mind that not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. Therefore, certain classes may be discussed below that are not necessarily offered in this Prospectus. The classes of shares that are offered by the Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
This section of the Prospectus also describes how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund. Note, this information may 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-FUND. They will be happy to assist you.
Share Price
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.
Each Victory Fund calculates its share price, called its net asset value ("NAV"), each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, a Fund's share price will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is next calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
To the extent a Funds investments include securities that are primarily traded in foreign markets, the value of those securities may change on days when shareholders are unable to purchase and redeem a Funds shares, such as on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares.
Each Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, a Fund will price its investments at fair value according to procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. A Fund will fair value a security when:
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 Victory Fund calculates the NAV of each share class 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 a 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 a Fund's NAV by calling 800-539-3863 or by visiting the Funds' website at VictoryFunds.com.
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
CLASS C
CLASS I
CLASS R
CLASS R6
CLASS Y
Share Classes
When you purchase shares of a Fund, you must choose a share class. The Victory Funds offer Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class Y shares. Each share class represents an interest in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes differ in the sales charges, if any, and expenses that apply to your investment, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs. Not all Victory Funds offer all classes of shares, and some classes of shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The Victory Funds may offer additional classes of shares in the future.
Deciding which share class best suits your investment needs 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.
The Funds reserve the right, without notice, to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. For example, a class of shares may be available to purchase only by retirement plans or by institutional investors. The Funds may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
A Fund or any class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons. Certain financial intermediaries who hold shares on behalf of their customers impose fees when the amount of shares of a particular class falls below a minimum threshold. To the extent that the amount of shares falls below that threshold, the Funds reserve the right to liquidate the shares held in accounts maintained by the financial intermediary.
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 NAV plus any applicable initial sales charge, also referred to as the "front-end sales load." The sales charge may be reduced or eliminated for larger purchases, as detailed below or as described under Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares . The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales charge are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through an intermediary specified in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform the Victory Funds or 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 Victory accounts and any linked accounts, such as accounts opened with a different financial intermediary.
The current sales charge rates and breakpoint levels for Class A shares of the Funds 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 1 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
1 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 within twelve months of 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 CDSC Reductions for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries for details.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
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 sales charges.
In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your Investment Professional, financial intermediary or the Funds' transfer agent, at the time of purchase, with 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 for shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your Investment Professional; (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).
The availability of a sales charge reduction or waiver discussed below will depend upon whether you purchase your shares directly from the Funds or through a financial intermediary. In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Funds or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. Different intermediaries may impose different sales charges. These variations are described in Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries. Except as described with respect to the intermediaries specified in Appendix A, all Class A shares are subject to the terms stated herein. In order to obtain waivers and discounts that are not available through your intermediary, you must purchase Fund shares directly from the Funds or through another intermediary.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions, free of charge, at vcm.com/policies, by clicking on Victory Portfolios' Mutual Funds Pricing Policies.
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in a number of ways:
You should inform the Fund or your Investment Professional at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
CDSC for Class A Shares
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 within twelve months of 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.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries . All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through the intermediaries specified in Appendix A.
CDSC for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within twelve 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 reinvested do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinvested shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinvestment. 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 a CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries .
CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares
No CDSC is imposed on redemptions of Class A and Class C shares in the following circumstances:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Class I shares may only be purchased by:
A 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.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R Shares
A Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
Class R shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R6 Shares
Class R6 shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class Y Shares
Class Y shares may only be purchased by:
A 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 $1,000,000.
Eligibility of Individuals Associated with the Victory Funds and Fund Service Providers
Current and retired Victory Fund trustees and the officers, directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or Affiliated Providers are eligible to purchase the lowest expense share class offered by a Fund. In the case of Class A shares, such purchases are not subject to a front-end sales charge. "Affiliated Providers" are affiliates of the Adviser and organizations that provide services to the Trust.
Information About Fees
Distribution and Service Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A, Class C and Class R shares of the Funds.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, a Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets of Class A shares. Under the Class R Distribution and Service Plan, a Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.50% of its average daily net assets of Class R shares. The fee is paid for general distribution services, for selling Class A and Class R shares of the Fund and, as applicable, 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 Fund 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, a 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 a 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, if you purchase Fund shares through an Investment Professional, a broker dealer, or other financial intermediary, the Fund may pay for sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping and/or similar administrative services. In addition, the Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Funds, to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities. 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 other Investment Professionals for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing."
In some circumstances, these types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the 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 from the resources of the Adviser or its affiliates on sales of or investments in Class R6 shares.
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 Victory Funds' website, VictoryFunds.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 a 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 Funds.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Funds are unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Funds' Customer Identification Program are available in the section "Important Fund Policies."
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
If you wish to make a purchase directly from the Victory Funds, 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 Funds. 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase with respect to some types of accounts .
For Class C shares, individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares.
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 employees, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when a Fund is purchased through an Advisory Program within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Funds may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when they do so, they always reserve the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at their discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
A Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
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:
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.
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.
By Exchange
You may purchase shares of a 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 VictoryFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at VictoryFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
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 Funds do not charge a fee for ACH transfers but they reserve the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
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.
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 a Fund.
Other Purchase Rules You Should Know
The Funds reserve the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if they believe that doing so would be in the best interest of a Fund or its shareholders. The Funds also reserve 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 |
|
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BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
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
|
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ON THE INTERNET |
www.VictoryFunds.com |
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of Fund shares in 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 Funds 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.
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-FUND or by visiting VictoryFunds.com
The shares of any class of a Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or shares of another Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
If you have questions about these, or any of the Funds' 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.
Class C Share Conversion
Class C shares of a Fund will automatically convert to Class A shares in the month following the 10-year anniversary date of the purchase of the Class C shares. The conversion will be effected at the relative NAV of each such class without the imposition of any sales charge, fee or other charge.
You may be able to voluntarily convert your Class C shares before the 10-year anniversary to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower total annual operating expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This voluntary 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 Voluntary Exchange/Conversion
If your exchange or conversion request is received and accepted by the Funds, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section entitled, Share Price, then your request will be processed the same day. If received after the close of trading, your request will be processed on the next business day. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any exchange or conversion.
Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the Funds' share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus. Share class conversions will be based on the respective NAV 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 NAVs.
Requesting an Exchange
You can exchange shares of the Funds by telephone, by mail or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at VictoryFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other Exchange Rules You Should Know
The Funds may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Funds 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 a Fund that were purchased through your employer's retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
How to Sell Shares
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
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.VictoryFunds.com.
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BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-FUND. 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:
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.
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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:
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.
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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 next business day.
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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, 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
Distributions and Taxes
Buying a dividend. You should check the Funds' distribution schedule before you invest. If you buy shares of a Fund shortly before it makes a distribution, some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution.
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your share of net income and capital gains on a Fund's investments. Each Fund passes its earnings along to investors in the form of dividends. Dividends paid by a Fund represent the net income from dividends and interest earned on investments after expenses. Each Fund will distribute short-term gains, as necessary, and if the Fund makes a long-term capital gain distribution, it is normally paid once a year.
Ordinarily, each Fund pays dividends annually. However, a 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.
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-FUND.
Reinvestment Option
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of your Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
Cash Option
If you elect to receive your distributions by check, and the distribution amount is $25 or less, the amount will automatically be reinvested in the same Fund. Otherwise, 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 U.S. 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 as described above. Each 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 Fund shares and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
Directed Distributions 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 will pay a sales charge on the amount of 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.
Important Information About Taxes
The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax adviser about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.
A Fund expects to pay no federal income tax on the earnings and capital gains it distributes to shareholders.
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 Victory Funds must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
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 Victory Funds and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Funds may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Victory Funds 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 in all cases by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee (MSG). In some instances a Notary Public stamp is an acceptable alternative. 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.
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.
The Funds' Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Funds will:
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 Funds, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Funds 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 Funds, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Funds that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Funds 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 Funds' market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
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. Each 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 Funds' website, VictoryFunds.com, and on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
Each 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 SECs website, www.sec.gov. Each Fund also discloses its complete portfolio holdings each calendar quarter on the Funds' website, VictoryFunds.com, no earlier than the 15th day after the quarter end.
You can find a complete description of the Funds' policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of its portfolio securities in a Fund's SAI or on the Funds' website, VictoryFunds.com.
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of a 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 Funds 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.
While this Prospectus and the SAI of the Trust describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Funds, neither this Prospectus nor the SAI represents a contract between the Trust or the Funds and any shareholder.
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, or, if shorter, the period of its 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).
For periods prior to October 31, 2014, the Funds' financial highlights include historical information of each Fund's predecessor fund, each of which was a separate series of Munder Series Trust managed by Munder Capital Management and sub-advised by Integrity Asset Management, LLC.
The information for each period has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's annual report. The Fund's annual and semi-annual reports are available by calling the Fund at 800-539-FUND and at VictoryFunds.com.
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Period
Ended June 30, 2014(a) |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $12.34 | $10.40 | $11.48 | $11.39 | $10.00 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(b) | 0.12 | 0.13 | 0.10 | 0.07 | 0.09 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.51 | 1.90 | (1.13) | 0.08 | 1.35 |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.63 | 2.03 | (1.03) | 0.15 | 1.44 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.11) | (0.09) | (0.05) | (0.06) | (0.05) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.24) | | | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.35) | (0.09) | (0.05) | (0.06) | (0.05) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $13.62 | $12.34 | $10.40 | $11.48 | $11.39 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) (c) | 13.12% | 19.71% | (8.93)% | 1.35% | 14.45% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $1,257 | $690 | $278 | $361 | $236 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d) | 1.73% | 1.73% | 1.73% | 1.73% | 1.73% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (d) | 0.86% | 1.16% | 0.95% | 0.62% | 0.82% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d),(e) | 3.46% | 4.46% | 1.74% | 7.74% | 13.77% |
Portfolio turnover (c),(f) | 93% | 81% | 104% | 97% | 106% |
(a) Class A Shares of the Fund commenced operations on July 2, 2013.
(b) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(c) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(e) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(f) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Period
Ended June 30, 2014(a) |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $12.38 | $10.43 | $11.51 | $11.41 | $10.00 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(b) | 0.17 | 0.12 | 0.13 | 0.11 | 0.12 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.50 | 1.94 | (1.13) | 0.06 | 1.35 |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.67 | 2.06 | (1.00) | 0.17 | 1.47 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.19) | (0.11) | (0.08) | (0.07) | (0.06) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.24) | | | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.43) | (0.11) | (0.08) | (0.07) | (0.06) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $13.62 | $12.38 | $10.43 | $11.51 | $11.41 |
Total Return (c) | 13.38% | 20.01% | (8.69)% | 1.54% | 14.79% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $7,767 | $4,894 | $3,671 | $3,877 | $2,211 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d) | 1.48% | 1.48% | 1.48% | 1.48% | 1.48% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (d) | 1.22% | 1.08% | 1.29% | 1.00% | 1.10% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d),(e) | 3.02% | 3.46% | 2.40% | 4.90% | 13.11% |
Portfolio turnover (c),(f) | 93% | 81% | 104% | 97% | 106% |
(a) Class Y Shares of the Fund commenced operations on July 3, 2013.
(b) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(c) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(e) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(f) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Trivalent International Fund Core Equity
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $7.21 | $6.18 | $7.01 | $7.21 | $6.11 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.13 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.09 | 0.10 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 0.44 | 1.07 | (0.86) | (0.22) | 1.36 |
Total from Investment Activities | 0.57 | 1.15 | (0.78) | (0.13) | 1.46 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.13) | (0.12) | (0.10) | (0.07) | (0.15) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.37) | | | | (0.21) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.50) | (0.12) | (0.10) | (0.07) | (0.36) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.05 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $7.28 | $7.21 | $6.18 | $7.01 | $7.21 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | 7.74% | 18.95% | (10.43)%(b) | (1.72)% | 24.25% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $8,620 | $5,658 | $4,687 | $5,885 | $6,156 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.11% | 1.38% | 1.47% | 1.48%(c) | 1.47% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.71% | 1.22% | 1.31% | 1.33% | 1.48% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) | 1.91% | 2.27% | 1.80% | 2.25% | 2.46% |
Portfolio turnover (e) | 51% | 91% | 61% | 61% | 61% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.76% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) During the period, the Fund paid overdraft fees. Excluding these fees, the ratio of net expenses to average net assets of the year is 1.47%.
(d) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class C Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $7.16 | $6.14 | $6.96 | $7.16 | $6.06 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 0.45 | 1.07 | (0.86) | (0.22) | 1.36 |
Total from Investment Activities | 0.50 | 1.10 | (0.82) | (0.18) | 1.41 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.07) | (0.08) | (0.05) | (0.02) | (0.10) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.37) | | | | (0.21) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.44) | (0.08) | (0.05) | (0.02) | (0.31) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.05 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $7.22 | $7.16 | $6.14 | $6.96 | $7.16 |
Total Return (excludes contingent deferred sales charge) | 6.81% | 18.01% | (11.08)%(b) | (2.50)% | 23.50% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $449 | $773 | $1,111 | $1,283 | $1,361 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.87% | 2.14% | 2.22% | 2.23%(c) | 2.22% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 0.64% | 0.42% | 0.63% | 0.57% | 0.74% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) | 3.61% | 2.97% | 2.33% | 3.64% | 3.21% |
Portfolio turnover (e) | 51% | 91% | 61% | 61% | 61% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.76% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) During the period, the Fund paid overdraft fees. Excluding these fees, the ratio of net expenses to average net assets of the year is 2.22%.
(d) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class I Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $7.23 | $6.20 | $7.03 | $7.22 | $6.12 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.24 | 0.12 | 0.11 | 0.28 | 0.14 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 0.34 | 1.06 | (0.85) | (0.37) | 1.36 |
Total from Investment Activities | 0.58 | 1.18 | (0.74) | (0.09) | 1.50 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.15) | (0.15) | (0.14) | (0.10) | (0.19) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.37) | | | | (0.21) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.52) | (0.15) | (0.14) | (0.10) | (0.40) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.05 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $7.29 | $7.23 | $6.20 | $7.03 | $7.22 |
Total Return | 8.07% | 19.47% | (9.92)%(b) | (1.24)% | 24.84% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $2,575 | $378 | $192 | $246 | $1 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.72% | 0.90% | 0.96% | 0.98%(c) | 0.96% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 3.17% | 1.84% | 1.78% | 3.96% | 2.07% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) | 2.67% | 6.48% | 4.02% | 8.04% | 2.08% |
Portfolio turnover (e) | 51% | 91% | 61% | 61% | 61% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.76% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) During the period, the Fund paid overdraft fees. Excluding these fees, the ratio of net expenses to average net assets of the year is 0.96%.
(d) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R6 Shares | ||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Period
Ended June 30, 2015(a) |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $7.23 | $6.21 | $7.03 | $6.94 |
Investment Activities: | ||||
Net investment income (loss)(b) | 0.21 | 0.11 | 0.12 | 0.10 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 0.39 | 1.07 | (0.86) | (0.01) |
Total from Investment Activities | 0.60 | 1.18 | (0.74) | 0.09 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | ||||
Net investment income | (0.15) | (0.16) | (0.13) | |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.37) | | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.52) | (0.16) | (0.13) | |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.05 | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $7.31 | $7.23 | $6.21 | $7.03 |
Total Return (c) | 8.14% | 19.39% | (9.86)%(d) | 1.30% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $5,975 | $1,628 | $1,575 | $1,743 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (e) | 0.71% | 0.91% | 0.96% | 0.98%(f) |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (e) | 2.71% | 1.63% | 1.86% | 4.22% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (e),(g) | 1.71% | 2.44% | 2.19% | 2.70% |
Portfolio turnover (c),(h) | 51% | 91% | 61% | 61% |
(a) Class R6 Shares of the Fund commenced operations on March 4, 2015.
(b) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(c) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.76% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(e) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(f) During the period, the Fund paid overdraft fees. Excluding these fees, the ratio of net expenses to average net assets of the year is 0.96%.
(g) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(h) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $7.20 | $6.17 | $7.00 | $7.21 | $6.11 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.12 | 0.09 | 0.10 | 0.11 | 0.12 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 0.46 | 1.08 | (0.86) | (0.23) | 1.36 |
Total from Investment Activities | 0.58 | 1.17 | (0.76) | (0.12) | 1.48 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.15) | (0.14) | (0.12) | (0.09) | (0.17) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.37) | | | | (0.21) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.52) | (0.14) | (0.12) | (0.09) | (0.38) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.05 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $7.26 | $7.20 | $6.17 | $7.00 | $7.21 |
Total Return | 8.01% | 19.28% | (10.19)%(b) | (1.61)% | 24.57% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $9,712 | $14,086 | $12,958 | $18,877 | $21,551 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.87% | 1.14% | 1.22% | 1.23%(c) | 1.22% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.62% | 1.39% | 1.53% | 1.54% | 1.75% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) | 1.49% | 1.58% | 1.28% | 1.73% | 2.21% |
Portfolio turnover (e) | 51% | 91% | 61% | 61% | 61% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.76% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) During the period, the Fund paid overdraft fees. Excluding these fees, the ratio of net expenses to average net assets of the year is 1.22%.
(d) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(e) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $12.87 | $10.67 | $11.86 | $11.59 | $8.89 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.10 | 0.11 | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.13 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.72 | 2.22 | (1.05) | 0.28 | 2.73 |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.82 | 2.33 | (0.95) | 0.40 | 2.86 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.15) | (0.13) | (0.10) | (0.13) | (0.16) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.08) | | (0.14) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.23) | (0.13) | (0.24) | (0.13) | (0.16) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $14.46 | $12.87 | $10.67 | $11.86 | $11.59 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | 14.14% | 22.04% | (8.13)% | 3.62% | 32.35% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $122,933 | $92,295 | $78,511 | $68,475 | $24,062 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.35% | 1.35% | 1.35% | 1.35% | 1.35% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 0.68% | 0.99% | 0.88% | 1.08% | 1.24% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (b) | 1.56% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 1.71% | 1.66% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 62% | 55% | 85% | 70% | 54% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class C Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $12.58 | $10.42 | $11.62 | $11.37 | $8.73 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | (b) | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.05 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.67 | 2.18 | (1.04) | 0.30 | 2.67 |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.67 | 2.20 | (1.02) | 0.33 | 2.72 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.05) | (0.04) | (0.04) | (0.08) | (0.08) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.08) | | (0.14) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.13) | (0.04) | (0.18) | (0.08) | (0.08) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $14.12 | $12.58 | $10.42 | $11.62 | $11.37 |
Total Return (excludes contingent deferred sales charge) | 13.28% | 21.14% | (8.87)% | 2.97% | 31.28% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $6,211 | $5,161 | $5,788 | $4,472 | $2,186 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 2.10% | 2.10% | 2.10% | 2.06% | 2.10% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | (0.03)% | 0.17% | 0.22% | 0.25% | 0.47% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 2.36% | 2.47% | 2.36% | 2.70% | 2.41% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 62% | 55% | 85% | 70% | 54% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class I Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $12.96 | $10.75 | $11.93 | $11.64 | $8.94 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.18 | 0.17 | 0.16 | 0.14 | 0.14 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.71 | 2.21 | (1.07) | 0.32 | 2.77 |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.89 | 2.38 | (0.91) | 0.46 | 2.91 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.19) | (0.17) | (0.13) | (0.17) | (0.21) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.08) | | (0.14) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.27) | (0.17) | (0.27) | (0.17) | (0.21) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $14.58 | $12.96 | $10.75 | $11.93 | $11.64 |
Total Return | 14.60% | 22.45% | (7.74)% | 4.12% | 32.75% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $866,643 | $539,822 | $378,011 | $316,834 | $225,237 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.95% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.22% | 1.45% | 1.41% | 1.24% | 1.29% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (b) | 1.14% | 1.16% | 1.18% | 1.17% | 1.26% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 62% | 55% | 85% | 70% | 54% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R6 Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $13.02 | $10.80 | $11.99 | $11.69 | $8.98 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.15 | 0.18 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.19 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.73 | 2.20 | (1.10) | 0.28 | 2.72 |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.88 | 2.38 | (0.93) | 0.45 | 2.91 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.17) | (0.16) | (0.12) | (0.15) | (0.20) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.08) | | (0.14) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.25) | (0.16) | (0.26) | (0.15) | (0.20) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $14.65 | $13.02 | $10.80 | $11.99 | $11.69 |
Total Return | 14.49% | 22.28% | (7.90)% | 4.01% | 32.58% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $39,497 | $30,033 | $13,179 | $5,654 | $559 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.08% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.01% | 1.50% | 1.51% | 1.49% | 1.74% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (b) | 1.08% | 1.16% | 1.30% | 1.73% | 1.27% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 62% | 55% | 85% | 70% | 54% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $12.91 | $10.71 | $11.89 | $11.61 | $8.90 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.18 | 0.12 | 0.12 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 1.71 | 2.21 | (1.10) | 0.31 | 2.78 |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.86 | 2.36 | (0.92) | 0.43 | 2.90 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.17) | (0.16) | (0.12) | (0.15) | (0.19) |
Net realized gains from investments | (0.08) | | (0.14) | | |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.25) | (0.16) | (0.26) | (0.15) | (0.19) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $14.52 | $12.91 | $10.71 | $11.89 | $11.61 |
Total Return | 14.45% | 22.27% | (7.87)% | 3.90% | 32.75% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $756,933 | $450,441 | $360,989 | $172,761 | $134,099 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.05% | 1.26% | 1.64% | 1.07% | 1.15% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (b) | 1.19% | 1.32% | 1.37% | 1.35% | 1.44% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 62% | 55% | 85% | 70% | 54% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge
Reductions and Waivers Available Through
Certain Intermediaries
The availability of certain initial and contingent deferred sales charge reductions and waivers may depend on the particular financial intermediary or type of account through which you purchase or hold Fund shares. The following information about variations in sales charge reductions and waivers is applicable only to investors who purchase Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise Financial, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, or Raymond James platform or account.
In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Fund or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. For reductions and waivers not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive those reductions and waivers.
Merrill Lynch
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or in the SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan |
Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan |
Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch's platform |
Shares of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if applicable) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date |
Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members |
Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund's investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
CDSC Waivers on A and C Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ |
Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to a fee based account or platform (applicable to A and C shares only) |
Front-end load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable) |
Ameriprise Financial
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Ameriprise Financial |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs |
Shares purchased through an Ameriprise Financial investment advisory program (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Ameriprise Financials platform (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to such shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply to exchanges following such shorter period. To the extent that this Prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares for load waived shares, that waiver will also apply to such exchanges |
Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members |
Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisors spouse, advisors lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisors lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement) |
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account are eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Morgan Stanley |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans |
Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley's account linking rules |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund |
Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account |
Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Managements share class conversion program |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge |
Raymond James
Effective March 1, 2019, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent-deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Raymond James |
Shares purchased in an investment advisory program |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James |
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C Shares available at Raymond James |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Front-End Load Discounts Available at Raymond James: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
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 do not 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 VictoryFunds.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:
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.
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-TRI-PRO (11/18) |
November 1, 2018
Prospectus
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MUCAX | MUCCX | | | MUCRX | MUCYX |
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
VictoryFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
The Fund currently offers those classes listed above with an associated ticker symbol.
|
|
Table of Contents Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries Organization and Management of the Fund |
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide a high level of current income. Its secondary 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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 16 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class C | Class R6 | Class Y |
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (load)
(as a percentage of offering price) |
2.00% | NONE | NONE | NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE 1 | 1.00% 2 | NONE | 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% | 0.40% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.46% | 0.91% | 0.22% | 0.19% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.11% | 2.31% | 0.62% | 0.59% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 3 | (0.26)% | (0.71)% | (0.04)% | (0.00)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement 3 |
0.85% | 1.60% | 0.58% | 0.59% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
2 Applies to shares sold within 12 months of purchase.
3 Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.85%, 1.60%, 0.58% and 0.60% of the Fund's Class A, Class C, Class R6 and Class Y shares, respectively, through at least October 31, 2019. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
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 (or continue holding your shares in the case of Class C shares). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $285 | $521 | $775 | $1,502 |
Class C (If you sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $263 | $653 | $1,171 | $2,591 |
Class C (If you do not sell your shares at the end of the period.) | $163 | $653 | $1,171 | $2,591 |
Class R6 | $59 | $194 | $342 | $770 |
Class Y | $60 | $189 | $329 | $738 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 110% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objectives by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets in a broad range of bonds.
The Adviser uses bond market sector allocation, yield curve positioning, and comprehensive credit analysis to select securities for the Fund. Under normal market conditions, the average duration of the Fund's portfolio is expected to be between 3 and 7 years.
Bonds, also known as fixed income securities, in which the Fund may invest include without limitation: U.S. government securities, including securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government; long- and short-term corporate debt obligations; mortgage-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) and commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS); asset-backed securities, including collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs); convertible bonds and notes; and U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign governments, corporations and banks (i.e., Yankee Bonds).
The bonds in which the Fund will invest will generally be rated investment grade or better (Baa3 and above by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or BBB- and above by Standard & Poor's), or if unrated, have been determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in below-investment grade debt securities, commonly known as "high yield" securities or "junk bonds."
The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, to-be-announced (TBA), delayed delivery or forward commitment basis and may engage in short-term trading of portfolio securities. There is no limitation on the maturity of any specific security the Fund may purchase, and the Fund may sell any security before it matures. The Fund may also utilize dollar roll transactions to obtain market exposure to certain types of securities, particularly mortgage-backed securities.
The Fund may enter into exchange-traded or over-the-counter derivatives transactions of any kind, such as futures contracts (both long and short positions) and options on futures and swap contracts, including, for example, interest rate swaps and credit default swaps. The Fund also may enter into exchange-traded or over-the-counter foreign currency exchange transactions, including currency futures, forward, and options transactions. The Fund may enter into any of these transactions for a variety of purposes, including, but not limited to, hedging various risks such as credit risk, interest rate risk, currency risk, and liquidity risk; taking a net long or short position in certain investments or markets; providing liquidity in the Fund; equitizing cash; minimizing transaction costs; generating income; adjusting the Fund's sensitivity to interest rate risk, currency risk, or other risk; replicating certain direct investments; and asset and sector allocation.
The Fund may invest in investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), for cash management purposes or to seek exposure to a particular asset class.
Although the Fund will primarily be invested in domestic securities, up to 20% of the Fund's assets may be invested in foreign securities, which may be denominated in foreign currencies.
The Adviser regularly reviews the Funds investments and may sell investments when it believes they are no longer attractive due to valuation, changes in the fundamental outlook of the company or other investments are considered more attractive.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
Performance of Class A, C and Y shares reflects the performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A, C and Y shares of the Munder Bond Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund that was managed by Munder Capital Management). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in the expenses of the Munder Bond Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was -1.80%.
Highest Quarter | 6.22% (quarter ended September 30, 2009) |
Lowest Quarter | -2.55% (quarter ended December 31, 2016) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year |
5 Years
(or Life of Class) |
10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 4.15% | 2.26% | 4.25% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 2.61% | 0.74% | 2.68% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 2.34% | 1.02% | 2.63% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 1.84% | 1.56% | 3.77% |
CLASS C Before Taxes | 2.09% | 1.25% | 3.21% |
CLASS R6 Before Taxes | 4.16% | 1.77% 1 | N/A |
INDEX | |||
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes. |
3.54% | 2.10% | 4.01% |
1 Inception date of Class R6 shares is March 4, 2015.
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 INCORE Capital Management ("INCORE") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Edward D. Goard, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since 2009 |
Richard A. Consul, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since 2012 |
S. Brad Fush, CFA | Director of Fixed Income Credit Research | Since 2012 |
James R. Kelts, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since 2012 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class C | Class R6 | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | $2,500 | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | $50 | NONE | NONE |
For Class A and Class C shares a $1,000 minimum initial purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and purchases through automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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.
Additional Fund Information
Victory Capital Management Inc., which we refer to as the "Adviser" throughout the Prospectus, manages the Fund.
The INCORE Total Return Bond 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 following section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective, as well as any secondary strategies the Fund may use, and the related risks. This Prospectus does not attempt to describe all of the various investment techniques and types of investments that the Adviser may use in managing the Fund. The SAI includes more information about the Fund, its investments, and the related risks. Keep in mind that for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, short-term money market instruments or shares of other investment companies. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market, cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective and increase the Fund's expenses.
Unless otherwise stated in the Funds Principal Investment Strategies or in the SAI, the Funds investment objective and investment policy to invest under normal market conditions at least 80% of its assets in bonds are each non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days written notice to shareholders. For purposes of the Fund's 80% investment policy, "assets" means the Fund's net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or please visit VictoryFunds.com.
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy. The Fund will not necessarily buy all of the securities listed below.
U.S. Government Securities 1
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.
U.S. Government Instrumentalities 1
Securities issued by U.S. government instrumentalities such as: the Student Loan Marketing Association ("SLMA" or Sallie Mae), The Federal Farm Credit Bank ("FFCB"), and Federal Home Loan Banks. Certain instrumentalities are "wholly-owned Government corporations," such as the Tennessee Valley Authority ("TVA").
Asset Backed Securities
Debt securities backed by loans or accounts receivable originated by banks, credit card companies, student loan issuers, or other providers of credit. These securities may be enhanced by a bank letter of credit or by insurance coverage provided by a third party.
Corporate Debt Obligations
Debt instruments issued by corporations. They may be secured or unsecured.
Convertible or Exchangeable Obligations
Debt instruments that may be exchanged or converted to other securities.
International Bonds
Debt instruments issued by non-domestic issuers, including those traded in U.S. dollars such as Yankee Bonds and Eurodollar Bonds.
Mortgage-Backed Securities
Mortgage-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations and certain stripped mortgage-backed securities, represent a participation in, or are secured by, mortgage loans.
Mortgage Dollar Rolls
Repurchase transactions in which the Fund may agree to sell a mortgage-backed security for settlement on one date and buy back the same security for settlement on a later date at a lower price.
When-Issued, To-Be-Announced ("TBA") and Delayed-Delivery Securities
Securities that are purchased or sold for delivery at a later time. In a TBA transaction, a seller generally agrees to deliver a mortgage-backed security meeting certain criteria at a future date.
Zero Coupon Bonds
Debt instruments that are purchased at a discount from face value. The bond's face value is received at maturity, with no interest payments before then.
Derivatives
Derivative instruments 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 credit default swap contracts, swaps, futures contracts (both short and long positions), options on futures contracts, options, and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may use derivatives for hedging (attempting to reduce risk by offsetting one investment position with another), for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity), for managing certain risks (such as yield curve exposure, interest rate risk or credit risk), to generate income, to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly or for any other permissible purpose. Hedging may relate to a specific investment, a group of investments, or the Fund's portfolio as a whole. Currently, some swaps may be negotiated bilaterally and others may be subject to mandatory clearing and exchange trading requirements. These requirements may decrease counterparty exposure and increase liquidity, but will not make swap transactions risk free.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies the shares of which are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
1 Obligations of entities such as the GNMA are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Others, such as the FNMA, SLMA, FHLB, FHLMC, FMAC and TVA are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. FFCB is supported only by the credit of the federal instrumentality. See the SAI for more information about investments in obligations of U.S. government instrumentalities and wholly-owned government corporations.
The Adviser may use other types of investment strategies in pursuing the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities that the Adviser may purchase or investment techniques the Adviser may employ that are not considered to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional securities and techniques are described 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.
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.
General Risks
Market Risk The market value of a security may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector of the economy, or the entire market. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Manager Risk The investment process used by the investment team may produce incorrect judgments about the value of a particular asset or the team may implement its investment strategy in a way that may not produce the desired results.
Debt Security Risks
Interest Rate Risk The value of a security will decline if interest rates rise. When interest rates go up, the value of a debt security typically goes down. When interest rates go down, the value of a debt security typically goes up. Generally, the market values of securities with longer maturities are more sensitive to changes in interest rates. In addition, during periods of increased market volatility, the market values of fixed income securities may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates. Interest rates may rise or the rate of inflation may increase, impacting the value of investments in fixed income securities. A debt issuers credit quality may be downgraded or an issuer may default. Interest rates may fluctuate due to changes in governmental fiscal policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives.
Inflation Risk Inflation will 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.
Reinvestment Risk When interest rates are declining, the interest income and prepayments on a security the Fund receives will have to be reinvested at lower interest rates. Generally, interest rate risk and reinvestment risk tend to have offsetting effects, though not necessarily of the same magnitude.
Credit (or Default) Risk The issuer of a debt security may be unable to make timely payments of interest or principal. Credit risk is measured by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations ("NRSROs") such as Standard & Poor's ("S&P"), Fitch, Inc., and Moody's Investor Service ("Moody's").
Liquidity Risk A lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the Funds ability to sell a security at an advantageous time or price. Adverse market or economic conditions, including rising interest rates, may adversely affect the liquidity of the Funds investments and may lead to increased redemptions. In addition, the Fund, by itself or together with other accounts managed by the Adviser, may hold a position in a security that is large relative to the typical trading volume for that security, which can make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of the position at an advantageous time or price. Illiquid securities and relatively less liquid securities may also be difficult to value. Over recent years, the capacity of dealers to make markets in fixed income securities has been outpaced by the growth in the size of the fixed income markets. Liquidity risk may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment or when investor redemptions from fixed income funds may be higher than normal, due to the increased supply in the market that would result from selling activity.
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk
Prepayment Risk During periods of falling interest rates, mortgage and asset-backed securities, which typically provide the issuer with the right to call or prepay the security prior to maturity, may be called or prepaid, which may result in the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds in other investments at a lower interest rate. As a result, mortgage and asset-backed 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 values during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayment rates are difficult to predict and the potential impact of prepayments on the value of a mortgage- or asset-backed security depends on the terms of the instrument and can result in significant volatility. Interest rate levels and other factors may affect the frequency of mortgage prepayments, which in turn can affect the average life of a pool of mortgage-related securities. In periods of rising interest rates, the prepayment rate tends to decrease, lengthening the average life of a pool of mortgage-related securities. In periods of falling interest rates, the prepayment rate tends to increase, shortening the average life of a pool of mortgage-related securities.
Extension Risk The rate of anticipated prepayments of principal may not occur, typically because of a rise in interest rates, and the expected maturity of the security will increase. During periods of rapidly rising interest rates, the effective average maturity of a security may be extended past what the Fund's portfolio manager anticipated that it would be. The market value of securities with longer maturities tends to be more volatile.
Underlying Collateral Risk The price of a mortgage- or asset-backed security also depends on the credit quality and adequacy of the underlying assets or collateral. Enforcing rights against the underlying assets or collateral may be difficult, or the underlying assets or collateral may be insufficient if the issuer defaults. Subprime mortgage loans, which typically are made to less creditworthy borrowers, have a higher risk of default than conventional mortgage loans. Some mortgage-backed securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government while other mortgage-backed securities are backed only by the credit of the government them. Other mortgage-backed securities are issued by private entities and are not guaranteed by the U.S. government or any agency or instrumentality of the U.S. government.
Mortgage Dollar Roll Risk
A dollar roll involves potential risks of loss that are different from those related to the securities underlying the transactions. The use of dollar rolls can increase the volatility of the Fund's share price, and it may adversely impact on performance unless the Adviser correctly predicts mortgage prepayments and interest rates. Since the counterparty in the transaction is required to deliver a similar, but not identical, security to the Fund, the security that the Fund is required to buy under the dollar roll may be worth less than an identical security. There is no assurance that the Fund's use of cash that it receives from a dollar roll will provide a return that exceeds borrowing costs. In addition, investment in mortgage dollar rolls may significantly increase the Fund's portfolio turnover rate, which can increase the Fund's expenses and decrease returns.
When-Issued, TBA and Delayed-Delivery Securities Risk
The market value of the security issued on a when-issued, TBA or delayed-delivery basis may change before the delivery date, which may adversely impact the Fund's NAV. There is also the risk that a party fails to deliver the security on time or at all.
Below-Investment-Grade Securities Risk
Below-investment-grade securities ("junk bonds") are subject to certain risks in addition to those risks associated with higher-rated securities. Below-investment-grade securities generally offer higher yields than investment-grade securities with similar maturities because the financial condition of the issuers may not be as strong as issuers of investment-grade securities. For this reason, below-investment-grade securities may be considered "speculative," which means that there is a higher risk that the Fund may lose a substantial portion or all of its investment in a particular below-investment-grade security. Below-investment-grade securities may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic conditions, which may cause them to be downgraded or default, less liquid, and more difficult to evaluate than investment-grade securities.
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. 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%.
Foreign Investments 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. In addition to foreign securities, the Fund may be exposed to foreign markets as a result of the Fund's investments in U.S. companies that have international exposure. Certain of these risks may also apply to some extent to U.S. investments that are denominated in foreign currencies and to investments in U.S. companies that have significant foreign operations.
Derivatives Risks
The use of derivative instruments, such as futures contracts and credit default swaps, exposes the Fund to additional risks and transaction costs. Risks of derivative instruments include: (1) the risk that interest rates, securities prices, asset values, and currency markets will not move in the direction that a portfolio manager anticipates; (2) imperfect correlation between the price of derivative instruments and movements in the prices of the securities, assets, interest rates or currencies being hedged; (3) the fact that skills needed to use these strategies are different than those needed to select portfolio securities; (4) the possible absence of a liquid secondary market for any particular instrument and possible exchange imposed price fluctuation limits, either of which may make it difficult or impossible to close out a position when desired; (5) the risk that adverse price movements in an instrument can result in a loss substantially greater than the Fund's initial investment in that instrument (in some cases, the potential loss is unlimited); (6) particularly in the case of privately-negotiated instruments, the risk that the counterparty will not perform its obligations, which could leave the Fund worse off than if it had not entered into the position; and (7) the inability to close out certain hedged positions to avoid adverse tax consequences.
The Fund may enter into credit derivatives, such as credit default swaps and credit default index investments (1) as alternatives to direct (long or short) investment in a particular security, (2) to adjust the Fund's asset allocation or risk exposure, or (3) for hedging purposes. These investments can create investment leverage and may create additional investment risks that may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in more-traditional securities. Currently, some swaps may be negotiated bilaterally and others may be subject to mandatory clearing and exchange trading requirements. These requirements may decrease counterparty exposure and increase liquidity, but will not make swap transactions risk free.
Investment Company Risk
The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of other 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.
The Adviser may use several types of investment strategies in pursuing 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.
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 (1) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (2) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (3) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (4) 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 borrowers 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.
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 Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each of the Victory Funds pursuant to an investment management agreement. The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser is a New York corporation that is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). As of September 30, 2018, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $63.6 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's principal 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. INCORE Capital Management ("INCORE"), a Victory Capital investment franchise, is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Fund.
For its fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, the Fund paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate of 0.40% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
See "Fund Fees and Expenses" for information about any contractual agreement agreed to by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to the Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to the Fund.
A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund's semi-annual report for the period ending December 31, 2018.
Portfolio Management
Edward D. Goard, Richard A. Consul, S. Brad Fush, and James R. Kelts are Co-Portfolio Managers of the Fund. Portfolio Managers for the Fund are, together, jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Goard is a Managing Director and a Chief Investment Officer of INCORE and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. From 2007-2014, Mr. Goard was an investment professional with Munder Capital Management, where he was a member of the portfolio management team of the Fund's predecessor fund since 2009. He was previously with Barclays Global Investors (BGI) as a senior portfolio manager and the head of interest rate and mortgage strategies. Mr. Goard is a CFA charterholder.
Mr. Consul is a Senior Portfolio Manager of INCORE and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. From 2010-2014, Mr. Consul was an investment professional with Munder Capital Management, where he was a member of the portfolio management team of the Fund's predecessor fund since 2012. Prior to that, Mr. Consul was a foreign exchange currency trader and a futures/options trader specializing in crude oil for a commodities hedge fund portfolio. Mr. Consul is a CFA charterholder.
Mr. Fush is a Director Fixed Income Credit Research of INCORE and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. From 2000-2014, Mr. Fush was an investment professional with Munder Capital Management, where he was a member of the portfolio management team of the Fund's predecessor fund since 2012. Mr. Fush is a CFA charterholder.
Mr. Kelts is a Senior Portfolio Manager of INCORE and has been with the Adviser since 2014 when the Adviser acquired Munder Capital Management. From 2003-2014, Mr. Kelts was an investment professional with Munder Capital Management, where he was a member of the portfolio management team of the Fund's predecessor fund since 2012. Mr. Kelts is a CFA charterholder.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts they manage and any ownership interests they have in the Fund.
Investing with the Victory Funds
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
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.
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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class Y shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
This section of the Prospectus describes each share class currently offered by the Victory Funds. Keep in mind that not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. Therefore, certain classes may be discussed below that are not necessarily offered in this Prospectus. The classes of shares that are offered by the Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
This section of the Prospectus also describes how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund. Note, this information may 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-FUND. They will be happy to assist you.
Share Price
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.
The Fund calculates its share price, called its net asset value ("NAV"), each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, the Fund's share price will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is next calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
To the extent the Funds investments include securities that are primarily traded in foreign markets, the value of those securities may change on days when shareholders are unable to purchase and redeem the Funds shares, such as on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares.
A Fund that invests primarily in fixed income securities reserves the right to close if the primary trading markets of the Fund's portfolio instruments are closed and the Fund's management believes that there is not an adequate market to meet purchase, redemption or exchange requests. In addition, if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association ("SIFMA") recommends that government securities dealers close before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (the "Alternative Closing Time"), the Fund reserves the right to refuse any purchase or redemption order received after the Alternative Closing Time. If the Fund closes at the Alternative Closing Time, its NAV will be calculated as of the Alternative Closing Time. You may not be able to buy or sell shares on Columbus Day and Veterans Day, or on holidays when the Federal Reserve system is closed, but the NYSE and other financial markets are 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:
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 VictoryFunds.com.
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
CLASS C
CLASS I
CLASS R
CLASS R6
CLASS Y
Share Classes
When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class. The Fund offers the share classes listed on the Prospectus cover. Each share class represents an interest in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes differ in the sales charges, if any, and expenses that apply to your investment, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs.
Deciding which share class best suits your investment needs 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.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. For example, a class of shares may be available to purchase only by retirement plans or by institutional investors. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons. Certain financial intermediaries who hold shares on behalf of their customers impose fees when the amount of shares of a particular class falls below a minimum threshold. To the extent that the amount of shares falls below that threshold, the Fund reserves the right to liquidate the shares held in accounts maintained by the financial intermediary.
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 NAV plus any applicable initial sales charge, also referred to as the "front-end sales load." The sales charge may be reduced or eliminated for larger purchases, as detailed below or as described under Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares . The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales charge are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through an intermediary specified in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform the Victory Funds or 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 Victory accounts and any linked accounts, such as accounts opened with a different financial intermediary.
The current sales charge rates and breakpoint levels for Class A shares of the Fund 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 1 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
1 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 within twelve months of 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 CDSC reductions for Class A Shares and Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries for details.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
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 sales charges.
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, with 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 for shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your Investment Professional; (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).
The availability of a sales charge reduction or waiver discussed below will depend upon whether you purchase your shares directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary. In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Fund or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. Different intermediaries may impose different sales charges. These variations are described in Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries. Except as described with respect to the intermediaries specified in Appendix A, all Class A shares are subject to the terms stated herein. In order to obtain waivers and discounts that are not available through your intermediary, you must purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions, free of charge, at vcm.com/policies, by clicking on Victory Portfolios' Mutual Funds Pricing Policies.
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in a number of ways:
You should inform the Fund or your Investment Professional at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
CDSC for Class A Shares
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 within twelve months of 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.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries . All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through the intermediaries specified in Appendix A.
CDSC for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within twelve 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 reinvested do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinvested shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinvestment. 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 a CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries .
CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares
No CDSC is imposed on redemptions of Class A and Class C shares in the following circumstances:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Class I shares may only be purchased by:
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.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R Shares
The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
Class R shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R6 Shares
Class R6 shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class Y Shares
Class Y shares may only be purchased by:
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 $1,000,000.
Eligibility of Individuals Associated with the Victory Funds and Fund Service Providers
Current and retired Victory Fund trustees and the officers, directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or Affiliated Providers are eligible to purchase the lowest expense share class offered by the Fund. In the case of Class A shares, such purchases are not subject to a front-end sales charge. "Affiliated Providers" are affiliates of the Adviser and organizations that provide services to the Trust.
Information About Fees
Distribution and Service 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, Class C and Class R 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 its average daily net assets of its Class A shares. Under the Class R Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.50% of its average daily net assets of its Class R shares. The fee is paid for general distribution services and for providing personal services to shareholders. 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, if you purchase Fund shares through an Investment Professional, a broker dealer, or other financial intermediary, the Fund may pay for sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping and/or similar administrative services. In addition, the Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Funds, to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities. 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 other Investment Professionals for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing."
In some circumstances, these types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the 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 from the resources of the Adviser or its affiliates on sales of or investments in Class R6 shares.
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 Victory Funds' website, VictoryFunds.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 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
If you wish to make a purchase directly from the Victory Funds, 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase with respect to some types of accounts .
For Class C shares, individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares.
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 through an Advisory Program 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.
The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
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:
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.
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.
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 VictoryFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at VictoryFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
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.
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.
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.
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BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
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BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
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
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ON THE INTERNET |
www.VictoryFunds.com |
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of Fund shares in 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.
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-FUND or by visiting VictoryFunds.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:
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.
Class C Share Conversion
Class C shares of the Fund will automatically convert to Class A shares in the month following the 10-year anniversary date of the purchase of the Class C Shares. The conversion will be effected at the relative NAV of each such class without the imposition of any sales charge, fee or other charge.
You may be able to voluntarily convert your Class C shares before the 10-year anniversary to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower total annual operating expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This voluntary 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 Voluntary Exchange/Conversion
If your exchange or conversion 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 request will be processed the same day. If received after the close of trading, your request will be processed on the next business day. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any exchange or conversion.
Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the Fund's share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus. Share class conversions will be based on the respective NAV 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 NAVs.
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.
By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at VictoryFunds.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.
How to Sell Shares
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
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.VictoryFunds.com.
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BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-FUND. 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:
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.
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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:
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.
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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 next business day.
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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, 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
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.
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your share of net income and capital gains on the Fund's investments. The Fund passes its earnings along to investors in the form of dividends. Dividends paid by the Fund represent the net income from dividends and interest earned on investments after expenses. The Fund will distribute short-term gains, as necessary, and if the Fund makes a long-term capital gain distribution, it is normally paid once a year.
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.
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-FUND.
Reinvestment Option
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of your 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-FUND.
Cash Option
If you elect to receive your distributions by check, and the distribution amount is $25 or less, the amount will automatically be reinvested in the Fund. Otherwise 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 U.S. 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 as 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 Fund shares and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
Directed Distributions 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 will pay a sales charge on the amount of 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.
Important Information About Taxes
The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax adviser about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.
The Fund expects to pay no federal income tax on the earnings and capital gains it distributes to shareholders.
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 Victory Funds must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
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 Victory Funds and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Funds may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Victory Funds 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 in all cases by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee (MSG). In some instances a Notary Public stamp is an acceptable alternative. 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.
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.
The Funds' Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Funds will:
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, VictoryFunds.com, and on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
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 SECs website, www.sec.gov. The Fund also discloses its complete portfolio holdings each calendar quarter on the Fund's website, VictoryFunds.com, no earlier than the 15th day after the quarter end.
The Fund also discloses its complete portfolio holdings each calendar quarter on the Fund's website, VictoryFunds.com, no earlier than the 15th day after the quarter end.
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, VictoryFunds.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.
While this Prospectus and the SAI of the Fund describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Fund, neither this Prospectus nor the SAI represents a contract between the Trust or the Fund and any shareholder.
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, or, if shorter, the period of its 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).
For periods prior to October 31, 2014, the Fund's financial highlights includes historical information of the Fund's predecessor, Munder Bond Fund, a separate series of Munder Series Trust that was managed by Munder Capital Management.
The information for each period has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's annual report. The Fund's annual and semi-annual reports are available by calling the Fund at 800-539-FUND and at VictoryFunds.com.
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $9.54 | $9.79 | $9.79 | $10.08 | $9.75 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.20 | 0.23 | 0.29 | 0.36 | 0.35 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | (0.24) | (0.14) | 0.02 | (0.36) | 0.31 |
Total from Investment Activities | (0.04) | 0.09 | 0.31 | | 0.66 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.29) | (0.34) | (0.32) | (0.29) | (0.33) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.29) | (0.34) | (0.32) | (0.29) | (0.33) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.01 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $9.21 | $9.54 | $9.79 | $9.79 | $10.08 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | (0.49)% | 0.97% | 3.34%(b) | (0.06)% | 6.93% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $12,592 | $14,569 | $15,908 | $18,529 | $24,336 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.85% | 0.85% | 0.85% | 0.85% | 0.85% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 2.15% | 2.35% | 3.04% | 3.56% | 3.57% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 1.11% | 1.07% | 1.08% | 1.14% | 1.21% |
Portfolio turnover (d),(e) | 110% | 210% | 423% | 259% | 262% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.05% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
(e) The portfolio turnover rates excluding mortgage dollar roll transactions were 103%, 57%, 64%, 62%, and 98% for the years ended June 30, 2018, June 30, 2017, June 30, 2016, June 30, 2015 and June 30, 2014, respectively.
Class C Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $9.60 | $9.86 | $9.86 | $10.16 | $9.82 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.14 | 0.15 | 0.22 | 0.28 | 0.29 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | (0.25) | (0.14) | 0.02 | (0.37) | 0.30 |
Total from Investment Activities | (0.11) | 0.01 | 0.24 | (0.09) | 0.59 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.21) | (0.27) | (0.25) | (0.21) | (0.26) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.21) | (0.27) | (0.25) | (0.21) | (0.26) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.01 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $9.28 | $9.60 | $9.86 | $9.86 | $10.16 |
Total Return (excludes contingent deferred sales charge) | (1.12)% | 0.13% | 2.56%(b) | (0.87)% | 6.19% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $973 | $2,073 | $3,256 | $3,601 | $4,941 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 1.60% | 1.60% | 1.60% | 1.60% | 1.60% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.43% | 1.60% | 2.29% | 2.80% | 2.89% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 2.31% | 1.61% | 2.00% | 2.02% | 1.96% |
Portfolio turnover (d),(e) | 110% | 210% | 423% | 259% | 262% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.05% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
(e) The portfolio turnover rates excluding mortgage dollar roll transactions were 103%, 57%, 64%, 62%, and 98% for the years ended June 30, 2018, June 30, 2017, June 30, 2016, June 30, 2015 and June 30, 2014, respectively.
Class R6 Shares | ||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Period
Ended June 30, 2015(a) |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $9.55 | $9.81 | $9.81 | $10.02 |
Investment Activities: | ||||
Net investment income (loss)(b) | 0.22 | 0.25 | 0.31 | 0.10 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | (0.23) | (0.14) | 0.02 | (0.21) |
Total from Investment Activities | (0.01) | 0.11 | 0.33 | (0.11) |
Distributions to Shareholders: | ||||
Net investment income | (0.31) | (0.37) | (0.34) | (0.10) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.31) | (0.37) | (0.34) | (0.10) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.01 | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $9.23 | $9.55 | $9.81 | $9.81 |
Total Return (c) | (0.12)% | 1.19% | 3.60%(d) | (1.16)% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | ||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $25,438 | $6,698 | $2,456 | $1,418 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (e) | 0.58% | 0.58% | 0.58% | 0.58% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (e) | 2.37% | 2.63% | 3.25% | 2.93% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (e),(f) | 0.62% | 0.91% | 1.59% | 1.51% |
Portfolio turnover (c),(g),(h) | 110% | 210% | 423% | 259% |
(a) Class R6 Shares of the Fund commenced operations on March 4, 2015.
(b) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(c) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.05% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(e) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(f) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(g) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
(h) The portfolio turnover rates excluding mortgage dollar roll transactions were 103%, 57%, 64% and 62% for the years ended June 30, 2018, June 30, 2017, June 30, 2016 and June 30, 2015, respectively.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $9.55 | $9.81 | $9.81 | $10.10 | $9.77 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.23 | 0.25 | 0.32 | 0.36 | 0.38 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | (0.24) | (0.14) | 0.01 | (0.34) | 0.31 |
Total from Investment Activities | (0.01) | 0.11 | 0.33 | 0.02 | 0.69 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.31) | (0.37) | (0.34) | (0.31) | (0.36) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (0.31) | (0.37) | (0.34) | (0.31) | (0.36) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.01 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $9.23 | $9.55 | $9.81 | $9.81 | $10.10 |
Total Return | (0.13)% | 1.17% | 3.59%(b) | 0.18% | 7.18% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $52,633 | $76,263 | $78,705 | $89,310 | $54,345 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.59% | 0.60% | 0.60% | 0.60% | 0.60% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 2.43% | 2.61% | 3.29% | 3.59% | 3.83% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 0.59% | 0.62% | 0.61% | 0.71% | 0.96% |
Portfolio turnover (d),(e) | 110% | 210% | 423% | 259% | 262% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.05% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
(e) The portfolio turnover rates excluding mortgage dollar roll transactions were 103%, 57%, 64%, 62%, and 98% for the years ended June 30, 2018, June 30, 2017, June 30, 2016, June 30, 2015 and June 30, 2014, respectively.
Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge
Reductions and Waivers Available Through
Certain Intermediaries
The availability of certain initial and contingent deferred sales charge reductions and waivers may depend on the particular financial intermediary or type of account through which you purchase or hold Fund shares. The following information about variations in sales charge reductions and waivers is applicable only to investors who purchase Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise Financial, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, or Raymond James platform or account.
In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Fund or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. For reductions and waivers not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive those reductions and waivers.
Merrill Lynch
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or in the SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan |
Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan |
Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch's platform |
Shares of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if applicable) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date |
Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members |
Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund's investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
CDSC Waivers on A and C Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ |
Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to a fee based account or platform (applicable to A and C shares only) |
Front-end load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable) |
Ameriprise Financial
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Ameriprise Financial |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs |
Shares purchased through an Ameriprise Financial investment advisory program (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Ameriprise Financials platform (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to such shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply to exchanges following such shorter period. To the extent that this Prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares for load waived shares, that waiver will also apply to such exchanges |
Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members |
Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisors spouse, advisors lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisors lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement) |
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account are eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Morgan Stanley |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans |
Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley's account linking rules |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund |
Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account |
Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Managements share class conversion program |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge |
Raymond James
Effective March 1, 2019, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent-deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Raymond James |
Shares purchased in an investment advisory program |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James |
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C Shares available at Raymond James |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Front-End Load Discounts Available at Raymond James: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
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 do not 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 VictoryFunds.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:
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.
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-ITRB-PRO (11/18) |
November 1, 2018
Prospectus
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund
Class A | Class C | Class I | Class R | Class R6 | Class Y |
MUXAX | | | MUXRX | | MUXYX |
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
VictoryFunds.com
800-539-FUND
(800-539-3863)
The Fund currently offers those classes listed above with an associated ticker symbol.
|
|
Table of Contents Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries Organization and Management of the Fund |
S&P 500 Index Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide performance and income that is comparable to the S&P 500 ® Index.
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 immediate 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 in Investing with the Victory Funds on page 11 of the Fund's Prospectus, in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries and from your Investment Professional. You may also find information about these discounts in Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information on page 42 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees
(paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class R | Class Y |
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
2.50% | NONE | NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
NONE 1 | NONE | NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
|||
Management Fees | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.15% | 0.50% | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.20% | 0.27% | 0.19% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expense | 0.55% | 0.97% | 0.39% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge of 0.75% may be imposed on Class A shares with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within 12 months of purchase. For additional information, see the section entitled Choosing a Share Class .
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:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $305 | $422 | $550 | $922 |
Class R | $99 | $309 | $536 | $1,190 |
Class Y | $40 | $125 | $219 | $493 |
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 will generally indicate higher transaction costs, resulting 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 period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 2% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of companies in the S&P 500 ® Index ("Index"). The Index is an unmanaged index of 500 common stocks selected by Standard & Poor's as representative of a broad range of industries within the U.S. economy, including foreign securities. The Index is composed primarily of stocks issued by large-capitalization companies.
To replicate the performance of the Index, the Adviser purchases and maintains all or substantially all of the securities included in the Index, in approximately the same percentages as such securities are included in the Index. Because the Fund seeks to track the performance of the Index, the Adviser does not actively determine the stock selection or sector allocation. The percentage weighting of a particular security in the Index is determined by that security's relative total market capitalization, which is the market price per share of the security multiplied by the number of shares outstanding.
To track the Index as closely as possible, the Fund attempts to remain fully invested in stocks. The Fund normally invests at least 95% of its net assets in the stocks of companies included in the Index. The Adviser uses futures contracts to manage cash, accrued dividends and other non-performing assets in an effort to minimize performance disparity between the Fund and the Index.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
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.
Investment Performance
The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Funds average annual total returns of the Fund's share classes, including applicable maximum sales charges, over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
Performance data for the classes varies based on differences in their fee and expense structures. 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 VictoryFunds.com.
The performance figures for Class A, R and Y shares reflect the historical performance prior to October 31, 2014 of, respectively, the Class A, R and Y shares of the Munder Index 500 Fund, a series of Munder Series Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by Munder Capital Management). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any difference in the expenses of the Munder Index 500 Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's least expensive class of shares, Class Y shares. Due to differing charges and expenses, the performance of classes not shown in the bar chart will differ.)
The year-to-date total return of the Fund's Class Y shares as of September 30, 2018 was 10.28%.
Highest Quarter | 15.83% (quarter ended June 30, 2009) |
Lowest Quarter | -22.12% (quarter ended December 31, 2008) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2017) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 21.29% | 15.29% | 8.03% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 16.96% | 12.54% | 5.80% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 15.58% | 11.90% | 6.11% |
CLASS A Before Taxes | 18.05% | 14.51% | 7.58% |
CLASS R Before Taxes | 20.57% | 14.63% | 7.45% |
INDEX | |||
S&P 500
®
Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
21.83% | 15.79% | 8.50% |
After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and 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 share class. The after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
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 Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.
Investment Team
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA ® | President, VictoryShares and Solutions | Since May 2018 |
Stephen Hammers, CIMA ® | Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares | Since January 2016 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Class A | Class R | Class Y |
Minimum Initial Investment | $2,500 | NONE | $1,000,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 | NONE | NONE |
For Class A Shares a $1,000 minimum purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and automatic investment plans.
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, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
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.
Payments 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. 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.
Additional Fund Information
Victory Capital Management Inc., which we refer to as the "Adviser" throughout the Prospectus, manages the Fund.
The S&P 500 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."
The following section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective, as well as any secondary strategies the Fund may use, and the related risks. In managing the Fund, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. The Fund does not try to outperform the S&P 500 ® Index ("Index"). Fund's expenses.
The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between a 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.
This Prospectus does not attempt to describe all of the various investment techniques and types of investments that the Adviser may use in managing the Fund. The SAI includes more information about the Fund, its investments, and the related risks. Keep in mind that for cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, short-term money market instruments or shares of other investment companies. This may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market, cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective and increase the Fund's expenses.
Unless otherwise stated in the Funds Principal Investment Strategies or in the SAI, the Fund's investment objective and investment policy to invest under normal market conditions at least 80% of its assets in the type of securities suggested by the Fund's name are each non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders. For purposes of the Fund's 80% investment policy, "assets" means the Fund's net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or please visit VictoryFunds.com.
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy. The Fund will not necessarily buy all of the securities listed below.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock, preferred stock, and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
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 invest in futures in an effort to hedge against market or currency risk, as a temporary substitute for buying or selling securities or for temporary cash management purposes. There is no assurance that the Fund will engage in any hedging transactions.
The Adviser may use other types of investment strategies in pursuing the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities that the Adviser may purchase or investment techniques the Adviser may employ that are not considered to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional securities and techniques are described in the Fund's SAI.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies the shares of which 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.
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.
Equity Risk
The value of an equity security will fluctuate in response to changes in earnings or other conditions affecting the issuer's profitability or in general market conditions. Unlike debt securities, which have preference to a company's assets in case of liquidation, equity securities are entitled to the residual value after the company meets its other obligations.
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. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders.
The Fund's ability to track the return of the Index is affected by the fact that the Fund pays fees and transaction costs, while the Index does not; therefore, the Fund's returns are likely to be lower than those of the Index. Tracking variance may also result from the impact of share purchases, redemptions and other factors not affecting the Index.
Index Strategy Risk
The Fund will invest in the securities included in the Index regardless of market trends. As a result, the Fund does not modify its investment strategy to respond to changes in the economy, which means it may be particularly susceptible to a general decline in the large-capitalization sector of the U.S. stock market.
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.
Stock Market Risk
Stock market risk refers to the fact that stock (equity securities) prices typically fluctuate more than the values of other types of securities, typically in response to changes in the particular companys financial condition and factors affecting the market in general. Over time, the stock market tends to move in cycles, with periods when stock prices rise, and periods when stock prices decline. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on stock prices. Consequently, a broad-based market drop may also cause a stocks price to fall. Portfolio securities may also decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally, such as real or perceived adverse economic, political or regulatory conditions, inflation, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment, or due to factors affecting particular industries represented in the securities markets, such as competitive conditions. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer can impact a market as a whole, and adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may not have the same impact on all types of securities. In addition, the markets may not favor a particular kind of security, including equity securities. Values of securities may fall due to factors affecting a particular issuer, industry or the securities market as a whole.
The Adviser may use several types of investment strategies in pursuing 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.
Investment Company Risk
The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of other 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.
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 (1) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (2) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (3) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (4) 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 borrowers 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.
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 Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each of the Victory Funds pursuant to an investment management agreement. The Adviser oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser is a New York corporation that is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). As of September 30, 2018, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $63.6 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's principal address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams. The Adviser's Victory Solutions platform oversees its rules-based investment strategies and is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Fund.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate of 0.20% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
See "Fund Fees and Expenses" for information about any contractual agreement agreed to by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to the Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to the Fund.
A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund's semi-annual report for the period ending December 31, 2018.
Portfolio Management
Mannik Dhillon serves as President, VictoryShares and Solutions, for the Adviser and has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since May 2018. From 2015-2017, he served as the Advisers Head of Investment Solutions, Product, and Strategy. From 2010 to 2015, Mr. Dhillon served as a managing director and head of manager research with Wilshire Associates, where he evaluated asset managers and led strategic consulting engagements. Mr. Dhillon is a CFA and CAIA ® charterholder.
Stephen Hammers has been the Chief Portfolio Strategist of VictoryShares since April 2017 and a portfolio manager of the Fund since July 2016. From 2015 - April 2017, Mr. Hammers was the Chief Investment Officer of CEMP, a Victory Capital investment franchise. 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. Hammers is a CIMA ® charterholder.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts they manage and any ownership interests they have in the Fund.
Investing with the Victory Funds
All you need to do to get started is to fill out an application.
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.
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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class Y shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders.
This section of the Prospectus describes each share class currently offered by the Victory Funds. Keep in mind that not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. Therefore, certain classes may be discussed below that are not necessarily offered in this Prospectus. The classes of shares that are offered by the Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
This section of the Prospectus also describes how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund. Note, this information may 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-FUND. They will be happy to assist you.
Share Price
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.
The Fund calculates its share price, called its net asset value ("NAV"), each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. ("NYSE"), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, the Fund's share price will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is next calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open.
To the extent the Funds investments include securities that are primarily traded in foreign markets, the value of those securities may change on days when shareholders are unable to purchase and redeem the Funds shares, such as on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares.
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:
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 VictoryFunds.com.
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
CLASS C
CLASS I
CLASS R
CLASS R6
CLASS Y
Share Classes
When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class. The Fund offers the share classes listed on the Prospectus cover. Each share class represents an interest in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes differ in the sales charges, if any, and expenses that apply to your investment, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs.
Deciding which share class best suits your investment needs 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.
The Fund reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. For example, a class of shares may be available to purchase only by retirement plans or by institutional investors. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons. Certain financial intermediaries who hold shares on behalf of their customers impose fees when the amount of shares of a particular class falls below a minimum threshold. To the extent that the amount of shares falls below that threshold, the Fund reserves the right to liquidate the shares held in accounts maintained by the financial intermediary.
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 NAV plus any applicable initial sales charge, also referred to as the "front-end sales load." The sales charge may be reduced or eliminated for larger purchases, as detailed below or as described under Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares . The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales charge are commonly referred to as "breakpoints."
All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through an intermediary specified in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform the Victory Funds or 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 Victory accounts and any linked accounts, such as accounts opened with a different financial intermediary.
The current sales charge rates and breakpoint levels for Class A shares of the Fund are listed below:
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales Charge
as a % of Offering Price |
Sales Charge
as a % of Your Investment |
Up to $99,999 | 2.50% | 2.56% |
$100,000 up to $249,999 | 2.00% | 2.04% |
$250,000 up to $499,999 | 1.50% | 1.52% |
$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
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 sales charges.
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, with 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 for shares of the Victory Funds held in: (i) all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) with the Victory Funds and your Investment Professional; (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).
The availability of a sales charge reduction or waiver discussed below will depend upon whether you purchase your shares directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary. In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Fund or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. Different intermediaries may impose different sales charges. These variations are described in Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries. Except as described with respect to the intermediaries specified in Appendix A, all Class A shares are subject to the terms stated herein. In order to obtain waivers and discounts that are not available through your intermediary, you must purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions, free of charge, at vcm.com/policies, by clicking on Victory Portfolios' Mutual Funds Pricing Policies.
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge in a number of ways:
You should inform the Fund or your Investment Professional at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
CDSC for Class A Shares
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 within twelve months of 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.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries . All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through the intermediaries specified in Appendix A.
CDSC for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within twelve 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 reinvested do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinvested shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinvestment. 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 a CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries .
CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares
No CDSC is imposed on redemptions of Class A and Class C shares in the following circumstances:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Class I shares may only be purchased by:
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.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R Shares
The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
Class R shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R6 Shares
Class R6 shares may only be purchased by:
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class Y Shares
Class Y shares may only be purchased by:
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 $1,000,000.
Eligibility of Individuals Associated with the Victory Funds and Fund Service Providers
Current and retired Victory Fund trustees and the officers, directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or Affiliated Providers are eligible to purchase the lowest expense share class offered by the Fund. In the case of Class A shares, such purchases are not subject to a front-end sales charge. "Affiliated Providers" are affiliates of the Adviser and organizations that provide services to the Trust.
Information About Fees
Distribution and Service 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, Class C and Class R 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 its average daily net assets of its Class A shares. Under the Class R Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.50% of its average daily net assets of its Class R shares. The fee is paid for general distribution services and for providing personal services to shareholders. 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, if you purchase Fund shares through an Investment Professional, a broker dealer, or other financial intermediary, the Fund may pay for sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping and/or similar administrative services. In addition, the Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Funds, to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities. 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 other Investment Professionals for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing."
In some circumstances, these types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the 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 from the resources of the Adviser or its affiliates on sales of or investments in Class R6 shares.
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 Victory Funds' website, VictoryFunds.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 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
If you wish to make a purchase directly from the Victory Funds, 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y 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, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares except as set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase with respect to some types of accounts .
For Class C shares, individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will automatically be made in Class A shares.
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 through an Advisory Program 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.
The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
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:
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.
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.
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 VictoryFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section "Exchanging Shares."
Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at VictoryFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House ("ACH") payment in order to execute online purchases.
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.
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.
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.
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BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
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BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
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
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ON THE INTERNET |
www.VictoryFunds.com |
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of Fund shares in 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.
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-FUND or by visiting VictoryFunds.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:
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.
Class C Share Conversion
Class C shares of the Fund will automatically convert to Class A shares in the month following the 10-year anniversary date of the purchase of the Class C Shares. The conversion will be effected at the relative NAV of each such class without the imposition of any sales charge, fee or other charge.
You may be able to voluntarily convert your Class C shares before the 10-year anniversary to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower total annual operating expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This voluntary 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 Voluntary Exchange/Conversion
If your exchange or conversion 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 request will be processed the same day. If received after the close of trading, your request will be processed on the next business day. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any exchange or conversion.
Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the Fund's share classes next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus. Share class conversions will be based on the respective NAV 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 NAVs.
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.
By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at VictoryFunds.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.
How to Sell Shares
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases.
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.VictoryFunds.com.
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BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-FUND. 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:
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.
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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:
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.
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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 next 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, 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
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.
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your share of net income and capital gains on the Fund's investments. The Fund passes its earnings along to investors in the form of dividends. Dividends paid by the Fund represent the net income from dividends and interest earned on investments after expenses. The Fund will distribute short-term gains, as necessary, and if the Fund makes a long-term capital gain distribution, it is normally paid once a year.
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.
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-FUND.
Reinvestment Option
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of your 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-FUND.
Cash Option
If you elect to receive your distributions by check, and the distribution amount is $25 or less, the amount will automatically be reinvested in the Fund. Otherwise 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 U.S. 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 as 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 Fund shares and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
Directed Distributions 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 will pay a sales charge on the amount of 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.
Important Information About Taxes
The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax adviser about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.
The Fund expects to pay no federal income tax on the earnings and capital gains it distributes to shareholders.
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 Victory Funds must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
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 Victory Funds and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Funds may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Victory Funds 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 in all cases by either a Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee (MSG). In some instances a Notary Public stamp is an acceptable alternative. 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.
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.
The Funds' Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Funds will:
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, VictoryFunds.com, and on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
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 SECs website, www.sec.gov. The Fund also discloses its complete portfolio holdings each calendar quarter on the Fund's website, VictoryFunds.com, no earlier than the 15th day after the quarter end.
The Fund also discloses its complete portfolio holdings each calendar quarter on the Fund's website, VictoryFunds.com, no earlier than the 15th day after the quarter end.
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, VictoryFunds.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.
While this Prospectus and the SAI of the Fund describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Fund, neither this Prospectus nor the SAI represents a contract between the Trust or the Fund and any shareholder.
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, or, if shorter, the period of its 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).
For periods prior to October 31, 2014, the Fund's financial highlights includes the historical information of the Fund's predecessor, Munder Index 500 Fund, respectively, a separate series of Munder Series Trust that was managed by Munder Capital Management.
The information for each period has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's annual report. The Fund's annual and semi-annual reports are available by calling the Fund at 800-539-FUND and at VictoryFunds.com.
S&P 500 Index Fund
Class A Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $22.20 | $20.54 | $22.24 | $22.75 | $19.73 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.31 | 0.31 | 0.34 | 0.31 | 0.27 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 2.65 | 3.08 | 0.36 | 1.24 | 4.30 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.96 | 3.39 | 0.70 | 1.55 | 4.57 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.31) | (0.34) | (0.35) | (0.32) | (0.28) |
Net realized gains from investments | (3.33) | (1.39) | (2.07) | (1.74) | (1.27) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (3.64) | (1.73) | (2.42) | (2.06) | (1.55) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.02 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $21.52 | $22.20 | $20.54 | $22.24 | $22.75 |
Total Return (excludes sales charge) | 13.73% | 17.16% | 3.49%(b) | 6.76% | 23.73% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $192,530 | $192,390 | $186,089 | $205,737 | $208,223 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.55% | 0.58% | 0.58% | 0.64% | 0.73% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.38% | 1.47% | 1.66% | 1.37% | 1.28% |
Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (c) | 0.55% | 0.58% | 0.58% | 0.64% | 0.83% |
Portfolio turnover (d) | 2% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.09% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class R Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $22.15 | $20.51 | $22.23 | $22.73 | $19.71 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.21 | 0.22 | 0.25 | 0.22 | 0.20 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 2.66 | 3.06 | 0.35 | 1.24 | 4.30 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.87 | 3.28 | 0.60 | 1.46 | 4.50 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.22) | (0.25) | (0.27) | (0.22) | (0.21) |
Net realized gains from investments | (3.33) | (1.39) | (2.07) | (1.74) | (1.27) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (3.55) | (1.64) | (2.34) | (1.96) | (1.48) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.02 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $21.47 | $22.15 | $20.51 | $22.23 | $22.73 |
Total Return | 13.31% | 16.59% | 3.03%(b) | 6.35% | 23.33% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $17,052 | $15,487 | $13,221 | $14,423 | $14,399 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.97% | 1.03% | 1.02% | 1.03% | 1.08% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 0.97% | 1.02% | 1.23% | 0.96% | 0.94% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 2% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.09% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended June 30, 2018 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2017 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2016 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2015 |
Year
Ended June 30, 2014 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $22.31 | $20.64 | $22.33 | $22.83 | $19.80 |
Investment Activities: | |||||
Net investment income (loss)(a) | 0.35 | 0.36 | 0.39 | 0.36 | 0.31 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments | 2.67 | 3.08 | 0.36 | 1.24 | 4.30 |
Total from Investment Activities | 3.02 | 3.44 | 0.75 | 1.60 | 4.61 |
Distributions to Shareholders: | |||||
Net investment income | (0.34) | (0.38) | (0.39) | (0.36) | (0.31) |
Net realized gains from investments | (3.33) | (1.39) | (2.07) | (1.74) | (1.27) |
Total Distributions to Shareholders | (3.67) | (1.77) | (2.46) | (2.10) | (1.58) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | 0.02 | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $21.66 | $22.31 | $20.64 | $22.33 | $22.83 |
Total Return | 13.96% | 17.33% | 3.74%(b) | 6.94% | 23.88% |
Ratios/Supplemental Data: | |||||
Net Assets at end of period (000) | $19,932 | $28,148 | $35,777 | $40,122 | $36,863 |
Ratio of net expenses to average net assets | 0.39% | 0.40% | 0.38% | 0.45% | 0.58% |
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets | 1.57% | 1.66% | 1.86% | 1.57% | 1.44% |
Portfolio turnover (c) | 2% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) The Fund received monies related to a nonrecurring refund from the prior custodian. The corresponding impact to the total return was 0.09% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
Appendix A Variations in Sales Charge
Reductions and Waivers Available Through
Certain Intermediaries
The availability of certain initial and contingent deferred sales charge reductions and waivers may depend on the particular financial intermediary or type of account through which you purchase or hold Fund shares. The following information about variations in sales charge reductions and waivers is applicable only to investors who purchase Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise Financial, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, or Raymond James platform or account.
In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Fund or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. For reductions and waivers not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive those reductions and waivers.
Merrill Lynch
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or in the SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan |
Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan |
Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch's platform |
Shares of funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform (if applicable) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date |
Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members |
Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund's investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
CDSC Waivers on A and C Shares available at Merrill Lynch |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ |
Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to a fee based account or platform (applicable to A and C shares only) |
Front-end load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable) |
Ameriprise Financial
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Ameriprise Financial |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs |
Shares purchased through an Ameriprise Financial investment advisory program (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Ameriprise Financials platform (if an Advisory or similar share class for such investment advisory program is not available) |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family) |
Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to such shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply to exchanges following such shorter period. To the extent that this Prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares for load waived shares, that waiver will also apply to such exchanges |
Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members |
Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisors spouse, advisors lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisors lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e. Rights of Reinstatement) |
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account are eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Morgan Stanley |
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans |
Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley's account linking rules |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund |
Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account |
Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Managements share class conversion program |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge |
Raymond James
Effective March 1, 2019, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent-deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Funds Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Raymond James |
Shares purchased in an investment advisory program |
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family) |
Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James |
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James |
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C Shares available at Raymond James |
Death or disability of the shareholder |
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the Fund's Prospectus |
Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James |
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Front-End Load Discounts Available at Raymond James: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation |
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus |
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
Appendix B
The S&P 500 ® Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC ("SPDJI"), and has been licensed for use by the Adviser. Standard & Poor's ® , S&P ® and S&P 500 ® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P"); Dow Jones ® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones"); and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by the Adviser. The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, any of their respective affiliates (collectively, "S&P Dow Jones Indices"). S&P Dow Jones Indices makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the S&P 500 ® Index to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices' only relationship to the Adviser with respect to the S&P 500 ® Index is the licensing of the Index and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices or its licensors. The S&P 500 ® Index is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to the Adviser or the Fund. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the owners of the Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P 500 ® Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund is to be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed, as the case may be. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Fund. There is no assurance that investment products based on the S&P 500 ® Index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may independently issue and/or sponsor financial products unrelated to the Fund currently being issued by the Adviser, but which may be similar to and competitive with the Fund. In addition, CME Group Inc. and its affiliates may trade financial products which are linked to the performance of the S&P 500 ® Index.
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE S&P 500 INDEX OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE ADVISER, OWNERS OF THE FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE S&P 500 INDEX OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBLITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND THE ADVISER, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
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 do not 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 VictoryFunds.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:
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.
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-INDEX-PRO (11/18) |
VICTORY FUNDS
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
November 1, 2018
FUND NAME |
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CLASS A |
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CLASS C |
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CLASS I |
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CLASS R |
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Class R6 |
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CLASS Y |
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Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
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MUCAX |
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MUCCX |
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MUCRX |
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MUCYX |
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Victory Integrity Discovery Fund |
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MMEAX |
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MMECX |
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MMERX |
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MMEYX |
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Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
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MAIMX |
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MRIMX |
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MYIMX |
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Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
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MAISX |
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MIRSX |
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MYISX |
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Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
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VSCVX |
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MCVSX |
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MRVSX |
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MVSSX |
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VSVIX |
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Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
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MGOAX |
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MGOTX |
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MMSRX |
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MGOSX |
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MGOYX |
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Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
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MNNAX |
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MNNCX |
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MNNRX |
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MNNYX |
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Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
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MASCX |
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MIGSX |
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MYSGX |
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Victory S&P 500 Index Fund |
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MUXAX |
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MUXRX |
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MUXYX |
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Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
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MAEMX |
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MYEMX |
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Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity |
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MAICX |
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MICCX |
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MICIX |
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MAIRX |
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MICYX |
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Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
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MISAX |
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MCISX |
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MISIX |
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MSSIX |
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MYSIX |
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(each a Fund and together, the Funds)
Each Fund is a series of Victory Portfolios
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with each Funds prospectus, dated November 1, 2018, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time (each, a Prospectus). Copies of the Prospectus of each Fund can be obtained without charge upon request made to Victory Funds, P.O Box 182593, Columbus, Ohio 43218-2593, by calling toll free 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or at www.VictoryFunds.com.
This SAI incorporates by reference the Funds financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 contained in the Funds June 30, 2018 Annual Reports, including the Financial Highlights and the related reports of Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds independent registered public accounting firm. You may obtain a copy of the Funds most recent Annual Reports at no charge by writing to the address or calling the phone number noted above. The Funds most recent Annual Reports are also available at no charge at www.VictoryFunds.com.
Table of Contents
|
Page |
General Information |
1 |
Investment Objectives, Policies and Limitations |
2 |
Investment Practices, Instruments and Risks |
4 |
Debt Securities |
4 |
International and Foreign Investments |
18 |
Derivatives |
23 |
Other Investments and Investment Practices |
31 |
Additional Risk Factors and Special Considerations |
37 |
Determining Net Asset Value (NAV) and Valuing Portfolio Securities |
39 |
Performance |
41 |
Additional Purchase, Exchange and Redemption Information |
42 |
Management of the Trust |
49 |
Investment Adviser and Other Service Providers |
57 |
Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plans |
67 |
Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage |
74 |
Dividends, Capital Gains and Distributions |
78 |
Taxes |
79 |
Additional Information |
90 |
Appendix A Description of Security Ratings |
A-1 |
GENERAL INFORMATION
Victory Portfolios (the Trust) was organized as a Delaware statutory trust (formerly referred to as a business trust) on December 6, 1995 as a successor to a company of the same name organized as a Massachusetts business trust on February 5, 1986. The Trust is an open-end management investment company. The Trust currently consists of 42 series of units of beneficial interest (shares).
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 Trusts Board of Trustees (the Board or Trustees) may organize and offer shares of a new fund or new share class of an existing Fund or liquidate a Fund or share class at any time.
This SAI relates to the shares of 12 series of the Trust (each a Fund, and collectively, the Funds) and their respective classes. Each Fund, except for the Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund, was formed for the purposes of completing the reorganizations (Reorganizations) with the 11 corresponding series of Munder Series Trust, a registered investment company (each such series, a Munder Fund or a Predecessor Fund) as follows:
Fund Name |
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Predecessor Fund Name |
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
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Munder Bond Fund |
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund |
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Munder Micro-Cap Equity Fund |
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
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Munder Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
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Munder Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
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Munder Veracity Small-Cap Value Fund |
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
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Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
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Munder Growth Opportunities Fund |
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund |
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Munder Index 500 Fund |
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
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Munder Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
Victory Trivalent International Fund - Core Equity |
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Munder International Fund Core Equity |
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
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Munder International Small-Cap Fund |
The Reorganizations were completed as of October 31, 2014 in connection with the acquisition of Munder Capital Management, the investment adviser to the Predecessor Funds, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Integrity Asset Management, the investment sub-adviser to certain of the Predecessor Funds, by the parent company of the Adviser. As of that date, the Adviser became the investment adviser to each of the Funds and the Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class Y shares of the Funds assumed the performance, financial and other historical information of, respectively, the Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 and Class K shares of the Predecessor Funds. Information presented for periods prior to October 31, 2014 reflects, where applicable, the historical information of the Predecessor Funds.
The Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund, Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity and Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund are referred to collectively in this SAI as the International Funds. All Funds excluding the Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund are referred collectively in this SAI as the Equity Funds. The Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund is referred to in this SAI as the Bond Fund.
Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in each Funds Prospectus. Capitalized terms not defined herein are used as defined in the Prospectuses. No investment in shares of a Fund should be made without first reading that Funds Prospectus.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND LIMITATIONS
Investment Objectives
Each Funds investment objective is non-fundamental, meaning it may be changed by a vote of the Trustees without a vote of the holders of a majority of the Funds outstanding voting securities. There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds
Unless a policy of a Fund is expressly deemed to be a fundamental policy of the Fund, changeable only by an affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of that Funds outstanding voting securities, the Funds policies are non-fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder vote.
A Fund may, following notice to its shareholders, employ other investment practices that presently are not contemplated for use by the 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 legally permissible for the Fund. Such investment practices, if they arise, may involve risks that exceed those involved in the activities described in the Funds Prospectus.
A Funds classification and sub-classification is a matter of fundamental policy. Each Fund is classified as an open-end investment company. Each Fund is sub-classified as a diversified investment company, which under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act) means that, with respect to 75% of a Funds total assets, the Fund may not invest in securities of any issuer if, immediately after such investment, (i) more than 5% of the total assets of the Fund (taken at current value) would be invested in the securities of that issuer or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer would be held by the Fund (this limitation does not apply to obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and securities of other investment companies). A Fund is not subject to this limitation with respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets. In addition, under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), to qualify as a regulated investment company, all Funds must meet certain diversification requirements as determined at the close of each quarter of each taxable year. The Codes diversification test is described in Taxes.
The policies and limitations stated in this SAI supplement the Funds investment policies set forth in each Funds Prospectus. 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.
Fundamental Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds
The following investment policies and limitations are fundamental and may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Funds outstanding voting securities, as defined under the 1940 Act.
1. Senior Securities
None of the Funds may issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) takes the position that transactions that have the effect of increasing the leverage of the capital structure of a fund are the economic equivalent of borrowing, and they can be
viewed as a type of borrowing known as a senior security for purposes of the 1940 Act. Examples of such transactions and trading practices include reverse repurchase agreements; mortgage-dollar-roll transactions; selling securities short (other than selling short against the box); buying and selling certain derivatives contracts, such as futures contracts; writing or selling put and call options; engaging in sale-buybacks; firm commitment and standby commitment agreements; when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions; and other similar transactions. 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 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). In most cases the fund need not physically segregate the assets. Instead, the funds custodian may note on the funds books the assets that are segregated. Segregated liquid assets may not be used to cover other obligations, and if disposed of, must be replaced. 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.
2. Underwriting
None of the Funds may underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that a Fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), in the disposition of restricted securities.
3. Borrowing
None of the Funds may borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, or by order of the SEC and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction.
A Funds ability to borrow money is limited by its investment policies and limitations, by the 1940 Act, and by applicable exemptions, no action letters, interpretations, and other pronouncements issued from time to time by regulatory authorities, including the SEC and its staff. Under the 1940 Act, a Fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including the proceeds of borrowings, less liabilities excluding borrowings) of not less than 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Funds total assets made for temporary purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% are subject to the minimum 300% asset coverage requirement. If the value of the assets set aside to meet the 300% asset coverage were to decline below 300% due to market fluctuations or other causes, a Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to reduce the debt and comply with the 300% minimum asset coverage requirement, even in circumstances where it is considered disadvantageous from an investment perspective to sell securities at that time or at the prices then available.
4. Real Estate
None of the Funds may purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of direct ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction shall not prevent any of these Funds from investing in the following: (i) securities or other instruments backed by real estate; (ii) securities of real estate operating companies; or (iii) securities of companies engaged in the real estate business, including real estate investment trusts. This restriction does not preclude any of these Funds from buying securities backed by mortgages on real estate or securities of companies engaged in such activities.
5. Lending
None of the Funds may make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction.
Generally, the 1940 Act prohibits loans if a funds investment policies do not permit loans, and if the loans are made, directly or indirectly, to persons deemed to control or to be under common control with the registered investment company.
6. Commodities
None of the Funds may purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent a Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
7. Concentration
None of the Funds may concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as the term concentration is used in the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction. This restriction shall not prevent any Fund from investing all of its assets in a master fund that has adopted similar investment objectives, policies and restrictions.
Concentration means investing more than 25% of a Funds net assets in a particular industry or a specified group of industries.
INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS AND RISKS
Subject to the limitations set forth herein and in each Funds Prospectus, each Funds portfolio manager may, in its discretion, at any time, employ any of the practices, techniques or instruments included in this SAI for the Funds. The Funds may, following notice to their shareholders when applicable, take advantage of other investment practices that presently are not contemplated for use by the Funds or that currently are not available but that may be developed, to the extent such investment practices are both consistent with a Funds investment objective and are legally permissible for the Fund. Such investment practices, if they arise, may involve risks that exceed those involved in the activities described in each Funds Prospectus and this SAI.
In addition to the principal investment strategies and the principal risks of the Funds described in the Prospectus, each Fund may, but will not necessarily, employ other investment practices and may be subject to additional risks which are described further below. Because the following is a combined description of investment strategies and risks for all of the Funds, certain strategies and/or risks described below may not apply to your Fund. Unless a strategy or policy described below is specifically prohibited with respect to a particular Fund by the investment restrictions listed in the Prospectus, under Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds in this SAI, or by applicable law, a Fund may, but will not necessarily, engage in each of the practices described below.
The Funds may, following notice to their shareholders, take advantage of other investment practices that presently are not contemplated for use by the Funds or that currently are not available but that may be developed, to the extent such investment practices are both consistent with a Funds investment objective and are legally permissible for the Fund. Such investment practices, if they arise, may involve risks that exceed those involved in the activities described in a Funds Prospectus and this SAI.
Debt Securities
Asset-Backed Securities (ABS). The Bond Fund may invest in ABS (i.e., securities backed by mortgages, installment sales contracts, credit card receivables or other assets). Consistent with each Funds investment objectives and policies, the Adviser also may invest in other types of ABS. (Also see Mortgage-Related Securities below).
ABS are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are separate from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement.
Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments are used to pay investors as quickly as possible.
The average life of ABS varies with the maturities of the underlying instruments. The average life of an asset-backed instrument is likely to be substantially less than the original maturity of the asset pools underlying the securities as the result of unscheduled principal payments and prepayments. The rate of such prepayments, and hence the life of the securities, will be primarily a function of current interest rates and current conditions in the relevant markets. Because of these and other reasons, an asset-backed securitys total return may be difficult to predict precisely.
Bank Obligations. Each of the Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated bank obligations, including certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank notes, deposit notes and interest-bearing savings and time deposits, issued by U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions having total assets at the time of purchase in excess of $1 billion. For this purpose, the assets of a bank or savings institution include the assets of both its domestic and foreign branches. The Funds will invest in the obligations of domestic banks and savings institutions only if their deposits are federally insured. Investments by a Fund in (i) obligations of domestic banks and (ii) obligations of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks each will not exceed 25% of the Funds total assets at the time of investment.
Non-domestic bank obligations include Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit (ECDs), which are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by offices of foreign and domestic banks located outside the United States; Eurodollar Time Deposits (ETDs), which are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in a foreign branch of a U.S. bank or a foreign bank; Canadian Time Deposits (CTDs), which are essentially the same as ETDs except they are issued by Canadian offices of major Canadian banks; Schedule Bs, which are obligations issued by Canadian branches of foreign or domestic banks; Yankee Certificates of Deposit (Yankee CDs), which are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by a U.S. branch of a foreign bank and held in the United States; and Yankee Bankers Acceptances (Yankee BAs), which are U.S. dollar-denominated bankers acceptances issued by a U.S. branch of a foreign bank and held in the United States. Generally, a Fund will invest in obligations of foreign banks or foreign branches of U.S. banks only when the Adviser deems the instrument to present minimal credit risks. However, such investments may nevertheless entail risks that are different from those of investments in domestic obligations of U.S. banks due to differences in political, regulatory and economic systems and conditions.
Commercial Paper. Each Fund may invest in commercial paper (i.e., short term promissory notes issued by corporations) , including tax-exempt commercial paper. Each Fund may invest in commercial paper of issuers rated, at the time of purchase, in one of the two highest rating categories by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO). To the extent that the ratings accorded by NRSROs may change as a result of changes in their rating systems, the Funds will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for its investments, in accordance with the investment policies contained herein. Where necessary to ensure that an instrument meets, or is of comparable quality to, a Funds rating criteria, the Fund may require that the issuers obligation to pay the principal of, and the interest on, the instrument be backed by insurance or by an unconditional bank letter or line of credit, guarantee, or commitment to lend. In addition, each of the Funds may acquire commercial paper and corporate bonds of issuers that are not rated but are determined by the Adviser at the time of purchase to be of comparable quality to instruments of issuers that may be acquired by such Fund as previously described.
Inflation-Indexed Bonds. The Bond Fund may invest in inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index (CPI) accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.
Inflation-indexed securities issued by the U.S. Treasury have maturities of five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis, equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if a Fund purchased an inflation-indexed bond with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and inflation over the first six months were 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole years inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).
If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation-indexed bonds, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed, and will fluctuate. The Funds may also invest in other inflation related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.
The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if inflation were to rise at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increased at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.
While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bonds inflation measure.
The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index, calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.
Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.
Lower-Rated Debt Securities. Except for the Bond Fund, each Fund may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in debt securities that are rated below investment grade or in comparable unrated securities . The Bond Fund may invest up to 20 % of its total assets in debt securities that are rated below investment grade or in comparable unrated securities. A security is considered investment grade if, at the time of purchase, it is rated BBB- or higher by S&P or Baa3 or higher by Moodys. Whether or not a security is investment grade will be determined based on the ratings given by S&P and Moodys. If both agencies have rated the security, the lower rating will be used. If a single agency has rated the security, that rating will be used. Such securities are also known as junk bonds. The yields on lower-rated debt and comparable unrated securities generally are higher than the yields available on higher-rated securities. However, investments in lower-rated debt and comparable unrated securities generally involve greater volatility of price and risk of loss of income and principal, including the possibility of default by or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities. Lower-rated debt and comparable unrated securities (a) will likely have some quality and protective characteristics that, in the judgment of the rating organization, are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions and (b) are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuers capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. Accordingly, it is possible that these types of factors could, in certain instances, reduce the value of securities held in each Funds
portfolio, with a commensurate effect on the value of each of the Funds shares. Therefore, an investment in the Funds should not be considered as a complete investment program and may not be appropriate for all investors.
While the market values of lower-rated debt and comparable unrated securities tend to react more to fluctuations in interest rate levels than the market values of higher-rated securities, the market values of certain lower rated debt and comparable unrated securities also tend to be more sensitive to individual corporate developments and changes in economic conditions than higher-rated securities. In addition, lower-rated debt securities and comparable unrated securities generally present a higher degree of credit risk. Issuers of lower-rated debt and comparable unrated securities often are highly leveraged and may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them so that their ability to service their debt obligations during an economic downturn or during sustained periods of rising interest rates may be impaired. The risk of loss due to default by such issuers is significantly greater because lower-rated debt and comparable unrated securities generally are unsecured and frequently are subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. The Funds may incur additional expenses to the extent that they are required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal or interest on their portfolio holdings. The existence of limited markets for lower-rated debt and comparable unrated securities may diminish each of the Funds ability to (a) obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing such securities and calculating its net asset value and (b) sell the securities at fair value either to meet redemption requests or to respond to changes in the economy or in financial markets.
Lower-rated debt securities and comparable unrated securities may have call or buy-back features that permit their issuers to call or repurchase the securities from their holders. If an issuer exercises these rights during periods of declining interest rates, the Funds may have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, thus resulting in a decreased return to the Funds. A description of applicable credit ratings is set forth in Appendix A of this SAI.
Mortgage-Related Securities. The Bond Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities, which are a form of asset-backed securities. Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. (See Mortgage Pass-Through Securities below). Mortgage-related securities also include debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-backed securities (See Collateralized Mortgage Obligations below).
Mortgage Pass-Through Securities . Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a pass-through of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on the underlying residential or commercial mortgage loans and of the repayment of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or Ginnie Mae) are described as modified pass-through. These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.
The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase. The residential mortgage market in the United States has recently experienced significant difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Funds mortgage-related investments. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates, which can increase risk of default. Market factors can cause reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements, resulting in limited liquidity in the secondary market for mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.
The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned United States government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to
guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the United States government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Government-related guarantors include the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA or Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC or Freddie Mac). 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 but now the common stock is owned entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates (PCs), which are pass-through securities, each representing an undivided interest in a pool of residential mortgages. 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.
On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) placed FNMA and FHMLC into conservatorship. As the conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of FNMA and FHLMC and of any stockholder, officer or director of FNMA and FHLMC with respect to FNMA and FHLMC and the assets of FNMA and FHLMC. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for each of FNMA and FHLMC. In connection with the conservatorship, the U.S. Treasury entered into a Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement with each of FNMA and FHLMC pursuant to which the U.S. Treasury will purchase up to an aggregate of $100 billion of each of FNMA and FHLMC to maintain a positive net worth in each enterprise. This agreement contains various covenants that severely limit each enterprises operations. In exchange for entering into these agreements, the U.S. Treasury received $1 billion of each enterprises senior preferred stock and warrants to purchase 79.9% of each enterprises common stock. On February 18, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was doubling the size of its commitment to each enterprise under the Senior Preferred Stock Program to $200 billion. The U.S. Treasurys obligations under the Senior Preferred Stock Program are for an indefinite period of time for a maximum amount of $200 billion per enterprise. In August 2012, the Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement was further amended to, among other things, accelerate the wind down of the retained portfolio, terminate the requirement that FNMA and FHLMC each pay a 10% dividend annually on all amounts received under the funding commitment, and require the submission of an annual risk management plan to the U.S. Treasury.
FNMA and FHLMC are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. The Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement is intended to enhance each of FNMAs and FHLMCs ability to meet its obligations. The FHFA has indicated that the conservatorship of each enterprise will end when the director of the FHFA determines that FHFAs plan to restore the enterprise to a safe and solvent condition has been completed.
Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 ( Reform Act), which was included as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, FHFA, as conservator or receiver of FNMA and FHLMC, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by FNMA or FHLMC prior to FHFAs appointment as conservator or receiver, as applicable, if FHFA determines, in its sole discretion, that performance of the contract is burdensome and that repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of FNMAs or FHLMCs affairs. The Reform Act requires FHFA to exercise its right to repudiate any contract within a reasonable period of time after its appointment as conservator or receiver.
FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of FNMA or FHLMC because FHFA views repudiation as incompatible with the goals of the conservatorship. However, in the event that FHFA, as conservator or if it is later appointed as receiver for FNMA or FHLMC, were to repudiate any such guaranty obligation, the conservatorship or receivership estate, as applicable, would be liable for actual direct compensatory damages in accordance with the provisions of the Reform Act. Any such liability
could be satisfied only to the extent of FNMAs or FHLMCs assets available therefore. The future financial performance of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is heavily dependent on the performance of the U.S. housing market.
In the event of repudiation, the payments of interest to holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such mortgage-backed securities are not made by the borrowers or advanced by the servicer. Any actual direct compensatory damages for repudiating these guaranty obligations may not be sufficient to offset any shortfalls experienced by such mortgage-backed security holders.
Further, in its capacity as conservator or receiver, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of FNMA or FHLMC without any approval, assignment or consent. Although FHFA has stated that it has no present intention to do so, if FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party.
In addition, certain rights provided to holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC under the operative documents related to such securities may not be enforced against FHFA, or enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship or any future receivership. The operative documents for FNMA and FHLMC mortgage-backed securities may provide (or with respect to securities issued prior to the date of the appointment of the conservator may have provided) that upon the occurrence of an event of default on the part of FNMA or FHLMC, in its capacity as guarantor, which includes the appointment of a conservator or receiver, holders of such mortgage-backed securities have the right to replace FNMA or FHLMC as trustee if the requisite percentage of mortgage-backed securities holders consent. The Reform Act prevents mortgage-backed security holders from enforcing such rights if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed. The Reform Act also provides that no person may exercise any right or power to terminate, accelerate or declare an event of default under certain contracts to which FNMA or FHLMC is a party, or obtain possession of or exercise control over any property of FNMA or FHLMC, or affect any contractual rights of FNMA or FHLMC, without the approval of FHFA, as conservator or receiver, for a period of 45 or 90 days following the appointment of FHFA as conservator or receiver, respectively.
In addition, in a February 2011 report to Congress from the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Obama administration provided a plan to reform Americas housing finance market. The plan would reduce the role of and eventually eliminate FNMA and FHLMC. Notably, the plan does not propose similar significant changes to GNMA, which guarantees payments on mortgage-related securities backed by federally insured or guaranteed loans such as those issued by the Federal Housing Association or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The report also identified three proposals for Congress and the administration to consider for the long-term structure of the housing finance markets after the elimination of FNMA and FHLMC, including implementing: (i) a privatized system of housing finance that limits government insurance to very limited groups of creditworthy low- and moderate-income borrowers; (ii) a privatized system with a government backstop mechanism that would allow the government to insure a larger share of the housing finance market during a future housing crisis; and (iii) a privatized system where the government would offer reinsurance to holders of certain highly-rated mortgage-related securities insured by private insurers and would pay out under the reinsurance arrangements only if the private mortgage insurers were insolvent.
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 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 non-governmental 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, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets a Funds investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Funds may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and
practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet a Funds quality standards.
Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. A Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the Advisers opinion are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Funds net assets will be illiquid.
Mortgage-backed securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Funds industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under Investment Restrictions, by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Funds take the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular industry or group of industries. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of first lien residential mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. (Please see the discussion above regarding FNMA and FHLMC.) Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of private issue mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. government securities nor U.S. government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs) . A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.
CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as tranches, with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as sequential pay CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.
In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation (issuer) issues multiple series (e.g., A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds (Bonds). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates (Collateral). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities. These include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.
Other Mortgage-Related Securities. Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities (SMBS). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities
of the U.S. government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.
CMO Residuals . CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.
The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only (IO) class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. (See Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities below). In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances a Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.
CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the Securities Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the Securities Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed illiquid and subject to a Funds limitations on investment in illiquid securities.
Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities . Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities (ARMBSs) have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits a Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, a Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, a Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (i.e., the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities . SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.
SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the IO class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or PO class). The yield to maturity on an
IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a Funds yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, a Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.
Collateralized Debt Obligations . The Funds may invest in collateralized debt obligations (CDOs), which include collateralized bond obligations (CBOs), collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust that is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.
For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the equity tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.
The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which a Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Funds as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information and the Funds Prospectuses (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Funds may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.
Mortgage Dollar Rolls. The Bond Fund may engage in mortgage dollar roll transactions. In a mortgage dollar roll transaction the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by GNMA, to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a pre-determined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which a Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are substantially identical. To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy good delivery requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.
Mortgage dollar rolls may be renewed by a new sale and repurchase with a cash settlement at each renewal without physical delivery of the securities. Certain risks may arise upon entering into mortgage dollar rolls from the potential inability of the counterparty to meet the terms of their commitment. Additionally, the value of the securities subject to the dollar roll may change adversely before the Fund is able to repurchase them.
The Funds obligations under a dollar roll agreement must be covered by designating, or segregating, on its records cash or liquid assets equal in value to the securities subject to repurchase by the Fund. As with reverse repurchase agreements, to the extent that positions in dollar roll agreements are not covered by designating cash or
liquid assets at least equal to the amount of any forward purchase commitment, such transactions would be subject to the Funds restrictions on borrowings.
Municipal Obligations. The Bond Fund may invest in securities the interest from which is exempt from regular federal income tax, i.e. , municipal obligations.
Opinions relating to the validity of municipal obligations and to the exemption of interest thereon from regular federal income tax and/or state income tax, as applicable, are rendered by bond counsel or counsel to the respective issuers at the time of issuance. Neither the Funds nor the Adviser will review the proceedings relating to the issuance of municipal obligations or the basis for such opinions.
An issuers obligations under its municipal obligations are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Code, and laws, if any, which may be enacted by federal or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or upon the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. The power or ability of an issuer to meet its obligations for the payment of interest on and principal of its municipal obligations may be materially adversely affected by litigation or other conditions.
In order to pay interest that is exempt from federal regular income tax, tax-exempt securities must meet certain legal requirements. Failure to meet such requirements may cause the interest received and distributed by the Fund to shareholders to be taxable. From time to time proposals have been introduced before Congress for the purpose of restricting or eliminating the federal income tax exemption for interest on municipal obligations. For example, under the Tax Reform Act of 1986 interest on certain private activity bonds must be included in an investors federal alternative minimum taxable income, and corporate investors must include all tax-exempt interest in their federal alternative minimum taxable income. The Funds cannot predict what legislation, if any, may be proposed in Congress or in the Michigan state legislature in the future as regards the federal or state income tax status of interest on municipal obligations in general, or which proposals, if any, might be enacted. Changes or proposed changes in federal or state tax laws may cause the prices of tax-exempt securities to fall, and/or may affect the tax-exempt status of the securities in which the Fund invests. Such proposals, if enacted, might materially adversely affect the availability and valuation of municipal obligations for investment by a Fund and the liquidity and value of such Fund. Future changes in federal and/or state laws or future court decisions could possibly have a negative impact on the tax treatment and/or value of municipal securities.
General Obligation Bonds. General obligation bonds are obligations involving the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and are payable from such issuers general revenues and not from any particular source. Limited obligation bonds (or revenue bonds) are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Tax-exempt private activity bonds and industrial development bonds generally are also revenue bonds and thus are not payable from the issuers general revenues. The credit and quality of private activity bonds and industrial development bonds are usually related to the credit of the corporate user of the facilities. Payment of interest on and repayment of principal of such bonds is the responsibility of the corporate user (and/or any guarantor). Under the Internal Revenue Code , certain limited obligation bonds are considered private activity bonds and interest paid on such bonds is treated as an item of tax preference for purposes of calculating federal alternative minimum tax liability. Pre-refunded bonds are municipal obligations that are generally backed or secured by U.S. Treasury bonds. In a typical pre-refunded issue, a municipality sells new bonds and uses the proceeds to buy Treasury securities. It then sets those Treasuries aside, keeping them in special escrow account that will be used to redeem the older, higher-coupon bonds either at the earliest possible date or some later date. Pre-refunded bonds can provide investors with a combination of the highest possible credit quality, and a taxable equivalent yield that compares favorably with that available on Treasuries.
Bond Anticipation Notes (BANs). BANs are short-term debt instruments issued by a state or municipality that will be paid off with the proceeds of an upcoming bond issue. Revenue anticipation notes (RAN) are short-term debt issues of a municipal entity that are to be repaid out of anticipated revenues, such as sales taxes. When the anticipated revenues are collected, the RAN is paid off.
Some longer-term municipal obligations give the investor the right to put or sell the security at par (face value) within a specified number of days following the investors request - usually one to seven days. This demand feature enhances a securitys liquidity by shortening its effective maturity and enables it to trade at a price equal to or very close to par. If a demand feature terminates prior to being exercised, a Fund would hold the longer-term security, which could experience substantially more volatility.
Municipal obligations in which the Funds may invest include securities with credit enhancements such as letters of credit, municipal obligation insurance and stand-by purchase agreements (SPAs). Letters of credit are issued by a third party, usually a bank, to enhance liquidity and ensure repayment of principal and any accrued interest if the underlying municipal obligation should default. Municipal obligation insurance, which is usually purchased by the bond issuer from a private, non-governmental insurance company, provides an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee that the insured obligations principal and interest will be paid when due. Insurance does not guarantee the price of the bond or the share price of any Fund. The credit rating of an insured municipal obligation reflects the credit rating of the insurer, based on its claims-paying ability. The obligation of a municipal bond insurance company to pay a claim extends over the life of each insured municipal obligation. Although defaults on insured municipal obligations have been low to date and municipal bond insurers have met their claims, there is no assurance this will continue. A higher-than-expected default rate could strain the insurers loss reserves and adversely affect its ability to pay claims to bondholders. The number of municipal bond insurers is relatively small, and not all of them have the highest rating. An SPA is a liquidity facility provided to pay the purchase price of bonds that cannot be re-marketed. The obligation of the liquidity provider (usually a bank) is only to advance funds to purchase tendered bonds that cannot be remarketed and does not cover principal or interest under any other circumstances. The liquidity providers obligations under the SPA are usually subject to numerous conditions, including the continued creditworthiness of the underlying borrower. (See Stand-by Purchase Agreements below).
In addition, the recent economic downturn and budgetary constraints make municipal securities more susceptible to downgrade, default, and bankruptcy. Factors affecting municipal securities include lower tax collections and budgetary constraints of local, state and federal governments upon which the municipalities issuing municipal securities may be relying for funding. Municipal securities are also subject to the risk that the perceived increased likelihood of difficulties in the municipal securities markets could result in increased illiquidity, volatility and credit risk, and certain municipal issuers may be unable to issue or market securities, which could result in a lower number of investment opportunities.
Stand-by Purchase Agreements. The Bond Fund may enter into stand-by purchase agreements with respect to municipal obligations. Under a stand-by purchase agreement, a dealer agrees to purchase from the Bond Fund at the Funds option a specified municipal obligation at its amortized cost value to the Fund plus accrued interest, if any. Stand-by purchase agreements may be exercisable by the Bond Fund at any time before the maturity of the underlying municipal obligations and may be sold, transferred or assigned only with the instruments involved.
The Bond Fund expects that stand-by purchase agreements will generally be available without the payment of any direct or indirect consideration. However, if necessary or advisable, the Bond Fund may pay for a stand-by purchase agreement either separately in cash or by paying a higher price for municipal obligations which are acquired subject to the commitment (thus reducing the yield to maturity otherwise available for the same securities). The total amount paid in either manner for outstanding stand-by purchase agreements held by the Bond Fund will not exceed ½ of 1% of the value of the Bond Funds total assets calculated immediately after each stand-by purchase agreement is acquired.
The Bond Fund generally intends to enter into stand-by purchase agreements only with dealers, banks and broker-dealers which, in the Advisers opinion, present minimal credit risks. A stand-by purchase agreement will not affect the valuation of the underlying municipal obligation. The actual stand-by purchase agreement will be valued at zero in determining net asset value. Accordingly, where the Bond Fund pays directly or indirectly for a stand-by purchase agreement, its cost will be reflected as an unrealized loss for the period during of the agreement and will be reflected as a realized gain or loss when the purchase agreement is exercised or expires.
Stripped Securities. The Bond Fund may invest in U.S. government obligations and their unmatured interest coupons that have been separated (stripped) by their holder, typically a custodian bank or investment brokerage firm. Having separated the interest coupons from the underlying principal of the U.S. government obligations, the
holder will resell the stripped securities in custodial receipt programs. The stripped coupons are sold separately from the underlying principal, which is usually sold at a deep discount because the buyer receives only the right to receive a single future fixed payment on the security and does not receive any rights to periodic interest (cash) payments. The underlying U.S. Treasury bonds and notes themselves are held in book-entry form at the Federal Reserve Bank or, in the case of bearer securities (i.e., unregistered securities which are ostensibly owned by the bearer or holder), in trust on behalf of the owners. Counsel to the underwriters of these certificates or other evidences of ownership of U.S. Treasury securities have stated that, in their opinion, purchasers of the stripped securities most likely will be deemed the beneficial holders of the underlying U.S. government obligations for federal tax and securities purposes. The Bond Fund is not aware of any binding legislative, judicial or administrative authority on this issue.
Only instruments that are stripped by the issuing agency will be considered U.S. government obligations. Securities that are stripped by their holder do not qualify as U.S. government obligations.
The U.S. Treasury Department facilitates transfers of ownership of zero coupon securities by accounting separately for the beneficial ownership of particular interest coupon and principal payments on U.S. Treasury securities through the Federal Reserve book-entry recordkeeping system. The Federal Reserve program as established by the U.S. Treasury Department is known as STRIPS or Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities. Under the STRIPS program, a Fund is able to have its beneficial ownership of zero coupon securities recorded directly in the book-entry recordkeeping system in lieu of having to hold certificates or other evidences of ownership of the underlying U.S. Treasury securities.
Certain types of stripped securities will normally be considered illiquid instruments and will be acquired subject to the limitation on illiquid investments unless the Adviser determines them to be liquid under guidelines established by the Board.
In addition, the Bond Fund may invest in SMBS, which represent beneficial ownership interests in the principal distributions and/or the interest distributions on mortgage assets. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. One type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most common case, one class of SMBS will receive all of the interest (the interest-only or IO class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or PO class).
The original principal amount, if any, of each SMBS class represents the amount payable to the holder thereof over the life of such SMBS class from principal distributions of the underlying mortgage assets, which will be zero in the case of an IO class. Interest distributions allocable to a class of SMBS, if any, consist of interest at a specified rate on its principal amount, if any, or its notional principal amount in the case of an IO class. The notional principal amount is used solely for purposes of the determination of interest distributions and certain other rights of holders of such IO class and does not represent an interest in principal distributions of the mortgage assets.
Yields on SMBS will be extremely sensitive to the prepayment experience of the underlying mortgage loans, and there are other associated risks. For IO classes of SMBS and SMBS that were purchased at prices exceeding their principal amounts there is a risk that the Bond Fund may not fully recover its initial investment.
The determination of whether a particular government-issued IO or PO backed by fixed-rate mortgages is liquid may be made under guidelines and standards established by the Board. Such securities may be deemed liquid if they can be disposed of promptly in the ordinary course of business at a value reasonably close to that used in the calculation of the Bond Funds net asset value per share.
Supranational Bank Obligations. The Bond Fund may invest in supranational bank obligations. Supranational banks are international banking institutions designed or supported by national governments to promote economic reconstruction, development or trade between nations (e.g., The World Bank). Obligations of supranational banks may be supported by appropriated but unpaid commitments of their member countries , and there is no assurance that these commitments will be undertaken or met in the future.
U.S. Government Obligations. Each of the Funds may purchase obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government and U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities. Obligations of certain agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government, such as those of GNMA, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Others, such as those of FNMA, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; and still others, such as those of FHLMC and the Student Loan Marketing Association, are supported only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality issuing the obligation. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities if it is not obligated to do so by law. Examples of the types of U.S. government obligations that may be acquired by the Funds include without limitation U.S. Treasury bills, U.S. Treasury notes and U.S. Treasury bonds and the obligations of Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, FNMA, GNMA, General Services Administration, Student Loan Marketing Association, Central Bank for Cooperatives, FHLMC, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and Maritime Administration.
U.S. Treasury securities differ in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance. Treasury bills have initial maturities of one year or less, Treasury notes have initial maturities of one to ten years and Treasury bonds generally have initial maturities greater than ten years. A portion of the U.S. Treasury securities purchased by the Funds may be zero coupon Treasury securities. These are U.S. Treasury notes and bonds which have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons and receipts or which are certificates representing interests in such stripped debt obligations and coupons. Such securities are purchased at a discount from their face amount, giving the purchaser the right to receive their full value at maturity. A zero coupon security pays no interest to its holder during its life. Its value to an investor consists of the difference between its face value at the time of maturity and the price for which it was acquired, which is generally an amount significantly less than its face value (sometimes referred to as a deep discount price).
The interest earned on such securities is, implicitly, automatically compounded and paid out at maturity. While such compounding at a constant rate eliminates the risk of receiving lower yields upon reinvestment of interest if prevailing interest rates decline, the owner of a zero coupon security will be unable to participate in higher yields upon reinvestment of interest received if prevailing interest rates rise. For this reason, zero coupon securities are subject to substantially greater market price fluctuations during periods of changing prevailing interest rates than are comparable debt securities which make current distributions of interest. Current federal tax law requires that a holder (such as a Fund) of a zero coupon security accrue a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased as income each year even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on the security during the year.
Certain banks and brokerage firms have separated (stripped) the principal portions (corpus) from the coupon portions of the U.S. Treasury bonds and notes and sell them separately in the form of receipts or certificates representing undivided interests in these instruments (which instruments are generally held by a bank in a custodial or trust account). (See Stripped Securities above).
Variable Amount Master Demand Notes. Each of the Funds may purchase variable amount master demand notes, which are unsecured instruments that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary and provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate. Although the notes are not normally traded and there may be no secondary market in the notes, a Fund may demand payment of the principal of the instrument at any time. The notes are not typically rated by credit rating agencies, but issuers of variable amount master demand notes must satisfy the same criteria as set forth above for issuers of commercial paper. If an issuer of a variable amount master demand note defaulted on its payment obligation, a Fund might be unable to dispose of the note because of the absence of a secondary market and might, for this or other reasons, suffer a loss to the extent of the default.
Variable or Floating Rate Instruments. To the extent a Fund may invest in debt obligations that Fund may invest in instruments with variable or floating interest rates. A floating rate security is a security the terms of which provide for the adjustment of its interest rate whenever a specified interest rate changes and that, at any time until the final maturity of the instrument or period remaining until the principal can be recovered through demand, can reasonably be expected to have a market value that approximates its amortized cost. A variable rate security is a security the terms of which provide for the adjustment of its interest rate on set dates (such as the last day of a month or calendar quarter) and that, upon each adjustment until the final maturity of the instrument or the period remaining until the
principal amount can be recovered through a demand, can reasonably be expected to have a market value that approximates its amortized cost. Variable or floating rate obligations purchased by a Fund may have stated maturities in excess of a Funds maturity limitation if the Fund can demand payment of the principal of the instrument at least once during such period on not more than thirty days notice (this demand feature is not required if the instrument is guaranteed by the U.S. government or an agency thereof). These instruments may include variable amount master demand notes that permit the indebtedness to vary in addition to providing for periodic adjustments in the interest rates. The Adviser will consider the earning power, cash flows and other liquidity ratios of the issuers and guarantors of such instruments and, if the instrument is subject to a demand feature, will continuously monitor their financial ability to meet payment on demand. Where necessary to ensure that a variable or floating rate instrument is equivalent to the quality standards applicable to a Fund, the issuers obligation to pay the principal of the instrument will be backed by an unconditional bank letter or line of credit, guarantee or commitment to lend.
In determining average weighted portfolio maturity of a Fund, short-term variable or floating rate securities are deemed to have a maturity equal to the earlier of the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate or the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand. For purposes of this paragraph, short-term with respect to a security means that the principal amount, in accordance with the terms of the security, must unconditionally be paid in 397 calendar days or less.
In determining average weighted portfolio maturity of a Fund, long-term variable or floating rate securities are deemed to have a maturity equal to the longer of the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate or the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand. For purposes of this paragraph, long-term with respect to a security means that the principal amount of the security is scheduled to be paid in more than 397 days.
Variable or floating rate government securities where the variable rate of interest is readjusted no less frequently than every 762 days shall be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next interest rate readjustment.
When-Issued Securities, Forward Commitments or Delayed-Delivery Transactions, and To-Be-Announced Transactions. Each of the Funds may purchase securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed-delivery, or to-be-announced (TBA) basis. When-issued, forward commitment or delayed-delivery, and TBA transactions permit a Fund to lock in a price or yield on a security, regardless of future changes in interest rates. When-issued purchases and forward commitments (known as delayed-delivery transactions) are commitments by a Fund to purchase or sell particular securities with payment and delivery to occur at a future date (often one or two months later). TBA transactions are commitments to buy or sell an approximate principal amount of mortgage-backed securities with specified terms on a forward basis. For example, in a TBA mortgage-backed transaction, the purchaser and the seller would agree upon the issuer, coupon rate and terms of the underlying mortgages, and the seller would not identify the specific underlying mortgages until the settlement date.
When a Fund enters these transactions, a Fund will designate on its records cash or liquid assets equal to the amount of the commitment on the settlement date. If a Fund designates portfolio securities for this purpose, the Fund may be required subsequently to designate additional assets in order to ensure that the value of such assets remains equal to the amount of the Funds commitments.
If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, a 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, a Fund may realize a taxable capital gain or loss. When a Fund has sold a security pursuant to one of these transactions, the Fund does not participate in further gains or losses with respect to the security.
When a Fund engages in when-issued and forward commitment transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the transaction and is exposed to counterparty risk. Failure of such party to consummate the transaction may result in a Fund incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price or yield considered to be advantageous. Recently adopted industry standards effectively require margining of bilaterally traded forward-
settling MBS transactions such as TBAs. This development may mitigate counterparty risk but may increase a Funds expenses.
In some cases, a Fund may sell a security on a delayed delivery basis that it does not own, which may subject the Fund to additional risks generally associated with short sales. Among other things, the market price of the security may increase after the Fund enters into the delayed delivery transaction, and the Fund will suffer a loss when it purchases the security at a higher price in order to make delivery. In addition, the Fund may not always be able to purchase the security it is obligated to deliver at a particular time or at an acceptable price.
The market value of the securities underlying a when-issued purchase or a forward commitment to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value, are taken into account when determining the net asset 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 they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date.
International and Foreign Investments
Foreign Securities - General. Each of the Funds may invest in foreign securities. Each Equity Fund (except the International Funds) and the Bond Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities. There is no limit on the International Funds investments in foreign securities investments; however, the Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund may not invest more than 20% of its assets in emerging market country companies or more than 5% of its assets in companies of any one emerging market country.
Income and gains on foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes. Investors should consider carefully the substantial risks involved in securities of companies and governments of foreign nations, which are in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments. There may be less publicly available information about foreign companies comparable to the reports and ratings published about companies in the United States. Foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, and auditing practices and requirements may not be comparable to those applicable to United States companies. Foreign markets have substantially less trading volume than the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and securities of some foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable United States companies. Commission rates in foreign countries, which are generally fixed rather than subject to negotiation as in the United States, are likely to be higher. In many foreign countries there is less government supervision and less regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the United States. Such concerns are particularly heightened in emerging market countries and Eastern European countries.
Issuers of foreign securities may also suffer from social, political and economic instability. Such instability can lead to illiquidity or price volatility in foreign securities traded on affected markets. Foreign issuers may be subject to the risk that during certain periods the liquidity of securities of a particular issuer or industry, or all the securities within a particular region, will be adversely affected by economic, market or political events, or adverse investor perceptions, which may cause temporary or permanent devaluation of the relevant securities. In addition, if a market for a foreign security closes as a result of such instability, it may be more difficult to obtain accurate independently-sourced prices for securities traded on these markets and may be difficult to value the effected foreign securities for extended periods of time.
In connection with the purchase or sale of securities denominated in foreign currencies, the Adviser endeavors to buy and sell foreign currencies on as favorable a basis as practicable. Some price spread on currency exchange (to cover service charges) may be incurred, particularly when a Fund changes investments from one country to another or when proceeds of the sale of Fund shares in U.S. dollars are used for the purchase of securities in foreign countries. Also, some countries may adopt policies that would prevent a Fund from transferring cash out of the country or withhold portions of interest and dividends at the source. There is the possibility of expropriation, nationalization or confiscatory taxation, withholding and other foreign taxes on income or other amounts, foreign exchange controls (which may include suspension of the ability to transfer currency from a given country), default in foreign government securities, political or social instability or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in securities of issuers in foreign nations.
Foreign securities markets have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when assets of a Fund are uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of a Fund to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause a Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to a Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio security or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible liability to the purchaser. Furthermore, problems with the timely settlement of foreign securities transactions may impair a Funds ability to value those securities accurately.
A Fund may be affected either unfavorably or favorably by fluctuations in the relative rates of exchange between the currencies of different nations, by exchange control regulations and by indigenous economic and political developments. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will influence values within a Fund from the perspective of U.S. investors, and may also affect the value of dividends and interest earned, gains and losses realized on the sale of securities, and net investment income and gains, if any, to be distributed to shareholders by a Fund. The rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and other currencies is determined by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets. These forces are affected by the international balance of payments and other economic and financial conditions, government intervention, speculation and other factors. The Adviser will attempt to avoid unfavorable consequences and to take advantage of favorable developments in particular nations where, from time to time, it places a Funds investments.
The exercise of this flexible policy may include decisions to purchase securities with substantial risk characteristics and other decisions such as changing the emphasis on investments from one nation to another and from one type of security to another. Some of these decisions may later prove profitable and others may not. No assurance can be given that profits, if any, will exceed losses.
Foreign Securities Emerging Market Countries. There are greater risks involved in investing in companies in emerging market countries than those associated with investments in developed foreign markets. These risks include (i) less social, political and economic stability; (ii) the small current size of the markets for such securities and the currently low or nonexistent volume of trading and lower levels of government regulation of the markets, which may result in a relative lack of liquidity, greater price volatility and higher risk of settlement disruption and means the market in an emerging market country may be dominated by a few issues or sectors or only a few investors; (iii) high levels of debt and the potential for future periods of severe currency devaluation, inflation or recession; (iv) certain national policies which may restrict a Funds investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interest; (iv) foreign taxation; (v) the absence of developed legal structures governing private or foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property or resulting in disparate treatment of holders of the same class of shares of a company; (vi) the absence, in some cases, of a capital market structure or market-oriented economy; and (vii) the possibility that economic developments may be slowed or reversed by unanticipated political or social events in such countries.
Investments in emerging market countries also may involve heightened risks of nationalization, expropriation and confiscatory taxation. The governments of a number of emerging market countries expropriated large amounts of private property in the past, in many cases without adequate compensation, and there can be no assurance that such expropriation will not occur in the future. In the event of such expropriation, a Fund could lose a substantial portion of any investments it has made in the affected countries. Further, no accounting standards exist in most emerging market countries and different or substantially less information about issuers may be available to investors. Finally, even though certain emerging market currencies may be convertible into United States dollars, the conversion rates may be artificial rather than reflecting their actual market values and may be adverse to a Fund.
Investment in emerging market countries may require special custody or other arrangements before investing. The securities settlement procedures in emerging market countries tend to be less sophisticated, and the Fund therefore may be required to deliver securities before receiving payment and may be unable to complete transactions during market disruptions. Limited liquidity, volume and information and heightened volatility may make emerging markets securities more difficult to fair value. The factors discussed above may result in increased transaction costs.
Emerging countries may be subject to a substantially greater degree of economic, political and social instability and disruption than more developed countries. This instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision making, including changes or attempted changes in governments through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic or social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection or conflict; and (vi) the absence of developed legal structures governing foreign private investments and private property; (vii) the small current size of the markets for such securities and the currently low or nonexistent volume of trading, which result in a lack of liquidity and in greater price volatility; (viii) certain national policies which may restrict the Funds investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interest; (ix) foreign taxation; (x) the absence, in some cases, of a capital market structure or market-oriented economy; or (xi) the possibility that economic developments may be slowed or reversed by unanticipated political or social events in such countries. Such economic, political and social instability could disrupt the principal financial markets in which the Fund may invest and adversely affect the value of the Funds assets. The Funds investments can also be adversely affected by any increase in taxes or by political, economic or diplomatic developments.
The economies of emerging countries may suffer from unfavorable growth of gross domestic product, rates of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, self-sufficiency and balance of payments. Many emerging countries have experienced in the past, and continue to experience, high rates of inflation. In certain countries inflation has at times accelerated rapidly to hyperinflationary levels, creating a negative interest rate environment and sharply eroding the value of outstanding financial assets in those countries. Other emerging countries, on the other hand, have recently experienced deflationary pressures and are in economic recessions. In addition, many emerging countries are also highly dependent on international trade and exports, including exports of oil and other commodities to sustain their economic growth. As a result, emerging countries are particularly vulnerable to downturns of the world economy. The recent global financial crisis tightened international credit supplies and weakened global demand for their exports. As a result, certain of these economies faced significant economic difficulties, which caused some emerging market economies to fall into recession. Although economies in certain emerging countries have recently shown signs of recovery, such recovery may be gradual as weak economic conditions in Europe, Asia and North America may continue to suppress demand for exports from emerging countries.
Depositary Receipts and New York Registered Shares. Each of the Equity Funds may invest in depositary receipts. Depositary receipts are instruments generally issued by domestic banks or trust companies that represent the deposits of a security of a foreign issuer. Generally, investors may pay a fee to convert depositary receipts to the home-market shares.
American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), Holding Company Depositary Receipts (HOLDRs), New York Registered Shares (NYRs) and American Depositary Shares (ADSs) are considered foreign securities. ADRs are traded in U.S. dollars on U.S. exchanges or over-the-counter, are typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company, and evidence ownership of underlying foreign securities. Certain institutions issuing ADRs may not be sponsored by the issuer. A non-sponsored depositary may not provide the same shareholder information that a sponsored depositary is required to provide under its contractual arrangements with the issuer. EDRs are issued by European financial institutions and typically trade in Europe and GDRs are issued by European financial institutions and typically trade in both Europe and the United States. HOLDRs are fixed baskets of U.S. or foreign stocks that give an investor an ownership interest in each of the underlying stocks. NYRs, also known as Guilder Shares since most of the issuing companies are Dutch, are dollar-denominated certificates issued by foreign companies specifically for the U.S. market. ADSs are shares issued under a deposit agreement that represents an underlying security in the issuers home country. (An ADS is the actual share trading, while an ADR represents a bundle of ADSs.) Investments in these types of securities involve similar risks to investments in foreign securities.
Generally, foreign security depositary receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities market and foreign security depositary receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States. Depositary receipts in which each of the Funds may invest are typically denominated in U.S. dollars, but may be denominated in other currencies. Depositary receipts may be issued pursuant to sponsored or unsponsored programs. In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of depositary receipts. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program.
Although regulatory requirements with respect to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information from an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program. Accordingly, there may be less information available regarding issuers of securities underlying unsponsored programs and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts. Depositary receipts evidencing ownership of a foreign corporation also involve the risks of other investments in foreign securities. For purposes of each of the Funds investment policies, a Funds investments in depositary receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities.
Unlike depositary receipts of foreign companies, NYRs are not receipts backed by the home market security, but represent dollar-denominated direct claims on the issuing companys capital. Investment in NYRs, therefore, involves similar risks to investing directly in other types of foreign securities. Like depositary receipts, however, investors may pay a fee to convert to the home-market shares. In addition, during periods of social, political or economic unrest or instability in a country or region, the value of foreign securities traded on United States exchanges tied to such country or region, such as ADRs and GDRs, could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity or the closure of the primary market on which the securities underlying the foreign securities are traded.
Foreign Currency Transactions. In order to protect against a possible loss on investments resulting from a decline or appreciation in the value of a particular foreign currency against the U.S. dollar or another foreign currency or to facilitate local settlements or to protect against currency exposure in connection with distributions to Fund shareholders, each of the Funds is authorized, but is not required, to enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts (forward currency contracts) and spot currency contracts (spot contracts). Other currency transactions include currency futures, options on currencies, and currency swaps. Forward currency contracts involve a privately negotiated obligation to purchase or sell (with delivery generally required) a specified currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. Neither forward currency contracts nor spot contracts eliminate fluctuations in the values of portfolio securities but rather allow a Fund to establish a rate of currency exchange for a future point in time or purchase currency at a particular point in time. Spot contracts involve the purchase of foreign currency at the current rate, typically in an effort to facilitate transactions in foreign securities. A currency swap is an agreement to exchange cash flows based on the notional difference among two or more currencies and operates similarly to an interest rate swap as described in this SAI. These instruments are subject to the risk that the counterparty will default.
A Fund may enter into currency transactions with counterparties that have received (or the guarantors of the obligations that have received) a credit rating of A-1 or P-1 by S&P or Moodys, respectively, or that have an equivalent rating from an NRSRO or are determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Adviser.
A Funds dealings in forward currency contracts and other currency transactions such as futures, options, options on futures and swaps will be limited to hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio positions. Transaction hedging is entering into a currency transaction with respect to specific assets or liabilities of the Fund, which will generally arise in connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities or the receipt of income therefrom. Position hedging is entering into a currency transaction with respect to portfolio security positions denominated or generally quoted in that currency.
A Fund will not enter into a transaction to hedge currency exposure to an extent greater, after netting all transactions intended wholly or partially to offset other transactions, than the aggregate market value (at the time of entering into the transaction) of the securities held in its portfolio that are denominated or generally quoted in or currently convertible into such currency, other than with respect to proxy hedging as described below.
A Fund may also cross-hedge currencies by entering into transactions to purchase or sell one or more currencies that are expected to decline in value relative to other currencies to which the Fund has or in which the Fund expects to have portfolio exposure.
When the Adviser anticipates that a particular foreign currency may decline substantially relative to the U.S. dollar or other leading currencies, in order to reduce risk, a Fund may, but is not obligated to, enter into a forward currency contract to sell, for a fixed amount, the amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of the
Funds securities denominated in such foreign currency. Similarly, when the obligations held by a Fund create a short position in a foreign currency, a Fund may enter into a forward currency contract to buy, for a fixed amount, an amount of foreign currency approximating the short position. With respect to any forward currency contract, it will not generally be possible to match precisely the amount covered by that contract and the value of the securities involved due to the changes in the values of such securities resulting from market movements between the date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures. With respect to any forward currency contract, it will not generally be possible to match precisely the amount covered by that contract and the value of the securities involved due to the changes in the values of such securities resulting from market movements between the date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures. The projection of short-term currency market movement is extremely difficult, and the successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. Foreign currency transactions involve the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted and that the Funds hedging strategies will be ineffective. In addition, while forward currency contracts may offer protection from losses resulting from declines or appreciation in the value of a particular foreign currency, they also limit potential gains that might result from changes in the value of such currency. A Fund will also incur costs in connection with forward currency contracts and conversions of foreign currencies and U.S. dollars.
When entering into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency, a Fund may enter into a forward currency contract for the amount of the purchase or sale price to protect against variations, between the date the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received, in the value of the foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar or other foreign currency.
For deliverable forward currency contracts, at maturity, the Fund may either, sell the portfolio security and make delivery of the foreign currency, or it may retain the security and terminate its contractual obligation to deliver the foreign currency by purchasing an offsetting contract obligating it to purchase, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the foreign currency. It is impossible to forecast with absolute precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of the forward currency contract. Accordingly, it may be necessary for the Fund to purchase additional foreign currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such purchase) if the market value of the security is less than the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver and if a decision is made to sell the security and make delivery of the foreign currency. Conversely, it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the foreign currency received upon the sale of the portfolio security if its market value exceeds the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver.
If the Fund retains the portfolio security and engages in offsetting transactions, the Fund will incur a gain or a loss (as described below) to the extent that there has been movement in forward contract prices. If the Fund engages in an offsetting transaction, it may subsequently enter into a new forward contract to sell the foreign currency. Should forward prices decline during the period between the Funds entering into a forward currency contract for the sale of a foreign currency and the date it enters into an offsetting contract for the purchase of the foreign currency, the Fund will realize a gain to the extent the price of the currency it has agreed to sell exceeds the price of the currency it has agreed to purchase. Should forward prices increase, the Fund will suffer a loss to the extent the price of the currency it has agreed to purchase exceeds the price of the currency it has agreed to sell.
A Fund will cover its exposure to foreign currency transactions by segregating liquid assets in compliance with applicable requirements. A Fund will designate on its records cash or liquid assets equal to the amount of the Funds assets that could be required to consummate a forward currency contract at the settlement date except to the extent the contracts are otherwise covered. A forward currency contract to sell a foreign currency is covered if a Fund owns the currency (or securities denominated in the currency) underlying the contract, or holds a forward currency contract (or call option) permitting a Fund to buy the same currency at a price no higher than a Funds price to sell the currency. A forward contract to buy a foreign currency is covered if a Fund holds a forward contract (or put option) permitting a Fund to sell the same currency at a price as high as or higher than the Funds price to buy the currency. Although a Fund is not required to designate cash or liquid assets on its records with regard to covered forward currency contracts, each Fund will monitor its leverage exposure to such contracts daily.
Beginning on the date a Fund enters into a currency swap transaction, the Fund will designate on its records cash or liquid assets sufficient to make payment for each currency swap transaction on the next payment date. This amount will be equal to the net difference between the present value of the payments a Fund expects to receive and the present value of the payments the Fund expects to make. However, a Fund is not required to designate any assets in
connection with currency swap transactions if the present value of the payments it expects to receive is greater than the present value of the payments it expects to make. Alternatively, the Fund may segregate an amount equal to the notional amount of the contract. For the purpose of determining the adequacy of the securities designated in connection with forward currency contracts and currency swap transactions, the value of the designated securities will be marked to market daily. If the market value of such securities declines or the designated securities become illiquid, additional cash or liquid assets will be designated daily so that the value of the designated securities will equal the amount of such commitments by the Fund.
To reduce the effect of currency fluctuations on the value of existing or anticipated holdings of portfolio securities, the Fund may also engage proxy hedging. Proxy hedging is often used when the currency to which the Funds portfolio is exposed is difficult to hedge or to hedge against the dollar. Proxy hedging entails entering into a commitment or option to sell a currency whose changes in value are generally considered to be correlated to a currency or currencies in which some or all of the Funds portfolio securities are or are expected to be denominated, in exchange for U.S. dollars. The amount of the commitment or option would not exceed the value of the Funds securities denominated in correlated currencies. For example, if the Adviser considers that the Canadian dollar is correlated to the Australian dollar, the Fund holds securities denominated in Canadian dollars and the Adviser believes that the value of the Canadian dollar will decline against the U.S. dollar, the Adviser may enter into a commitment or option to sell Australian dollars and buy U.S. dollars. Currency hedging involves some of the same risks and considerations as other transactions with similar instruments. Currency transactions can result in losses to the Fund if the currency being hedged fluctuates in value to a degree or in a direction that is not anticipated. Further, there is the risk that the perceived correlation between various currencies may not be present or may not be present during the particular time that the Fund is engaging in proxy hedging. If a Fund enters into a currency hedging transaction, beginning on the date that the hedging transaction is consummated, the Fund will designate cash or liquid assets on its records in an amount sufficient to make payment for the foreign currency at the settlement date, to the extent that the Funds obligations are not otherwise covered through ownership of the underlying currency.
Currency transactions are subject to risks different from those of other portfolio transactions. Because currency control is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic planning and policy, purchases and sales of currency and related instruments can be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages, and manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments. These can result in losses to the Fund if it is unable to deliver or receive currency or funds in settlement of obligations and could also cause hedges it has entered into to be rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring transaction costs. Buyers and sellers of currency futures are subject to the same risks that apply to the use of futures generally. Further, settlement of a currency futures contract for the purchase of most currencies must occur at a bank based in the issuing nation. Trading options on currency futures is relatively new, and the ability to establish and close positions on such options is subject to the maintenance of a liquid market which may not always be available. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors extrinsic to that countrys economy.
Certain foreign currency forwards are now regulated by the CFTC and many are expected eventually to be subject to mandatory exchange trading and clearing. Central clearing is expected to decrease counterparty risk and increase liquidity, but will not make such transactions risk free and may require a Fund to incur increased expenses.
Derivatives
Credit Default Swaps. The Bond Fund may enter into credit default swap agreements. Swap agreements are contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year and may be negotiated bilaterally and traded OTC between two parties or, in some instances, must be transacted through a futures commission merchant and cleared through a clearing house that serves as central counterparty and exchange traded. A credit default swap agreement may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by the Bond Fund. The protection buyer in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection seller an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the par value (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount, if the swap is cash settled. The Bond Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Bond Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Bond Fund may recover
nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, depending on the terms of the swap, if a credit event occurs, the buyer generally may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Bond Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Bond Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Bond Fund would be subject to exposure on the notional amount of the swap.
Credit default swap agreements involve greater risks than if the Bond Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, illiquidity risk associated with a particular issuer, and issuer credit risk, each of which will be similar in either case, credit default swaps are often illiquid and are subject to counterparty credit, correlation, valuation, liquidity and leveraging risks. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, depending on the terms of the swap, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller.
Swaps are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CTFC). Use of swaps can cause the Bond Fund to be subject to additional regulatory requirements, which may generate additional Fund expenses. The Bond Fund may be subject to mandatory central clearing and exchange-trading requirements for certain standardized credit default swaps (e.g., certain credit default swaps tied to an index). These requirements may reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity, but will not make credit default swap transactions risk free and may require the Bond Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of swaps previously available on a bilateral basis. Depending on the swap, the margin required under the rules of the clearinghouse and by the futures commission merchant may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by the Fund to support its obligations under a similar uncleared swap. Regulators are expected to adopt rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums on uncleared swaps, which could change this comparison.
The Bond Funds obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily and offset against any amounts owing to the Bond Fund. For credit default swaps that involve the sale of credit protection (e.g., the Bond Fund takes on the on the risk of a default in an underlying bond), the Bond Fund will segregate an amount equal to the notional amount of the contract. For credit default swaps that involve the purchase of credit protection (e.g., the Bond Fund takes on the obligation effectively to pay a premium for insurance), the Bond Fund will segregate an amount equal to the face amount of unpaid premiums. Such segregation will ensure that the Bond Fund has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction and will limit any potential leveraging of the Bond Funds portfolio. Such segregation will not limit the Bond Funds exposure to loss.
Futures Transactions and Related Options. Each of the Funds may enter into futures contracts and options on futures contracts, as described below.
Futures Contracts . The Funds may purchase and sell futures contracts on securities and other instruments . Futures contracts are traded on organized exchanges regulated by the CFTC. Transactions on such exchanges are cleared through a clearing corporation, which guarantees the performance of the parties to each contract. The terms of futures contracts are set forth in the rules of the exchange on which the futures contracts are traded. The following provides a detailed description of the use of such futures contracts.
Description of Interest Rate Futures Contracts . Interest rate futures contracts are tied to interest-bearing instruments (such as U.S. Treasury notes) and may be used by the Funds to manage the risk that interest rates will move in an adverse direction. Selling an interest rate futures contract creates an obligation to deliver the specific type of financial instrument called for in the contract at a specific future time for a specified price. Purchasing a futures contract creates an obligation to take delivery of the specific type of financial instrument at a specific future time at a specific price for contracts that require physical delivery, or a net payment, for cash-settled contracts. The specific securities delivered or taken, respectively, at settlement date, would not be determined until or near that date.
Although interest rate futures contracts by their terms call for actual delivery or acceptance of securities, in most cases the contracts are closed out before the settlement date without making or taking delivery of securities. Closing out a futures contract is effected by the Funds entering into an offsetting futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument and the same delivery date. Depending on the current price at which a Fund enters the offsetting transaction, the Fund will realize or pay the difference between the prices of the two contracts and realize a gain or a loss.
The Funds may sell an interest rate futures contract to maintain the income advantage from continued holding of a long-term bond while endeavoring to avoid part or all of the loss in market value that would otherwise accompany a decline in long-term securities prices. However in the event of an increase in the market value of the portfolio securities, including the portfolio security being protected, the benefit of this increase would be reduced by the loss realized on closing out the futures contract sale. If interest rate levels did not change, the Fund might incur a loss (which might be reduced by an offsetting transaction prior to the settlement date). In each transaction, transaction expenses would also be incurred.
The Funds may purchase an interest rate futures contract when they are not fully invested in long-term bonds but wish to defer for a time the purchase of long-term bonds in light of the availability of advantageous interim investments, e.g., shorter term securities whose yields are greater than those available on long-term bonds. A Funds basic motivation would be to maintain for a time the income advantage from investing in the short-term securities.
The Fund would be endeavoring at the same time to eliminate the effect of all or part of an expected increase in market price of the long-term bonds that the Fund may purchase.
Use of Interest Rate Futures Contracts . Bond prices are established in both the cash market and the futures market. In the cash market, bonds are purchased and sold with payment for the full purchase price of the bond being made in cash, generally within five business days after the trade. In the futures market, a contract is made to purchase or sell a bond in the future for a set price on a certain future date. Historically, the prices for bonds established in the futures markets have tended to move generally in the aggregate in concert with the cash market prices and have maintained fairly predictable relationships. Accordingly, the Funds may use interest rate futures contracts as a defense, or hedge, against anticipated interest rate changes, selling of futures contracts to protect against expected increases in interest rates and purchasing futures contracts to offset the impact of interest rate declines.
Margin Payments. Unlike the purchase or sale of portfolio securities, no price is paid or received by a Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Initially, the Fund will be required to deposit with the broker an amount of cash or cash equivalents, known as initial margin, based on the value of the contract. The initial margin is a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract, which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the futures contract after all contractual obligations have been satisfied. On a daily basis, exchange rules require the calculation and transfer between the parties of that days gain or loss on the futures contract, a process known as marking to market and payment of variation margin. For example, when a Fund has purchased a futures contract and the price of the contract increases in response to a rise in the price of the underlying instruments, the Fund will be entitled to receive a variation margin payment equal to that increase in value. Conversely, where the Fund has purchased a futures contract and the price of the futures contract declines in response to a decrease in the underlying instrument, the Fund would be required to make a variation margin payment. At any time prior to expiration of a futures contract, the Adviser may close the position by taking an offsetting position, subject to the availability of a secondary market. A final determination of variation margin is then made and paid by the applicable party, and the Fund realizes a loss or gain on the transaction.
Cover Requirements . With respect to futures contracts that are not contractually required to cash-settle, a Fund must cover its open positions by designating or segregating on its records cash or liquid assets equal to the contracts notional value. For futures contracts that are contractually required to cash-settle, however, a Fund is permitted to designate cash or liquid assets in an amount equal to the Funds next daily marked-to-market (net) obligation, if any ( i.e., the Funds daily net liability) rather than the notional value. By designating assets equal to only its net obligation under cash-settled forwards or futures the Fund will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund were required to segregate assets equal to the full notional value of such contracts.
Risks of Transactions in Futures Contracts . There are several risks in connection with the use of futures by the Funds as hedging devices. One risk arises because of the imperfect correlation between movements in the price of futures and movements in the price of the instruments which are the subject of the hedge. The price of futures may move more than or less than the price of the instruments being hedged. If the price of futures moves less than the price of the instruments which are the subject of the hedge, the hedge will not be fully effective , but, if the price of the instruments being hedged has moved in an unfavorable direction, a Fund would be in a better position than if it had not hedged at all. If the price of the instruments being hedged has moved in a favorable direction, this advantage will be partially offset by the loss on the futures. If the price of the futures moves more than the price of the hedged instrument, the Fund will experience either a loss or gain on the futures contract that will not be completely offset by movements in the price of the instrument subject to the hedge. To compensate for the imperfect correlation of contrary movements in the price of instruments being hedged and movements in the price of futures contracts, the Fund may buy or sell futures contracts in a greater dollar amount than the dollar amount of instruments being hedged if the volatility over a particular time period of the prices of such instruments has been greater than the volatility over such time period of the futures, or if otherwise deemed to be appropriate by the Adviser. Conversely, the Funds may buy or sell fewer futures contracts if the volatility over a particular time period of the prices of the instruments being hedged is less than the volatility over such time period of the futures contract being used, or if otherwise deemed to be appropriate by the Adviser. It is also possible that, when a Fund sells futures contracts to hedge its portfolio against a decline in the market, the market may advance and the value of the futures instruments held in the Fund may decline.
Where futures contracts are purchased to hedge against a possible increase in the price of securities before a Fund is able to invest its cash (or cash equivalents) in an orderly fashion, it is possible that the market may decline instead. If the Fund then concludes not to invest its cash at that time because of concern as to possible further market decline or for other reasons, the Fund will realize a loss on the futures contract that is not offset by a reduction in the price of the securities that were to be purchased and will have incurred transaction fees.
In addition, the price of futures contracts may not correlate perfectly with movement in the cash market due to certain market distortions. For example, an increase in volume in futures contracts due to offsetting transactions near the expiration of a contract could distort the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Also, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortions. These factors can mean that correct forecast of general market trends or interest rate movements by the Adviser may still not result in a successful hedging transaction over a short time frame.
Positions in futures may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade that provides a secondary market for such futures contracts. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on any exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. When there is no liquid market, it may not be possible to close a futures contract, and in the event of adverse price movements, the Funds would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin and make or take delivery of the underlying investment upon expiration of the futures contract.
Further, it should be noted that the liquidity of a secondary market in a futures contract may be adversely affected by daily price fluctuation limits established by exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in a futures contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open futures positions. The trading of futures contracts is also subject to the risk of trading halts, suspensions, exchange or clearing house equipment failures, government intervention, insolvency of a brokerage firm or clearing house or other disruptions of normal activity, which could at times make it difficult or impossible to liquidate existing positions or to recover equity .
Successful use of futures to hedge portfolio securities can protect against adverse market movements but also can reduce potential gain . For example, if a particular Fund has hedged against the possibility of a decline in the market adversely affecting securities held by it and securities prices increase instead, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit to the increased value of its securities which it has hedged because it will have offsetting losses in its futures positions. In addition, in such situations, if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin requirements. Such sales of securities may be, but will not necessarily be, at increased prices which reflect the rising market. The Funds may have to sell securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Options on Futures Contracts. The Funds may purchase and write options on the futures contracts described above. Buying a futures option gives the holder, in return for the premium paid, the right to buy from (call) or sell to (put) the writer of the option a futures contract at a specified price at a specified time or any time during the period of the option, depending on the terms of the options contract. Upon exercise, the writer of the option is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the futures contract and the exercise price. Like the buyer or seller of a futures contract, the holder, or writer, of an option has the right to terminate its position prior to the scheduled expiration of the option by selling or purchasing an option of the same series, at which time the person entering into the closing transaction will realize a gain or loss. A Fund will be required to deposit initial margin and variation margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it pursuant to requirements similar to those described above. Net option premiums received will be included as initial margin deposits.
Investments in futures options involve some of the same considerations that are involved in connection with investments in future contracts (for example, the existence of a liquid secondary market). In addition, the purchase or sale of an option also entails the risk that changes in the value of the underlying futures contract will not correspond to changes in the value of the option purchased. Depending on the pricing of the option compared to either the futures contract upon which it is based, or upon the price of the securities being hedged, an option may or may not be less risky than ownership of the futures contract or such securities. In general, the market prices of options can be expected to be more volatile than the market prices on underlying futures contracts. Compared to the purchase or sale of futures contracts, however, the purchase of call or put options on futures contracts may frequently involve less potential risk to the Fund because the maximum amount at risk is the premium paid for the options (plus transaction costs). The writing of an option on a futures contract involves risks similar to those risks relating to the sale of futures contracts.
Interest Rate Swap Transactions. The Bond Fund may enter into interest rate swap agreements for purposes of attempting to obtain a particular desired return at a lower cost to the Bond Fund than if the Bond Fund had invested directly in an instrument that yielded that desired return. Interest rate swap transactions involve the exchange by the Bond Fund with another party of commitments to pay or receive interest, such as an exchange of fixed rate payments in exchange for floating rate payments. Swaps are regulated by the CFTC. Use of swaps can cause the Bond Fund to be subject to additional regulatory requirements, which may generate additional Fund expenses. The Bond Fund is subject to mandatory central clearing and exchange-trading requirements for many standardized interest rate swaps. These requirements may reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity, but will not make interest rate swap transactions risk free and may require the Bond Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of swaps previously available on a bilateral basis. Depending on the swap, the margin required under the rules of the clearinghouse and by the futures commission merchant may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by the Bond Fund to support its obligations under a similar uncleared swap. Regulators are expected to adopt rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums on uncleared swaps, which could change this comparison.
Certain federal income tax requirements may limit the Bond Funds ability to engage in certain interest rate transactions. Gains from transactions in interest rate swaps distributed to shareholders of the Bond Fund will be taxable as ordinary income or, in certain circumstances, as long-term capital gains to the shareholders.
For cash settled swaps, beginning on the date the Bond Fund enters into a swap transaction, the Bond Fund will designate on its records cash or liquid assets sufficient to make payment for each swap transaction on the next payment date. This amount will be equal to the net difference between the present value of the payments the Bond Fund expects to receive and the present value of the payments the Bond Fund expects to make and will be monitored on a daily basis. Alternatively, the Bond Fund may segregate an amount equal to the notional amount of the contract. Such segregation will ensure that the Fund has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction and will limit any potential leveraging of the Bond Funds portfolio. Such segregation will not limit the Bond Funds exposure to loss. The Bond Fund is not required to designate any assets in connection with swap transactions if the present value of the payments it expects to receive is greater than the present value of the payments it expects to make.
Interest rate swaps are also subject to correlation, valuation, liquidity and leveraging risks. The use of interest rate swaps is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates and other applicable factors, the investment performance of the Bond Fund would be lower than it would have been if interest rate swaps were not used. The swaps 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 interest rate swaps market has become relatively liquid in comparison with other similar instruments traded in the interbank market. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including potential additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Bond Fund.
Options. Each of the Funds may purchase and sell put and call options, but will primarily write covered call options, purchase put options on securities held by the applicable Fund, or otherwise engage in options transactions that do not leverage the Fund. Such options may relate to particular securities and may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange and issued by the Options Clearing Corporation. Options trading is a highly specialized activity that entails greater than ordinary investment risk. Options on particular securities may be more volatile than the underlying securities, and therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying securities themselves . For risks associated with options on foreign securities, see Foreign Currency Transactions above.
A call option for a particular security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of the option 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 obligations under the option contract. A put option for a particular security gives the purchaser the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying 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.
The writer of an option that wishes to terminate its obligation may effect a closing purchase transaction. This is accomplished by buying an option of the same series as the option previously written. The effect of the purchase is that the writers position will be canceled by the clearing corporation. However, a writer may not effect a closing purchase transaction after being notified of the exercise of an option. Likewise, an investor who is the holder of an option may liquidate its position by effecting a closing sale transaction. The cost of such a closing purchase transaction plus transaction costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event the Fund will have incurred a loss in the transaction. There is no guarantee in any instance that either a closing purchase transaction or a closing sale transaction can be effected.
Effecting a closing sale transaction in the case of a written call option will permit the Funds to write another call option on the underlying security with either a different exercise price or expiration date or both. Also, effecting a closing sale transaction will permit the cash or proceeds from the concurrent sale of any securities subject to the option to be used for other Fund investments. If a Fund desires to sell a particular security from its portfolio on which it has written a call option, it will effect a closing sale transaction prior to or concurrent with the sale of the security.
The Funds may write options in connection with buy-and-write transactions; that is, the Funds may purchase a security and then write a call option against that security. The Funds will determine the exercise price of the call based upon the expected price movement of the underlying security. The exercise price of a call option may be below (in-the-money), equal to (at-the-money) or above (out-of-the-money) the current value of the underlying security at the time the option is written. Buy-and-write transactions using in-the-money call options may be used when it is expected that the price of the underlying security will remain flat or decline moderately during the option period. Buy-and-write transactions using out-of-the-money call options may be used when it is expected that the premiums received from writing the call option plus the appreciation in the market price of the underlying security up to the exercise price will be greater than the appreciation in the price of the underlying security alone. If the call options are exercised in such transactions, the maximum gain to the relevant Fund will be the premium received by it for writing the option, adjusted upwards or downwards by the difference between the Funds purchase price of the security and the exercise price. If the options are not exercised and the price of the underlying security declines, the amount of such decline will be offset in part, or entirely, by the premium received.
In the case of writing a call option on a security, the option is covered if a Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration, such as conversion or exchange of other securities held by it, or, if additional cash consideration is required, the Fund has designated or segregated on its records cash or liquid assets equal in value to such amount. A call option is covered if a Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (1) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (2) greater than the exercise price of the call written provided the Fund designates on its records cash or liquid assets equal to the difference. A Fund will limit its investment in uncovered put or call options purchased or written, measured by the exercise price in the case of a put or market value in the case of a call, by the Fund to 33 1/3% of the Funds total assets. A Fund will write put options only if they are covered by (1) designating on its records cash or liquid assets in an amount not less than the exercise price of the option at all times during the option period or (2) selling short the underlying security at a price at least equal to the strike price or purchasing a put option with a strike price at least equal to the strike price of the put option sold.
The writing of covered put options is similar in terms of risk/return characteristics to buy-and-write transactions. If the market price of the underlying security rises or otherwise is above the exercise price, the put option will expire worthless and the relevant Funds gain will be limited to the premium received. If the market price of the underlying security declines or otherwise is below the exercise price, the Fund may elect to close the position or take delivery of the security at the exercise price and the Funds return will be the premium received from the put option minus the amount by which the market price of the security is below the exercise price.
The Funds may purchase put options to hedge against a decline in the value of their portfolios. By using put options in this way, a Fund will reduce any profit it might otherwise have realized in the underlying security by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and by transaction costs. The Funds may purchase call options to hedge against an increase in the price of securities that they anticipate purchasing in the future. The premium paid for the call option plus any transaction costs will reduce the benefit, if any, realized by a Fund upon exercise of the option, and, unless the price of the underlying security rises sufficiently, the option may expire worthless to the Fund.
When a Fund purchases an option, the premium paid by it is recorded as an asset of the Fund. When the Fund writes an option, an amount equal to the net premium (the premium less the commission) received by the Fund is included in the liability section of the Funds statement of assets and liabilities as a deferred credit. The amount of this asset or deferred credit will be subsequently marked to market to reflect the current value of the option purchased or written. The current value of the traded option is the last sale price or, in the absence of a sale, the average of the closing bid and asked prices. If an option purchased by the 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 a 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) and the deferred credit related to such option will be eliminated. If an option written by a 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.
There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and indices. 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. An option writer that is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction will not be able to sell the underlying security (in the case of a covered call option) or liquidate the segregated account (in the case of a secured put option) until the option expires or the optioned security is delivered upon exercise with the result that the writer in such circumstances will be subject to the risk of market decline or appreciation in the security during such period.
There is no assurance that a Fund will be able to close an unlisted option position. Furthermore, unlisted options are not subject to the protections afforded purchasers of listed options by the Options Clearing Corporation, which performs the obligations of its members who fail to do so in connection with the purchase or sale of options.
In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on a national securities exchange (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; 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 volume; 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.
Stock Index Futures, Options on Stock and Bond Indices and Options on Stock and Bond Index Futures Contracts. Each of the Funds may enter into stock index futures contracts, and purchase and sell options on stock and bond indices and options on stock and bond index futures contracts as described in the applicable Prospectus. The Funds may use such options on futures contracts in connection with its hedging strategies in lieu of purchasing and selling the underlying futures or purchasing and writing options directly on the underlying securities or indices. For example, the Funds may purchase put options or write call options on stock and bond index futures, rather than selling futures contracts, in anticipation of a decline in general stock or bond market prices or purchase call options or write put options on stock or bond index futures, rather than purchasing such futures, to hedge against possible increases in the price of securities which such Funds intend to purchase. Index futures and options are subject to the same types of risks as are described under Futures Transactions and Related Options above.
A stock index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index and the index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included. Some stock index futures contracts are based on broad market indices, such as the Standard & Poors® 500 or the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index. In contrast, certain exchanges offer futures contracts on narrower market indices, such as the Standard & Poors® 100 or indices based on an industry or market segment, such as oil and gas stocks. A stock index futures contract is an agreement in which one party agrees to deliver to the other an amount of cash equal to a specific dollar amount times the difference between the value of a specific stock index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the agreement is made. No physical delivery of securities is made.
A bond index assigns relative values of the bonds included in the index and the index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the bonds included. The Chicago Board of Trade has designed a futures contract based on the Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index. This Index is composed of 40 term revenue and general obligation bonds and its composition is updated regularly as new bonds meeting the criteria of the Index are issued and existing bonds mature. The Index is intended to provide an accurate indicator of trends and changes in the municipal bond market. Each bond in the Index is independently priced by six dealer-to-dealer municipal bond brokers daily. The 40 prices then are averaged and multiplied by a coefficient. The coefficient is used to maintain the continuity of the Index when its composition changes.
Options on stock and bond indices are similar to options on specific securities, described above, except that, rather than the right to take or make delivery of the specific security at a specific price, an option on a stock or bond index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of that stock or bond index is greater than, in the case of a call option, or less than, in the case of a put option, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to such difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. Unlike options on specific securities, all settlements of options on stock or bond indices are in cash, and gain or loss depends on general movements in the stocks included in the index rather than price movements in particular stocks.
A Fund will sell index futures contracts in order to offset a decrease in market value of its portfolio securities that might otherwise result from a market decline. A Fund will purchase index futures contracts in anticipation of purchases of securities. In a substantial majority of these transactions, a Fund will purchase such securities upon termination of the long futures position, but a long futures position may be terminated without a corresponding purchase of securities.
In addition, a Fund may utilize index futures contracts in anticipation of changes in the composition of its portfolio holdings. For example, in the event that a Fund expects to narrow the range of industry groups represented in its holdings it may, prior to making purchases of the actual securities, establish a long futures position based on a more restricted index, such as an index comprised of securities of a particular industry group. A Fund may also sell futures contracts in connection with this strategy, in order to protect against the possibility that the value of the securities to be sold as part of the restructuring of the portfolio will decline prior to the time of sale.
For example, if the Adviser expects general stock or bond market prices to rise, it might enter into a long stock index futures contract, or purchase a call option on that index, as a hedge against an increase in prices of particular securities it ultimately wants to buy. If in fact the index does rise, the price of the particular securities intended to be purchased may also increase, but that increase would be offset in part by the increase in the value of the relevant Funds futures contract or index option resulting from the increase in the index. If, on the other hand, the Adviser expects general stock or bond market prices to decline, it might take a short position in a futures contract, or purchase a put option, on the index. If that index does in fact decline, the value of some or all of the securities in the relevant Funds portfolio may also be expected to decline, but that decrease would be offset in part by the increase in the value of the Funds position in such futures contract or put option.
Other Investments and Investment Practices
Borrowing . Each Fund is authorized to borrow money as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. Borrowing may be unsecured. No Fund intends to borrow money for leveraging purposes.
The 1940 Act requires a mutual fund to maintain continuous asset coverage of 300% of the amount borrowed. If the 300% asset coverage declines as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, a Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time. Borrowed funds are subject to interest costs that may or may not be offset by amounts earned on the borrowed funds. A Fund may also be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fees to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate. Each Fund may, in connection with permissible borrowings, transfer, as collateral, securities owned by the Fund. However, borrowing may be unsecured.
Convertible Securities. Each Fund may invest in convertible securities, which include bonds or preferred stocks that may be converted (exchanged) into the common stock of the issuing company within a specified time period for a specified number of shares. Convertible securities offer the Fund a way to participate in the capital appreciation of the common stock into which the securities are convertible, while earning higher current income than is available from the common stock. However, convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stocks. Furthermore, the yield provided by convertible securities is generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. In addition, convertible securities may be sensitive to changes in interest rates. Therefore, the value of a convertible security may rise as interest rates fall and may decrease as interest rates rise.
Guaranteed Investment Contracts and Funding Agreements. The Bond Fund may make limited investments in guaranteed investment contracts (GICs) or funding agreements issued by U.S. insurance companies. GICs and funding agreements are normally general obligations of the issuing insurance company. In some cases funding agreements may be part of an insurance companys separate account, but they still benefit from a guarantee from the general account. Pursuant to a GIC or a funding agreement, the Bond Fund makes cash contributions to a deposit fund of the insurance companys general account. The insurance company then credits the Fund on a periodic basis with interest that is based on an index. The Bond Fund will only purchase GICs or funding agreements from insurance companies that, at the time of purchase, have assets of $1 billion or more and meet quality and credit standards established by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board. Generally, GICs and funding agreements are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuing insurance company, and an active secondary market in GICs and funding agreements does not currently exist. Therefore, GICs and funding agreements will normally be considered illiquid investments, and will be acquired subject to the Bond Funds limitation on illiquid investments. As such, GICs are generally subject to the same risks as other illiquid securities.
Illiquid Securities. Each of the Funds may invest up to 15% of the value of its net assets (determined at time of acquisition) in securities that are illiquid. If, after the time of acquisition, events cause this limit to be exceeded, the Fund will take steps to reduce the aggregate amount of illiquid securities within a time frame deemed to be in the best interest of the Fund, in addition to complying with other regulatory requirements.
Illiquid securities are generally any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Difficulty in selling illiquid securities may result in a loss to a Fund. Illiquid securities generally include securities for which there is a limited trading market, repurchase agreements and time deposits with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days, and certain securities that are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act. This includes restricted securities that can be offered and sold only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act (Rule 144A securities) and commercial obligations issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper), unless the Adviser determines that such securities are liquid. The Adviser will determine the liquidity of such investments pursuant to guidelines established by the Board. The Funds will adopt a liquidity risk management program designed to meet the requirements of the rules under the 1940 Act related to liquidity.
It is possible that unregistered securities purchased by a Fund in reliance upon Rule 144A could have the effect of increasing the level of the Funds illiquidity to the extent that qualified institutional buyers become, for a period, uninterested in purchasing these securities.
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). The Funds may invest in securities that are made available in IPOs. IPO securities may be volatile, and a Fund cannot predict whether its investments in IPOs will be successful. Securities issued through an initial public offering (IPO) can experience an immediate drop in value if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price. Information about the issuers of IPO securities is also difficult to acquire since they are new to the market and may not have lengthy operating histories. Any short-term trading in connection with IPO investments could produce higher trading costs and adverse tax consequences. As a Fund grows in size, the positive effect of any IPO investments on the Fund may decrease.
Money Market Instruments. Each Fund may invest in money market instruments, which are high-quality, short-term instruments, including commercial paper, bankers acceptances and negotiable certificates of deposit of banks or savings and loan associations, short-term corporate obligations and short-term U.S. government securities.
Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs). Each Equity Fund may invest in master limited partnerships in which ownership interests are publicly traded. The majority of MLPs operate in the energy sector, particularly in energy infrastructure industries such as pipelines, which provide stable income streams. Fees that pipelines are able to charge are highly regulated by the U.S. government; therefore, these types of MLPs are subject to the risk that regulatory action will decrease fee levels.
Generally, an MLP is operated under the supervision of one or more managing general partners. Limited partners (including a Fund that invests in an MLP) are not involved in the day-to-day management of the partnership. They are allocated income and capital gains associated with the partnership project in accordance with the terms established in the partnership agreement. Limited partners do not have voting rights in an MLP. The risks of investing in an MLP are generally those inherent in investing in a partnership as opposed to a corporation. For example, state law governing partnerships is often less restrictive than state law governing corporations. Accordingly, there may be fewer protections afforded investors in an MLP than investors in a corporation.
Since MLPs are structured as partnerships they generally do not pay corporate income taxes. Taxes are only paid when distributions are received, thus avoiding the double taxation faced by investors in corporations. MLPs face stringent provisions including the requirement to pay minimum quarterly distributions to limited partners, by contract. Thus, the distributions of MLPs tend to be predictable and provide current income to investors. As with high-yielding equities, MLPs are often more appealing to investors at times of low interest rates, as this results in higher yields for MLPs relative to bonds and money market instruments. Increasing interest rates would result in lower relative yields versus other alternative assets.
MLPs generally enjoy the same tax treatment as limited liability companies (LLCs) taxed as partnerships; that is, they are non-taxable entities with a tax shield on distributions, thus avoiding the double taxation of corporate profits. If MLPs were no longer able to pass through taxes to limited partners a large benefit of investing in MLPs would be removed.
The general partner in an MLP has what are called Incentive Distribution Rights (IDRs). IDRs are terms defined in the MLP partnership, which allow for the general partner to claim a higher proportion of incremental amounts of the distribution payments as these payments grow over specified levels. This is designed to provide general partners with a strong incentive to increase distributions, further enhancing the appeal of MLPs based on large, growing distributions. On the other hand, it raises the cost of equity for the MLP and can dilute the ownership claim of limited partners.
The profitability of MLPs could be adversely affected by changes in the regulatory environment. Most MLPs assets are heavily regulated by federal and state governments in diverse matters, such as the way in which certain MLP assets are constructed, maintained and operated and the prices MLPs may charge for their services. Such regulation can change over time in scope and intensity. For example, a particular by-product of an MLP process may be declared hazardous by a regulatory agency and unexpectedly increase production costs. Moreover, many state and federal environmental laws provide for civil as well as regulatory remediation, thus adding to the potential exposure an MLP may face. Extreme weather patterns could result in significant volatility in the supply of energy and power. This volatility may create fluctuations in commodity prices and earnings of companies in the energy infrastructure industry and could adversely impact the value of the interests in an MLP.
Other Investment Companies. Each Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). As a shareholder of another investment company, a Fund will bear its pro rata portion of the other investment companys expenses, including investment advisory and administration fees. These expenses would be in addition to the expenses each Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations. Except as described in the following paragraphs, each Fund currently intends to limit its investments in securities issued by other investment companies so that, as determined immediately after a purchase of such securities is made: (i) not more than 5% of the value of a Funds total assets will be invested in the securities of any one investment company; (ii) not more than 10% of the value of its total assets will be invested in the aggregate in securities of investment companies as a group; and (iii) not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by a Fund.
These limitations do not apply to investments in investment companies through a master-feeder type arrangement or to investments made in reliance on In addition, to the extent allowed by law or regulation, each Fund may invest its assets in securities of investment companies that are money market funds, including those that may be affiliated with the Adviser, in excess of the limits discussed above provided that either: (1) the acquiring 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 this investment restriction, a money market fund is either: (1) an open-end investment company registered under the 1940 Act and regulated as a money market fund in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; or (2) a company that is exempt from registration as in investment company under Sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act and that: (a) limits its investments to those permitted under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; and (b) undertakes to comply with all the other requirements of Rule 2a-7, except that, if the company has no board of directors, the companys investment adviser performs the duties of the board of directors.
Each of the Funds may invest in investment companies that seek to track the composition and/or performance of specific indexes or portions of specific indexes. Certain of these investment companies, known as ETFs are traded on a securities exchange. The market prices of index-based investments will fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the underlying portfolio securities of the investment company and also due to supply and demand of the investment companys shares on the exchange upon which their shares are traded. Index-based investments may not replicate or otherwise match the composition or performance of their specified index due to transaction costs, among other things. Examples of ETFs include: iShares, SPDRs®, Select Sector SPDRs® and NASDAQ 100 Shares. Pursuant to an order issued by the SEC exempting certain ETFs from Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act (SEC Order), in addition to procedures approved by the Board, each Fund may invest in certain ETFs in excess of the 5%
and 10% limits described above, provided it complies with the conditions of the relevant SEC Order, as it may be amended, and any other applicable investment limitations.
Rights and Warrants. Each Equity Fund may purchase common stock rights and warrants separately or may receive them as part of a unit or attached to securities purchased. Warrants are securities that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to purchase equity issues of the company issuing the warrants, or a related company, at a fixed price either on a date certain or during a set time period. Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration.
At the time of issuance, the cost of a warrant is substantially less than the cost of the underlying security itself, and price movements in the underlying security are generally magnified in the price movements of the warrant. This effect enables the investor to gain exposure to the underlying security with a relatively low capital investment but increases an investors risk in the event of a decline in the value of the underlying security and can result in a complete loss of the amount invested in the warrant. In addition, the price of a warrant tends to be more volatile than, and may not correlate exactly to, the price of the underlying security. If the market price of the underlying security is below the exercise price of the warrant on its expiration date, the warrant will generally expire without value.
The equity security underlying a warrant is authorized at the time the warrant is issued or is issued together with the warrant. Investing in warrants can provide a greater potential for profit or loss than an equivalent investment in the underlying security, and, thus, can be a speculative investment. The value of a warrant may decline because of a decline in the value of the underlying security, the passage of time, changes in interest rates or in the dividend or other policies of the company whose equity underlies the warrant or a change in the perception as to the future price of the underlying security, or any combination thereof. Warrants generally pay no dividends and confer no voting or other rights other than to purchase the underlying security.
Real Estate-Related Securities. Each Equity Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs). None of the Funds will invest in real estate directly. REITs pool investors funds for investment primarily in income producing real estate or real estate loans or interests. A REIT is not taxed on income distributed to shareholders if it complies with several requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets, and income and a requirement that it distribute to its shareholders at least 90% of its taxable income (other than net capital gains) for each taxable year.
REITs can generally be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs, which invest the majority of their assets directly in real property, derive their income primarily from rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs, which invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages, derive their income primarily from interest payments. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity REITs and mortgage REITs.
REITs may be subject to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate (in addition to securities markets risks). These include declines in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, dependency on management skill, heavy cash flow dependency, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds, overbuilding, extended vacancies of properties, increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, losses due to costs resulting from the clean-up of environmental problems, liability to third parties for damages resulting from environmental problems, casualty or condemnation losses, limitations on rents, changes in neighborhood values, the appeal of properties to tenants and changes in interest rates. In addition to these risks, equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Further, equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. Equity and mortgage REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, equity and mortgage REITs could possibly fail to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment available to REITs under the Code, as amended, or to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. The above factors may also adversely affect a borrowers or a lessees ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting investments.
Short Sales. Each Fund may engage in short sales, including short sales against the box. Short sales are transactions in which a Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. A short sale against the box is a short sale where at the time of the sale, a Fund owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amounts. To complete a short sale transaction, a Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. A Fund then is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by a Fund. Until the security is replaced, a Fund is required to pay to the lender amounts equal to any interest or dividends which accrue during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, a Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. There will also be other costs associated with short sales.
A Fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. A Fund will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. This result is the opposite of what one would expect from a cash purchase of a long position in a security. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of any premium or amounts in lieu of interest or dividends a Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale, and will be also decreased by any transaction or other costs.
Until a Fund replaces a borrowed security in connection with a short sale, a Fund will (a) designate on its records as collateral cash or liquid assets at such a level that the designated assets plus any amount deposited with the broker as collateral will equal the current value of the security sold short or (b) otherwise cover its short position in accordance with applicable law. The amount designated on a Funds records will be marked to market daily and at no time will the sum of the amount so designated and the amount deposited with the broker as collateral be less than the market value of the securities at the time they sold short. This may limit a Funds investment flexibility, as well as its ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
There is no guarantee that a Fund will be able to close out a short position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. During the time that a Fund is short a security, it is subject to the risk that the lender of the security will terminate the loan at a time when a Fund is unable to borrow the same security from another lender. If that occurs, a Fund may be bought in at the price required to purchase the security needed to close out the short position, which may be a disadvantageous price.
Short sales also involve other costs. A Fund must normally repay to the lender an amount equal to any dividends or interest that accrues while the loan is outstanding. In addition, to borrow the security, a Fund may be required to pay a premium. A Fund also will incur transaction costs in effecting short sales. The amount of any ultimate gain for a Fund resulting from a short sale will be decreased, and the amount of any ultimate loss will be increased, by the amount of premiums, dividends, interest or expenses a Fund may be required to pay in connection with the short sale.
In addition to the short sales discussed above, a Fund may make short sales against the box, a transaction in which a Fund enters into a short sale of a security that a Fund owns or a security equivalent in kind and amount to the security sold short that the Fund has the right to obtain at no additional cost. A Fund does not immediately deliver the securities sold and is said to have a short position in those securities until delivery occurs. If a Fund effects a short sale of securities against the box at a time when it has an unrealized gain on the securities, it may be required to recognize that gain as if it had actually sold the securities (as a constructive sale) on the date it effects the short sale. However, such constructive sale treatment may not apply if a Fund closes out the short sale with securities other than the appreciated securities held at the time of the short sale and if certain other conditions are satisfied.
Temporary Defensive Measures. Each Fund typically minimizes its cash holdings in an effort to provide investors with full market exposure to the particular asset class or classes represented by the Fund. This approach, which avoids trying to time broad market movements, allows investors to make their own asset allocation decisions. From time to time, however, each Fund temporarily may, but is not required to, invest all or any portion of its assets in short-term obligations, such as U.S. government obligations, high-quality money market instruments and exchange-traded funds, in order to meet redemption requests or as a defensive measure in response to adverse market or economic conditions.
Interfund Borrowing and Lending . The Funds have obtained an exemptive order from the SEC allowing them to lend money to, and borrow money from, each other pursuant to a master interfund lending agreement (the Interfund Lending Program). Under the Interfund Lending Program, the Funds may lend or borrow money for temporary purposes directly to or from one another (an Interfund Loan), subject to meeting the conditions of the SEC exemptive order. All Interfund Loans would consist only of uninvested cash reserves that the lending Fund otherwise would invest in short-term repurchase agreements or other short-term instruments.
If a Fund has outstanding bank borrowings, any Interfund Loans to the Fund would: (a) be at an interest rate equal to or lower than that of any outstanding bank borrowing, (b) be secured at least on an equal priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage of collateral to loan value as any outstanding bank loan that requires collateral, (c) have a maturity no longer than any outstanding bank loan (and in any event not over seven days), and (d) provide that, if an event of default occurs under any agreement evidencing an outstanding bank loan to the Fund, that event of default by the Fund will automatically (without need for action or notice by the lending Fund) constitute an immediate event of default under the master interfund lending agreement, entitling the lending Fund to call the Interfund Loan immediately (and exercise all rights with respect to any collateral), and that such call will be made if the lending bank exercises its right to call its loan under its agreement with the borrowing Fund.
A Fund may borrow on an unsecured basis through the Interfund Lending Program only if the relevant borrowing Funds outstanding borrowings from all sources immediately after the interfund borrowing total 10% or less of its total assets, provided that if the borrowing Fund has a secured loan outstanding from any other lender, including but not limited to another Fund, the lending Funds Interfund Loan will be secured on at least an equal priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage of collateral to loan value as any outstanding loan that requires collateral. If a borrowing Funds total outstanding borrowings immediately after an Interfund Loan would be greater than 10% of its total assets, the Fund may borrow through the Interfund Lending Program only on a secured basis. A Fund may not borrow under the Interfund Lending Program or from any other source if its total outstanding borrowings immediately after the borrowing would be more than 33 1/3% of its total assets or any lower threshold provided for by the Funds fundamental restriction or nonfundamental policy.
No Fund may lend to another Fund through the Interfund Lending Program if the loan would cause the lending Funds aggregate outstanding loans through the Interfund Lending Program to exceed 15% of its current net assets at the time of the loan. A Funds Interfund Loans to any one Fund shall not exceed 5% of the lending Funds net assets. The duration of Interfund Loans will be limited to the time required to receive payment for securities sold, but in no event more than seven days, and for purposes of this condition, loans effected within seven days of each other will be treated as separate loan transactions. Each Interfund Loan may be called on one business days notice by a lending Fund and may be repaid on any day by a borrowing Fund. The limitations detailed above and the other conditions of the SEC exemptive order permitting interfund borrowing and lending are designed to minimize the risks associated with interfund borrowing and lending for both a lending Fund and a borrowing Fund. However, no borrowing or lending activity is without risk. When a Fund borrows money from another Fund, there is a risk that the Interfund Loan could be called on one business days notice or not renewed, in which case the Fund may have to borrow from a bank at higher rates if an Interfund Loan is not available from another Fund. Interfund Loans are subject to the risk that a borrowing Fund could be unable to repay the loan when due, and a delay in repayment to a lending Fund or from a borrowing Fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional costs. No Fund may borrow more than the amount permitted by its investment limitations. The Interfund Lending Program is subject to the oversight and periodic review of the Board.
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 current practices (which are subject to change), a Fund must receive initial collateral at least equal to the maintenance requirements (e.g. 102% for U.S. equity securities and 105% for non-U.S. securities). 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 a 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 a Fund 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 Funds adviser or the lending agent has determined are creditworthy under guidelines established by the Funds 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 a 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 Fund. A Fund will limit its securities lending to 33-1/3% of its total assets.
Additional Risk Factors and Special Considerations
New or Smaller Funds. Funds with limited operating history and smaller Funds may involve additional risk. For example, there can be no assurance that a new or smaller Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size. Should a Fund not grow to or maintain an economically viable size, the Board of Trustees may determine to liquidate the Fund.
Merger, Reorganization or Liquidation of Funds. The Board may determine to merge or reorganize a Fund or a class of shares, or to close and liquidate a Fund or a class of shares at any time, which may have adverse consequences for shareholders. In the event of the liquidation of a Fund, shareholders will receive a liquidating distribution in cash or in-kind equal to their proportionate interest in the Fund. Although the interests of shareholders in each Fund are the principal concern of the Board, in the event the Board determines to liquidate a Fund or a class of shares, the timing of any possible liquidation might not be favorable to certain individual shareholders. A liquidating distribution may be a taxable event to certain shareholders, resulting in a taxable gain or loss for tax purposes, depending upon such shareholders basis in his or her shares of the Fund. A shareholder of a liquidating Fund or a class of shares will not be entitled to any refund or reimbursement of expenses borne, directly or indirectly, by the shareholder (such as sales loads, account fees, or fund expenses), and a shareholder may receive an amount in liquidation less than the shareholders original investment.
S&P 500 Index Fund. Traditional methods of fund investment management typically involve relatively frequent changes in a portfolio of securities on the basis of economic, financial and market analysis. The S&P 500 Index Fund is not managed in this manner. Instead, the Adviser purchases and sells securities for the S&P 500 Index Fund in an attempt to produce investment results that substantially duplicate the investment composition and performance of the S&P 500® Index, taking into account redemptions, sales of additional S&P 500 Index Fund shares, and other adjustments as described below.
The S&P 500 Index Fund generally expects to hold all of the stocks included in the S&P 500 ® Index on the basis of each stocks weighted capitalization in such index. The Adviser does not intend to screen securities for investment by the S&P 500 Index Fund by traditional methods of financial and market analysis; however the Adviser may remove stocks of companies which exhibit extreme financial distress or which may impair for any reason the S&P 500 Index Funds ability to achieve its investment objective. If an issuer drops in ranking, or is eliminated entirely from the S&P 500® Index, the Adviser may be required to sell some or all of the common stock of such issuer then held by the S&P 500 Index Fund. Such sales of portfolio securities may be made at times when, if the Adviser were not required to effect purchases and sales of portfolio securities in accordance with the S&P 500® Index, the securities might not otherwise be sold. These sales may result in lower prices for such securities than may have been realized or in losses that may not have been incurred if the Adviser were not required to effect the purchases and sales. The failure of an issuer to declare or pay dividends, potentially materially adverse legal proceedings against an issuer, the existence or threat of defaults materially and adversely affecting an issuers future declaration and payment of dividends, or the existence of other materially adverse credit factors will not necessarily be the basis for the disposition of portfolio securities, unless such event causes the issuer to be eliminated entirely from the S&P 500® Index.
Redemptions of a substantial number of shares of the S&P 500 Index Fund could reduce the number of issuers represented in the S&P 500 Index Funds investment portfolio, increase trading costs and/or increase hedging activities (such as the purchase or sale of options on indices or futures contracts), which could, in turn, adversely affect the accuracy with which the Fund tracks the performance of the S&P 500 ® Index.
While the S&P 500 Index Fund will invest primarily in the common stocks that constitute the S&P 500 ® Index in accordance with the relative capitalization as described above, it is possible that the S&P 500 Index Fund will from time to time receive, as part of a spin-off or other corporate reorganization of an issuer included in the S&P 500® Index, securities that are themselves outside the S&P 500® Index. Such securities will be disposed of by the S&P 500 Index Fund in due course consistent with the Funds investment objective.
In addition, the S&P 500 Index Fund may invest in Standard & Poors Depositary Receipts (SPDRs). SPDRs are securities that represent ownership in a SPDR Trust, unit investment trusts which are intended to provide investment results that generally correspond to the price and yield performance of an S&P ® index. SPDR interest holders are paid a Dividend Equivalent Amount that corresponds to the amount of cash dividends accruing to the securities in the SPDR Trust, net of certain fees and expenses charged to the Trust. Because of these fees and expenses, the dividend yield for SPDRs may be less than that of the index it represents.
The S&P 500 Index Fund may also purchase put and call options on the S&P 500 ® Index that are traded on national securities exchanges. In addition, the S&P 500 Index Fund may enter into transactions involving futures contracts (and futures options) on the S&P 500® Index and may purchase securities of other investment companies that are structured to seek a similar correlation to the S&P 500® Index. These transactions are effected in an effort to have fuller exposure to price movements in the S&P 500® Index pending investment of purchase orders or while maintaining liquidity to meet potential shareholder redemptions. Transactions in option and stock index futures contracts may be desirable to hedge against a price movement in the S&P 500® Index at times when the S&P 500 Index Fund is not fully invested in stocks that are included in the S&P 500® Index. For example, by purchasing a futures contract, the S&P 500 Index Fund may be able to reduce the potential that cash inflows will disrupt its ability to track the S&P 500® Index, since the futures contracts may serve as a temporary substitute for stocks which may then be purchased in an orderly fashion. Similarly, because futures contracts only require a small initial margin deposit, the S&P 500 Index Fund may be able, as an effective matter, to be fully invested in the S&P 500® Index while keeping a cash reserve to meet potential redemptions.
The S&P 500 Index Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P ®. S&P® makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the S&P 500® Index to track general stock market performance. S&P®s only relationship to the S&P 500 Index Fund is the licensing of certain trademarks and trade names of S&P® and of the indexes which are determined, composed and calculated by S&P® without regard to the Fund. S&P® has no obligation to take the needs of the Fund or the owners of the S&P 500 Index Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the indexes. S&P® is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the price of the S&P 500 Index Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the S&P 500 Index Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the S&P 500 Index Fund is converted into cash. S&P® has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the S&P 500 Index Fund.
S&P® does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the S&P 500® Index or any data included therein and S&P® shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions therein. S&P® makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the S&P 500 Index Fund, owners of the S&P 500 Index Fund, or any other person or entity from the use of the S&P 500® Index or any data included therein. S&P® makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the S&P 500® Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall S&P® have any liability for any special, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages (including lost profits), even if notified of the possibility of such damages.
Standard & Poors®, S&P® and S&P 500®, S&P MidCap 400®, Standard & Poors MidCap 400®, 400, S&P SmallCap 600®, Standard & Poors SmallCap 600® and 600 are trademarks of McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and have been licensed for use by the Funds.
Brexit. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom (UK) voted by a narrow majority to leave the European Union (Brexit). In March 2017, the UK formally began the process under which the UK will withdraw from the European Union (EU) by triggering a two-year period for negotiation of the terms of the withdrawal. For the time being, the UK remains a member of the EU, and all existing EU-derived laws and regulations continue to apply in the UK. However, the uncertainty as to the timing and nature of the UKs exit and future relationship with the EU has resulted in market and currency volatility, and there are potentially major implications for business and issuers.
Brexit adds to the structural stresses in the countries which use the Euro as currency (Eurozone), and the EU, generally, that have contributed to global economic and market uncertainty over several years. A central issue for
the UK in negotiating the terms of its exit will be its relationship with the EU going-forward. The resulting uncertainty may adversely affect business activity and economic conditions across the Eurozone and the EU, generally. This uncertainty may increase as one or more EU countries may come under pressure to leave the EU as well. The exit of other countries from the EU, or the perception that other countries may leave, could have a material adverse effect on economic growth or business activity in the UK, the Eurozone and the entire EU.
Special Risks 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, Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (the Distributor,), the Funds, the custodian, 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.
DETERMINING NET ASSET VALUE (NAV) AND VALUING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES .
Each Funds NAV is determined and the shares of each Fund are priced as of the valuation time(s) indicated in the Prospectuses on each Business Day. A Business Day is a day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the NYSE) is open. The Bond Fund is authorized to close earlier than is customary for a Business Day upon the recommendation of both the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and the Adviser. In the event that the Bond Fund closes earlier than is customary for a Business Day, the Funds NAV calculation for that day will occur as of the time of the earlier close. The NYSE will not open in observance of the following holidays: New Years Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland is closed on Columbus Day and Veterans Day.
Investment Company Securities
Shares of another open-end investment company (mutual fund) held by a Fund are valued at the latest closing NAV of such mutual fund. Shares of ETFs are valued in the manner described below under Equity Securities.
Fixed Income Securities
Fixed income securities held by the Funds are valued on the basis of security valuations provided by an independent pricing service, approved by the Board, that determines value by using information with respect to transactions of a security, quotations from dealers, market transactions in comparable securities and various relationships between securities. Specific investment securities that are not priced by the approved pricing service will be valued according to quotations obtained from dealers who are market makers in those securities. Investment securities with less than 60 days to maturity when purchased are valued at amortized cost that approximates market value. Investment securities not having readily available market quotations will be priced at fair value using a methodology approved in good faith by the Board.
Equity Securities
Each equity security (including ETFs) held by a Fund is valued at the closing price on the exchange where the security is principally traded. Each security traded in the over-the-counter market (but not including securities the trading activity of which is reported on NASDAQs Automated Confirmation Transaction (ACT) System) is valued at the bid based upon quotes furnished by market makers for such securities. Each security the trading activity of which is reported on NASDAQs ACT System is valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. Convertible debt securities are valued in the same manner as any debt security. Non-convertible debt securities are valued on the basis of prices provided by independent pricing services. Prices provided by the pricing service may be determined without exclusive reliance on quoted prices and may reflect appropriate factors such as institution-sized trading in similar groups of securities, developments related to special securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, individual trading characteristics, and other market data. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Trusts officers in a manner specially authorized by the Board. Short-term obligations having 60 days or less to maturity are valued on the basis of amortized cost, except for convertible debt securities. For purposes of determining NAV, futures and options contracts generally will be valued 15 minutes after the close of trading of the NYSE.
Generally, trading in foreign securities, corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of the NYSE. The values of such securities used in computing the NAV of each Funds shares generally are determined at such times. Foreign currency exchange rates are also generally determined prior the close of the NYSE. Occasionally, events affecting the values of such securities and such exchange rates may occur between the times at which such values are determined and the close of the NYSE. If events affecting the value of securities occur during such a period, and a Funds NAV is materially affected by such changes in the value of the securities, then these securities will be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Board.
International Funds
Time zone arbitrage. The International Funds invest a significant amount of their assets in foreign securities, which may expose them to attempts by investors to engage in time-zone arbitrage. Using this technique, investors seek to take advantage of differences in the values of foreign securities that might result from events that occur after the close of the foreign securities market on which a security is traded and before the close of the NYSE that day, when the Funds calculate their net asset value.
If successful, time zone arbitrage might dilute the interests of other shareholders. The International Funds use fair value pricing under certain circumstances, to adjust the closing market prices of foreign securities to reflect what the Adviser and the Board consider to be their fair value. Fair value pricing may also help to deter time zone arbitrage.
Fair value pricing for the International Funds. If market quotations are not readily available, or (in the Advisers judgment) do not accurately reflect the fair value of a security, or if after the close of the principal market on which a security held by an International Fund is traded and before the time as of which the International Funds net asset value is calculated that day, an event occurs that the Adviser learns of and believes in the exercise of its judgment will cause a material change in the value of that security from the closing price of the security on the principal market on which it is traded, that security may be valued by another method that the Board believes would more accurately reflect the securitys fair value.
The Board has adopted valuation procedures for the Funds and has delegated the day-to-day responsibility for fair valuation determinations to the Adviser and its Pricing Committee. Those determinations may include consideration of recent transactions in comparable securities, information relating to a specific security, developments in and performance of foreign securities markets, current valuations of foreign or U.S. indices, and adjustment co-efficients based on fair value models developed by independent service providers. The Adviser may, for example, adjust the value of portfolio securities based on fair value models supplied by the service provider when the Adviser believes that the adjustments better reflect actual prices as of the close of the NYSE.
The International Funds use of fair value pricing procedures involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different from the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that an International Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the same time at which the Fund determines its net asset value per share.
Other Valuation Information
Generally, trading in foreign securities, corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of the NYSE. The values of such securities used in computing the NAV of each Funds shares generally are determined at such times. Foreign currency exchange rates are also generally determined prior the close of the NYSE. Occasionally, events affecting the values of such securities and such exchange rates may occur between the times at which such values are determined and the close of the NYSE. If events affecting the value of securities occur during such a period, and a Funds NAV is materially affected by such changes in the value of the securities, then these securities will be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Board.
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.
Performance Comparisons
The Funds will calculate performance in accordance with formulas prescribed by the SEC.
In addition, a Fund may publish the ranking of its performance or the performance of a particular class of Fund shares by Thomson Reuters Lipper, Inc. (Lipper), a widely-recognized independent mutual fund monitoring service. Lipper monitors the performance of regulated investment companies and ranks the performance of the Funds and their classes against all other funds in similar categories, for both equity and fixed income funds. The Lipper performance rankings are based on total return that includes the reinvestment of capital gains distributions and income dividends but does not take sales charges or taxes into consideration.
From time to time a Fund may publish its rating or that of a particular class of Fund shares by Morningstar, Inc., an independent mutual fund monitoring service that rates mutual funds, in broad investment categories (domestic equity, international equity, taxable bond, or municipal bond) monthly, based upon each Funds three, five and ten-year average annual total returns (when available) and a risk adjustment factor that reflects Fund performance relative to three-month U.S. Treasury bill monthly returns. Such returns are adjusted for fees and sales loads. There are five rating categories with a corresponding number of stars: highest (5), above average (4), neutral (3), below average (2) and lowest (1).
The total return on an investment made in a Fund or in a particular class of Fund shares may be compared with the performance for the same period of one or more broad-based securities market indices, as described in the Prospectuses. These indices are unmanaged indices of securities that do not reflect reinvestment of capital gains or take investment costs into consideration, as these items are not applicable to indices. The Funds total returns also may be compared with the Consumer Price Index, a measure of change in consumer prices, as determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
From time to time, the yields and the total returns of the Funds or of a particular class of Fund shares may be quoted in and compared to other mutual funds with similar investment objectives in advertisements, shareholder reports or other communications to shareholders. A Fund also may include calculations in such communications that describe hypothetical investment results. (Such performance examples are based on an express set of assumptions and are not indicative of the performance of any Fund.) Such calculations may from time to time include discussions or illustrations of the effects of compounding in advertisements. Compounding refers to the fact that, if dividends or other distributions on a Funds investment are reinvested by being paid in additional Fund shares, any future income or capital appreciation of a Fund would increase the value, not only of the original Fund investment, but also of the
additional Fund shares received through reinvestment. As a result, the value of a Fund investment would increase more quickly than if dividends or other distributions had been paid in cash.
A Fund also may include discussions or illustrations of the potential investment goals of a prospective investor (including but not limited to tax and/or retirement planning), investment management techniques, policies or investment suitability of a Fund, economic conditions, legislative developments (including pending legislation), the effects of inflation and historical performance of various asset classes, including but not limited to stocks, bonds and Treasury bills.
From time to time advertisements or communications to shareholders may summarize the substance of information contained in shareholder reports (including the investment composition of a Fund, as well as the views of the Adviser as to current market, economic, trade and interest rate trends, legislative, regulatory and monetary developments, investment strategies and related matters believed to be of relevance to a Fund). A Fund also may include in advertisements, charts, graphs or drawings that illustrate the potential risks and rewards of investment in various investment vehicles, including but not limited to stock, bonds and Treasury bills, as compared to an investment in shares of a Fund, as well as charts or graphs that illustrate strategies such as dollar cost averaging and comparisons of hypothetical yields of investment in tax-exempt versus taxable investments. In addition, advertisements or shareholder communications may include a discussion of certain attributes or benefits to be derived by an investment in a Fund. Such advertisements or communications may include symbols, headlines or other material that highlight or summarize the information discussed in more detail therein. With proper authorization, a Fund may reprint articles (or excerpts) written regarding a Fund and provide them to prospective shareholders. The Funds performance information is generally available by calling toll free 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or at www.VictoryFunds.com.
Investors also may judge, and a Fund may at times advertise, the performance of a Fund or of a particular class of Fund shares by comparing it to the performance of other mutual funds or mutual fund portfolios with comparable investment objectives and policies, which performance may be contained in various unmanaged mutual fund or market indices or rankings. In addition to yield information, general information about a Fund that appears in a publication may also be quoted or reproduced in advertisements or in reports to shareholders.
Advertisements and sales literature may include discussions of specifics of a portfolio managers investment strategy and process, including, but not limited to, descriptions of security selection and analysis. Advertisements may also include descriptive information about the investment adviser, including, but not limited to, its status within the industry, other services and products it makes available, total assets under management and its investment philosophy.
When comparing yield, total return and investment risk of an investment in shares of a Fund with other investments, investors should understand that certain other investments have different risk characteristics than an investment in shares of a Fund. For example, CDs may have fixed rates of return and may be insured as to principal and interest by the FDIC, while a Funds returns will fluctuate and its share values and returns are not guaranteed. Money market accounts offered by banks also may be insured by the FDIC and may offer stability of principal. U.S. Treasury securities are guaranteed as to principal and interest by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE, EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
The NYSE holiday closing schedule indicated in this SAI under Determining Net Asset Value (NAV) and Valuing Portfolio Securities is subject to change. When the NYSE is closed or when trading is restricted for any reason other than its customary weekend or holiday closings, or under emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC to warrant such action, the Funds may not be able to accept purchase or redemption requests. A Funds NAV may be affected to the extent that its securities are traded on days that are not Business Days. Each Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order in whole or in part.
The Trust has elected, pursuant to Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, to redeem shares of each Fund solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the NAV of the Fund during any 90-day period for any one shareholder. The remaining portion of the redemption may be made in securities or other property, valued for this purpose as they are valued in computing the NAV of each class of the Fund. Shareholders receiving securities or other property on
redemption may realize a gain or loss for tax purposes and may incur additional costs as well as the associated inconveniences of holding and/or disposing of such securities or other property.
Pursuant to Rule 11a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Funds are required to give shareholders at least 60 days notice prior to terminating or modifying a Funds exchange privilege. The 60-day notification requirement may, however, be waived if (1) the only effect of a modification would be to reduce or eliminate an administrative fee, redemption fee, or CDSC ordinarily payable at the time of exchange or (2) a Fund temporarily suspends the offering of shares as permitted under the 1940 Act or by the SEC or because it is unable to invest amounts effectively in accordance with its investment objective and policies.
The Funds reserve the right at any time without prior notice to shareholders to refuse exchange purchases by any person or group if, in the Advisers judgment, a Fund would be unable to invest effectively in accordance with its investment objective and policies, or would otherwise be adversely affected.
Each Fund has authorized one or more brokers or other financial services institutions to accept on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such brokers or other financial services institutions are authorized to designate plan administrators and other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on a Funds behalf. A Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or other financial services institutions, or, if applicable, a brokers or other financial services institutions authorized designee, accepts the order. Customer orders will be priced at each Funds NAV next computed after they are accepted by an authorized broker or other financial services institutions or the brokers or other financial services institutions authorized designee.
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.
Purchasing Shares
Alternative Sales Arrangements Class A, C, I, R, R6 and Y 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 and Class R 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 or Class R 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.
Currently, each share class of the Munder Small Cap Growth Fund and Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund is not currently registered in all 50 states, including Montana, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
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 Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plans. Class C shares of the Funds will automatically convert to Class A shares under
circumstances described in a Funds Prospectus. Class C shares can be voluntarily exchanged for a share class 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 R shares. Class R shares are subject to the Rule 12b-1 fees described in this SAI under Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plans. There is no automatic conversion feature applicable to Class R shares. Distributions paid to holders of a Funds Class R shares may be reinvested in additional Class R shares of that Fund or Class R shares of a different Fund. Class R 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 R6 shares. Class R6 shares are not subject to the Rule 12b-1 fees described in this SAI under 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. Class A shareholders, Class C shareholders whose shares are not subject to a CDSC and Class I shareholders may exchange into Class R6 shares of a Fund offering such shares 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 Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plans. 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.
No initial sales charges or CDSCs are imposed on Class Y shares. Class Y shares are not subject to the Rule 12b-1 fees described in this SAI under Rule 12b-1 Distribution and Service Plans.
There is no automatic conversion feature applicable to Class Y shares. Distributions paid to holders of a Funds Class Y shares may be reinvested in additional Class Y shares of that Fund or Class Y shares of a different Fund.
The minimum investment required to open an account for Class Y shares is $1,000,000. Class Y shares are available for purchase through selected fee-based advisory programs with an approved financial intermediary. In fee-based advisory programs, a financial intermediary typically charges each investor a fee based upon the value of the account, and the financial intermediary generally directs all purchase and sale transactions. Such transactions may be subject to additional rules or requirements of the applicable financial intermediarys program.
Each 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.
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 Equity Funds excluding the S&P 500 Index 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 S&P 500 Index Fund:
Amount of Purchase |
|
Initial Sales Charge:
|
|
Concession to Dealers:
|
|
Up to $99,999 |
|
2.50 |
% |
2.25 |
% |
$100,000 to $249,999 |
|
2.00 |
% |
1.75 |
% |
$250,000 to $499,999 |
|
1.50 |
% |
1.25 |
% |
$500,000 to $999,999 |
|
1.00 |
% |
0.75 |
% |
$1,000,000 and above |
|
0.00 |
% |
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 Bond 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 |
% |
** |
|
* 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.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. If you purchase the Fund through a financial intermediary (including broker-dealers, banks, third party administrators, retirement plan record-keepers or other financial intermediaries) the Fund may pay for sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping and/or similar administrative services (administrative services) for all classes other than Class R6. Depending upon the particular share class and/or contractual agreement, these payments may be calculated based on average net assets of the Fund that are serviced by the intermediary or on a per account basis. The administrative services may related to investments by participants in retirement and benefit plans, investors in mutual fund advisory programs, and clients of financial intermediaries that maintain omnibus accounts for their clients. Services provided include but are not limited to the following: transmitting net purchase and redemption orders; maintaining separate records for shareholders that reflect purchases, redemptions and share balances; mailing shareholder confirmations and periodic statements; and furnishing proxy materials and periodic fund reports, prospectuses and other communications to shareholders as required.
In addition, the Adviser (or its affiliates), from its own resources, may make substantial payments to various financial intermediaries for the sale of Fund shares and related services for investments in all classes other than Class R6. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributors affiliates) for making these payments. Depending on the particular share class and/or contractual arrangement, these payments may be calculated based on average net assets of the Fund that are serviced by the intermediary or on a per account basis.
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 intermediarys website for more information.
As of June 30, 2018, the Adviser and its affiliates had arrangements in place with respect to the Funds with the following intermediaries:
Financial Intermediary |
|
Advisor Group, Inc. |
|
Ameriprise Financial |
|
Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Co., Inc. |
|
Financial Data Services, Inc. |
|
Hartford Life |
|
Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation |
|
Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation |
|
LPL Financial |
|
Mass Mutual Financial Group |
|
Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company |
|
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith |
|
Morgan Stanley Corporate Retirement Services |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney |
|
MSCS Financial Services |
|
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. |
|
Raymond James |
|
UBS |
|
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC |
|
Reduced Sales Charge . Reduced sales charges are available for purchases of $50,000 or more ($100,000 or more on S&P 500 Index Fund) of Class A shares of a Fund alone or in combination with purchases of Class A shares of other Victory Funds that are series of the Trust (except those Class A share purchases that were not subject to a sales charge). To obtain the reduction of the sales charge, you or your Investment Professional must notify the Funds transfer agent at the time of purchase that 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 Funds 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.
· Retirement Plans. 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) are eligible to buy Class A shares without an initial sales charge.
· Service Providers. Members of certain specialized groups that receive support services from service providers who enter into written agreements with the Trust are eligible, under the terms of the agreement, to purchase Class A shares at NAV without paying a sales load.
· Rights of Accumulation. You may be eligible for reduced sales charges on future purchases of Class A shares of the same Fund 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. To ensure that the reduced price will be received pursuant to the Funds Rights of Accumulation, you or your Investment Professional must inform the Funds transfer agent that the Rights apply each time shares are purchased and provide the transfer agent with sufficient information to permit confirmation of qualification.
· Letter 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.
· Limitations Across Certain Funds. The ability to apply a Letter of Intent or Right 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.
Sample Calculation of Maximum Offering Price.
Each Class A shares of the Equity Funds (except the S&P 500 Index Fund) are sold with a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%, Class A shares of the S&P 500 Index Fund are sold with a maximum initial sales charge of 2.50% and Class A shares of the Bond Fund are sold with a maximum initial sales charge of 2.00%. 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 NAV of the Class A shares.
All Equity Funds except Victory S&P Index 500 Fund |
|
|
|
|
NAV 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 |
|
Fixed Income Funds |
|
|
|
|
NAV 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 S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
|
|
|
NAV per share |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
Per Share Sales Charge2.50% of public offering price (2.56% of net asset value per share) for each Fund |
|
$ |
0.26 |
|
Per Share Offering Price to the Public |
|
$ |
10.26 |
|
Class C shares of each relevant Fund are sold at NAV without any initial sales charges and with a 1.00% CDSC on shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase. Class R and Class I shares of each relevant Fund are sold at NAV without any initial sales charges or CDSCs.
Redeeming Shares.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) 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, even if the proceeds are reinvested. Depending on the timing and amount of a potential reinvestment, some or all of a capital loss from redemption may not be deductible. 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 redeemed shares may not include the amount of the sales charge paid. Without the additional basis, the shareholder will have more gain or less loss upon 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.
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.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Leadership Structure
The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of ten Trustees, nine 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 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 Role in 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 has delegated to the Compliance Committee overall responsibility for reviewing reports related to the Trusts compliance program and the Chief Compliance Officer. 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).
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 (1934 Act), or who file reports under that Act. Each Trustee oversees 42 portfolios in the Trust, 20 portfolios in Victory Portfolios II, 9 portfolios 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 Funds, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4 th Floor, Brooklyn, OH 44144.
Independent Trustees
Name and Age |
|
Position
|
|
Date
|
|
Principal Occupation
|
|
Other Directorships
|
David Brooks Adcock, 67 |
|
Trustee |
|
May 2005 |
|
Consultant (since 2006). |
|
Chair and Trustee, Turner Funds (December 2016 -December 2017). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nigel D.T. Andrews, 71 |
|
Vice Chair and Trustee |
|
August 2002 |
|
Retired. |
|
Director, TCG BDC II, Inc. (since 2017); Director, TCG BDC I, Inc. (formerly Carlyle GMS Finance, Inc.) (since 2012); Director, Old Mutual US Asset Management (2002-2014). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Lee Beard, 67* |
|
Trustee |
|
May 2005 |
|
Retired (since 2015); Consultant, The Henlee Group, LLC (consulting) (2005 - 2015). |
|
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dennis M. Bushe, 74 |
|
Trustee |
|
July 2016 |
|
Retired. |
|
Trustee, RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust (November 2011-July 2016). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sally M. Dungan, 64 |
|
Trustee |
|
February 2011 |
|
Chief Investment Officer, Tufts University (since 2002). |
|
None. |
Name and Age |
|
Position
|
|
Date
|
|
Principal Occupation
|
|
Other Directorships
|
John L. Kelly, 65 |
|
Trustee |
|
February 2015 |
|
Partner, McCarvill Capital Partners (September 2016 - September 2017); Advisor (January 2016 - April 2016) and Managing Partner (August 2014 - January 2016), Endgate Commodities LLC; Chief Operating Officer, Liquidnet Holdings, Inc. (2011 - 2014). |
|
Director, Caledonia Mining Corporation (since May 2012). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David L. Meyer, 61* |
|
Trustee |
|
December 2008 |
|
Retired. |
|
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gloria S. Nelund, 57 |
|
Trustee |
|
July 2016 |
|
Chair, CEO, and Co-Founder of TriLinc Global, LLC, an investment firm. |
|
TriLinc Global Impact Fund, LLC (since 2012); Trustee, RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust (November 2007-July 2016). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leigh A. Wilson, 73 |
|
Chair and Trustee |
|
November 1994 |
|
Private Investor. |
|
Chair (since 2013), Caledonia Mining Corporation. |
Interested Trustee
Name and Age |
|
Position
|
|
Date
|
|
Principal Occupation
|
|
Other
|
David C. Brown,
|
|
Trustee |
|
May 2008 |
|
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Co-Chief Executive Officer, (2011 - 2013), Victory Capital Management Inc.; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. |
|
None. |
*The Board has designated Mr. Meyer and Ms. Beard as its Audit Committee Financial Experts.
**Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.
Trustee Qualifications
The following summarizes the experience and qualifications of the Trustees.
· David Brooks Adcock. Mr. Adcock served for many years as general counsel to 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 also 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 TCG BDC II, Inc. and TCG BDC I, Inc. (formerly Carlyle GMS Finance, Inc.), each 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.
· 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.
· 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.
· Dennis M. Bushe. Mr. Bushe has experience in fixed income investment management and research. He is a former chief investment risk officer of a large investment management firm. Mr. Bushe previously served as a Trustee of the boards of the RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust.
· 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 previously 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.
· Gloria S. Nelund. Ms. Nelund has executive and investment management industry experience, including service as chief executive officer of two investment advisory firms. Ms. Nelund also has experience as a co-founder and chief executive officer of an investment firm. Ms. Nelund previously served as the Chairman and Trustee of the boards of the RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust.
· 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.
Committees of the Board
The following standing Committees of the Board are currently in operation: Audit and Risk Oversight, Compliance, 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. Committees may form Sub-Committees 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, Mr. Kelly 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 Compliance Committee are Mr. Adcock (Chair), Ms. Beard, Mr. Kelly and Mr. Meyer. The Compliance Committee oversees matters related to the Funds compliance program and compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations and meets regularly with the Trusts Chief Compliance Officer.
· 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. Bushe, Ms. Nelund 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 assist 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. Kelly and Mr. Meyer. This Committee oversees the negotiation of 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, 2018, the Board held seven meetings. The Audit and Risk Oversight Committee held five meetings; the Compliance Committee held four meetings; the Investment Committee held four meetings; the Service Provider Committee held four meetings; and the Board Governance and Nominating Committee held five meetings. The Continuing Education Committee met informally during the fiscal year.
Officers of the Trust
The officers of the Trust are elected by the Board to actively supervise the Trusts day-to-day operations. The officers of the Trust, their ages, the length of time served, and their principal occupations during the past five years, are detailed in the following table. Each individual holds the same position with the other registered investment companies in the Victory Fund Complex, and each officer serves until the earlier of his or her resignation, removal, retirement, death, or the election of a successor. The mailing address of each officer of the Trust is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn OH 44144. The officers of the Trust receive no compensation directly from the Trust for performing the duties of their offices.
Name and Age |
|
Position with
|
|
Date
|
|
Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years |
Christopher K. Dyer*, 56 |
|
President |
|
February 2006* |
|
Director of Mutual Fund Administration, the Adviser. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott A. Stahorsky, 49 |
|
Vice President |
|
December 2014 |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2015); Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2015). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Erin G. Wagner, 44 |
|
Secretary |
|
December 2014 |
|
Associate General Counsel, the Adviser (since 2013). |
Allan Shaer, 53 |
|
Treasurer |
|
May 2017 |
|
Senior Vice President, Financial Administration, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (since 2016); Vice President, Mutual Fund Administration, JP Morgan Chase (2011-2016). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher Ponte, 34 |
|
Assistant Treasurer |
|
December 2017 |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2017); Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2017); Principal Financial Officer, Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (since 2018). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colin Kinney, 45 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer |
|
July 2017 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer (since 2013) and Chief Risk Officer (2009-2017), the Adviser. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles Booth, 58 |
|
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer and Identity Theft Officer |
|
May 2015 |
|
Director, Regulatory Administration and CCO Support Services, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jay G. Baris, 64 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
|
December 1997 |
|
Partner, Shearman and Sterling LLP (since January 2018); Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP (2011- January 2018). |
*On December 3, 2014, Mr. Dyer resigned as Secretary of the Trust and accepted the position of President.
Trustees Fund Ownership
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, 2017. No Independent Trustee (or any immediate family member) owns beneficially or of record an interest in the Adviser or the 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). As of December 31, 2017, the Trustees and officers as a group owned beneficially less than 1% of each class of outstanding shares of those series of the Trust.
Independent Trustees
Trustee |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership of Fund Shares |
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of Ownership
|
Mr. Adcock |
|
0 |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value: $50,001 - $100,000 |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Beard |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond: $1 - $10,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
0 |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Dungan |
|
0 |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Kelly |
|
0 |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Meyer |
|
Integrity Discovery: $10,001 - $50,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Nelund |
|
0 |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Wilson |
|
0 |
|
Over $100,000 |
Interested Trustee
Trustee |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership of Fund Shares |
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of Ownership
|
Mr. Brown |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund: Over $100,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Compensation of Trustees and Officers
Effective January 1, 2018, the Victory Fund Complex pays each Independent Trustee $312,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex. Immediately prior to that date, the Victory Fund Complex paid each Independent Trustee $283,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex. In each case, the Board Chair is paid an additional retainer of 50% of the base retainer per year. The Board reserves the right to award reasonable compensation to any Interested Trustee. No interested persons who serve as a Trustee of the Trust receive any compensation for their services as Trustee.
The following tables indicate the compensation received by each Trustee from the Funds and from the Victory Fund Complex for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018. As of June 30, 2018, there were 72 funds in the Victory Fund Complex for which the Trustees listed below were compensated. The Trust does not maintain a retirement plan for its Trustees.
Independent Trustees
Trustee |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds |
|
Total Compensation from
|
|
||
Mr. Adcock |
|
$ |
68,593 |
|
$ |
297,500 |
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
$ |
68,593 |
|
$ |
297,500 |
|
Ms. Beard |
|
$ |
68,593 |
|
$ |
297,500 |
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
$ |
68,593 |
|
$ |
297,500 |
|
Ms. Dungan |
|
$ |
68,593 |
|
$ |
297,500 |
|
Mr. Kelly |
|
$ |
68,593 |
|
$ |
297,500 |
|
Mr. Meyer |
|
$ |
68,593 |
|
$ |
297,500 |
|
Ms. Nelund |
|
$ |
68,593 |
|
$ |
297,500 |
|
Mr. Wilson |
|
$ |
102,890 |
|
$ |
446,250 |
|
Interested Trustee
Trustee |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds |
|
Total Compensation from
|
|
|
Mr. Brown* |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
*Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with Victory Capital Management Inc.
Deferred Compensation
Each Trustee may elect to defer a portion of his or her compensation from the Victory Fund Complex in accordance with a Deferred Compensation Plan adopted by the Board (the Plan). Such amounts are invested in one or more Funds in the Victory Fund Complex offered under the Plan or a money market fund, as selected by the Trustee. The following table includes the deferred compensation of the Trustees currently serving on the Board:
Trustee |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds |
|
Total Compensation from
|
|
||
Mr. Adcock |
|
$ |
3,583 |
|
$ |
15,600 |
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
$ |
23,287 |
|
$ |
101,400 |
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
$ |
35,826 |
|
$ |
156,000 |
|
INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. (the Adviser), a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the SEC, serves as investment adviser to the Funds. The Advisers principal business address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144. Subject to the authority of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management and administration 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 an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (VCH), a publicly traded Delaware corporation. As of September 30, 2018, the Adviser and its affiliates managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $63.6 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.
The Advisory Agreement
The Adviser serves as the Funds investment adviser pursuant to an advisory agreement dated as of August 1, 2013, as amended (the Advisory Agreement). Unless sooner terminated, the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, provides that it will continue in effect as to the Funds for two years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such renewal is approved at least annually by the Trustees or by vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of each such Fund (as defined under Additional InformationMiscellaneous) and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to the Advisory Agreement, by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Advisory Agreement is terminable as to any particular Fund at any time on 60 days written notice without penalty by a vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund, by vote of the Trustees, or as to all applicable Funds by the Adviser. The Advisory Agreement also terminates automatically in the event of any assignment, as defined by the 1940 Act.
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 Funds in connection with the performance of the services pursuant thereto, 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, gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard by the Adviser of its duties and obligations thereunder.
Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser may delegate a portion of its responsibilities to a sub-adviser. In addition, the agreements provide that the Adviser may render services through its own employees or the employees of one or more affiliated companies that are qualified to act as an investment adviser of the Fund provided all such persons are functioning as part of an organized group of persons, managed by authorized officers of the Adviser.
The following schedule lists the advisory fee of each Fund, as an annual percentage of its average daily net assets.
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
0.40% |
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
1.00% |
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
0.75% on the first $500 million and 0.70% on assets in excess of $500 million |
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund* |
|
0.80% on the first $300 million and 0.75% in excess of $300 million |
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
0.90% on the first $300 million and 0.85% on assets in excess of $300 million |
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
0.75% on the first $1 billion, 0.72% of the next $1 billion and 0.70% on assets in excess of $2 billion |
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
0.75% on the first $6 billion, 0.70% on the next $2 billion and 0.65% on assets in excess of $8 billion |
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
0.85% |
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
0.20% on the first $250 million, 0.12% of the next $250 million and 0.07% on assets in excess of $500 million |
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
1.10% |
Trivalent International FundCore Equity |
|
0.80% on the first $1 billion, 0.75% on assets in excess of $1 billion |
Trivalent International Small - Cap Fund |
|
0.95% on the first $1 billion and 0.90% of the assets in excess of $1 billion |
*Prior to November 1, 2016, the advisory fee was 0.90% on the first $300 million and 0.85% on assets in excess of $300 million
Advisory fees paid by the Funds for the last three fiscal years ended June 30 to the Adviser are shown in the tables below.
June 30, 2018
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
|
|
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
397,312 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
1,505,873 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
475,028 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
632,660 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
22,343,717 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
29,165,964 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
3,344,578 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
57,355 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
467,572 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
79,518 |
|
Trivalent International FundCore Equity |
|
$ |
209,992 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
13,683,910 |
|
June 30, 2017
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
|
|
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
406,324 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
1,410,874 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
266,322 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
297,952 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
18,984,331 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
33,734,560 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
3,118,316 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
46,675 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
487,655 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
48,664 |
|
Trivalent International FundCore Equity |
|
$ |
176,704 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
8,937,479 |
|
June 30, 2016
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
|
|
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
428,901 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
984,372 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
139,423 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
198,168 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
13,069,852 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
42,073,265 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
3,293,927 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
35,459 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
483,250 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
40,778 |
|
Trivalent International FundCore Equity |
|
$ |
182,563 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
6,596,942 |
|
Management Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement
For some of the Funds, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse Fund expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding any acquired fund fees and expenses and certain other items such as interest, taxes, dividend and interest expenses on short sales and brokerage commissions) of a Fund (by share class) do not exceed a certain percentage for a predetermined amount of time. In these instances, the fee and expense table in the Funds prospectus provides more details about this arrangement and shows the impact it will have on the Funds total annual fund operating expenses. Under its contractual agreement with the Funds, the Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees. From time to time, the Adviser may also voluntarily waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses for a Fund. These voluntary reductions are not reflected in the fee and expense table in the Funds prospectus.
Manager of Managers Structure
Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Funds may adopt a manager of managers structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Funds investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers.
To the extent that the Funds rely 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 a Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective
sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firms 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 a Fund. The Funds have received an order from the SEC enabling them to adopt a manager of managers structure, and they may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the SEC Order).
To the extent a 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 sub-adviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.
Portfolio Managers
This section includes information about the Funds portfolio managers, including information concerning other accounts they manage, the dollar range of Fund shares they own and how they are compensated.
Other Accounts
The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by each individual and assets under management in those accounts as of June 30, 2018.
|
|
Registered Investment
|
|
Pooled Investment Vehicle
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number of
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number of
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number
|
|
Total Assets
|
|
||||
Daniel G. Bandi |
|
$ |
2,997.55 |
|
4 |
|
$ |
398.64 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,562.06 |
|
84 |
|
$ |
5,958.25 |
|
Sean A. Burke |
|
$ |
159.71 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
25.14 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
184.85 |
|
Pete S. Carpenter |
|
$ |
27.32 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
36.02 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
142.32 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
205.66 |
|
Robert D. Cerow |
|
$ |
9.02 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
9.02 |
|
Richard Consul |
|
$ |
1,496.03 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
1,965.02 |
|
102 |
|
$ |
3,461.05 |
|
Robert E. Crosby |
|
$ |
3,611.04 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
903.18 |
|
37 |
|
$ |
4,514.22 |
|
Daniel J. DeMonica |
|
$ |
3,157.27 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
398.64 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,587.20 |
|
85 |
|
$ |
6,143.11 |
|
Mannik Dhillon |
|
$ |
3,341.32 |
|
18 |
|
$ |
255.90 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
89.31 |
|
19 |
|
$ |
3,776.53 |
|
Tony Dong |
|
$ |
4,037.73 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
968.20 |
|
49 |
|
$ |
5,005.93 |
|
John W. Evers |
|
$ |
2,277.17 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
337.82 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
354.50 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
2,969.49 |
|
Adam I. Friedman |
|
$ |
2,997.55 |
|
4 |
|
$ |
398.64 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,562.06 |
|
84 |
|
$ |
5,958.25 |
|
S. Brad Fush |
|
$ |
1,496.03 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
1,965.02 |
|
102 |
|
$ |
3,461.05 |
|
Joe A. Gilbert |
|
$ |
2,997.55 |
|
4 |
|
$ |
398.64 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,562.06 |
|
84 |
|
$ |
5,958.25 |
|
Robert Glise |
|
$ |
3,611.04 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
903.18 |
|
37 |
|
$ |
4,514.22 |
|
Edward D. Goard |
|
$ |
1,496.03 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
1,965.02 |
|
102 |
|
$ |
3,461.05 |
|
Michael P. Gura |
|
$ |
981.03 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
147.12 |
|
14 |
|
$ |
1,128.15 |
|
Stephen Hammers |
|
$ |
3,431.32 |
|
18 |
|
$ |
255.90 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
89.31 |
|
19 |
|
$ |
3,776.53 |
|
Gavin Hayman |
|
$ |
3,611.04 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
903.18 |
|
37 |
|
$ |
4,514.22 |
|
James R. Kelts |
|
$ |
1,496.03 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
1,965.02 |
|
102 |
|
$ |
3,461.05 |
|
Daniel B. LeVan |
|
$ |
2,268.15 |
|
4 |
|
$ |
337.82 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
354.50 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
2,960.47 |
|
Brian S. Matuszak |
|
$ |
3,611.04 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
903.18 |
|
37 |
|
$ |
4,514.22 |
|
Mirsat Nikovic |
|
$ |
159.71 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
25.14 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
184.85 |
|
Jeffrey R. Sullivan |
|
$ |
27.32 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
36.02 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
142.32 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
205.66 |
|
J. Bryan Tinsley |
|
$ |
2,997.55 |
|
4 |
|
$ |
398.64 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,562.06 |
|
84 |
|
$ |
5,958.25 |
|
Sean D. Wright |
|
$ |
3,611.04 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
903.18 |
|
37 |
|
$ |
4,514.22 |
|
Michael P. Wayton |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Fund Ownership
As of the end of the last completed calendar year, the portfolio managers of the Funds owned equity securities of the Funds in the amount indicated in the table below.
Portfolio Manager |
|
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of shares
|
Daniel G. Bandi |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
Over $1,000,000 |
|
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value |
|
$500,001 - $1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Sean A. Burke |
|
Integrity Discovery |
|
$10,001 - $50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Peter S. Carpenter |
|
Trivalent International Fund - Core Equity |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Robert D. Cerow |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Richard Consul |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
$10,001 - $50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Robert E. Crosby |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
Munder Small Cap Growth |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel J. DeMonica |
|
Integrity Discovery |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
0 |
|
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mannik Dhillon |
|
S&P 500 Index |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tony Y. Dong |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth |
|
Over $1,000,000 |
|
|
Munder Multi-Cap |
|
$1 - $10,000 |
|
|
Munder Small Cap Growth |
|
Over $1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
John W. Evers |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap |
|
$500,001 - $1,000,000 |
|
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap |
|
$500,001 - $1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Adam I. Friedman |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
0 |
|
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
S. Brad Fush |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joe A. Gilbert |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
0 |
|
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Robert Glise |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
Munder Small Cap Growth |
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
Edward D. Goard |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Michael P. Gura |
|
Munder Multi-Cap |
|
$500,001 - $1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Stephen Hammers |
|
S&P 500 Index |
|
0 |
Gavin Hayman |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
Munder Small Cap Growth |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
James R. Kelts |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
$10,001 - $50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel B. LeVan |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap |
|
Over $1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Brian S. Matuszak |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth |
|
$500,001 - $1,000,000 |
|
|
Munder Small Cap Growth |
|
Over $1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mirsat Nikovic |
|
Integrity Discovery |
|
$10,001 - $50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Jeffrey R. Sullivan |
|
Trivalent International Fund - Core Equity |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
J. Bryan Tinsley |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value
|
|
$50,001 - $100,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sean D. Wright |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth
|
|
$10,001 - $50,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael P. Wayton |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund
|
|
$1 - $10,000
|
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 a 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 independent third-party consultants that specialize in competitive salary information. Such data, however, is not considered to be a definitive benchmark.
Each of the Advisers investment franchises 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 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. Victory Capital has adopted numerous compliance policies and procedures, including a Code of Ethics, brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which seek to address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, Victory Capital has a designated Chief Compliance Officer (selected in accordance with the federal securities laws) and compliance staff whose activities are focused on monitoring the activities of Victory Capital investment franchises and employees in order to detect and address potential and actual conflicts of interest. However, there can be no assurance that Victory Capitals compliance program will achieve its intended result.
Compliance Services
Effective July 1, 2017, the Trusts Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) is an employee of the Adviser, which pays the compensation of the CCO and his support staff. The Trust has entered into an Agreement to Provide Compliance Services (the Compliance Agreement) with the Adviser, pursuant to which the Adviser furnishes its compliance personnel, including the services of the CCO, and other resources reasonably necessary to provide the Trust with compliance oversight services related to the design, administration and oversight of a compliance program for the Trust in accordance with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. The Funds in the Victory Funds complex, in the aggregate, compensate the Adviser for these services.
Compliance fees paid by the Funds for the last three fiscal years ended June 30 to Victory Capital under the Compliance Agreement are shown in the table below. No fees were paid under the aforementioned Compliance Agreement for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2016 and June 30, 2017.
Fund |
|
2018 Fees Paid |
|
|
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
997 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
1,481 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
579 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
734 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
25,770 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
34,662 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
3,668 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
70 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
2,086 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
74 |
|
Trivalent International FundCore Equity |
|
$ |
168 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
13,745 |
|
Administrator and Fund Accountant
Victory Capital Management Inc. (Victory Capital) serves as administrator and fund accountant to the Trust pursuant to an agreement dated July 1, 2006, as amended (the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement). Citi Fund Services 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 Funds as sub-administrator, but excluding those that Victory Capital provides as investment adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board.
Effective November 7, 2016, under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, for the administration and fund accounting services that Victory Capital renders to the Funds, the Trust, Victory Portfolios II (VP II) and Victory Variable Insurance Funds (VVIF) pay Victory Capital an annual fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates based on the aggregate average daily net assets of the Trust, VP II and VVIF: 0.08% of the first $15 billion, plus 0.05% of the next $15 billion, plus 0.04% of aggregate net assets in excess of $30 billion. Victory Capital may periodically waive all or a portion of the amount of its fee that is allocated to any Fund in order to increase the Funds net income available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, the Trust, VP II and VVIF reimburse Victory Capital for all of its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the services under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement.
Prior to November 7, 2016, the Trust, VP II and VVIF paid Victory Capital for the administration and fund accounting services an annual fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates based on the aggregate average daily net assets of the Trust, VP II and VVIF: 0.108% of the first $8 billion, plus 0.078% of the next $2 billion, plus 0.075% of the next $2 billion, plus 0.065% of the aggregate net assets in excess of $12 billion.
Except as otherwise provided in the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, Victory Capital 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 specifically approved by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of each 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 Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement provides that Victory Capital 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, Victory Capital 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, each 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.
Victory Capital also performs fund accounting services for each Fund, excluding those services that Citi performs as sub-fund accountant. The fund accountant calculates each Funds NAV, the dividend and capital gain distribution, if any, and the yield. The fund accountant also provides a current security position report, a summary report of transactions and pending maturities, a current cash position report, and maintains the general ledger accounting records for the Funds. The fees that Citi receives for sub-administration and sub-fund accounting services are described in the SAI section entitled Sub-Administrator and Sub-Fund Accountant.
Fund administration and fund accounting fees paid by the Funds for the last three fiscal years ended June 30 to Victory Capital are shown in the table below.
Fund |
|
2018 Fees Paid |
|
2017 Fees Paid |
|
2016 Fees Paid |
|
|||
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
58,599 |
|
$ |
70,522 |
|
$ |
93,569 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
88,813 |
|
$ |
94,462 |
|
$ |
85,818 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
37,390 |
|
$ |
23,604 |
|
$ |
16,252 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
46,712 |
|
$ |
24,202 |
|
$ |
19,222 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
1,540,869 |
|
$ |
1,515,560 |
|
$ |
1,325,776 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
263,115 |
|
$ |
288,093 |
|
$ |
382,951 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
2,294,043 |
|
$ |
3,148,774 |
|
$ |
4,893,973 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
3,983 |
|
$ |
3,766 |
|
$ |
3,652 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
137,936 |
|
$ |
169,163 |
|
$ |
211,553 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
4,270 |
|
$ |
3,042 |
|
$ |
3,230 |
|
Trivalent International FundCore Equity |
|
$ |
15,493 |
|
$ |
15,288 |
|
$ |
19,890 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
865,104 |
|
$ |
648,525 |
|
$ |
606,150 |
|
Sub-Administrator and Sub-Fund Accountant
Citi serves as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant to the Funds pursuant to a Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement dated July 1, 2006, as amended, by and between Victory Capital and Citi (the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement). Citi assists in supervising all operations of the Funds (other than those performed by Victory Capital 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 II and VVIF, Victory Capital pays Citi an annual fee, computed daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates: 0.0235% of the first $15 billion of aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF net assets; plus 0.015% of aggregate net assets of aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF net assets from in excess of $15 billion to $30 billion; plus 0.01% of aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF net assets in excess of $30 billion. Citi may periodically waive all or a portion of the amount of its fee that is allocated to any Fund in order to increase the net income of the Funds available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, the Trust, VP II 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 each Fund for a period of three years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such continuance is specifically approved by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of each 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-CEN, N-PORT 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
FIS Investor Services LLC (FIS) located at 4249 Easton Way, Suite 400, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as transfer agent for the Funds pursuant to a transfer agency agreement. Under its agreement with the Victory Funds, FIS has agreed to (1) issue and redeem shares of the Funds; (2) address and mail all communications by the Funds 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.
Custodian
General. Citibank, N.A., (the Custodian), 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of each Funds assets pursuant to a Global Custodial Services Agreement dated August 5, 2008, as amended. 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. The Custodian may, with the approval of a Fund and at its own expense, open and maintain a sub-custody account or accounts on behalf of a Fund, provided that it shall remain liable for the performance of all of its duties under its respective custody agreement.
Foreign Custody. Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act, which governs the custody of investment company assets outside the United States, allows a mutual funds board of directors to delegate to a Foreign Custody Manager the selection and monitoring of foreign sub-custodian arrangements for the Trusts assets. Accordingly, the Board delegated these responsibilities to the Custodian pursuant to the Global Custodial Services Agreement. As Foreign Custody Manager, the Custodian must (a) determine that the assets of the International Funds held by a foreign sub-custodian will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market; (b) determine that the Trusts foreign custody arrangements are governed by written contracts in compliance with Rule 17f-5 (or, in the case of a compulsory depository, by such a contract and/or established practices or procedures); and (c) monitor the appropriateness of these arrangements and any material change in the relevant contract, practices or procedures. In determining appropriateness, the Custodian will not evaluate a particular countrys investment risks, such as (a) the use of compulsory depositories, (b) such countrys financial infrastructure, (c) such countrys prevailing custody and settlement practices, (d) nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions, (e) regulation of the banking or securities industry, (f) currency controls, restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations, and (g) market conditions that affect the orderly execution of securities transactions or affect the value of securities. The Custodian will provide to the Board quarterly written reports regarding the Trusts foreign custody arrangements.
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 August 1, 2013, 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 each Fund 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 each Fund, 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 tables reflect the total underwriting commissions earned and the amount of those commissions retained by the Distributor in connection with the sale of shares of each Fund for the last three fiscal years ended June 30.
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2018 |
|
||||
|
|
Underwriting Commissions |
|
Amount Retained |
|
||
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
2,921 |
|
$ |
774 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
35,078 |
|
$ |
4,482 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
16,770 |
|
$ |
2,198 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
25,292 |
|
$ |
3,204 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
92,839 |
|
$ |
12,266 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
68,246 |
|
$ |
8,812 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
108,784 |
|
$ |
13,987 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
2,863 |
|
$ |
386 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
32,380 |
|
$ |
3,601 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
374 |
|
$ |
49 |
|
Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity |
|
$ |
2,924 |
|
$ |
351 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
70,079 |
|
$ |
9,364 |
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2017 |
|
||||
|
|
Underwriting Commissions |
|
Amount Retained |
|
||
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
6,370 |
|
$ |
1,794 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
75,599 |
|
$ |
9,708 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
46,288 |
|
$ |
5,931 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
55,584 |
|
$ |
7,312 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
107,945 |
|
$ |
13,905 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
64,079 |
|
$ |
8,397 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
121,131 |
|
$ |
15,783 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
2,471 |
|
$ |
271 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
31,812 |
|
$ |
3,626 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
1,513 |
|
$ |
194 |
|
Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity |
|
$ |
5,163 |
|
$ |
804 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
61,172 |
|
$ |
8,020 |
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2016 |
|
||||
|
|
Underwriting Commissions |
|
Amount Retained |
|
||
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
1,224 |
|
$ |
312 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
15,490 |
|
$ |
2,104 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
12,230 |
|
$ |
1,581 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
10,209 |
|
$ |
1,327 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
85,200 |
|
$ |
11,287 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
101,908 |
|
$ |
13,300 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
171,240 |
|
$ |
22,473 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
22,656 |
|
$ |
2,552 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
69 |
|
$ |
9 |
|
Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity |
|
$ |
517 |
|
$ |
68 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
116,954 |
|
$ |
15,158 |
|
RULE 12b-1 DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLANS
The Trust has adopted distribution and service plans in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (each a Rule 12b-1 Plan) on behalf of Class A, C and R shares of various Funds. Rule 12b-1 provides in substance that a
mutual fund may not engage directly or indirectly in financing any activity that is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of such mutual fund except pursuant to a plan adopted by the fund under the Rule.
Class A Rule 12b-1 Plan. Under the Trusts Class A Rule 12b-1 Plan, Class A shares of each Fund pays the Distributor a distribution and service fee of 0.25%. Under this Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Distributor may use Rule 12b-1 fees for: (a) costs of printing and distributing each such Funds Prospectus, SAI and reports to prospective investors in these Funds; (b) costs involved in preparing, printing and distributing sales literature pertaining to these Funds; (c) an allocation of overhead and other branch office distribution-related expenses of the Distributor; (d) payments to persons who provide support services in connection with the distribution of each such Funds Class A shares, including but not limited to, office space and equipment, telephone facilities, answering routine inquiries regarding the Funds, processing shareholder transactions and providing any other shareholder services not otherwise provided by the Funds transfer agent; (e) accruals for interest on the amount of the foregoing expenses that exceed the distribution fee and the CDSCs received by the Distributor; and (f) any other expense primarily intended to result in the sale of the Funds Class A shares, including, without limitation, payments to salesmen and selling dealers at the time of the sale of such shares, if applicable, and continuing fees to each such salesmen and selling dealers, which fee shall begin to accrue immediately after the sale of such shares.
The Class A Rule 12b-1 Plan specifically recognizes that either the Adviser or the Distributor, directly or through an affiliate, may use its fee revenue, past profits, or other resources, without limitation, to pay promotional and administrative expenses in connection with the offer and sale of Class A shares of these Funds. In addition, this Rule 12b-1 Plan provides that the Adviser and the Distributor may use their respective resources, including fee revenues, to make payments to third parties that provide assistance in selling these Funds Class A shares, or to third parties, including banks, that render shareholder support services.
Class C Rule 12b-1 Plan. Under the Trusts Class C Rule 12b-1 Plan, Class C shares of each Fund pays the Distributor a distribution and service fee of 1.00%. The Distributor may use Rule 12b-1 fees to pay for activities primarily intended to result in the sale of Class C shares, including but not limited to: (i) costs of printing and distributing a Funds prospectus, SAI and reports to prospective investors in the Fund; (ii) costs involved in preparing, printing and distributing sales literature pertaining to a Fund; and (iii) payments to salesmen and selling dealers at the time of the sale of shares, if applicable, and continuing fees to each such salesman and selling dealers, which fee shall begin to accrue immediately after the sale of such shares. Fees may also be used to pay persons, including but not limited to the Funds transfer agent, any sub-transfer agents, or any administrators, for providing services to the Funds and their Class C shareholders, including but not limited to: (i) maintaining shareholder accounts; (ii) answering routine inquiries regarding a Fund; (iii) processing shareholder transactions; and (iv) providing any other shareholder services not otherwise provided by a Funds transfer agent. In addition, the Distributor may use the Rule 12b-1 fees paid under this Plan for an allocation of overhead and other branch office distribution-related expenses of the Distributor such as office space and equipment and telephone facilities, and for accruals for interest on the amount of the foregoing expenses that exceed the Distribution Fee and the CDSC received by the Distributor. Of the 1.00% permitted under the Plan, no more than the maximum amount permitted by the NASD Conduct Rules will be used to finance activities primarily intended to result in the sale of Class C shares.
Class R Rule 12b-1 Plan. Under the Trusts Class R Rule 12b-1 Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a distribution and service fee of up to 0.50%. Under this Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Distributor may use Rule 12b-1 fees for: (a) costs of printing and distributing each such Funds prospectus, SAI and reports to prospective investors in these Funds; (b) costs involved in preparing, printing and distributing sales literature pertaining to these Funds; (c) an allocation of overhead and other branch office distribution-related expenses of the Distributor; (d) payments to persons who provide support services in connection with the distribution of each such Funds Class R shares, including but not limited to, office space and equipment, telephone facilities, answering routine inquiries regarding the Funds, processing shareholder transactions and providing any other shareholder services not otherwise provided by the Funds transfer agent; (e) accruals for interest on the amount of the foregoing expenses that exceed the distribution fee and the CDSCs received by the Distributor; and (f) any other expense primarily intended to result in the sale of the Funds Class R shares, including, without limitation, payments to salesmen and selling dealers at the time of the sale of such shares, if applicable, and continuing fees to each such salesmen and selling dealers, which fee shall begin to accrue immediately after the sale of such shares.
The Class R Rule 12b-1 Plan specifically recognizes that either the Adviser or the Distributor, directly or through an affiliate, may use its fee revenue, past profits, or other resources, without limitation, to pay promotional and administrative expenses in connection with the offer and sale of Class R shares of these Funds. In addition, this Rule 12b-1 Plan provides that the Adviser and the Distributor may use their respective resources, including fee revenues, to make payments to third parties that provide assistance in selling these Funds Class R shares, or to third parties, including banks, that render shareholder support services. To the extent that a Plan gives the Adviser or the Distributor greater flexibility in connection with the distribution of Class R shares of the Funds, additional sales of these shares may result.
Rule 12b-1 Plans. The amount of the Rule 12b-1 fees payable by any share class of a Fund under these Rule 12b-1 Plans is considered compensation and is not related directly to expenses incurred by the Distributor and neither Plan obligates a Fund to reimburse the Distributor for such expenses. The fees set forth under any Rule 12b-1 Plan will be paid by each such share class of a Fund to the Distributor unless and until the Plan is terminated or not renewed with respect to such Funds share class; any distribution or service expenses incurred by the Distributor on behalf of the Funds in excess of payments of the distribution fees specified above that the Distributor has accrued through the termination date are the sole responsibility and liability of the Distributor and not an obligation of any such Fund.
Each of the Rule 12b-1 Plans have been approved by the Board, including the Independent Trustees, at a meeting called for that purpose. As required by Rule 12b-1, the Board carefully considered all pertinent factors relating to the implementation of the Plans prior to their approval and determined that there was a reasonable likelihood that the Plans would benefit the Funds and shareholders of the applicable class. Additionally, certain support services covered under a Plan may be provided more effectively under the Plan by local entities with whom shareholders have other relationships or by the shareholders broker.
The following tables reflect the payment of Rule 12b-1 fees to the Distributor for periods after October 31, 2013 and to the Predecessor Funds distributor prior to that date, pursuant to the plans of distribution adopted with respect to the Fund and the Predecessor Funds pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Predecessor Plans) during the most recent three fiscal years ended June 30. All such payments consisted of compensation to broker-dealers.
Class A
|
|
Fiscal Year Ending
|
|
Fiscal Year Ending
|
|
Fiscal Year Ending
|
|
|||
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
33,866 |
|
$ |
37,148 |
|
$ |
41,616 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
162,648 |
|
$ |
206,971 |
|
$ |
130,583 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
8,064 |
|
$ |
10,593 |
|
$ |
27,262 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
6,695 |
|
$ |
3,531 |
|
$ |
1,435 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value |
|
$ |
551,216 |
|
$ |
553,700 |
|
$ |
569,407 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
1,520,525 |
|
$ |
2,165,807 |
|
$ |
2,699,351 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
906,326 |
|
$ |
813,884 |
|
$ |
856,405 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
296 |
|
$ |
236 |
|
$ |
118 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
291,807 |
|
$ |
287,609 |
|
$ |
288,495 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
2,634 |
|
$ |
882 |
|
$ |
744 |
|
Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity |
|
$ |
18,298 |
|
$ |
12,499 |
|
$ |
13,025 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
331,295 |
|
$ |
201,536 |
|
$ |
207,629 |
|
Class C
|
|
Fiscal Year Ending
|
|
Fiscal Year Ending
|
|
Fiscal Year Ending
|
|
|||
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
18,047 |
|
$ |
27,358 |
|
$ |
33,649 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
153,055 |
|
$ |
159,901 |
|
$ |
146,798 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value |
|
$ |
259,446 |
|
$ |
297,086 |
|
$ |
275,997 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
1,293,154 |
|
$ |
1,822,429 |
|
$ |
2,200,498 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
509,890 |
|
$ |
672,218 |
|
$ |
734,932 |
|
Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity |
|
$ |
4,076 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
5,984 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
59,615 |
|
$ |
53,185 |
|
$ |
53,979 |
|
Class R
|
|
Fiscal Year Ending
|
|
Fiscal Year Ending
|
|
Fiscal Year Ending
|
|
|||
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
16,784 |
|
$ |
10,135 |
|
$ |
6,665 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value |
|
$ |
78,312 |
|
$ |
79,542 |
|
$ |
67,303 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
149,548 |
|
$ |
186,360 |
|
$ |
230,406 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
2,548 |
|
$ |
5,107 |
|
$ |
5,008 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
84,002 |
|
$ |
73,570 |
|
$ |
67,266 |
|
Line of Credit . The Funds in the Victory Funds Complex participate in a short-term, demand note line of credit agreement with the Custodian. Under the agreement with the Custodian as of July 27, 2018, the Funds in the Victory Funds Complex may borrow up to $250 million, of which $100 million is committed and $150 million is uncommitted. Of this amount, $40 million of the line of credit is reserved for use by the Victory Floating Rate Fund, another series of the Trust, with that Fund paying the related commitment fees for that amount. The purpose of the agreement is to meet temporary or emergency cash needs, including redemption requests that might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities. The Custodian receives an annual commitment fee of 0.15%. Each Fund in the Victory Funds Complex pays a pro-rata portion of this commitment fee plus any interest on amounts borrowed.
Securities Lending
The Trust has entered into a Master Securities Lending Agreement (MSLA) with Citibank, N.A. (Citi) whereby Citi serves as the Funds lending agent and facilitates the Funds lending program. Under the terms of the MSLA, each Fund may lend securities to certain broker-dealers and banks in exchange for collateral in the amount at least equal to the maintenance requirements (e.g. 102% of the value of U.S. equity securities loaned or 105% of the value of non-U.S. securities loaned), marked to market daily. The collateral can be received in the form of cash collateral and/or non-cash collateral. Non-cash collateral can include U.S. Government Securities, letters of credit and certificates of deposit. The Funds earn interest or dividends on the securities loaned and may also earn a return from the collateral.
The Funds pay various fees in connection with the investment of cash collateral. The Funds pay Citi fees based on the investment income received from securities lending activities. In its role as securities lending agent, Citi (i) arranges and administers the loan of securities when establishing a loan and the return of securities upon termination of a loan, (ii) collects from borrowers cash, securities or other instruments to serve as collateral for the loans, (iii) monitors the value of securities on loan and the value of the corresponding collateral, (iv) communicates to each borrower the minimum amount of collateral required for each loan and collects additional collateral as required on a daily basis to maintain such minimum, (v) collects or arranges for the collection of any interest, dividends or other distributions related to loaned securities, and (vi) performs other necessary services related to the establishment and maintenance of the Funds securities lending program.
The following reflects the dollar amounts of income and fees/compensation related to the Funds securities lending activities during the Funds fiscal year ended June 30, 2018:
Fund |
|
Gross income
|
|
Fees paid to
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
Net income
|
|
||||
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
3,223 |
|
$ |
501 |
|
$ |
501 |
|
$ |
2,722 |
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
221,479 |
|
$ |
29,520 |
|
$ |
29,520 |
|
$ |
191,959 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
14,698 |
|
$ |
2,209 |
|
$ |
2,209 |
|
$ |
12,489 |
|
Fund |
|
Gross income
|
|
Fees paid to
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
Net income
|
|
||||
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
21,404 |
|
$ |
3,242 |
|
$ |
3,242 |
|
$ |
18,162 |
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
1,858,843 |
|
$ |
283,774 |
|
$ |
283,774 |
|
$ |
1,575,069 |
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
103,990 |
|
$ |
16,701 |
|
$ |
16,701 |
|
$ |
87,289 |
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
37,129 |
|
$ |
5,427 |
|
$ |
5,427 |
|
$ |
31,702 |
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
7,893 |
|
$ |
1,235 |
|
$ |
1,235 |
|
$ |
6,658 |
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
9,195 |
|
$ |
1,438 |
|
$ |
1,438 |
|
$ |
7,757 |
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
6,280 |
|
$ |
951 |
|
$ |
951 |
|
$ |
5,329 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity |
|
$ |
5,164 |
|
$ |
743 |
|
$ |
743 |
|
$ |
4,421 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
742,740 |
|
$ |
102,782 |
|
$ |
102,782 |
|
$ |
639,958 |
|
Code of Ethics
Each of the Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor has adopted a Code of Ethics in accordance with Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. 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
In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Trust has adopted policies and procedures for voting proxies related to equity securities that the Funds hold (the Proxy Voting Policy). The Trusts Proxy Voting Policy is designed to: (1) ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds with a view toward maximizing the value of their investments; (2) address conflicts of interests between these shareholders, on the one hand, and affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser or the Distributor, on the other, that may arise regarding the voting of proxies; and (3) provide for the disclosure of the Funds proxy voting records and the Proxy Voting Policy. The Proxy Voting Policy delegates to the Adviser the obligation to vote the Funds proxies in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders, subject to oversight by the Board.
To assist the Adviser in making proxy-voting decisions, the Adviser has adopted a Proxy Voting Policy (Policy) that establishes voting guidelines (Proxy Voting Guidelines) with respect to certain recurring issues. The Policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Advisers Proxy Committee (Proxy Committee) and revised when the
Committee determines that a change is appropriate. The Board annually reviews the Trusts Proxy Voting Policy and the Advisers Policy and determines whether amendments are necessary or advisable.
Voting under the Advisers Policy may be executed through administrative screening per established guidelines with oversight by the Proxy Committee or upon vote by a quorum of the Proxy Committee. 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 Advisers 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 Funds and their 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 or the Funds Proxy Voting Policy. 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 following examples illustrate the Advisers policy with respect to some common proxy votes. This summary is not an exhaustive list of all the issues that may arise or of all matters addressed in the Guidelines, and whether the Adviser supports or opposes a proposal will depend upon the specific facts and circumstances described in the proxy statement and other available information.
Directors
· The Adviser generally supports the election of directors in uncontested elections, except when there are issues of accountability, responsiveness, composition, and/or independence.
· The Adviser generally supports proposals for an independent chair taking into account factors such as the current board leadership structure, the companys governance practices, and company performance.
· The Adviser generally supports proxy access proposals that are in line with the market standards regarding the ownership threshold, ownership duration, aggregation provisions, cap on nominees, and do not contain any other unreasonably restrictive guidelines.
· The Adviser reviews contested elections on a case-by-case basis taking into account such factors as the company performance, particularly the long-term performance relative to the industry; the management track record; the nominee qualifications and compensatory arrangements; the strategic plan of the dissident and its critique of the current management; the likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved; the ownership stakes of the relevant parties; and any other context that is particular to the company and the nature of the election.
Capitalization & Restructuring
· The Adviser generally supports capitalization proposals that facilitate a corporate transaction that is also being supported and for general corporate purposes so long as the increase is not excessive and there are no issues of superior voting rights, company performance, previous abuses of capital, or insufficient justification for the need for additional capital.
Mergers and Acquisitions
· The Adviser reviews mergers and acquisitions on a case-by-case basis to balance the merits and drawbacks of the transaction and factors such as valuation, strategic rationale, negotiations and process, conflicts of interest, and the governance profile of the company post-transaction.
Compensation
· The Adviser reviews all compensation proposals for pay-for-performance alignment, with emphasis on long-term shareholder value; arrangements that risk pay for failure; independence in the setting of compensation; inappropriate pay to non-executive directors, and the quality and rationale of the compensation disclosure.
· The Adviser will generally vote FOR advisory votes on executive compensation (say on pay) unless there is a pay-for-performance misalignment; problematic pay practice or non-performance based element; incentive for excessive risk-taking, options backdating; or a lack of compensation committee communication and/or responsiveness to shareholder concerns.
· The Adviser will vote case-by-case on equity based compensation plans taking into account factors such as the plan cost; the plan features; and the grant practices as well as any overriding factors that may have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests.
Social and Environmental Issues
· The Adviser will vote case-by-case on topics such as consumer and product safety; environment and energy; labor standards and human rights; workplace and board diversity; and corporate and political issues, taking into account factors such as the implementation of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value; whether the company has already responded in an appropriate and sufficient manner to the issue raised; whether the request is unduly burdensome; and whether the issue is more appropriately or effectively handled through legislation or other regulations.
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.
The Funds Proxy Voting Policy provides that the Funds, in accordance with SEC rules, annually will disclose on Form N-PX the Funds proxy voting record. Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th is updated each year by August 31st and is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll free 800 539-FUND (800 539 3863) or by accessing the SECs website at www.sec.gov.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
Subject to the general supervision of the Board, 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.
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 been fixed for trades 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. 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 (the underwriters concession) or discount.
Fixed income and convertible securities are bought and sold through broker-dealers acting on a principal basis. These trades are not charged a commission, but rather are marked up or marked down by the executing broker-dealer. The Adviser does not know the actual value of the markup/markdown. However, the Adviser attempts to ascertain whether the overall price of a security is reasonable through the use of competitive bids. Orders to buy or sell convertible securities and fixed income securities are placed on a competitive basis with a reasonable attempt made to obtain three competitive bids or offers. Exceptions are: (1) where the bid/ask spread is 5 basis points or less, provided the order is actually filled at the bid or better for sales and at the ask or better for purchases; (2) securities for which there are only one or two market makers; (3) block purchases considered relatively large; (4) swaps, a simultaneous sale of one security and purchase of another in substantially equal amounts for the same account, intended to take advantage of an aberration in a spread relationship, realize losses, etc.; and (5) purchases and/or sales of fixed income securities for which, typically, more than one offering of the same issue is unobtainable; subject to a judgment by the trader that the bid is competitive.
It is the policy of the Adviser to obtain the best execution of its clients securities transactions. The Adviser strives to execute each clients securities transactions in such a manner that the clients total costs or proceeds in each transaction are the most favorable under the circumstances. Commission rates paid on securities transactions for client accounts must reflect comparative market rates.
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. 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 Advisers practice 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.
As permitted by Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, the Adviser may cause a Fund to pay broker-dealers that provide brokerage and research services a commission rate that exceeds the amount other broker/dealers would have charged
for the transaction if the Adviser determines in good faith that the greater commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the executing broker/dealer viewed in terms of either a particular transaction or the Advisers overall responsibilities to the Fund or to its other clients. The term brokerage and research services includes advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing, or selling securities, and the availability of securities or of purchasers or sellers of securities; furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts; and effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto such as clearance and settlement.
The brokerage and research services are in addition to and do not replace the services and research that the Adviser is required to perform and do not reduce the investment advisory fees payable to the Adviser by the Funds. Such information may be useful to the Adviser in serving both the Funds and other clients and, conversely, such supplemental research information obtained by the placement of orders on behalf of other clients may be useful to the Adviser in carrying out its obligations to the Funds.
Brokerage commissions may never be used to compensate a third party for client referrals unless the client has directed such an arrangement. In addition, brokerage commissions may never be used to obtain research and/or services for the benefit of any employee or non-client entity.
The Adviser will make a good faith determination that the commissions paid are reasonable in relationship to the value of the services received and continually reviews the quality of execution it receives from and the commission rates charged by the brokers it uses to carry out trades for its clients. The Adviser will consider the full range and quality of a brokers services in placing brokerage including, but not limited to, the value of research provided, execution capability, commission rate, willingness and ability to commit capital and responsiveness. The lowest possible commission cost alone does not determine broker selection. The transaction that represents the best quality execution for a client account will be executed. Commission ranges and the actual commission paid for trades of listed stocks and over-the-counter stocks may vary depending on, but not limited to, the liquidity and volatility of the stock and services provided to the Adviser by the broker.
Some brokers executing trades for the Advisers clients may, from time to time, receive liquidity rebates in connection with the routing of trades to Electronic Communications Networks. Since the Adviser is not a broker, however, it is ineligible to receive such rebates and does not obtain direct benefits for its clients from this broker practice.
Investment decisions for each Fund are made independently from those made for the other Funds or any other investment company or account managed by the Adviser. Such other investment companies or accounts may also invest in the same securities and may follow similar investment strategies as the Funds. The Adviser may combine transaction orders (bunching or blocking trades) for more than one client account where such action appears to be equitable and potentially advantageous for each account ( e.g. , for the purpose of reducing brokerage commissions or obtaining a more favorable transaction price.) The Adviser will aggregate transaction orders only if it believes that the aggregation is consistent with its duty to seek best execution for its clients and is consistent with the terms of investment advisory agreements with each client for whom trades are being aggregated. Both equity and fixed-income securities may be aggregated. When making such a combination of transaction orders for a new issue or secondary market trade in an equity security, the Adviser adheres to the following objectives:
· Fairness to clients both in the participation of execution of orders for their account, and in the allocation of orders for the accounts of more than one client.
· Allocation of all orders in a timely and efficient manner.
In some cases, aggregating trades may affect the price paid or received by a Fund or the size of the position obtained by the Fund in an adverse manner relative to the result that would have been obtained if only that particular Fund had participated in or been allocated such trades.
The aggregation of transactions for advisory accounts and proprietary accounts (including partnerships and other accounts in which the Adviser or its associated persons are partners or participants, and managed employee
accounts) is permissible. No proprietary account may be favored over any other participating account and such practice must be consistent with the Advisers Code of Ethics.
Equity trade orders are executed based only on trade instructions received from portfolio managers by the trading desk. Portfolio managers may enter trades to meet the full target allocation immediately or may meet the allocation through moves in incremental blocks. Orders are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. At times, a rotation system may determine first-come, first-served treatment when the equity trading desk receives the same order for multiple accounts simultaneously. The Adviser will utilize a rotation whereby the Funds, even if aggregated with other orders, are in the first block(s) to trade within the rotation. To aggregate orders, the equity trading desk must determine that all accounts in the order will benefit. Any new trade that can be blocked with an existing open order may be added to the open order to form a larger block. The Adviser receives no additional compensation or remuneration of any kind as a result of the aggregation of trades. All accounts participating in a block execution receive the same execution price, an average share price, for securities purchased or sold on a trading day. Execution prices may not be carried overnight. Any portion of an order that remains unfilled at the end of a given day shall be rewritten (absent contrary instructions) on the following day as a new order. Accounts with trades executed the next day will receive a new daily average price to be determined at the end of the following day.
Where the full amount of a block execution is not executed, the partial amount actually executed will be allocated on a pro rata basis whenever possible. The following execution methods maybe used in place of a pro rata procedure: relative size allocations, security position weighting, priority for specialized accounts, or a special allocation based on compliance approval.
After the proper allocation has been completed, excess shares must be sold in the secondary market, and may not be reallocated to another managed account.
In making investment decisions for the Funds, the Adviser will not inquire or take into consideration whether an issuer of securities proposed for purchase or sale by a Fund is a customer of the Adviser, its parents, subsidiaries or affiliates, and, in dealing with their commercial customers, the Adviser, its parents, subsidiaries and affiliates will not inquire or take into consideration whether securities of such customers are held by the Funds. 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 the dollar amount of brokerage commissions paid by each Fund for the last three fiscal years ended June 30, all of which were paid to entities that are not affiliated with the Funds, the Adviser or the Distributor:
|
|
Fiscal year ended
|
|
Fiscal year ended
|
|
Fiscal year ended
|
|
|||
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
4,341 |
|
$ |
778 |
|
$ |
6,058 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
306,506 |
|
$ |
499,963 |
|
$ |
277,342 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
100,455 |
|
$ |
76,197 |
|
$ |
41,843 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
182,220 |
|
$ |
86,247 |
|
$ |
49,500 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
4,991,575 |
|
$ |
4,388,626 |
|
$ |
3,373,248 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
618,331 |
|
$ |
565,271 |
|
$ |
659,095 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
1,582,773 |
|
$ |
2,690,617 |
|
$ |
2,944,798 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
9,638 |
|
$ |
9,221 |
|
$ |
5,599 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
7,050 |
|
$ |
8,361 |
|
$ |
14,110 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
15,855 |
|
$ |
8,206 |
|
$ |
8,019 |
|
Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity |
|
$ |
26,562 |
|
$ |
37,805 |
|
$ |
34,491 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
2,128,121 |
|
$ |
1,059,478 |
|
$ |
1,310,316 |
|
Affiliated Brokerage. The Board has authorized the allocation of brokerage to affiliated broker-dealers on an agency basis to effect portfolio transactions. The Board has adopted procedures incorporating the standards of Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act, which require that the commission paid to affiliated broker-dealers must be reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received, or to be received, by other
broker-dealers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities during a comparable period of time.
The Trust will not acquire portfolio securities issued by, make savings deposits in, or enter into repurchase or reverse repurchase agreements with the Adviser or its affiliates. From time to time, when determined by the Adviser to be advantageous to the Funds, the Adviser may execute portfolio transactions through affiliated broker-dealers. All such transactions must be completed in accordance with procedures approved by the Board. The percentage of trades executed through an affiliated broker-dealer for a Fund may be higher relative to trades executed by unaffiliated dealers, so long as the trades executed by the affiliated broker-dealer are consistent with best execution.
No payments were made to any affiliated brokers by any Fund during the last three fiscal years.
Allocation of Brokerage in Connection with Research Services . During the last fiscal year ended June 30, the Adviser, through agreements or understandings with brokers, or otherwise through an internal allocation procedure, directed the brokerage transactions of certain Funds to brokers because of research services provided. The following table indicates the Funds that entered into these transactions, the amount of these transactions and related commissions paid during this period. These amounts represent transactions effected with, and related commissions paid to, brokers that provide third party research services. They do not include transactions and commissions involving brokers that provide proprietary research.
Fund |
|
Amount of Transactions to Brokers
|
|
Related
|
|
||
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
5,768,687 |
|
$ |
910 |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
51,708,100 |
|
$ |
87,684 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
33,668,414 |
|
$ |
30,204 |
|
Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
81,985,365 |
|
$ |
66,010 |
|
Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
1,370,264,944 |
|
$ |
1,742,687 |
|
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund |
|
$ |
3,931,090,079 |
|
$ |
1,332,802 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
839,498,676 |
|
$ |
452,736 |
|
Munder Small Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
7,374,881 |
|
$ |
9,638 |
|
S&P 500 Index Fund |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
8,108,313 |
|
$ |
7,614 |
|
Trivalent International Fund Core Equity |
|
$ |
11,997,454 |
|
$ |
9,965 |
|
Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund |
|
$ |
1,399,850,029 |
|
$ |
1,330,742 |
|
Securities of Regular Brokers or Dealers . The SEC requires the Trust to provide certain information for those Funds that held securities of their regular brokers or dealers (or their parents) during the Trusts most recent fiscal year. The following table identifies, for each applicable Fund, those brokers or dealers, the type of security and the value of the Funds aggregate holdings of the securities of each such issuer as of June 30, 2018.
Fund |
|
Broker-Dealer |
|
Type of Security
|
|
Aggregate Value
|
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
Raymond James Financial Inc. |
|
Equity |
|
676 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
Raymond James Financial Inc. |
|
Equity |
|
881 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap |
|
Bank of America Corp. |
|
Equity |
|
7,195 |
|
Munder Multi-Cap |
|
JP Morgan Chase & Co. |
|
Equity |
|
6,495 |
|
S&P 500 Index |
|
Bank of America Corp. |
|
Equity |
|
2,656 |
|
S&P 500 Index |
|
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. |
|
Equity |
|
767 |
|
S&P 500 Index |
|
Citigroup, Inc. |
|
Equity |
|
1,694 |
|
S&P 500 Index |
|
Jefferies Financial Group, Inc. |
|
Equity |
|
71 |
|
S&P 500 Index |
|
JP Morgan Chase & Co. |
|
Equity |
|
3,522 |
|
S&P 500 Index |
|
Morgan Stanley |
|
Equity |
|
644 |
|
S&P 500 Index |
|
Raymond James Financial Inc. |
|
Equity |
|
114 |
|
Trivalent International FundCore Equity |
|
HSBC Holdings PLC |
|
Equity |
|
161 |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
Bank of America Corp. |
|
Debt |
|
752 |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
Citigroup Inc. |
|
Debt |
|
680 |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. |
|
Debt |
|
521 |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
JP Morgan Chase & Co. |
|
Debt |
|
1,227 |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
Morgan Stanley |
|
Debt |
|
811 |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond |
|
Credit Suisse |
|
Debt |
|
156 |
|
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. The Funds portfolio turnover rates stated in the Prospectus are calculated by dividing the lesser of each Funds purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the year by the monthly average value of the portfolio securities. The calculation excludes all securities whose maturities, at the time of acquisition, were one year or less. Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of a Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
The turnover rate for a Fund will vary from year-to-year and depending on market conditions, turnover could be greater in periods of unusual market movement and volatility. A high rate of portfolio turnover (over 100%) will generally 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 last two fiscal years ended June 30:
Fund |
|
2018 |
|
2017 |
|
INCORE Total Return Bond* |
|
110 |
% |
210 |
% |
Integrity Discovery |
|
45 |
% |
110 |
%** |
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
73 |
% |
68 |
% |
Integrity Small-Cap Value |
|
70 |
% |
58 |
% |
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
77 |
% |
65 |
% |
Munder Multi-Cap |
|
123 |
% |
109 |
% |
Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth |
|
50 |
% |
55 |
% |
Munder Small Cap Growth |
|
62 |
% |
56 |
% |
S&P 500 Index |
|
2 |
% |
4 |
% |
Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap |
|
93 |
% |
81 |
% |
Trivalent International Fund - Core Equity |
|
51 |
% |
91 |
% |
Trivalent International Small-Cap |
|
62 |
% |
55 |
% |
*Excluding mortgage dollar roll transactions, the INCORE Total Return Bond Funds portfolio turnover ratios for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2018 were 57% and 103%, respectively.
**The increase in portfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017 was a result of the higher inflows and outflows during the year.
DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
The Funds distribute substantially all of their net investment income and net capital gains, if any, to shareholders within each calendar year as well as on a fiscal year basis to the extent required for the Funds to qualify for favorable federal tax treatment. The Funds ordinarily declare and pay dividends separately for each class of shares, from their net investment income. Each Fund declares and pays capital gains annually. The Bond Fund declares and pays dividends monthly. The S&P 500 Index Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. Each of the Integrity Discovery Fund, Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund, Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund, Munder Multi-Cap Fund, Munder Small Cap Growth, Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund and International Funds declare and pay dividends annually.
The amount of a classs distributions may vary from time to time depending on market conditions, the composition of a Funds portfolio and expenses borne by a Fund or borne separately by a class. Dividends are calculated in the
same manner, at the same time and on the same day for shares of each class. However, dividends attributable to a particular class will differ due to differences in distribution expenses and other class-specific expenses.
For this purpose, the net income of a Fund, from the time of the immediately preceding determination thereof, shall consist of all interest income accrued on the portfolio assets of the Fund, dividend income, if any, income from securities loans, if any and realized capital gains and losses on the Funds assets, less all expenses and liabilities of the Fund chargeable against income. Interest income shall include discount earned, including both original issue and market discount, on discount paper accrued ratably to the date of maturity. Expenses, including the compensation payable to the Adviser, are accrued each day. The expenses and liabilities of a Fund shall include those appropriately allocable to the Fund as well as a share of the general expenses and liabilities of the Trust in proportion to the Funds share of the total net assets of the Trust.
TAXES
Information set forth in the Prospectuses that relates to federal income taxation is only a summary of certain key federal income tax considerations generally affecting purchasers of shares of the Funds. The following is only a summary of certain additional income and excise tax considerations generally affecting each Fund and its shareholders that are not described in the Prospectuses. No attempt has been made to present a complete explanation of the federal tax treatment of the Funds or the implications to shareholders and the discussions here and in each Funds Prospectus are not intended as substitutes for careful tax planning. Accordingly, potential purchasers of shares of the Funds are urged to consult their tax advisers with specific reference to their own tax circumstances. Special tax considerations may apply to certain types of investors subject to special treatment under the Code (including, for example, insurance companies, banks and tax-exempt organizations). In addition, the tax discussion in the Prospectuses and this SAI is based on tax law in effect on the date of the Prospectuses and this SAI; such laws and regulations may be changed by legislative, judicial, or administrative action, sometimes with retroactive effect.
Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company
Each Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. As a regulated investment company, a Fund is not subject to federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income ( i.e. , taxable interest, dividends and other taxable ordinary income, net of expenses) and net capital gain ( i.e. , the excess of long-term capital gains over short-term capital losses) that it distributes to shareholders, provided that it distributes at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income ( i.e. , net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and 90% of its tax-exempt income (net of expenses allocable thereto) for the taxable year (the Distribution Requirement) and satisfies certain other requirements of the Code that are described below. Distributions by a Fund made during the taxable year or, under specified circumstances, within twelve months after the close of the taxable year, will be considered distributions of income and gains for the taxable year and will therefore count toward satisfaction of the Distribution Requirement.
Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), to qualify as a regulated investment company, a Fund must meet certain diversification requirements (among other requirements) as determined at the close of each quarter of each taxable year. For instance, no more than 25% of a Funds assets can be invested, including through corporations in which the fund owns 20% or more voting stock interest, in the securities of any one issuer other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, of two or more issuers which the regulated investment company controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or of one or more publicly traded partnerships. In addition, at least 50% of the market value of the Funds assets must be represented by cash or cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities limited in respect of any one issuer to a value not greater than 5% of the value of the Funds total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer. If a Fund has a net capital loss ( i.e. , an excess of capital losses over capital gains) for any year beginning on or before December 22, 2010, the amount thereof may be carried forward up to eight years and treated as a short-term capital loss that can be used to offset capital gains in such future years. There is no limitation on the number of years to which net capital losses arising in years beginning after December 22, 2010, may be carried. Any such net capital
losses are utilized before net capital losses arising in years beginning on or before December 22, 2010. As explained below, however, such carryforwards may be subject to limitations on availability. Under Code Sections 382 and 383, if a Fund has an ownership change, then the Funds use of its capital loss carryforwards in any year following the ownership change will be limited to an amount equal to the NAV of the Fund immediately prior to the ownership change multiplied by the long-term tax-exempt rate (which is published monthly by the IRS) in effect for the month in which the ownership change occurs. The Funds will use their best efforts to avoid having an ownership change with respect to any Fund that has capital loss carryforwards. However, because of circumstances that may be beyond the control or knowledge of a Fund, there can be no assurance that such a Fund will not have, or has not already had, an ownership change. If a Fund has or has had an ownership change, then the Fund will be subject to federal income taxes on any capital gain net income for any year following the ownership change in excess of the annual limitation on the capital loss carryforwards unless distributed by the Fund. Any distributions of such capital gain net income will be taxable to shareholders as described under Fund Distributions below.
The following table summarizes the approximate capital loss carryforwards for the applicable Funds, as of June 30, 2018. The capital loss carryover amounts for each Fund shown include amounts that may expire in the year 2018 or later.
Fund |
|
Approximate Capital Loss
|
|
Year of Expiration |
|
|
Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity* |
|
$ |
989 |
|
2019 |
|
*The amount of these losses that may be utilized are limited as a result of a Fund ownership change.
The following table summarizes the capital loss carryforwards not subject to expiration for the applicable Funds as of June 30, 2018 (in thousands).
Fund |
|
Short-
|
|
Long-
|
|
Total ($000) |
|
|||
INCORE Total Return Bond Fund |
|
$ |
790 |
|
$ |
3,468 |
|
$ |
4,258 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity* |
|
$ |
2,476 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
2,476 |
|
The following table summarizes the capital loss carryforwards not subject to expiration that are limited as a result of a change in Fund ownership during the year and in prior years (in thousands).
Fund |
|
Short-
|
|
Long-
|
|
Total ($000) |
|
|||
Trivalent International Fund Core Equity* |
|
$ |
746 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
$ |
746 |
|
* The amount of these losses that may be utilized are limited as a result of an ownership change.
In addition to satisfying the Distribution Requirement, a regulated investment company must derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies (to the extent such currency gains are directly related to the regulated investment companys principal business of investing in stock or securities), other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures, or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies and net income from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the Income Requirement).
In general, gain or loss recognized by a Fund on the disposition of an asset will be a capital gain or loss. In addition, gain will be recognized as a result of certain constructive sales, including short sales against the box. However, gain recognized on the disposition of a debt obligation (including municipal obligations) purchased by a Fund at a market discount (generally, at a price less than its principal amount) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the portion of the market discount that accrued while the Fund held the debt obligation. In addition, under the rules of Code Section 988, gain or loss recognized on the disposition of a debt obligation denominated in a foreign
currency or an option with respect thereto, and gain or loss recognized on the disposition of a foreign currency forward contract, futures contract, option or similar financial instrument, or of foreign currency itself, except for regulated futures contracts or non-equity options subject to Code Section 1256 (unless a Fund elects otherwise), generally will be treated as ordinary income or loss to the extent attributable to changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
Further, the Code also treats as ordinary income a portion of the capital gain attributable to a transaction where substantially all of the expected return is attributable to the time value of a Funds net investment in the transaction and: (1) the transaction consists of the acquisition of property by the Fund and a contemporaneous contract to sell substantially identical property in the future; (2) the transaction is a straddle within the meaning of Section 1092 of the Code; (3) the transaction is one that was marketed or sold to the Fund on the basis that it would have the economic characteristics of a loan but the interest-like return would be taxed as capital gain; or (4) the transaction is described as a conversion transaction in the Treasury Regulations. The amount of such gain that is treated as ordinary income generally will not exceed the amount of the interest that would have accrued on the net investment for the relevant period at a yield equal to 120% of the applicable federal rate, reduced by the sum of: (1) prior inclusions of ordinary income items from the conversion transaction and (2) the capitalized interest on acquisition indebtedness under Code Section 263(g), among other amounts. However, if a Fund has a built-in loss with respect to a position that becomes a part of a conversion transaction, the character of such loss will be preserved upon a subsequent disposition or termination of the position. No authority exists that indicates that the character of the income treated as ordinary under this rule will not pass through to the Funds shareholders.
In general, for purposes of determining whether capital gain or loss recognized by a Fund on the disposition of an asset is long-term or short-term, the holding period of the asset may be affected (as applicable, depending on the type of the Fund involved) if (1) the asset is used to close a short sale (which includes for certain purposes the acquisition of a put option) or is substantially identical to another asset so used, (2) the asset is otherwise held by the Fund as part of a straddle (which term generally excludes a situation where the asset is stock and Fund grants a qualified covered call option (which, among other things, must not be deep-in-the-money) with respect thereto), or (3) the asset is stock and the Fund grants an in-the-money qualified covered call option with respect thereto. In addition, a Fund may be required to defer the recognition of a loss on the disposition of an asset held as part of a straddle to the extent of any unrecognized gain on the offsetting position.
Income from options on individual securities written by a Fund will not be recognized by the Fund for tax purposes until an option is exercised or lapses. Any gain recognized by a Fund on the lapse of, or any gain or loss recognized by a Fund from a closing transaction with respect to, an option written by the Fund will be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss. If the Fund enters into a closing transaction, the difference between the premiums received and the amount paid by the Fund to close out its position will generally be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. If an option written by the Fund is exercised, thereby requiring the Fund to sell the underlying security, the premium will increase the amount realized upon the sale of the security, and the character of any gain on such sale of the underlying security as short-term or long-term capital gain will depend on the holding period of the Fund in the underlying security. Because the Fund will not have control over the exercise of the options it writes, such exercises or other required sales of the underlying securities may cause the Fund to realize gains or losses at inopportune times.
A regulated investment company, in determining its investment company taxable income and net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) for any taxable year, may elect (unless it has made a taxable year election for excise tax purposes as discussed below, in which case different rules apply) to treat all or any part of certain net capital losses incurred after October 31 of a taxable year, and certain net ordinary losses incurred after October 31 or December 31 of a taxable year, as if they had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year.
In addition to satisfying the Income and Distribution Requirements described above, a Fund must satisfy an asset diversification test in order to qualify as a regulated investment company. Under this test, at the close of each quarter of a Funds taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Funds assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and securities of other issuers (provided that, with respect to each issuer, the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of the Funds total assets in securities of each such issuer and the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of each
such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of its total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses (other than securities of other regulated investment companies), or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. Generally, an option (call or put) with respect to a security is treated as issued by the issuer of the security, not the issuer of the option. For purposes of asset diversification testing, obligations issued or guaranteed by certain agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, such as the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, the Federal Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation, FHLB, FHLMC, FNMA, GNMA and SLMA, are treated as U.S. government securities.
Certain Funds may invest in futures contracts, options on futures contracts, ETFs and other similar investment vehicles that provide exposure to commodities such as gold or other precious metals, energy or other commodities. Income or gain, if any, from such investments may not be qualifying income for purposes of the Income Requirements and a Funds investments in such instruments may not be treated as an investment in a security for purposes of the asset diversification test.
If for any taxable year a Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company after taking into account cure provisions available for certain failures to so qualify (certain of which would result in the imposition of a tax on the Fund), all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders and such distributions will be taxable to the shareholders as dividends to the extent of the Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits. Such distributions may be eligible for: (i) the dividends-received deduction, in the case of corporate shareholders; or (ii) treatment as qualified dividend income, in the case of non-corporate shareholders. In addition, to qualify again to be taxed as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year, the Fund would be required to distribute to shareholders its earnings and profits attributable to non-qualifying years. Further, if the Fund failed to qualify for a period greater than two taxable years, then, in order to qualify as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year, the Fund would be required to elect to recognize and pay tax on any net built-in gain (the excess of aggregate gain, including items of income, over aggregate loss that would have been realized if the Fund had been liquidated) or, alternatively, be subject to taxation on such built-in gain recognized for a period of ten years.
Excise Tax on Regulated Investment Companies
A 4% non-deductible excise tax is imposed on a regulated investment company that fails to distribute in each calendar year an amount equal to 98% of its ordinary taxable income for the calendar year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ended on October 31 of such calendar year (or, with respect to capital gain net income, at the election of a regulated investment company having a taxable year ending November 30 or December 31, for its taxable year (a taxable year election)). Tax-exempt interest on municipal obligations is not subject to the excise tax. The balance of such income must be distributed during the next calendar year. For the foregoing purposes, a regulated investment company is treated as having distributed any amount on which it is subject to income tax for any taxable year ending in such calendar year and, if it so elects, the amount on which qualified estimated tax payments are made by it during such calendar year (in which case the amount it is treated as having distributed in the following calendar year will be reduced).
For purposes of calculating the excise tax, a regulated investment company: (1) reduces its capital gain net income (but not below its net capital gain) by the amount of any net ordinary loss for the calendar year, (2) excludes specified gains and losses, including foreign currency gains and losses and ordinary gains or losses arising as a result of a PFIC (as defined below) mark-to-market election (or upon the actual disposition of the PFIC stock subject to such election) incurred after October 31 of any year (or after the end of its taxable year if it has made a taxable year election) in determining the amount of ordinary taxable income for the current calendar year (and, instead, includes such specified gains and losses in determining the companys ordinary taxable income for the succeeding calendar year); and (3) applies mark to market provisions which treat property as disposed of on the last day of a taxable year as if the taxable year ended on October 31 (or on the last day of its taxable year if it has made a taxable year election). In addition, a regulated investment company may elect to determine its ordinary income for the calendar year without regard to any net ordinary loss (determined without respect to specified gains and losses taken into account in clause (2) of the preceding sentence) attributable to the portion of the calendar year which is after the beginning of the taxable year which begins in such calendar year. Any amount of net ordinary loss not taken into
account for a calendar year by reason of the preceding sentence will be treated as arising on the first day of the following calendar year.
Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid liability for the excise tax. However, investors should note that a Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate portfolio investments to make sufficient distributions to avoid excise tax liability.
Fund Investments
Certain transactions that may be engaged in by a Fund (such as regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts and options on stock indexes and futures contracts) will be subject to special tax treatment as Section 1256 Contracts. Section 1256 Contracts are treated as if they are sold for their fair market value on the last business day of the taxable year, even though a taxpayers obligations (or rights) under such Section 1256 Contracts have not terminated (by delivery, exercise, entering into a closing transaction, or otherwise) as of such date. Any gain or loss recognized as a consequence of the year-end deemed disposition of Section 1256 Contracts is taken into account for the taxable year together with any other gain or loss that was recognized previously upon the termination of Section 1256 Contracts during that taxable year. Any capital gain or loss for the taxable year with respect to Section 1256 Contracts (including any capital gain or loss arising as a consequence of the year-end deemed sale of such Section 1256 Contracts) generally is treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. A Fund, however, may elect not to have this special tax treatment apply to Section 1256 Contracts that are part of a mixed straddle with other investments of the Fund that are not Section 1256 Contracts.
A Fund may enter into notional principal contracts, including interest rate swaps, caps, floors and collars. Treasury Regulations provide, in general, that the net income or net deduction from a notional principal contract for a taxable year is included in or deducted from gross income for that taxable year. The net income or deduction from a notional principal contract for a taxable year equals the total of all of the periodic payments (generally, payments that are payable or receivable at fixed periodic intervals of one year or less during the entire term of the contract) that are recognized from that contract for the taxable year, all of the non-periodic payments (including premiums for caps, floors and collars) that are recognized from that contract for the taxable year and any termination payments that are recognized from that contract for the taxable year. No portion of a payment by a party to a notional principal contract is recognized prior to the first year to which any portion of a payment by the counterparty relates. A periodic payment is recognized ratably over the period to which it relates. In general, a non-periodic payment must be recognized over the term of the notional principal contract in a manner that reflects the economic substance of the contract. A non-periodic payment that relates to an interest rate swap, cap, floor, or collar is recognized over the term of the contract by allocating it in accordance with the values of a series of cash-settled forward or option contracts that reflect the specified index and notional principal amount upon which the notional principal contract is based (or under an alternative method provided in Treasury Regulations). A termination payment is recognized in the year the notional principal contract is extinguished, assigned, or terminated (i.e., in the year the termination payment is made).
A Fund may purchase securities of certain foreign investment funds or trusts that constitute passive foreign investment companies (PFICs) for federal income tax purposes. If a Fund invests in a PFIC, it has three separate options. First, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a qualified electing fund (a QEF), in which event the Fund will each year have ordinary income equal to its pro rata share of the PFICs ordinary earnings for the year and long-term capital gain equal to its pro rata share of the PFICs net capital gain for the year, regardless of whether the Fund receives distributions of any such ordinary earnings or capital gains from the PFIC. In order to make this election with respect to a PFIC in which it invests, a Fund must obtain certain information from the PFIC on an annual basis, which the PFIC may be unwilling or unable to provide. Furthermore, under proposed Treasury regulations, a Funds income inclusion from a PFIC for which it has made a QEF election would not be considered qualifying income for purposes of the gross income test for qualification as a regulated investment company except to the extent the PFIC distributes such income to the Fund in the same taxable year. Second, a Fund that invests in marketable stock of a PFIC may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such stock. Pursuant to such election, the Fund will include as ordinary income any excess of the fair market value of such stock at the close of any taxable year over the Funds adjusted tax basis in the stock. If the adjusted tax basis of the PFIC stock exceeds the fair market value of the stock at the end of a given taxable year, such excess will be deductible as ordinary loss in an amount equal to the
lesser of the amount of such excess or the net mark-to-market gains on the stock that the Fund included in income in previous years. Solely for purposes of Code Sections 1291 through 1298, the Funds holding period with respect to its PFIC stock subject to the election will commence on the first day of the first taxable year beginning after the last taxable year for which the mark-to-market election applied. If the Fund makes the mark-to-market election in the first taxable year it holds PFIC stock, it will not incur the tax described below under the third option.
Finally, if a Fund does not elect to treat the PFIC as a QEF and does not make a mark-to-market election, then, in general, (1) any gain recognized by the Fund upon the sale or other disposition of its interest in the PFIC or any excess distribution received by the Fund from the PFIC will be allocated ratably over the Funds holding period of its interest in the PFIC stock, (2) the portion of such gain or excess distribution so allocated to the year in which the gain is recognized or the excess distribution is received shall be included in the Funds gross income for such year as ordinary income (and the distribution of such portion by the Fund to shareholders will be taxable as a dividend, but such portion will not be subject to tax at the Fund level), (3) the Fund shall be liable for tax on the portions of such gain or excess distribution so allocated to prior years in an amount equal to, for each such prior year, (i) the amount of gain or excess distribution allocated to such prior year multiplied by the highest corporate tax rate in effect for such prior year, plus (ii) interest on the amount determined under clause (i) for the period from the due date for filing a return for such prior year until the date for filing a return for the year in which the gain is recognized or the excess distribution is received, at the rates and methods applicable to underpayments of tax for such period, and (4) the distribution by the Fund to its shareholders of the portions of such gain or excess distribution so allocated to prior years (net of the tax payable by the Fund thereon) will be taxable to the shareholders as a dividend.
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.
Gain or loss on the sale of securities by the Fund will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if the securities have been held by the Fund for more than one year. Gain or loss on the sale of securities held for one year or less will be short-term capital gain or loss.
The Fund may invest in preferred securities or other securities the federal income tax treatment of which may not be clear or may be subject to recharacterization by the IRS. To the extent the tax treatment of such securities or the
income from such securities differs from the tax treatment expected by the Fund, it could affect the timing or character of income recognized by the Fund, potentially requiring the Fund to purchase or sell securities, or otherwise change its portfolio, in order to comply with the tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies under the Code.
The Fund may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade securities. Investments in these types of securities may present special tax issues for the Fund. Federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and interest and whether modifications or exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues could affect the Funds ability to distribute sufficient income to preserve its status as a regulated investment company or to avoid the imposition of U.S. federal income or excise tax.
Fund Distributions
Each Fund anticipates distributing substantially all of its investment company taxable income for each taxable year. Such distributions will be treated as dividends for federal income tax purposes and may be taxable to non-corporate shareholders as long-term capital gains (a qualified dividend), provided that certain requirements, as discussed below, are met. Dividends received by corporate shareholders and dividends that do not constitute qualified dividends are taxable as ordinary income. The portion of dividends received from a Fund that are qualified dividends generally will be determined on a look-through basis. If the aggregate qualified dividends received by the Fund are less than 95% of the Funds gross income (as specially computed), the portion of dividends received from the Fund that constitute qualified dividends will be reported by the Fund and cannot exceed the ratio that the qualified dividends received by the Fund bears to its gross income. If the aggregate qualified dividends received by the Fund equal at least 95% of its gross income, then all of the dividends received from the Fund will constitute qualified dividends.
No dividend will constitute a qualified dividend (1) if it has been paid with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 61 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 121-day period (181-day period in the case of certain preferred stock) beginning on the date that is 60 days (90 days in the case of certain preferred stock) before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, excluding for this purpose, under the rules of Code Section 246(c), any period during which the Fund has an option to sell, is under a contractual obligation to sell, has made and not closed a short sale of, is the grantor of a deep-in-the-money or otherwise nonqualified option to buy, or has otherwise diminished its risk of loss by holding other positions with respect to, such (or substantially identical) stock; (2) if the noncorporate shareholder fails to meet the holding period requirements set forth in (1) with respect to its shares in the Fund to which the dividend is attributable; or (3) to the extent that the Fund (or shareholder, as applicable) is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in property substantially similar or related to stock with respect to which an otherwise qualified dividend is paid.
Dividends received by a Fund from a foreign corporation may be qualified dividends if (1) the stock with respect to which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the U.S., (2) the foreign corporation is incorporated in a possession of the U.S. or (3) the foreign corporation is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the U.S. that includes an exchange of information program (and that the Treasury Department determines to be satisfactory for these purposes). The Treasury Department has issued guidance identifying which treaties are satisfactory for these purposes. Notwithstanding the above, dividends received from a foreign corporation that for the taxable year of the corporation in which the dividend was paid, or the preceding taxable year, is a PFIC will not constitute qualified dividends.
Distributions attributable to dividends received by a Fund from domestic corporations will qualify for the 50% dividends-received deduction (DRD) for corporate shareholders only to the extent discussed below. Distributions attributable to interest received by a Fund will not, and distributions attributable to dividends paid by a foreign corporation generally should not, qualify for the DRD.
Ordinary income dividends paid by a Fund with respect to a taxable year may qualify for the 50% DRD generally available to corporations (other than corporations such as S corporations, which are not eligible for the deduction because of their special characteristics, and other than for purposes of special taxes such as the accumulated earnings tax and the personal holding company tax) to the extent of the amount of dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year. No DRD will be allowed with respect to any dividend (1) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 91-day period (181-day period in the case of certain preferred stock) beginning on the date that is 45 days (90 days in the case of certain preferred stock) before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, excluding for this purpose under the rules of Code Section 246(c) any period during which the Fund has an option to sell, is under a contractual obligation to sell, has made and not closed a short sale of, is the grantor of a deep-in-the-money or otherwise nonqualified option (or an in-the-money qualified call option) to buy, or has otherwise diminished its risk of loss by holding other positions with respect to, such (or substantially identical) stock; (2) to the extent that the Fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property; or (3) to the extent the stock on which the dividend is paid is treated as debt-financed under the rules of Code Section 246A. Moreover, the DRD for a corporate shareholder may be disallowed or reduced (1) if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund or (2) by application of Code Section 246(b), which in general limits the DRD to 50% of the shareholders taxable income (determined without regard to the DRD and certain other items).
A Fund may either retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain for each taxable year. Each Fund currently intends to distribute any such amounts. If net capital gain is distributed and reported as a capital gain dividend, it will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shareholder has held his shares or whether such gain was recognized by the Fund prior to the date on which the shareholder acquired his shares. The Code provides, however, that under certain conditions none of the capital gain recognized upon a Funds disposition of domestic qualified small business stock will be subject to tax (with certain limitations).
Conversely, if a Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, the Fund will be subject to tax thereon (except to the extent of any available capital loss carryovers) at the corporate tax rates. If a Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, it is expected that the Fund also will elect to have shareholders of record on the last day of its taxable year treated as if each received a distribution of his pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each shareholder will be required to report his pro rata share of such gain on his tax return as long-term capital gain, will receive a refundable tax credit for his pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain, and will increase the tax basis for his shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.
Distributions by a Fund that do not constitute ordinary income dividends, qualified dividends, exempt-interest dividends, or capital gain dividends will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) the shareholders tax basis in his shares; any excess will be treated as gain from the sale of his shares, as discussed below.
Distributions by a Fund will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund (or of another Fund). Shareholders receiving a distribution in the form of additional shares will be treated as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares received, determined as of the reinvestment date. In addition, if the NAV at the time a shareholder purchases shares of a Fund reflects undistributed net investment income, recognized net capital gain, or unrealized appreciation in the value of the assets of the Fund, distributions of such amounts will be taxable to the shareholder in the manner described above, although such distributions economically constitute a return of capital to the shareholder.
Ordinarily, shareholders are required to take distributions by a Fund into account in the year in which the distributions are made. However, dividends declared in October, November or December of any year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month will be deemed to have been received by the shareholders (and paid by a Fund) on December 31 of such calendar year if such dividends are actually paid in January of the following year. In addition, certain other distributions made after the close of the Funds taxable year may be spilled back and treated as paid by the Fund (except for the purposes of the 4% nondeductible excise tax) during such taxable year. In such case, a shareholder will be treated as having received such dividends in the taxable year in
which the distributions were actually made. Shareholders will be advised annually as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of distributions made (or deemed made) during the year.
Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their net investment income, which should include dividends from a Fund and net gains from the disposition of shares of a Fund. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in a Fund.
Each Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury backup withholding taxes at the applicable rate on ordinary income dividends, qualified dividends and capital gain dividends, and the proceeds of redemption of shares, paid to any shareholder (1) who has failed to provide a correct taxpayer identification number, (2) who is subject to backup withholding for failure to report the receipt of interest or dividend income properly, or (3) who has failed to certify to the Fund that it is not subject to backup withholding or is an exempt recipient (such as a corporation). Amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a shareholders U.S. federal income tax liability provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.
Sale or Redemption of Shares
For all the Funds, a shareholder will recognize gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares of a Fund (including an exchange of shares of a Fund for shares of another Fund) in an amount equal to the difference between the proceeds of the sale or redemption and the shareholders adjusted tax basis in the shares. All or a portion of any loss so recognized may be disallowed if the shareholder purchases other shares of the same Fund within 30 days before or after the sale or redemption. In general, any gain or loss arising from (or treated as arising from) the sale or redemption of shares of a Fund will be considered capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares were held for longer than one year. However, any capital loss arising from the sale or redemption of shares held for six months or less will be disallowed to the extent of the amount of exempt-interest dividends received on such shares (unless the loss is with respect to shares of a Fund for which the holding period began after December 22, 2010, and the Fund declares exempt-interest dividends on a daily basis in an amount equal to at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest and distributes such dividends at least monthly) and (to the extent not disallowed) will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received on such shares. For this purpose, the special holding period rules of Code Section 246(c) (discussed above in connection with the dividends-received deduction for corporations) generally will apply in determining the holding period of shares. Capital losses in any year are deductible only to the extent of capital gains plus, in the case of a noncorporate taxpayer, $3,000 of ordinary income.
If a shareholder (1) incurs a sales load in acquiring shares of a Fund, (2) disposes of such shares less than 91 days after they are acquired and (3) subsequently acquires, during the period beginning on the date of the disposition referred to in clause (2) and ending on January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year that includes the date of such disposition, shares of the Fund or another Fund at a reduced sales load pursuant to a right acquired in connection with the acquisition of the shares disposed of, then the sales load on the shares disposed of (to the extent of the reduction in the sales load on the shares subsequently acquired) shall not be taken into account in determining gain or loss on such shares but shall be treated as incurred on the acquisition of the subsequently acquired shares.
Tax Shelter and Other Reporting Requirements
If a shareholder realizes a loss on the disposition of shares of a Fund of at least $2 million in any single taxable year, or at least $4 million in any combination of taxable years (for an individual shareholder) or at least $10 million in any single taxable year, or at least $20 million in any combination of taxable years (for a corporate shareholder), the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of this requirement in light of their individual circumstances.
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 Shareholders
Taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, foreign trust or estate, foreign corporation, or foreign partnership (foreign shareholder), depends on whether the income from a Fund is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by such shareholder.
If the income from a Fund is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, subject to the discussion below with respect to interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, ordinary income dividends (including dividends that would otherwise be treated as qualified dividends to an applicable non-foreign shareholder) paid to such foreign shareholder will be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax (or lower applicable treaty rate) upon the gross amount of the dividend. Such foreign shareholder would generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax, including withholding tax, on gains realized on the sale of shares of a Fund, capital gain dividends and capital gains retained by a Fund.
U.S. withholding tax generally does not apply to amounts designated by a Fund as an interest-related dividend or a short-term capital gain dividend. The aggregate amount treated as an interest-related dividend for a year is limited to the Funds qualified net interest income for the year, which is the excess of the sum of the Funds qualified interest income (generally, its U.S.-source interest income) over the deductions properly allocable to such income. The aggregate amount treated as a short-term capital gain dividend is limited to the excess of the Funds net short-term capital gain over its net long-term capital loss. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a foreign investor needs to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or substitute Form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reported the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Foreign investors should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.
If the income from a Fund is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, then any dividends, and any gains realized upon the sale or redemption of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations.
In the case of foreign noncorporate shareholders, a Fund may be required to withhold backup withholding taxes at the applicable rate on distributions that are otherwise exempt from withholding tax (or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless such shareholders furnish the Fund with proper notification of their foreign status.
Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and existing guidance thereunder, commonly known as FATCA, a 30% withholding tax on dividends paid by the Fund, and, on or after January 1, 2019, on certain capital gains distributions and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of shares generally applies if paid to a foreign entity unless: (i) if the foreign entity is a foreign financial institution as defined under FATCA, the foreign entity undertakes certain due diligence, reporting, withholding, and certification obligations, (ii) if the foreign entity is not a foreign financial institution, it identifies certain of its U.S. investors or (iii) the foreign entity is otherwise excepted under FATCA. If withholding is required under FATCA on a payment related to any Fund distribution, investors that otherwise would not be subject to withholding (or that otherwise would be entitled to a reduced rate of withholding) on such payment generally will be required to seek a refund or credit from the IRS to obtain the benefit of such exemption or reduction. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, or future Treasury regulations or other guidance, may modify the foregoing requirements. The Funds will not pay any additional amounts in respect of amounts withheld under FATCA. Each investor should consult its tax adviser regarding the effect of FATCA based on its individual circumstances.
The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty might be different from those described herein. Foreign shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in a Fund, including the applicability of foreign taxes.
Cost Basis Reporting
A Fund is generally required by law to report to shareholders and the IRS on Form 1099-B cost basis information for shares of the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012, and sold or redeemed after that date. Upon a disposition of such shares, a Fund will be required to report the adjusted cost basis, the gross proceeds from the disposition, and the character of realized gains or losses attributable to such shares. These requirements do not apply to investments through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement plan. The cost basis of a share is generally its purchase price adjusted for dividend reinvestments, returns of capital, and other corporate actions. Cost basis is used to determine whether a sale or other disposition of the shares results in a gain or loss.
The Fund will permit shareholders to elect among several IRS-accepted cost basis methods to determine the cost basis in their shares. If a shareholder does not affirmatively elect a cost basis method, then the Funds default cost basis calculation method, which is currently the average cost method, will be applied to their account. Non-covered shares (those shares purchased before January 1, 2012 and those shares that do not have complete cost basis information, regardless of purchase date) will be used first for any redemptions made after January 1, 2012, regardless of your cost basis method of election unless you have chosen the specific identification method and have designated covered shares (those purchased after January 1, 2012) at the time of your redemption. The cost basis method elected or applied may not be changed after the settlement date of a sale of shares.
If a shareholder holds shares through a broker, the shareholder should contact that broker with respect to the reporting of cost basis information.
Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding specific questions with respect to the application of the new cost basis reporting rules and, in particular, which cost basis calculation method to elect.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the 2017 Tax Act) was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The 2017 Tax Act makes significant changes to the U.S. federal income tax rules for the taxation of individuals and corporations, generally effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. Most of the changes applicable to individuals are temporary and would apply only to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. There are minor changes to the rules directly applying to the taxation of regulated investment companies such as the Fund. Moreover, the 2017 Tax Act makes numerous other large and small changes to the tax rules that do not affect regulated investment companies directly but may affect shareholders and may indirectly affect the Fund. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the implications of the 2017 Tax Act on their investment in the Fund.
Effect of Future Legislation, Foreign, State and Local Tax Considerations
The foregoing general discussion of U.S. federal income and excise tax consequences is based on the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein and any such changes or decisions may have a retroactive effect.
Rules of foreign, state and local taxation of ordinary income dividends, qualified dividends, exempt-interest dividends and capital gain dividends from regulated investment companies may differ from the rules for U.S. federal income taxation described above. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers as to the consequences of these and other foreign, state and local tax rules affecting an investment in a Fund.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Description of Shares
The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust. The Trusts Trust Instrument, dated December 6, 1995, as amended and restated as of March 27, 2000, as further amended August 19, 2015 (Trust Instrument) authorizes the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of shares, which are units of beneficial interest, with a par value $0.001 per share. The Trust Instrument authorizes the Trustees to divide or redivide any unissued shares of the Trust into one or more additional series by setting or changing in any one or more aspects their respective preferences, conversion or other rights, voting power, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption. The Trust is currently authorized to offer Class A, C, I, R, R6 and Y shares of the Funds. A Fund may not offer all such share classes.
Shares have no subscription or preemptive rights and only such conversion or exchange rights as the Trustees may grant in their discretion. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectuses and this SAI, the Trusts shares will be fully paid and non-assessable. In the event of a liquidation or dissolution of the Trust, shares of each Fund are entitled to receive the assets available for distribution belonging to the Fund, and a proportionate distribution, based upon the relative asset values of the respective series, of any general assets not belonging to any particular series that are available for distribution.
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 (1) each class of shares may be subject to different (or no) sales loads; (2) each class of shares may bear different (or no) distribution fees; (3) each class of shares may have different shareholder features, such as minimum investment amounts; (4) 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 (5) 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.
Shareholders of the Funds are entitled to one vote per share (with proportional voting for fractional shares) on such matters as shareholders are entitled to vote (share-based voting). Alternatively (except where the 1940 Act requires share-based voting), the Trustees in their discretion may determine that shareholders are entitled to one vote per dollar of NAV (with proportional voting for fractional dollar amounts). Shareholders of all series and classes will vote together as a single class on all matters except (1) when required by the 1940 Act or when the Trustees have determined that a matter affects one or more series or classes materially differently, shares shall be voted by individual series or class; and (2) when the Trustees have determined that the matter affects only the interests of a particular series or class, then only shareholders of such series or class shall be entitled to vote thereon.
There will normally be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees have been elected by the shareholders, at which time the Trustees then in
office will call a shareholders meeting for the election of Trustees. A meeting shall be held for such purpose upon the written request of the holders of not less than 10% of the outstanding shares. Upon written request by ten or more shareholders of record meeting the qualifications of Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act, ( i.e., persons who have been shareholders of record for at least six months and who hold shares having an NAV of at least $25,000 or constituting 1% of the outstanding shares, whichever is less) stating that such shareholders wish to communicate with the other shareholders for the purpose of obtaining the signatures necessary to demand a meeting to consider removal of a Trustee, the Trust will provide a list of shareholders or disseminate appropriate materials (at the expense of the requesting shareholders). Except as set forth above, the Trustees shall continue to hold office and may appoint their successors.
The Trust instrument permits the Trustees to take certain actions without obtaining shareholder approval, if the Trustees determine that doing so would be in the best interests of shareholders. These actions include: (a) reorganizing the Fund with another investment company or another series of the Trust; (b) liquidating the Fund; (c) restructuring the Fund into a master/feeder structure, in which the Fund (the feeder) would invest all of its assets in a separate master fund; and (d) amending the Trust Instrument, unless shareholder consent is required by law.
Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares, as defined under the 1940 Act, of each series affected by the matter. For purposes of determining whether the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund will be required in connection with a matter, the Fund will be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each Fund and any other series in the matter are identical, or that the matter does not affect any interest of other series of the Trust. Under Rule 18f-2, the approval of an investment advisory agreement or any change in investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a Fund only if approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of such Fund. However, Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of independent accountants, the approval of principal underwriting contracts and the election of Trustees may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of the Trust voting without regard to series.
Shareholder and Trustee Liability
The Delaware Statutory Trust Act provides that a shareholder of a Delaware statutory trust shall be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to shareholders of Delaware corporations and the Trust Instrument provides that shareholders of the Trust shall not be liable for the obligations of the Trust. The Trust Instrument also provides for indemnification out of the trust property of any shareholder held personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a shareholder. The Trust Instrument also provides that the Trust shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the Trust and shall satisfy any judgment thereon. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is considered to be extremely remote.
The Trust Instrument states further that no Trustee, officer, or agent of the Trust shall be personally liable in connection with the administration or preservation of the assets of the Funds or the conduct of the Trusts business; nor shall any Trustee, officer, or agent be personally liable to any person for any action or failure to act except for his own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of his duties. The Trust Instrument also provides that all persons having any claim against the Trustees or the Trust shall look solely to the assets of the Trust for payment.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The Board has adopted policies with respect to the disclosure of each Funds portfolio holdings by the Fund, the Adviser, or their affiliates. These policies provide that each Funds portfolio holdings information generally may not be disclosed to any party prior to the information becoming public. Certain limited exceptions are described below. These policies apply to disclosures to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries who sell shares of a Fund, third parties providing services to the Fund (accounting agent, print vendors, etc.), rating and ranking organizations (Lipper, Morningstar, etc.) and affiliated persons of the Fund.
The Trusts Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring each Funds compliance with these policies and for providing regular reports (at least annually) to the Board regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of the policy and recommend changes, if necessary.
Public Disclosure
The Funds disclose their complete portfolio holdings in its annual and semiannual reports to shareholders, which are sent to shareholders no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period (June 30th and December 31st, respectively) and are available on the Funds website, VictoryFunds.com. The Funds also file their complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its first and third fiscal quarters (September 30th and March 31st, respectively) with the SEC on Form N-Q no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period. You can find these filings on the SECs website, www.sec.gov.
In addition, the Funds disclose their complete portfolio holdings as of the quarter-end on the Funds website no earlier than the 15th day following the end of the calendar quarter. The Funds may also publish other information on the Funds website relating to its portfolio holdings (e.g., top ten holdings) on a monthly basis no earlier than the 10th day following the end of the month.
Non-Public Disclosures
The Adviser may authorize the disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information under certain limited circumstances. The Funds policies provide that non-public disclosures of a Funds portfolio holdings may only be made if: (i) the Fund has a legitimate business purpose (as determined by the President of the Trust) for making such disclosure; and (ii) the party receiving the non-public information enters into a confidentiality agreement, which includes a duty not to trade on the non-public information and describes any compensation to be paid to the Fund or any affiliated person of the Adviser or Distributor, including any arrangement to maintain assets in the Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or by any affiliated person of the Adviser or Distributor.
The Adviser will consider any actual or potential conflicts of interest between the Adviser and a Funds shareholders and will act in the best interest of the Funds shareholders with respect to any such disclosure of portfolio holdings information. If a potential conflict can be resolved in a manner that does not present detrimental effects to Fund shareholders, the Adviser may authorize release of portfolio holdings information. Conversely, if the potential conflict cannot be resolved in a manner that does not present detrimental effects to Fund shareholders, the Adviser will not authorize such release.
Ongoing Arrangements to Disclose Portfolio Holdings
As previously authorized by the Board and/or the Trusts executive officers, a Fund periodically discloses non-public portfolio holdings on a confidential basis to various service providers that require such information in order to assist the Fund in its day-to-day operations, as well as public information to certain ratings organizations. These entities are described in the following table. The table also includes information as to the timing of these entities receiving the portfolio holdings information from a Fund. In none of these arrangements does a Fund or any affiliated person of the Adviser or Distributor receive any compensation, including any arrangement to maintain assets in the Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or by any affiliated person of the Adviser or Distributor.
Type of Service Provider |
|
Name of Service Provider |
|
Timing of Release of
|
Adviser |
|
Victory Capital Management Inc. |
|
Daily |
Distributor |
|
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. |
|
Daily |
Custodian |
|
Citibank, N.A. |
|
Daily |
Fund Accountant |
|
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. |
|
Daily |
Financial Data Service |
|
FactSet Research Systems, Inc. |
|
Daily |
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
|
Ernst & Young LLP |
|
Annual Reporting Period: within 15 business days of end of reporting period.
|
Printer for Financial Reports |
|
Merrill Corporation |
|
Up to 30 days before distribution to shareholders |
Legal Counsel, for EDGAR filings on Forms N-CSR and Form N-Q |
|
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
|
Up to 30 days before filing with the SEC |
Ratings Agency |
|
Lipper |
|
Quarterly, no sooner than 15 calendar days after the end of the previous quarter |
Ratings Agency |
|
Morningstar |
|
Quarterly, no sooner than 15 calendar days after the end of the previous quarter |
Financial Data Service |
|
Bloomberg L.P. |
|
Quarterly, no sooner than 15 calendar days after the end of the previous quarter |
These service providers are required to keep all non-public information confidential and are prohibited from trading based on the information or otherwise using the information, except as necessary in providing services to a Fund.
There is no guarantee that a Funds policies on use and dissemination of holdings information will protect the Fund from the potential misuse of holdings by individuals or firms in possession of such information.
Principal Holders of Fund Shares
As of October 1, 2018, the following shareholders owned 5% or more of a particular share class of the indicated Funds. Each shareholder that beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a Fund may be deemed a control person of that class of the Funds outstanding shares and, thereby, may influence the outcome of matters on which shareholders are entitled to vote. Since the economic benefit of investing in a Fund is passed through to the underlying investors of the record owners of 25% or more of the Fund shares, these record owners are not considered the beneficial owners of the Funds shares or control persons of the Fund.
The names and addresses of the record holders and the percentage of the outstanding shares held by such holders are set forth in the following table.
Fund |
|
Name and Address |
|
% of Class
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class A |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Compensation Team 4800 Deer Lake Drive E Floor 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
16.95 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class A |
|
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. 12555 Manchester Rd. Saint Louis, MO 63131-3729 |
|
11.28 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class A |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza, Product Support 14 th Fl. Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
|
8.86 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class A |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC Mailcode: MO3970 1 North Jefferson Avenue St. Louis, MO 63103 |
|
5.63 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class C |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 2000 Westchester Avenue LD Purchase, NY 10577-2530 |
|
39.22 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class C |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza, Product Support 14 th Fl. Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
|
14.12 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class C |
|
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. 12555 Manchester Rd. Saint Louis, MO 63131-3729 |
|
11.80 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class C |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, FL 33733-2749 |
|
8.08 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class C |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Compensation Team 4800 Deer Lake Drive E Floor 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
5.42 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class R6 |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Dingle PO Box 75000 Mail Code 3446 Detroit, MI 48275 |
|
72.15 |
% |
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class R6 |
|
Gerlach Co LLC 3800 Citigroup Cente4r B3-14 Tampa, FL 33610 |
|
17.85 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class R6 |
|
Matrix Trust Company as Trustee Victory Capital Management Inc. PO Box 52129 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2129 |
|
10.00 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class Y |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Dingle PO Box 75000 Mail Code 3446 Detroit, MI 48275 |
|
45.81 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class Y |
|
Capinco C/O US Bank N.A. 1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302 Milwaukee, WI 53212 |
|
26.85 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class Y |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Calhoun PO Box 75000 Mail Code 3446 Detroit, MI 48275 |
|
17.19 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class A |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105 |
|
13.36 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class A |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza Product Support 14 th Fl. Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
|
13.05 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class A |
|
National Financial Services LLC Newport Office Center III 5 th Floor 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
|
10.09 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class A |
|
Merrill Lynch , Pierce, Fenner & Smith Compensation Team 4800 Deer Lake Drive E Floor 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
9.36 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class A |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC Mailcode: MO3970 1 North Jefferson Avenue St. Louis, MO 63103 |
|
6.37 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class A |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 2000 Westchester Avenue LD Purchase, NY 10577-2530 |
|
5.52 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class C |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 2000 Westchester Avenue LD Purchase, NY 10577-2530 |
|
21.82 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class C |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC Mailcode: MO3970 |
|
17.01 |
% |
|
|
1 North Jefferson Avenue St. Louis, MO 63103 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class C |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza, Product Support 14 th Fl. Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
|
13.43 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class C |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, FL 33733-2749 |
|
9.71 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class C |
|
Merrill Lynch , Pierce, Fenner & Smith Compensation Team 4800 Deer Lake Drive E Floor 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
8.46 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class C |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105 |
|
7.89 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class R |
|
Ascensus Trust Company Wholesale Supplies Plus Com Inc. PO Box 10758 Fargo, ND 58106-7580 |
|
29.90 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class R |
|
Merrill Lynch , Pierce, Fenner & Smith Compensation Team 4800 Deer Lake Drive E Floor 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
23.48 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class R |
|
Mid Atlantic Trust Company FBO Bohnert Equipment Co. Inc. 401K 1251 Waterfront Place, Suite 525 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 |
|
10.69 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class R |
|
Matrix Trust Company, Cust. FBO Lamar State College-Orange 403 B 717 17 th Street, Suite 1300 Denver, CO 80202 |
|
8.02 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class R |
|
Reliance Trust Co. Custodian MassMutual Registered Product PO Box 28004 Atlanta, GA 30358 |
|
6.30 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class Y |
|
Merrill Lynch , Pierce, Fenner & Smith Compensation Team 4800 Deer Lake Drive E Floor 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
15.96 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class Y |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza, Product Support 14 th Fl. Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
|
13.19 |
% |
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class Y |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC Mailcode: MO3970 1 North Jefferson Avenue St. Louis, MO 63103 |
|
11.69 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class Y |
|
National Financial Services LLC Newport Office Center III 5 th Floor 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
|
11.01 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class Y |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, FL 33733-2749 |
|
10.54 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class Y |
|
Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Co. Munder Funds 400 Devon Park Drive Wayne, PA 19087-1816 |
|
10.27 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class Y |
|
Matrix Trust Company as Trustee Victory Capital Management Inc. PO Box 52129 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2129 |
|
5.66 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. 12555 Manchester Rd. Saint Louis, MO 63131-3729 |
|
50.56 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
National Financial Services LLC Newport Office Center III 5 th Floor 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
|
19.31 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
Ascensus Trust Company Wholesale Supplies Plus Com Inc. PO Box 10758 Fargo, ND 58106-7580 |
|
7.08 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza, Product Support 14 th Fl. Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
|
5.14 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. 12555 Manchester Rd. Saint Louis, MO 63131-3729 |
|
87.0 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
National Financial Services LLC Newport Office Center III 5 th Floor 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
|
83.29 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105 |
|
7.58 |
% |
Victory Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. 12555 Manchester Rd. Saint Louis, MO 63131-3729 |
|
87.02 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. 12555 Manchester Rd. Saint Louis, MO 63131-3729 |
|
71.08 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
Northern Trust Co. FBO St. Louis Fir PO Box 92956 Chicago, IL 60675 |
|
21.29 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
SEI Private Trust Company C/O Edward Jones Trust co. ID839 One Freedom Valley Drive Oaks, PA 19456 |
|
32.94 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
MAC Co., Mutual Fund Ops. 500 Grant Street, Room 151-1010 Pittsburgh, PA 15258 |
|
27.74 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Co. Munder Funds 400 Devon Park Drive Wayne, PA 19087-1816 |
|
23.70 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, FL 33733-2749 |
|
7.06 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. 200 South 108 th Avenue Omaha, NE 68154 |
|
5.32 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
Merrill Lynch , Pierce, Fenner & Smith Compensation Team 4800 Deer Lake Drive E Floor 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
20.64 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
National Financial Services LLC Newport Office Center III 5 th Floor 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
|
11.61 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
John Hancock Trust Company LLC 690 Canton Street, Suite 100 Westwood, MA 02090 |
|
9.81 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105 |
|
5.11 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class C |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, FL 33733-2749 |
|
25.79 |
% |
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class C |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 2000 Westchester Avenue LD Purchase, NY 10577-2530 |
|
18.51 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class C |
|
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. 12555 Manchester Rd. Saint Louis, MO 63131-3729 |
|
15.94 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class C |
|
National Financial Services LLC Newport Office Center III 5 th Floor 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
|
5.90 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class C |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105 |
|
5.78 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class C |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza, Product Support 14 th Fl. Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
|
5.15 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R |
|
State Street Bank and Trust as Trustee FBO ADP Access Product 1 Lincoln Street Boston, MA 02110 |
|
33.37 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R |
|
Merrill Lynch , Pierce, Fenner & Smith Compensation Team 4800 Deer Lake Drive E Floor 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
26.99 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R |
|
Massachusetts Mutual Life, Ins. Co. 1295 State Street, MIP M200 Invst. Springfield, MA 01111 |
|
10.74 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R |
|
Reliance Trust Co., Custodian MassMutual Registered Product PO Box 28004 Atlanta, GA 30358 |
|
10.44 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R |
|
Principal Securities, Inc. C/O Pen Trade Ops N-004 PO Box 14597 Des Moines, IA 50306 |
|
5.61 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
National Financial Services LLC Newport Office Center III 5 th Floor 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
|
26.63 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. 12555 Manchester Rd. Saint Louis, MO 63131-3729 |
|
26.23 |
% |
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Co. Munder Funds 400 Devon Park Drive Wayne, PA 19087-1816 |
|
8.50 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
Great-West Trust Co. LLC Trustee Great West IRA Advantage C/O Fascore LLC 8515 E Orchard Road 2T2 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 |
|
6.85 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Various Retirement Plans Mail Code NC1151 1525 West W.T. Harris Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28262-1151 |
|
5.70 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
National Financial Services LLC Newport Office Center III 5 th Floor 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
|
26.46 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, FL 33733-2749 |
|
23.59 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105 |
|
11.73 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class A |
|
National Financial Services LLC Newport Office Center III 5 th Floor 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 |
|
20.68 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class A |
|
Merrill Lynch , Pierce, Fenner & Smith Compensation Team 4800 Deer Lake Drive E Floor 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
10.29 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class A |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105 |
|
8.94 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class A |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza, Product Support 14 th Fl. Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
|
7.96 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class A |
|
Great-West Trust Co. LLC Trust Retirement Plans 8515 E Orchard Road 2T2 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 |
|
5.54 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class A |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 880 Carillon Parkway |
|
5.27 |
% |
|
|
St. Petersburg, FL 33733-2749 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class C |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 2000 Westchester Avenue LD Purchase, NY 10577-2530 |
|
17.00 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class C |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. 211 Main Street San Francisco, CA 94105 |
|
16.91 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class C |
|
Pershing LLC One Pershing Plaza, Product Support 14 th Fl. Jersey City, NJ 07399 |
|
14.20 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class C |
|
Merrill Lynch , Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
7.91 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class C |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
|
|
7.54 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class C |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
7.34 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class C |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
|
|
6.69 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class C |
|
UBS Financial Services Inc. C/O
|
|
6.23 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R |
|
Hartford Life Insurance Company
|
|
20.75 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R |
|
Reliance Trust Company
|
|
14.44 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R |
|
Matrix Trust Company, Cust. FBO
|
|
13.16 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R |
|
Delaware Charter GTY Trust
|
|
8.81 |
% |
|
|
41 Lindron Avenue, PO Box 8963
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R |
|
State Street Bank
|
|
8.20 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R |
|
Mid Atlantic Trust Company
|
|
7.03 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P.
|
|
40.93 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
21.00 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
Voya Retirement Insurance Annuity Co.
|
|
6.31 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
Great-West Trust Co. LLC Trust
|
|
5.57 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Co.
|
|
5.28 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class Y |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
19.59 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class Y |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
|
|
18.14 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class Y |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
9.14 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class Y |
|
TEXA AVERS 401K Employee Retirement, System of Texas
|
|
6.02 |
% |
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class A |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
11.94 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class A |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
|
|
10.88 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class A |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
9.36 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class A |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
7.95 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class A |
|
Pershing LLC
|
|
7.74 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class A |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
|
|
5.14 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class C |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
10.22 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class C |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
|
|
7.92 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class C |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
|
|
7.22 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class C |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
5.97 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class C |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
5.27 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class R |
|
Ascensus Trust Company
|
|
59.50 |
% |
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class R |
|
Matrix Trust Company, Cust.
|
|
36.38 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
19.31 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
|
|
13.55 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Dingle
|
|
11.08 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Calhoun
|
|
7.64 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
|
|
5.99 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
UBS Financial Services Inc. C/O
|
|
5.56 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class A |
|
Pershing LLC
|
|
41.59 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class A |
|
Matrix Trust Company as Trustee
|
|
38.50 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class A |
|
KBL Management LLC 401K PSP
|
|
10.31 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class A |
|
Mary E. Moran, IRA
|
|
5.94 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class I |
|
Tony Y. Dong
|
|
51.36 |
% |
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class I |
|
Brian S. Matuszak
|
|
36.23 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class I |
|
RJJL LLC, Richard DeMartini
|
|
8.26 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class Y |
|
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
|
|
10.39 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class Y |
|
TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.
|
|
7.75 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund Class Y |
|
Matrix Trust Company as Trustee
|
|
5.63 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class A |
|
Matrix Trust Company as Trustee
|
|
12.27 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class A |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
10.23 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class A |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
|
|
9.99 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class A |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
|
|
8.18 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class A |
|
Reliance Trust Company
|
|
7.12 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class A |
|
Pershing LLC
|
|
6.91 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class A |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
5.02 |
% |
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class R |
|
Matrix Trust Company as Trustee
|
|
25.58 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class R |
|
Mid Atlantic Trust Company
|
|
24.33 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class R |
|
Reliance Trust Company
|
|
14.25 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class R |
|
Ascensus Trust Company
|
|
12.22 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class R |
|
FIIOC
|
|
5.19 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class Y |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Dingle
|
|
34.32 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class Y |
|
Patterson and Co. FBO Wells Fargo
|
|
13.95 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class Y |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
10.47 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class Y |
|
Self-Trusteed FBO
|
|
7.90 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory S&P 500 Index Fund Class Y |
|
LPL Financial Corporation
|
|
5.18 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Class A |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
55.80 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Class A |
|
Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette
|
|
14.46 |
% |
|
|
PO Box 2052
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Class A |
|
Victory Capital Management Inc.
|
|
10.52 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Class Y |
|
Victory Capital Management Inc.
|
|
47.34 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Class Y |
|
Gerlach Co LLC, CitiBank Open WE1,
|
|
35.02 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Class Y |
|
Tony Y. Dong,
|
|
5.38 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class A |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
16.02 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class A |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
12.33 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class A |
|
Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette
|
|
10.29 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class A |
|
LPL Financial Corporation
|
|
6.43 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class A |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
|
|
6.42 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class A |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
|
|
5.51 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class C |
|
LPL Financial Corporation
|
|
16.63 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class C |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
13.26 |
% |
|
|
Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class C |
|
Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette
|
|
11.77 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class C |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
9.30 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class C |
|
UBS Financial Services Inc. C/O
|
|
7.17 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class C |
|
Eudora J. Crawford Trust
|
|
5.91 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class I |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Dingle
|
|
78.15 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class I |
|
Victory Capital Management Inc.
|
|
7.96 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class I |
|
Great-West Trust Co. LLC Trust
|
|
5.05 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class R6 |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Dingle
|
|
61.61 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class R6 |
|
Victory Capital Management Inc.
|
|
30.62 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class R6 |
|
Wells Fargo Bank N.A.
|
|
7.77 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class Y |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Dingle
|
|
40.42 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class Y |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
|
|
23.04 |
% |
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class Y |
|
Fiduciary Trust Company International
|
|
10.16 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class Y |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
5.88 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Fund Core Equity - Class Y |
|
Comerica Bank FBO Calhoun
|
|
5.81 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class A |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
14.36 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class A |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
12.67 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class A |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
5.05 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class C |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
|
|
18.10 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class C |
|
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC
|
|
16.82 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class C |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
|
|
14.89 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class C |
|
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
|
|
11.87 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class C |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
9.86 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class C |
|
Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette
|
|
8.87 |
% |
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class C |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
7.59 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class C |
|
UBS Financial Services Inc. C/O
|
|
5.56 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class I |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
31.74 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class I |
|
Factory Mutual Insurance Company
|
|
25.58 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class I |
|
Band & Co. C/O US Bank N.A.
|
|
13.34 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class R6 |
|
SEI Private Trust Company
|
|
14.49 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class R6 |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
14.20 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class R6 |
|
Victory Capital Management Inc.
|
|
11.69 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class R6 |
|
ING Life Insurance and Annuity Co.
|
|
9.32 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class R6 |
|
Reliance Trust Company
|
|
9.19 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class R6 |
|
Great-West Trust Co. LLC Trust
|
|
7.96 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class R6 |
|
Voya Institutional Trust Company
|
|
6.20 |
% |
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class R6 |
|
Principal Securities Inc.
|
|
6.19 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class Y |
|
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
|
|
33.15 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class Y |
|
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
|
|
15..5 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class Y |
|
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
|
|
11.89 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class Y |
|
National Financial Services LLC
|
|
9.99 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class Y |
|
Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette
|
|
8.43 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Class Y |
|
Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
|
|
5.24 |
% |
Expenses
Unless agreed upon otherwise with a third party, 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, 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.
Legal Counsel
Shearman & Sterling LLP, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is the counsel to the Trust.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Funds independent registered public accounting firm is Ernst & Young LLP, 1900 Scripps Center, 312 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.
Financial Statements
The audited financial statements of the Funds for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 are incorporated by reference herein.
Miscellaneous
As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, assets belonging to a fund (or assets belonging to the Fund) means the consideration received by the Trust upon the issuance or sale of shares of a Fund, together with all income, earnings, profits and proceeds derived from the investment thereof, including any proceeds from the sale, exchange, or liquidation of such investments and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds and any general assets of the Trust, which general liabilities and expenses are not readily identified as belonging to a particular series that are allocated to that series by the Trustees. The Trustees may allocate such general assets in any manner they deem fair and equitable. It is anticipated that the factor that will be used by the Trustees in making allocations of general assets to a particular series will be the relative NAV of each respective series at the time of allocation. Assets belonging to a particular series are charged with the direct liabilities and expenses in respect of that series and with a share of the general liabilities and expenses of each of the series not readily identified as belonging to a particular series, which are allocated to each series in accordance with its proportionate share of the NAVs of the Trust at the time of allocation. The timing of allocations of general assets and general liabilities and expenses of the Trust to a particular series will be determined by the Trustees and will be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Determinations by the Trustees as to the timing of the allocation of general liabilities and expenses and as to the timing and allocable portion of any general assets with respect to a particular series are conclusive.
As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund means the affirmative vote of the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund present at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are represented in person or by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
The Prospectuses and this SAI are not an offering of the securities described in these documents in any state in which such offering may not lawfully be made. No salesman, dealer, or other person is authorized to give any information or make any representation other than those contained in the Prospectus and this SAI.
While this SAI and each Prospectus describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Funds, neither this SAI nor any Prospectus represents a contract between the Trust or the Fund and any shareholder.
APPENDIX A
Description of Security Ratings
Set forth below are descriptions of the relevant ratings of each of the NRSROs. These NRSROs and the descriptions of the ratings are as of the date of this SAI and may subsequently change.
Moodys
Global Long-Term Ratings . Ratings assigned on Moodys global long-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risk of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default. The following describes the global long-term ratings by Moodys.
Aaa Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
Aa Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
A Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
Baa Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
Ba Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
B Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
Caa Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
Ca Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
C Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
Medium-Term Note Program Ratings . Moodys assigns provisional ratings to medium-term note (MTN) programs and definitive ratings to the individual debt securities issued from them (referred to as drawdowns or notes). MTN program ratings are intended to reflect the ratings likely to be assigned to drawdowns issued from the program with the specified priority of claim (e.g. senior or subordinated). To capture the contingent nature of a program rating, Moodys assigns provisional ratings to MTN programs. A provisional rating is denoted by a (P) in front of the rating.
The rating assigned to a drawdown from a rated MTN or bank/deposit note program is definitive in nature, and may differ from the program rating if the drawdown is exposed to additional credit risks besides the issuers default, such as links to the defaults of other issuers, or has other structural features that warrant a different rating. In some circumstances, no rating may be assigned to a drawdown.
Moodys encourages market participants to contact Moodys Ratings Desks or visit www.moodys.com directly if they have questions regarding ratings for specific notes issued under a medium-term note program. Unrated notes issued under an MTN program may be assigned an NR (not rated) symbol.
Note: Moodys appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating
category. Additionally, a (hyb) indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.
Global Short-Term Ratings . Ratings assigned on Moodys global short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risk of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments. The following describes Moodys global short-term ratings.
Moodys employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
P-1. Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-2. Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-3. Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
NP. Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
Speculative Grade Liquidity Ratings. Moodys Speculative Grade Liquidity Ratings are opinions of an issuers relative ability to generate cash from internal resources and the availability of external sources of committed financing, in relation to its cash obligations over the coming 12 months. Speculative Grade Liquidity Ratings will consider the likelihood that committed sources of financing will remain available. Other forms of liquidity support will be evaluated and consideration will be given to the likelihood that these sources will be available during the coming 12 months. Speculative Grade Liquidity Ratings are assigned to speculative grade issuers that are by definition Not Prime issuers.
SGL-1 Issuers rated SGL-1 possess very good liquidity. They are most likely to have the capacity to meet their obligations over the coming 12 months through internal resources without relying on external sources of committed financing.
SGL-2 Issuers rated SGL-2 possess good liquidity. They are likely to meet their obligations over the coming 12 months through internal resources but may rely on external sources of committed financing. The issuers ability to access committed sources of financing is highly likely based on Moodys evaluation of near-term covenant compliance.
SGL-3 Issuers rated SGL-3 possess adequate liquidity. They are expected to rely on external sources of committed financing. Based on its evaluation of near-term covenant compliance, Moodys believes there is only a modest cushion, and the issuer may require covenant relief in order to maintain orderly access to funding lines.
SGL-4 Issuers rated SGL-4 possess weak liquidity. They rely on external sources of financing and the availability of that financing is, in Moodys opinion, highly uncertain.
Short-Term Obligation Ratings. While the global short-term prime rating scale is applied to U.S. municipal tax-exempt commercial paper, these programs are typically backed by external letters of credit or liquidity facilities and their short-term prime ratings usually map to the long-term rating of the enhancing bank or financial institution and not to the municipalitys rating. Other short-term municipal obligations, which generally have different funding sources for repayment, are rated using two additional short-term rating scales (i.e., the MIG and VMIG scales discussed below).
The Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) scale is used to rate U.S. municipal bond anticipation notes of up to three years maturity. Municipal notes rated on the MIG scale may be secured by either pledged revenues or proceeds of a take-out financing received prior to note maturity. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation, and the issuers long-term rating is only one consideration in assigning the MIG rating. MIG ratings are divided into three levelsMIG 1 through MIG 3while speculative grade short-term obligations are designated SG.
MIG-1. This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG-2. This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG-3. This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
SG. This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
Demand Obligation Ratings. In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned: a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moodys evaluation of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moodys evaluation of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (demand feature). The second element uses a rating from a variation of the MIG scale called the Variable Municipal Investment Grade (VMIG) scale. The rating transitions on the VMIG scale, as shown in the diagram below, differ from those on the Prime scale to reflect the risk that external liquidity support generally will terminate if the issuers long-term rating drops below investment grade.
VMIG-1. This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG-2 . This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG-3 . This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
SG . This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
Standard & Poors
A Standard & Poors issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects Standard & Poors view of the obligors capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 daysincluding commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.
Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings . Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on Standard & Poors analysis of the following considerations:
· Likelihood of paymentcapacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;
· Nature of and provisions of the obligation, and the promise imputed by Standard & Poors;
· Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors rights.
Issue ratings are an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)
AAA An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poors. The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA An obligation rated AA differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
A An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
BBB An obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
BB, B, CCC, CC, and C Obligations rated BB, B, CCC, CC, and C are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
BB An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligors inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligors capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CCC An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CC An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The CC rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but Standard & Poors expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.
C An obligation rated C is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared to obligations that are rated higher.
D An obligation rated D is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless Standard &
Poors believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligations rating is lowered to D if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.
NR This indicates that no rating has been requested, or that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poors does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.
Plus (+) or minus (-) The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings . The following describes Standard & Poors short-term issue credit ratings.
A-1 A short-term obligation rated A-1 is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poors. The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2 A short-term obligation rated A-2 is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.
A-3 A short-term obligation rated A-3 exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B A short-term obligation rated B is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligors inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
C A short-term obligation rated C is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
D A short-term obligation rated D is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless Standard & Poors believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligations rating is lowered to D if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.
Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings. The following describes Standard & Poors Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings.
A Standard & Poors U.S. municipal note rating reflects Standard & Poors opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, Standard & Poors analysis will review the following considerations:
· Amortization schedule the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and
· Source of payment the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.
SP-1. Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2. Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
SP-3. Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
Active Qualifiers
L Ratings qualified with L apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.
p This suffix is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The p suffix indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only and that the interest is not rated.
pi Ratings with a pi suffix are based on an analysis of an issuers published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. They do not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuers management and therefore may be based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a pi suffix. Ratings with a pi suffix are reviewed annually based on a new years financial statements, but may be reviewed on an interim basis if a major event occurs that may affect the issuers credit quality.
prelim Preliminary ratings, with the prelim suffix, may be assigned to obligors or obligations, including financial programs, in the circumstances described below. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt by Standard & Poors of appropriate documentation. Standard & Poors reserves the right not to issue a final rating. Moreover, if a final rating is issued, it may differ from the preliminary rating.
· Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions.
· Preliminary ratings are assigned to Rule 415 Shelf Registrations. As specific issues, with defined terms, are offered from the master registration, a final rating may be assigned to them in accordance with Standard & Poors policies.
· Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations that will likely be issued upon the obligors emergence from bankruptcy or similar reorganization, based on late-stage reorganization plans, documentation and discussions with the obligor. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligors. These ratings consider the anticipated general credit quality of the reorganized or post-bankruptcy issuer as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s).
· Preliminary ratings may be assigned to entities that are being formed or that are in the process of being independently established when, in Standard & Poors opinion, documentation is close to final. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligations of these entities.
· Preliminary ratings may be assigned when a previously unrated entity is undergoing a well-formulated restructuring, recapitalization, significant financing or other transformative event, generally at the point that investor or lender commitments are invited. The preliminary rating may be assigned to the entity and to its proposed obligation(s). These preliminary ratings consider the anticipated general credit quality of the obligor, as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s), assuming successful completion of the transformative event. Should the transformative event not occur, Standard & Poors would likely withdraw these preliminary ratings.
· A preliminary recovery rating may be assigned to an obligation that has a preliminary issue credit rating.
t This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date.
Fitch
International Long-Term Ratings
Investment Grade
AAA Highest credit quality. AAA ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA Very high credit quality. AA ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A High credit quality. A ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB Good credit quality. BBB ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
Speculative Grade
BB Speculative. BB ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists which supports the servicing of financial commitments.
B Highly speculative. B ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.
CCC, CC, C High levels of credit risk. CCC ratings indicates that default is a real possibility. CC ratings indicates that default of some kind appears probable. C ratings indicate that default is imminent or inevitable, or the issuer is in standstill. Conditions that are indicative of a C category rating for an issuer include:
a. the issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial obligation;
b. the issuer has entered into a temporary negotiated waiver or standstill agreement following a payment default on a material financial obligation; or
c. Fitch Ratings otherwise believes a condition of RD or D to be imminent or inevitable, including through the formal announcement of a distressed debt exchange.
RD Restricted default. RD ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings opinion has experienced an uncured payment default on a bond, loan or other material financial obligation but which has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure, and which has not otherwise ceased operating. This would include:
a. the selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt;
b. the uncured expiry of any applicable grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a payment default on a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation;
c. the extension of multiple waivers or forbearance periods upon a payment default on one or more material financial obligations, either in series or in parallel; or
d. execution of a distressed debt exchange on one or more material financial obligations.
D Default. D ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure, or which has otherwise ceased business.
Default ratings are not assigned prospectively to entities or their obligations; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will generally not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period, unless a default is otherwise driven by bankruptcy or other similar circumstance, or by a distressed debt exchange.
Imminent default typically refers to the occasion where a payment default has been intimated by the issuer, and is all but inevitable. This may, for example, be where an issuer has missed a scheduled payment, but (as is typical) has a grace period during which it may cure the payment default. Another alternative would be where an issuer has formally announced a distressed debt exchange, but the date of the exchange still lies several days or weeks in the immediate future.
In all cases, the assignment of a default rating reflects the agencys opinion as to the most appropriate rating category consistent with the rest of its universe of ratings, and may differ from the definition of default under the terms of an issuers financial obligations or local commercial practice.
International Short-Term Ratings. The following describes Fitchs two highest short-term ratings:
F1. Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added + to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
F2. Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
Notes to Long- and Short-term ratings:
The modifiers + or - may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the AAA Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings category, or to Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings categories below B.
NR A designation of Not Rated or NR is used to denote securities not rated by Fitch where Fitch has rated some, but not all, securities comprising an issuance capital structure.
Withdrawn The rating has been withdrawn and the issue or issuer is no longer rated by Fitch Ratings. Indicated in rating databases with the symbol WD.
Rating Watch Rating Watches indicate that there is a heightened probability of a rating change and the likely direction of such a change. These are designated as Positive, indicating a potential upgrade, Negative, for a potential downgrade, or Evolving, if ratings may be raised, lowered or affirmed. However, ratings that are not on Rating Watch can be raised or lowered without being placed on Rating Watch first, if circumstances warrant such an action.
A Rating Watch is typically event-driven and, as such, it is generally resolved over a relatively short period. The event driving the Watch may be either anticipated or have already occurred, but in both cases, the exact rating implications remain undetermined. The Watch period is typically used to gather further information and/or subject the information to further analysis. Additionally, a Watch may be used where the rating implications are already
clear, but where a triggering event (e.g. shareholder or regulatory approval) exists. The Watch will typically extend to cover the period until the triggering event is resolved or its outcome is predictable with a high enough degree of certainty to permit resolution of the Watch.
Rating Watches can be employed by all analytical groups and are applied to the ratings of individual entities and/or individual instruments. At the lowest categories of speculative grade (CCC, CC and C) the high volatility of credit profiles may imply that almost all ratings should carry a Watch. Watches are nonetheless only applied selectively in these categories, where a committee decides that particular events or threats are best communicated by the addition of the Watch designation.
Rating Outlook trends that have not yet reached the level that would trigger a rating action, but which may do so if such trends continue. The majority of Outlooks are generally Stable, which is consistent with the historical migration experience of ratings over a one- to two-year period. Positive or Negative rating Outlooks do not imply that a rating change is inevitable and, similarly, ratings with Stable Outlooks can be raised or lowered without a prior revision to the Outlook, if circumstances warrant such an action. Occasionally, where the fundamental trend has strong, conflicting elements of both positive and negative, the Rating Outlook may be described as Evolving.
Outlooks are currently applied on the long-term scale to issuer ratings in corporate finance (including sovereigns, industrials, utilities, financial institutions and insurance companies) and public finance outside the U.S.; to issue ratings in public finance in the U.S.; to certain issues in project finance; to Insurer Financial Strength Ratings; to issuer and/or issue ratings in a number of National Rating scales; and to the ratings of structured finance transactions and covered bonds. Outlooks are not applied to ratings assigned on the short-term scale and are applied selectively to ratings in the CCC, CC and C categories. Defaulted ratings typically do not carry an Outlook.
Registration Statement
of
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS
on
Form N-1A
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits
(a)(1)(a) |
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Certificate of Trust dated December 6, 1995. (6) |
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(a)(1)(b) |
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Certificate of Amendment dated August 19, 2015 to the Certificate of Trust. (29) |
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(a)(2)(a) |
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Delaware Trust Instrument dated December 6, 1995, as amended March 27, 2000. (2) |
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(a)(2)(b) |
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Amendment to Delaware Trust Instrument dated as of August 19, 2015. (29) |
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(a)(2)(c) |
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Schedule A to the Trust Instrument, current as of December 7, 2016. (36) |
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(b) |
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Bylaws, Amended and Restated as of August 26, 2009. (4) |
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(c) |
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The rights of holders of the securities being registered are set out in Articles II, VII, IX and X of the Trust Instrument referenced in Exhibit (a)(2)(a) and (b) above and in Article IV of the Bylaws referenced in Exhibit (b) above. |
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(d)(1)(a) |
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Investment Advisory Agreement dated August 1, 2013 between Registrant and Victory Capital Management Inc. (Victory Capital or the Adviser). (6) |
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(d)(1)(b) |
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Schedule A to the Advisory Agreement dated August 1, 2013, current as of December 5, 2017. (42) |
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(d)(2)(a) |
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Investment Advisory Agreement dated as of July 29, 2016 between Registrant and the Adviser. (39) |
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(d)(2)(b) |
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Schedule A to the Advisory Agreement dated July 29, 2016, current as of December 5, 2017. (42) |
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(d)(3) |
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Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement dated as of July 29, 2016 between the Adviser and Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC regarding the Victory High Yield Fund, Victory Tax-Exempt Fund, Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund, Victory Floating Rate Fund and Victory Strategic Income Fund. (39) |
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(d)(4)(a) |
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Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement dated as of July 29, 2016 between the Adviser and SailingStone Capital Partners LLC regarding the Victory Global Natural Resources Fund. (39) |
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(d)(4)(b) |
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Amendment to Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement dated as of July 29, 2016 between the Adviser and SailingStone Capital Partners LLC regarding the Victory Global Natural Resources Fund dated as of December 6, 2017. (42) |
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(e)(1) |
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Distribution Agreement dated August 1, 2013 between Registrant and Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (6) |
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(e)(2) |
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Schedule I to the Distribution Agreement dated August 1, 2013, current as of December 5. 2017. (42) |
(f) |
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None. |
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(g)(1)(a) |
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Global Custodial Services Agreement between the Registrant and Citibank, N.A. dated as of August 5, 2008. (1) |
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(g)(1)(b) |
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Amendment and Joinder to the Master Global Custodial Services Agreement dated July 15, 2016. (36) |
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(g)(1)(c) |
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Amendment and Joinder to the Master Global Custodial Services Agreement dated August 24, 2016. (36) |
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(g)(1)(d) |
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Amendment and Joinder to the Master Global Custodial Services Agreement dated February 27, 2017. (38) |
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(h)(1) |
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Revised Form of Broker-Dealer Agreement. (41) |
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(h)(2)(a) |
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Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement dated July 1, 2006 between Registrant and Victory Capital. (9) |
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(h)(2)(b) |
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Amendment dated July 1, 2009 to Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement dated July 1, 2006. (4) |
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(h)(2)(c) |
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Amendment No. 2 dated July 1, 2012 to Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement dated July 1, 2006. (5) |
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(h)(2)(d) |
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Amendment No. 3 dated May 21, 2015 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement dated July 1, 2006. (33) |
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(h)(2)(e) |
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Amendment No. 4 dated August 19, 2015 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement dated July 1, 2006. (33) |
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(h)(2)(f) |
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Amendment No. 5 dated August 24, 2016 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement dated July 1, 2006. (36) |
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(h)(2)(g) |
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Amendment No. 6 dated February 28, 2018, 2018 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement dated July 1, 2006. (43) |
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(h)(3)(a) |
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Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement effective October 1, 2015 between Victory Capital and Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (35) |
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(h)(3)(b) |
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Amendment dated as of February 27, 2017 to Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement. (36) |
(h)(3)(c) |
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Amendment No. 2 dated as of February 28, 2018 to the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement. (filed herewith) |
(h)(4)(a) |
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Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002 between Registrant and BISYS. (18) |
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(h)(4)(b) |
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Schedule A to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002, current as of December 2, 2009. (4) |
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(h)(4)(c) |
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Supplement dated June 3, 2002 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (18) |
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(h)(4)(d) |
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Amendment dated July 24, 2002 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (18) |
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(h)(4)(e) |
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Amendment dated May 18, 2004 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (12) |
(h)(4)(f) |
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Amendment dated July 1, 2006 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (9) |
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(h)(4)(g) |
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Amendment dated July 1, 2009 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (4) |
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(h)(4)(h) |
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Amendment dated August 31, 2011 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (3) |
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(h)(4)(i) |
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Amendment dated July 1, 2012 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (21) |
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(h)(4)(j) |
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Amendment dated October 24, 2012 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (20) |
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(h)(4)(k) |
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Amendment dated October 23, 2013 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (7) |
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(h)(4)(l) |
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Amendment dated February 19, 2014 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (17) |
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(h)(4)(m) |
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Amendment dated April 1, 2015 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (28) |
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(h)(4)(n) |
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Amendment dated August 24, 2016 to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002. (34) |
(h)(4)(o) |
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Data Protection Addendum dated May 30, 2018 to the Transfer Agency Agreement. (filed herewith) |
(h)(5)(a) |
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Expense Limitation Agreement dated as of August 1, 2013. (6) |
(h)(5)(b) |
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Schedule A dated as of November 1, 2018 to the Expense Limitation Agreement. (filed herewith) |
(h)(6)(a) |
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Expense Limitation Letter Agreement relating to Strategic Allocation Fund dated February 22, 2017. (36) |
(h)(6)(b) |
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Schedule A dated as of March 1, 2018 to the Expense Limitation Letter Agreement. (44) |
(h)(7)(a) |
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Form of Fee Limitation Letter Agreement between Registrant and Adviser. (11) |
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(i)(1)(a) |
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Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated October 24, 2012 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated October 24, 2012 relating to all then current Funds and Classes of Shares. (20) |
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(i)(l)(b) |
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Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated March 28, 2014 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated March 28, 2014 relating to Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund. (17) |
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(i)(l)(c) |
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Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated June 17, 2014 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated June 17, 2014 relating to Integrity Micro-Cap Equity, Integrity Mid-Cap Value, Integrity Small/Mid Value, Integrity Small-Cap Value, Munder Emerging Markets Small-Cap, Munder Growth Opportunities, Munder Index 500, Munder International Fund-Core Equity, Munder International Small-Cap, Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth and Munder Total Return Bond. (19) |
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(i)(1)(d) |
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Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated February 13, 2015 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated February 13, 2015 relating to Munder Small Cap Growth Fund. (26) |
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(i)(1)(e) |
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Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated February 24, 2015 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated February 24, 2015 relating to Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Class R6, Munder Total Return Bond Fund Class R6, Munder International Fund-Core Equity Class R6 and Fund for Income Class R6. (27) |
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(i)(1)(f) |
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Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated June 13, 2016 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated June 13, 2016 relating to Victory RS Focused Opportunity Fund, Victory RS Focused Growth Opportunity Fund, Victory RS Partners Fund, Victory RS Value Fund, Victory RS Large Cap Alpha Fund, Victory RS Investors Fund, Victory Global Natural Resources Fund, Victory RS Small Cap |
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Growth Fund, Victory RS Select Growth Fund, Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund, Victory RS Growth Fund, Victory RS Science and Technology Fund, Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund, Victory RS International Fund, Victory RS Global Fund, Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund, Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund, Victory Sophus China Fund, Victory INCORE Investment Quality Bond Fund, Victory INCORE Low Duration Bond Fund, Victory High Yield Fund, Victory Tax-Exempt Fund, Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund, Victory Floating Rate Fund and Victory Strategic Income Fund. (31) |
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(i)(1)(g) |
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Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated July 11, 2017 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated July 11, 2017 relating to Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class R6. (40) |
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(j)(1) |
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Consent of Shearman & Sterling LLP. (filed herewith) |
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(j)(2) |
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Consent of Ernst & Young LLP. (filed herewith) |
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(k) |
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Not applicable. |
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(l)(1) |
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Purchase Agreement dated November 12, 1986 between Registrant and Physicians Insurance Company of Ohio. (13) |
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(l)(2) |
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Purchase Agreement dated October 15, 1989. (14) |
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(l)(3) |
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Purchase Agreement. (15) |
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(l)(4) |
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Purchase Agreement dated March 28, 2014 with respect to Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund. (17) |
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(l)(5) |
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Purchase Agreement dated October 30, 2015 with respect to Munder Small Cap Growth Fund. (28) |
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(m)(1)(a) |
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Amended and Restated Distribution and Service Plan dated December 11, 1998 as amended and restated February 20, 2013 for Class R Shares. (6) |
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(m)(1)(b) |
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Schedule I to the Amended and Restated Distribution and Service Plan for Class R Shares revised as of December 5, 2017. (42) |
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(m)(2)(a) |
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Distribution and Service Plan dated February 26, 2002 as amended February 5, 2003 for Class C Shares. (6) |
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(m)(2)(b) |
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Schedule I to Distribution and Service Plan for Class C Shares, as revised as of December 5, 2017. (42) |
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(m)(3)(a) |
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Distribution and Service Plan dated August 1, 2013 for Class A shares of Registrant. (6) |
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(m)(3)(b) |
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Schedule I to Distribution and Service Plan for Class A Shares, current as of December 5, 2017. (42) |
(n)(1)(a) |
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Amended and Restated Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan, amended and restated February 28, 2018. (44) |
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(n)(1)(b) |
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Schedule A to Amended and Restated Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan, amended and restated February 28, 2018. (44) |
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(p)(1) |
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Code of Ethics of Registrant as revised February 28, 2018. (44) |
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(p)(2) |
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Code of Ethics of the Adviser and the Distributor dated July 1, 2018. (filed herewith) |
(p)(3) |
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Code of Ethics of Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC dated July 2016. (filed herewith) |
(p)(4) |
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Code of Ethics of SailingStone Capital Partners LLC dated May 31, 2018. (filed herewith) |
(1) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on November 14, 2008, accession number 0001104659-08071024.
(2) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on June 1, 2000, accession number 0000922423-00-000816.
(3) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on December 22, 2011, accession number 0001104659-11-070891.
(4) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on December 4, 2009, accession number 0001104659-09-068535.
(5) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No 103 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on February 27, 2013, accession number 0001104659-13-015010.
(6) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on October 15, 2013, accession number 0001104659-13-075668.
(7) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 106 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on December 23, 2013, accession number 0001104659-13-092003.
(8) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 107 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on December 31, 2013, accession number 0001104659-13-093041.
(9) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on December 20, 2006, accession number 0001104659-06-082890.
(10) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 79 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on June 29, 2007, accession number 0001104659-07-051406.
(11) Filed as an Exhibit to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14, File No. 333-19666, filed electronically on June 11, 2014, accession number 0001104659-14-045290.
(12) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 120 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on October 10, 2014, accession number 0001104659-14-071313.
(13) Filed as Exhibit 13 to Registrants Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on November 13, 1986.
(14) Filed as Exhibit 13(b) to Registrants Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on December 1, 1989.
(15) Filed as Exhibit 13(c) to Registrants Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on December 1, 1989.
(16) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 91 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on February 16, 2010, accession number 0001104659-10-007421.
(17) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on March 28, 2014, accession number 0001104659-14-024014.
(18) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 66 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on December 27, 2002, accession number 0000922423-02-001283.
(19) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 117 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on June 17, 2014, accession number 0001104659-14-046546.
(20) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on October 26, 2012, accession number 0001104659-12-071603.
(21) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 to Munder Series Trusts Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on October 28, 2008, accession number 0001193125-08-218017.
(22) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 68 to RS Investment Trusts Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on May 9, 2007, accession number 0001104659-07-037658.
(23) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 72 to RS Investment Trusts Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on September 16, 2008, accession number 0001193125-08-196596.
(24) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to RS Investment Trusts Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on July 23, 2007, accession number 0001104659-07-055269.
(25) Filed as an Exhibit to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14, File No. 333-209399, filed electronically on March 17, 2016, accession number 0001104659-16-105882.
(26) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 122 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on February 20, 2015, accession number 0001104659-15-012670.
(27) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on February 26, 2015, accession number 0001104659-15-014530.
(28) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 126 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on May 4, 2015, accession number 0001104659-15-033255.
(29) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 129 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on October 28, 2015, accession number 0001104659-15-073617.
(30) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 133 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on December 22, 2015, accession number 0001104659-15-086283.
(31) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on June 14, 2016, accession number 0001104659-16-126923.
(32) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 137 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on February 26, 2016, accession number 0001104659-16-100588.
(33) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to Victory Portfolio IIs Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on October 28, 2015, accession number 0001104659-15-073665.
(34) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on October 28, 2016, accession number 0001104659-16-153019.
(35) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 54 to Victory Portfolio IIs Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on January 18, 2017, accession number 0001104659-17-002631.
(36) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 147 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on February 28, 2017, accession number 0001104659-17-012565.
(37) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 150 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on April 5, 2017, accession number 0001104659-17-021739.
(38) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 55 to Victory Portfolios IIs Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on March 31, 2017, accession number 0001104659-17-020677.
(39) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 153 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on April 28, 2017, accession number 0001104659-17-027612
(40) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 154 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on July 11, 2017, accession number 0001104659-17-044515
(41) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 156 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on October 27, 2017, accession number 0001104659-17-064332.
(42) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 158 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on February 27, 2018, accession number 0001104659-18-012828.
(43) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to Victory Variable Insurance Funds Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on April 17, 2018, accession number 0001104659-18-024484.
(44) Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed electronically on April 30, 2018, accession number 0001104659-18-028601.
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant .
None.
Item 30. Indemnification
Article X, Section 10.02 of Registrants Delaware Trust Instrument, as amended, incorporated herein as Exhibits (a)(2)(a) and (b) hereto, provides for the indemnification of Registrants Trustees and officers, as follows:
Section 10.02 Indemnification.
(a) Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in Subsection 10.02(b):
(i) every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or officer of the Trust (hereinafter referred to as a Covered Person) shall be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Trustee or officer and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof;
(ii) the words claim, action, suit, or proceeding shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal or other, including appeals), actual or threatened while in office or thereafter, and the words liability and expenses shall include, without limitation, attorneys fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities.
(b) No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:
(i) who shall have been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought (A) to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office or (B) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust; or
(ii) in the event of a settlement, unless there has been a determination that such Trustee or officer did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office, (A) by the court or other body approving the settlement; (B) by at least a majority of those Trustees who are neither interested persons of the Trust nor are parties to the matter based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry); or (C) by written opinion of independent legal counsel based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry).
(c) The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Covered Person and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which Trust personnel, other than Covered Persons, and other persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.
(d) Expenses in connection with the preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding of the character described in Subsection (a) of this Section 10.02 may be paid by the Trust or Series from time to time prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him to the Trust or Series if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under this Section 10.02; provided, however, that either (i) such Covered Person shall have provided appropriate security for such undertaking, (ii) the Trust is insured against losses arising out of any such advance payments or (iii) either a majority of the Trustees who are neither interested persons of the Trust nor parties to the matter, or independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a trial-type inquiry or full investigation), that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person will be found entitled to indemnification under this Section 10.02.
Indemnification of the Funds principal underwriter, custodian, fund accountant, and transfer agent is provided for, respectively, in Section V of the Distribution Agreement incorporated by reference as Exhibit (e)(1) hereto, Section 12 of the Global Custodial Services Agreement incorporated by reference as Exhibit (g)(1) hereto, Section 9 of the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement incorporated by reference as Exhibit (h)(2) hereto and Section 9 of the Transfer Agency Agreement incorporated by reference as Exhibit (h)(4) hereto. Registrant has obtained from a major insurance carrier a trustees and officers liability policy covering certain types of errors and omissions. In no event will Registrant indemnify any of its trustees, officers, employees or agents against any liability to which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of his willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of his duties, or by reason of his reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office or under his agreement with Registrant. Registrant will comply with Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Release 11330 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 in connection with any indemnification.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers, and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act, as amended, and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer, or controlling person of 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, 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 of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. (VCM or the Adviser) is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (VCH), a publicly traded Delaware corporation. The Adviser provides investment advisory services to clients including large corporate and public retirement plans, Taft-Hartley plans, foundations and endowments, high net worth individuals and mutual funds. The 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, 2018, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess $63.6 billion for individual an institutional clients. The Advisers principal offices are located at 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, OH 44144, with additional offices in New York, New York, Birmingham, Michigan, Brentwood, Tennessee, Boston, Massachusetts, Rocky River, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio, Denver, Colorado, San Francisco, California and Des Moines, Iowa.
To the knowledge of Registrant, none of the directors or officers of the Adviser is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.
The principal executive officers and directors of the Adviser and VCH are as follows :
David C. Brown |
|
Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Adviser and VCH |
Kelly S. Cliff |
|
President, Investment Franchises of Adviser and VCH, Director of Adviser |
Michael D. Policarpo, II |
|
Chief Operating Officer of Adviser and VCH, Director of Adviser |
Terry Sullivan |
|
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Adviser and VCH, Director of Adviser |
Nina Gupta |
|
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Adviser and VCH, Director of Adviser |
The business address of the foregoing individuals is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
Item 32. Principal Underwriter
(a) Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (VCA) acts as principal underwriter for the shares of Registrant, Victory Portfolios II, Victory Variable Insurance Funds and Victory Institutional Funds.
(b) VCA, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, 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 VCA |
|
Position and Offices
|
David C. Brown |
|
Director |
|
Trustee |
Michael D. Policarpo, II |
|
Director, President |
|
None |
Terry Sullivan |
|
Director |
|
None |
Peter Scharich |
|
Director, President and AML Officer |
|
None |
Jennifer Milligan |
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Director, Chief Compliance Officer |
|
None |
Nina Gupta |
|
Director, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary |
|
None |
Donald Inks |
|
Principal Operations Officer |
|
None |
Christopher Ponte |
|
Principal Financial Officer, Treasurer |
|
Assistant Treasurer |
(c) Not applicable.
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
(1) Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 (records relating to its functions as investment adviser and administrator).
(2) Citibank, N.A., 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013 (records relating to its function as custodian).
(3) Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 4400 Easton Commons, Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43219 (records relating to its functions as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant).
(4) FIS Investor Services LLC, 4249 Easton Way, Suite 400, Columbus, Ohio 43219 (records relating to its functions as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent).
(5) Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 (records relating to its function as distributor).
(6) Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC, 7 Hanover Square, New York, New York 10004 (records relating to its function as sub-adviser to the Victory High Yield Fund, Victory Tax-Exempt Fund, Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund, Victory Floating Rate Fund and Victory Strategic Income Fund).
(7) SailingStone Capital Partners LLC, One California Street, 30th Floor, San Francisco, California 94111 (records relating to its function as sub-adviser to the Victory Global Natural Resources Fund).
Item 34. Management Services
None.
Item 35. Undertakings
Not applicable.
NOTICE
A copy of the Certificate of Trust of Registrant, and all amendments, is on file with the Secretary of State of Delaware and notice is hereby given that this Post-Effective Amendment to Registrants Registration Statement has been executed on behalf of Registrant by officers of, and Trustees of, Registrant as officers and as Trustees, respectively, and not individually, and that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or shareholders of Registrant individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of Registrant.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, 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, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York and State of New York, on the 24 th day of October, 2018.
|
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS |
|
|
(Registrant) |
|
|
By: |
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
|
|
Christopher K. Dyer, President (Principal Executive Officer) |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 24 th day of October, 2018.
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
|
President (Principal Executive Officer) |
|
Christopher K. Dyer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Allan Shaer |
|
Treasurer (Principal Accounting Officer and
|
|
Allan Shaer |
|
||
* |
|
Chairman of the Board and Trustee |
|
Leigh A. Wilson |
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
|
David Brooks Adcock |
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
|
Nigel D.T. Andrews |
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
|
E. Lee Beard |
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
|
David C. Brown |
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
|
Dennis M. Bushe |
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
|
Sally M. Dungan |
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
|
John L. Kelly |
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
|
David L. Meyer |
|
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
|
Gloria S. Nelund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*By: |
/s/ Jay G. Baris |
|
|
|
Jay G. Baris |
|
|
|
Attorney-in-Fact |
|
|
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit Number |
|
Exhibits: |
EX-99.(h)(3)(c) |
|
Amendment No. 2 dated as of February 28, 2018 to the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement. |
EX-99.(h)(4)(o) |
|
Data Protection Addendum dated May 30, 2018 to the Transfer Agency Agreement. |
EX-99.(h)(5)(b) |
|
Schedule A dated as of November 1, 2018 to the Expense Limitation Agreement. |
EX-99.(j)(1) |
|
Consent of Shearman & Sterling LLP. |
EX-99.(j)(2) |
|
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP. |
EX-99.(p)(2) |
|
Code of Ethics of the Adviser and the Distributor July 1, 2018. |
EX-99.(p)(3) |
|
Code of Ethics of Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC dated July 2016. |
EX-99.(p)(4) |
|
Code of Ethics of SailingStone Partners LLC dated May 31, 2018. |
AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO
SUB-ADMINISTRATION AND SUB-FUND ACCOUNTING
SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDMENT made as of February 28, 2018 ( Amendment ) to that certain Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Services Agreement dated as of October 1, 2015 (as amended and in effect as of the date hereof, Agreement ), by and between Victory Capital Management Inc. ( Client ) and Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. ( Service Provider and, with the Client, referred to herein individually as Party and collectively as Parties ). All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning given to them in the Agreement. This Amendment shall be effective as of June 1, 2018 (anticipated compliance date for Forms N-CEN and N-PORT) or, if such date is extended by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC ), the compliance date as identified by the SEC as it pertains to the Client.
WHEREAS, the Service Provider performs certain sub-administrative and sub-accounting services; and
WHEREAS, the Parties now wish to amend the Agreement to account for providing services related to SEC Forms N-CEN and N-PORT.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
1. Services Schedule (Schedule 2)
Schedule 2 of the Agreement is deleted and replaced with the Schedule 2 attached hereto.
2. Fee Schedule (Schedule 4)
Schedule 4 of the Agreement is deleted and replaced with the Schedule 4 attached hereto.
3. Representations and Warranties .
(a) Each Party represents and warrants to the other that it has full power and authority to enter into and perform this Amendment, that this Amendment has been duly authorized 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 rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties.
(b) The Client represents that it has provided this Amendment to the Board.
4. Miscellaneous .
(a) This Amendment supplements and amends the Agreement. The provisions set forth in this Amendment supersede all prior negotiations, understandings and agreements bearing upon the subject matter covered herein, including any conflicting provisions
of the Agreement or any provisions of the Agreement that directly cover or indirectly bear upon matters covered under this Amendment.
(b) Each reference to the Agreement in the Agreement and in every other agreement, contract or instrument to which the Parties are bound, shall hereafter be construed as a reference to the Agreement as separately amended by this Amendment. Except as provided in this Amendment, the provisions of the Agreement remain in full force and effect. No amendment or modification to this Amendment shall be valid unless made in writing and executed by each Party hereto.
(c) Paragraph headings in this Amendment are included for convenience only and are not to be used to construe or interpret this Amendment.
(d) This Amendment 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.
* * * * *
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, 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. |
|
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. |
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
By: |
/s/ Michael Policarpo |
|
By: |
/s/ Jay Martin |
|
|
|
|
|
Name: |
Michael Policarpo |
|
Name: |
Jay Martin |
|
|
|
|
|
Title: |
COO |
|
Title: |
President |
|
|
|
|
|
Date: |
6/1/18 |
|
Date: |
6/8/18 |
Schedule 2 to Services Agreement Services
Appendix A Sub-Fund Administration Services
Service Provider shall provide the Services listed on this Schedule 2 to the Client with respect to the Funds, and will use reasonable efforts to provide the Services consistent with any applicable provisions under federal securities laws and subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement (including the Schedules).
I. Services
1. Calculate contractual Trust expenses and make and control all disbursements for the Trusts, subject to review and approval of an officer of the Trusts or other authorized person including administration of trustee and vendor fees and compensation on behalf of the Trusts, as appropriate;
2. Calculate all capital gain and distribution information relating to the Funds and their shareholders;
3. 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-CEN;
4. Coordinate with the Trusts transfer agent with respect to the payment of dividends and other distributions to Shareholders;
5. Calculate performance data of the Funds for dissemination to information services covering the investment company industry;
6. Coordinate the filing of 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;
7. Make available appropriate individuals to serve as officers of the Trusts (to serve only in ministerial or administrative capacities relevant to the Service Providers services hereunder, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement), upon designation as such by the Boards;
8. Assist with the design, development, and operation of the Funds, including new classes, investment objectives, policies and structure;
9. Monitor and advise the Trusts and their Funds on their regulated investment company status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). 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;
10. Assist the Trusts in developing portfolio compliance procedures for each Fund. The Service Provider, together with VCM, will also provide the Boards with quarterly results of compliance reviews;
11. Provide assistance and guidance to VCM with respect to matters governed by or related to regulatory requirements and developments including: monitoring regulatory and legislative developments which may affect the Trusts, and assisting in strategic planning in response thereto. Assistance to be provided at VCMs request 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;
12. Provide appropriate assistance with respect to audits conducted by the Funds independent auditors including compiling data and other information as necessary;
13. Furnish advice and recommendations with respect to other aspects of the business and affairs of the Funds as the Trusts shall request and the parties shall agree in writing;
14. Assist the Trusts in connection with their obligations under 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 ( SO Laws ), the Service Provider will internally establish and maintain its own controls and procedures ( Service Provider internal controls ) designed to ensure that information recorded, processed, summarized, or reported by the Service Provider on behalf of the Trusts and included in Reports is (a) recorded, processed, summarized, and reported by the Service Provider within the time periods specified in the SECs rules and forms and the disclosure controls and procedures of the Trusts ( 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, the Service Provider will (i) provide a sub-certification with respect to the Services during any fiscal period in which the Service Provider 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, the Service Provider may (a) limit its representations to information prepared, processed and reported by the Service Provider; (b) rely upon and assume the accuracy of the information provided by officers and other authorized agents of the Trusts, including all Other Providers to the Trusts, and compliance by such officers and agents with the Trust DCPs; and (c) assume that the Trusts have selected the appropriate accounting policies for the Fund(s); VCM shall assist and cooperate with the Service Provider (and shall cause its officers, and Other Providers to assist and cooperate with the Service Provider) to facilitate the delivery of information requested by the Service Provider in connection with the preparation of the Trusts Form N-CSR, including Trust financial statements, so that the Service Provider may submit a draft Report to the DCP Committee prior to the date the relevant Report is to be filed;
15. Prepare and file holdings reports on Form N-Q with the SEC, as required at the end of the first and third fiscal quarters of each year, effective through the period ending March 31, 2019 or such other date as the SEC may adopt;
16. Prepare and file holdings reports on Form N-PORT with the SEC, as required at the end of each month, effective for the period beginning June 1, 2018 or such other date as the SEC may adopt;
17. Provide financial information for (i) the annual updates to each Trusts registration statement on Form N-1A; and (ii) supplements to the Trust Prospectuses and SAIs;
18. Notify VCM and Fund counsel of all Trust documents filed by the Service Provider with the SEC;
19. 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;
20. Service Provider shall make an employee available to the Trusts to serve, upon designation as such by the Board, as the Identity Theft Officer of the Trusts or such other title to perform similar functions. Service Providers obligation in this regard shall be met by providing an appropriately qualified employee of Service Provider (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 to be in the best interests of the Trusts. Subject to Item 21(c), Service Provider shall select, and may replace, the specific employee that it makes available to serve as the Identity Theft Officer, in Service Providers reasonable discretion.
21. Anti-Money Laundering .
(a) VCM represents and warrants that each Trust acknowledges that such Trust 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 and shall comply with such Acts and applicable regulations adopted thereunder (such Acts and regulations collectively, the Applicable AML Laws ) in all relevant respects, except to the extent a Trust is exempted in part or whole thereunder.
(b) Provision of AML Compliance Officer . Subject to the provisions set forth in Item 21(a) above, this Item 21(b), and Item 21(c) below, the Service Provider agrees to make available to the Trusts a person to serve as the Trust AML Compliance Officer ( AML Compliance Officer ). The Service Providers obligation in this regard shall be met by providing an appropriately qualified employee or agent of the Service Provider (or its affiliates) who, in the exercise of his or her duties to the Trusts, shall act in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed by him or her to be in the best interests of the Trusts. Subject to VCM contractually agreeing with each Trust that each Trusts cooperation in implementing and complying with its AML Program, the AML Compliance Officer will assist the Trusts in operating its AML Program, and shall perform the duties assigned to the AML Compliance Officer which are set forth in the AML Program. VCM shall provide copies of all books and records of the Trusts, as the AML Compliance Officer deems necessary or desirable in order to carry out his or her duties hereunder on behalf of the Trusts. 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 Trusts), 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.
(c) Additional Provisions Concerning AML Compliance Officer and Identity Theft Officer . It is mutually agreed and acknowledged by the Parties that the Identity Theft Officer and AML Compliance Officer provided by the Service Provider under the provisions of this Schedule 2 will be executive officers of each Trust. Each such designation shall be subject to the approval of the Boards.
22. Perform daily compliance test to monitor adequacy of securities earmarked as collateral for portfolio securities per instructions from the Adviser.
II. Notes and Conditions Related to Fund Administration Services
1. Service Provider shall have no obligation to make available individuals to serve as officers of the Trusts ( Officers ) unless specifically set forth in this Services Schedule or another agreement.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement to the contrary, if Service Provider has agreed to make individuals available to serve as Officers, the Client acknowledges and agrees that such individuals, when acting as Officers, are not employees or agents of Service Provider and Service Provider shall not be responsible for their actions or omissions when they are acting solely in their capacity as an Officer.
3. If any employee of Service Provider acts as an Officer of the Trusts, any such relationship shall be subject to the internal policies of Service Provider concerning the activities of its employees and their service as officers of funds. In addition, the Officer will be subject to each Trusts policies, except for its code of ethics policy, as Service Provider complies with Rule 17j-1 through its own policy. If Service Providers internal policies conflict with those of a Trusts as it relates to the Officers duties to the Trust, Service Provider will notify Client promptly and the parties agree to develop an amicable resolution to the conflict.
4. The Trusts Organic Documents and/or resolutions of their Board shall contain mandatory indemnification provisions that are applicable to all Officers made available by Service Provider, that are designed and intended to have the effect of fully indemnifying such officers and holding each harmless with respect to any claims, liabilities and costs arising out of or relating to such Officers service in good faith in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the applicable Trust, except to the extent such Officer would otherwise be liable to the Trust or to its security holders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of office. In addition, the Client shall cause the Trusts to secure insurance coverage from a reputable insurance company for all Officers under a directors and officers liability policy that is consistent with standards in the mutual fund industry taking into account the size of the Funds and the nature of their investment portfolio and other relevant factors.
5. Any Officer may resign for any reason and the Service Provider agrees to provide as much advance notice of such resignation as is possible under the circumstances. Service Provider shall have no obligation to endeavor to make available another individual to act in any such capacity, if
(a) the applicable Trusts Organic Documents do not, or no longer, contain the indemnity described above or the Trust has not secured or maintained the insurance policy described above;
(b) the Officer determines, in good faith, that the Trust
(i) has failed to secure and retain the services of reputable counsel or independent auditors;
(ii) has violated, or is likely to violate or be deemed by any applicable Governmental Authority to have violated, any applicable Law, including any applicable securities laws as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act; or
(c) the Officer, or Service Provider, has suffered a claim from a third party, or has been threatened with such a claim, related to or arising out of the fact that the Officer was an officer of the Trusts.
6. Client shall promptly notify Service Provider of any issue, matter or event that would be reasonably likely to result in any claim by Client or Trusts, one or more Fund shareholder(s) or any third party which involves an allegation that any Officer failed to exercise his or her obligations to the Trusts in a manner consistent with applicable laws.
Schedule 2 to Services Agreement Services
Appendix B Sub-Fund Accounting Services
I. Services
1. Record Maintenance
Service Provider will keep and maintain all required books and records as required by Rule 31a-1 in accordance with the required time and format applicable to such records as set forth in Rule 31a-2, including, among others:
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 Service Provider 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.
2. Accounting Services
In addition to the maintenance of the books and records specified above, Service Provider shall perform the following account services daily for each Fund:
a. Allocate income and expense and calculate the net asset value per share ( NAV ) of each class of shares offered by each Fund in accordance with the relevant provisions of the applicable Prospectus of each Fund and applicable regulations under the 1940 Act; and
b. Apply securities pricing information as required or authorized under the terms of the valuation policies and procedures of the Client ( Valuation Procedures ), including (A) pricing information from independent pricing services, with respect to securities for which market quotations are readily available, (B) if applicable to a particular Fund or Funds, fair value pricing information or adjustment factors from independent fair value pricing services or other vendors approved by the Client (collectively, Fair Value Information Vendors ) with respect to securities for which market quotations are not readily available, for which a significant event has occurred following the close of the relevant market but prior to the Funds pricing time, or which are otherwise required to be made subject to a fair value
determination under the Valuation Procedures, and (C) prices obtained from each Funds investment adviser or other designee, as approved by the Board. The Client instructs and authorizes Service Provider to provide information pertaining to the Funds investments to Fair Value Information Vendors in connection with the fair value determinations made under the Valuation Procedures and other legitimate purposes related to the services to be provided hereunder.
Note : The Client acknowledges that while Service Providers services related to fair value pricing are intended to assist the Client and the Board in its obligations to price and monitor pricing of Fund investments, Service Provider does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or appropriateness of pricing information or methodologies, including any fair value pricing information or adjustment factors.
Coordinate the preparation of reports that are prepared or provided by Fair Value Information Vendors which help the Client to monitor and evaluate its use of fair value pricing information under its Valuation Procedures:
c. Assist the Client in identifying instances where market prices are not readily available, or are unreliable, each as set forth within parameters included in the Clients Valuation Procedures;
d. Verify and reconcile with the Funds custodian all daily trade activity;
e. 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;
f. 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;
g. If Applicable, report to the Board, or otherwise at the Clients request, the daily market pricing of securities in any money market Funds, with the comparison to the amortized cost basis;
h. Determine and report unrealized appreciation and depreciation on securities held in variable net asset value Funds;
i. Amortize premiums and accrete discounts on fixed income securities purchased at a price other than face value, in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles of the United States or any successor principles;
j. Update fund accounting system to reflect rate changes, as received from a Funds investment adviser or authorized pricing service, on variable interest rate instruments;
k. Post Fund transactions to appropriate categories;
l. Accrue expenses of each Fund according to instructions received from the Clients
Administrator, and submit changes to accruals and expense items to authorized officers of the Client (who are not Service Provider employees) for review and approval;
m. Determine the outstanding receivables and payables for all (1) security trades, (2) Fund share transactions and (3) income and expense accounts;
n. Provide accounting reports in connection with the Clients regular annual audit and other audits and examinations by regulatory agencies;
o. Provide such periodic reports as the parties shall agree upon, as set forth in a separate schedule;
p. Calculate the dividend and capital gain distribution, if any;
q. Calculate the yield;
r. 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);
(iii) a broker commission report; and
(iv) 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
s. Such other similar services with respect to a Fund as may be reasonably requested by VCM.
3. Financial Statement and Regulatory Filings
Service Provider shall also perform the following additional accounting services for each Fund:
a. Provide monthly a hard copy of the unaudited financial statements described below, upon request of the Client. The unaudited financial statements will include the following items:
i. Unaudited Statement of Assets and Liabilities,
ii. Unaudited Statement of Operations,
iii. Unaudited Statement of Changes in Net Assets, and
iv. Unaudited Condensed Financial Information.
b. Provide accounting information for the following (in compliance with Reg. S-X, as applicable):
i. federal and state income tax returns and federal excise tax returns;
ii. the Clients semi-annual reports filed with the SEC on Form N-CEN and the N-CSR;
iii. the Clients quarterly schedules of investment for filing with the SEC on Form N-PORT, effective through the period ending March 31, 2019;
iv. the Clients monthly schedules of investments for filing with the SEC on Form N-PORT, effective for the period beginning June 1, 2018;
v. the Clients annual and semi-annual shareholder reports and quarterly Board meetings;
vi. registration statements on Form N-lA and other filings relating to the registration of shares, including required performance information;
vii. the Clients administrators monitoring of the Funds status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code;
viii. annual audit by the Clients auditors; and
ix. examinations performed by the SEC.
c. Calculate turnover and expense ratio;
d. Prepare schedule of Capital Gains and Losses;
e. Provide daily cash report;
f. Maintain and report security positions and transactions in accounting system;
g. Prepare Broker Commission Report;
h. Monitor expense limitations; and
i. Provide unrealized gain/loss report.
II. Notes and Conditions Related to Fund Accounting Services
1. Subject to the provisions of Sections 2 and 6 of the Agreement, Service Providers liability with respect to NAV errors shall be determined in accordance with the Investment Company Institute ( ICI ) policy on NAV errors, as that policy may be revised in the future.
Schedule 4 to Services Agreement
Such Fees will be collected by Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc.
1. MUTUAL FUNDS FEES:
The Client shall pay Service Provider an asset based fee as follows:
First $15 Billion in aggregate net assets of all Mutual Funds |
|
2.35 |
bps |
|
|
|
|
Next $15 Billion in aggregate net assets of all Mutual Funds |
|
1.50 |
bps |
|
|
|
|
Next $30 Billion in aggregate net assets of all Mutual Funds |
|
1.00 |
bps |
The fees will have a $1,100,000 annual credit applied to the total fees, which will be applied to the monthly invoice at a rate of $91,667.67. This credit will only be applied up to and including November 7, 2021. The credit will not extend beyond November 7, 2021 or to any Rollover Periods.
2. EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS FEES (ETFs):
The Client shall pay Service Provider an asset based fee as follows:
First $500 Million in aggregate net assets of all ETFs |
|
5.00 |
bps |
|
|
|
|
Above $500 Million in aggregate net assets of all ETFs |
|
2.50 |
bps |
3. FORM N-PORT Applies to Mutual Funds and ETFs
Tier |
|
Description |
|
Annual Fee
|
|
|
Tier 1 |
|
All Fund of Funds and Equity Funds holding < 50 securities |
|
$ |
11,500 |
|
Tier 2 |
|
Fixed Income Funds* holding 0-510 securities and Equity Funds holding 50-510 securities |
|
$ |
14,000 |
|
Tier 3 |
|
All Fixed Income and Equity Funds holding > 510 securities |
|
$ |
18,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sleeve Fee: An additional fee will apply per sleeve |
|
$ |
1,000 |
|
*Fixed Income Funds are currently defined in accordance with applicable regulation stating Fixed Income Funds are those which hold 25% of total net assets in fixed income securities.
Note: Each Fund will be designated as a specific tier upon the commencement of the N-PORT filing service. An annual review will be performed to certify the appropriate classifications are applied for the subsequent 12 month period. The annual review will occur at the end of each calendar year and be effective on the first of January each year. Any Fund launches will be reviewed at inception to ensure the appropriate tier is applied to the new Fund.
2. Out-of-Pocket Expenses and Miscellaneous Charges :
In addition to the above fees, Service Provider shall be entitled to receive payment for the following out-of-pocket expenses and miscellaneous charges:
A. Reimbursement of Expenses . The Client shall reimburse Service Provider for its out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred in providing Services, including, but not limited to:
(i) All freight and other delivery and bonding charges incurred by Service Provider in delivering materials to and from the Client and in delivering all materials to Shareholders;
(ii) All direct telephone, telephone transmission, and telecopy or other electronic transmission and remote system access expenses incurred by Service Provider in communication with the Client or the Clients investment adviser or custodian, dealers, or others as required for Service Provider to perform the Services;
(iii) The cost of obtaining security and issuer information;
(iv) The cost of CD-ROM, computer disks, microfilm, or microfiche, and storage of records or other materials and data;
(v) Costs of postage, bank services, couriers, stock computer paper, statements, labels, envelopes, reports, notices, or other form of printed material (including the cost of preparing and printing all printed material) which shall be required by Service Provider for the performance of the services to be provided hereunder, including print production charges incurred;
(vi) All copy charges;
(vii) Any expenses Service Provider shall incur at the written direction of the Client or a duly authorized officer of the Client;
(viii) All systems-related expenses associated with the provision of special reports;
(ix) NSCC charges and Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation charges
(x) The cost of tax data services;
(xi) Regulatory filing fees, industry data source fees, printing (including board book production expenses) and typesetting services, communications, delivery services, reproduction and record storage and retention expenses, and travel related expenses for board/client meetings; and
(xii) Any additional expenses reasonably incurred by Service Provider in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
B. Miscellaneous Service Fees and Charges . In addition to the amounts set forth in paragraphs (1) and 2(A) above, Service Provider shall be entitled to receive the following amounts from the Client:
(i) System development fees, billed at the rate of $150 per hour, as requested and pre-approved by the Client, and all systems-related expenses, agreed in advance, associated with the provision of special reports and services pursuant to any of the Schedules hereto;
(ii) Fees for development of custom interfaces pre-approved by the Client, billed at the rate of $150 per hour;
(iii) Ad hoc reporting fees pre-approved by the Client, billed at the rate of $150 per hour;
(iv) Expenses associated with the tracking of as-of trades, billed at the rate of $50 per hour, as approved by the Client;
(v) Charges for the pricing information obtained from third party vendors for use in pricing the securities and other investments of the Funds portfolio;
(vi) Expenses associated with Service Providers anti-fraud procedures as it pertains to new account review;
(vii) The Clients portion of SSAE 16 (or any similar report) expenses, to the extent applicable;
(viii) Check and payment processing fees; and
(ix) Costs of rating agency services.
3. Annual Fee Increase :
Commencing on the one-year anniversary of the Effective Date and annually thereafter, the Service Provider may annually increase the fixed fees and other fees expressed as stated dollar amounts in this Agreement by up to an amount equal to the most recent annual percentage increase in consumer prices for services as measured by the United States Consumer Price Index entitled All Services Less Rent of Shelter or a similar index should such index no longer be published. Citi will communicate any fee changes to VCM accordingly.
DATA PROTECTION ADDENDUM
This Data Protection Addendum (the Addendum ) to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated April 1, 2002 between The Victory Portfolios, on behalf of its series portfolios, individually and not jointly (the Client ) and FIS Investor Services LLC, formerly known as SunGard Investor Services LLC (assignee of Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc.) ( FIS ), as amended, (the Agreement ) sets out obligations of the Client and FIS with respect to data protection.
The parties hereto agree as follows:
Definitions
Authorized Recipients means FIS Affiliates and their respective contractors and third-party providers which assist in providing the Services as of the date of this Addendum;
Data means any information or data to be Processed by FIS pursuant to the Agreement including any Personal Data, if applicable;
FIS Affiliate means an entity: (a) that Processes Personal Data for which Client or a Client Affiliate qualifies as a Controller; and (b) which owns or controls, is owned or controlled by or is or under common control or ownership with FIS, where control is defined as the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of an entity, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
GDPR means the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (Regulation (EU) 2016/679);
Services means technology services provided by FIS to the Client pursuant to the Agreement.
Standard Contractual Clauses means the contractual clauses set out in EU Commission Decision C(2010)593 Standard Contractual Clauses (processors) for the purposes of Article 26(2) of Directive 95/46/EC;
The terms, Controller , Data Subject , Personal Data , Processing and Processor , shall have the same meaning as in the GDPR, and their related terms shall be construed accordingly.
Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to them in the Agreement.
Clauses
1. In the course of FIS providing the Services under the Agreement, Client may from time-to-time provide or make available Data to FIS and/or its Affiliates. The parties acknowledge and agree that, in relation to any Personal Data provided or made available to FIS for Processing by Client under the Agreement, Client will be the Controller and FIS will be a Processor for the purposes of the GDPR.
2. The Agreement determines the subject matter and the duration of FIS Processing of Personal Data, as well as the nature and purpose of any collection, use and other Processing of Personal Data and the obligations of the Client.
3. Client shall ensure that it is entitled to transfer the relevant Personal Data to FIS so that FIS may lawfully Process the Personal Data in accordance with the Agreement on Clients behalf, which may include FIS Processing the relevant Personal Data outside the country where Client and the Data Subjects are located in order for FIS to provide the Services and perform its other obligations under the Agreement. In this regard, the parties agree to incorporate the Standard Contractual Clauses into this Addendum, including the information set out in Annex 1 which is to be incorporated into such Standard Contractual Clauses for the purposes of this Addendum. The EEA country where the data exporter is established shall be deemed inserted in Clause 9 and Clause 11 at the appropriate places.
4. FIS shall Process the Personal Data only in accordance with any lawful and reasonable instructions given by Client from time to time as documented in and in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.
5. FIS shall ensure that all persons it authorizes to access the Personal Data have committed themselves to confidentiality or are under an appropriate statutory obligation of confidentiality.
6. FIS may engage the Authorized Recipients as Processors under the Agreement and FIS shall (i) impose upon such Processors the equivalent data protection obligations as set out herein and (ii) be responsible for the acts and omissions of its Authorized Recipients under the Agreement. FIS shall inform Client of any intended changes concerning the addition or replacement of its Authorized Recipients, by making such information available to Client in the GDPR section of its Client Portal. These details will be made available on the Client Portal prior to the GDPR effective date. Unless Client objects to such changes in writing setting out its reasonable concerns in detail within four (4) weeks from such notice, the change shall be deemed accepted by Client. If Client objects, FIS shall consult with Client, consider Clients concerns in good faith and inform Client of any measures taken to address the Client concerns. If Client upholds its objection and/or demands significant accommodation measures and either would result in a material increase in cost to provide the Service, FIS shall be entitled to increase the fees for the Service or, at its option, terminate the relevant Agreement. Where necessary to legalize the use of an Authorized Recipient as Processor, Client hereby authorizes FIS to conclude the Standard Contractual Clauses as per Section 3 above with such Processors on behalf of Client and (if required) Clients Affiliates. Each such conclusion of Standard Contractual Clauses shall be considered a supplement to the respective Agreement and shall be subject to the terms and conditions set out therein.
7. Taking into account the state of the art, the costs of implementation and the nature, scope, context and purposes of Processing as well as the risk of varying likelihood and severity for the rights and freedoms of natural persons, Client and FIS shall implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk.
8. Each party shall take reasonable steps to ensure that any natural person acting under its authority who has access to Personal Data does not Process that Personal Data except on instructions from it.
9. Upon Clients written request, FIS shall (at Clients choice) delete or return all Personal Data Processed on behalf of Client to Client after the end of the provision of services relating to Processing, subject to FIS retaining any copies required by applicable law.
10. FIS shall cooperate with Client as reasonably requested by Client in order to assist Client with its compliance with its legal obligations under Chapter III and pursuant to Articles 32 to 36 of the GDPR, and Client shall reimburse FIS for any time spent by FIS personnel as part of any such cooperation at FIS then standard professional services rate, together with any out of pocket costs reasonably incurred.
11. If FIS becomes aware of any breach of security leading to the accidental, unauthorised or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, or disclosure of, or access to the Personal Data that FIS Processes for the Client, FIS shall without undue delay notify the Client thereof.
12. Where FIS is acting as a Processor under the Agreement, at Clients written request, no more than once per year unless required under applicable law, FIS shall make available to Client all information reasonably necessary to demonstrate FIS compliance with the obligations laid down in this Addendum. To this end, FIS may allow a reputable third-party auditor chosen by FIS to perform audits on Clients behalf and Client hereby authorizes FIS to issue such mandate to the third-party auditor.
13. The name Victory Portfolios including its Board of Trustees, refers to the Trust created, and the Trustees, as trustees but not individually or personally, acting from time to time under the Certificate of Trust, as amended, filed at the office of the Secretary of the State of Delaware.
The obligations of Victory Portfolios entered into in the name or on its 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, agents or representatives of the Trust personally, but bind only the Trust Property (as defined in the Trust Instrument of the Trust, as amended), 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.
***
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Addendum is entered into and becomes a binding part of the Agreement with effect from the date first set out above.
Victory Portfolios, on behalf of its series portfolio, individually and not jointly |
|
FIS Investor Services LLC |
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
||
Signature |
/s/ Christopher Dyer |
|
Signature |
/s/ Dominique Watson |
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
Christopher Dyer |
|
Name |
Dominique Watson |
|
|
|
|
|
Title |
President |
|
Title |
Contract Manager |
|
|
|
|
|
Date Signed |
5/23/18 |
|
Date Signed |
5/30/2018 |
ANNEX 1
Standard Contractual Clauses
The Standard Contractual Clauses ( excluding the optional parts thereof) are hereby incorporated into this Addendum.
Standard Contractual Clauses (processors)
The gaps in the Standard Contractual Clauses are populated with the details set out in this Annex 1.
Name of the data exporting organisation: Victory Portfolios.
Address: 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4 th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114
Tel.: 216-898-2411; fax: ; e-mail: cdyer@vcm.com
Other information needed to identify the organisation
|
|
(the data exporter ) |
|
And
Name of the data importing organisation: FIS Investor Services LLC
Address: 4249 Easton Way, Suite 400, Columbus, OH 43219
Tel.: 614.337.6647; fax: ; e-mail: jason.weeks@fisglobal.com
Other information needed to identify the organisation:
|
|
(the data importer ) |
|
each a party; together the parties,
Appendix 1 to the Standard Contractual Clauses
Data subjects
The personal data transferred concern the following categories of data subjects:
Shareholders and related parties of the Funds
Categories of data
The personal data transferred concern the following categories of data:
Name, contact details and account numbers
Special categories of data (if appropriate)
The personal data transferred concern the following special categories of data:
Not applicable
Processing operations
The personal data transferred will be subject to the following basic processing activities:
As detailed in the Agreement
DATA EXPORTER
[ Populated with details of, and deemed to be signed on behalf of, the data exporter: ]
Name: Victory Portfolios
Authorised Signature |
|
|
DATA IMPORTER
[ Populated with details of, and deemed to be signed on behalf of, the data importer: ]
Name: FIS Investor Services LLC
Authorised Signature |
/s/ Dominique Watson |
|
SCHEDULE A
TO THE EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT DATED August 1, 2013
BETWEEN
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS AND VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC.
OPERATING EXPENSE LIMITS AS OF November 1, 2018
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory Diversified Stock Class R6 |
|
0.78 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory Diversified Stock Class Y |
|
0.86 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Class R6 |
|
0.63 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Class Y |
|
0.71 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Class A |
|
1.36 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Sep-17 |
|
Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Class C |
|
2.10 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Class I |
|
0.95 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Class R |
|
1.65 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Class Y |
|
1.02 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory Special Value Class C |
|
2.20 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory Special Value Class I |
|
1.15 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory Special Value Class Y |
|
1.10 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
Victory Sycamore Established Value Class C |
|
1.84 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Apr-14 |
|
Victory Sycamore Small Company Opportunity Class Y |
|
1.15 |
% |
28-Feb-19 |
|
1-Mar-18 |
|
(Maximum Operating Expense Limit excluding acquired fund fees and expenses and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions)
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class A |
|
0.85 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-118 |
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class C |
|
1.60 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class R6 |
|
0.58 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class Y |
|
0.60 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class R |
|
2.08 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
.60 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
1.00 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
.75 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
1.13 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
.83 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
.88 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
1.50 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R |
|
1.75 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.32 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.57 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class R |
|
1.88 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Class A |
|
1.40 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Class I |
|
1.15 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Class Y |
|
1.25 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund Class A |
|
1.73 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
1.48 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class A |
|
.95 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class C |
|
1.70 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class I |
|
.60 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class R6 |
|
.55 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class Y |
|
.70 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class A |
|
1.35 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class C |
|
2.10 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class I |
|
0.95 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class R6 |
|
1.10 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
1.10 |
% |
31-Oct-19 |
|
1-Nov-18 |
|
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund Class A |
|
1.00 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund Class C |
|
1.80 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund Class R |
|
1.56 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund Class Y |
|
0.78 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Global Natural Resources Fund Class A |
|
1.48 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Global Natural Resources Fund Class C |
|
2.28 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Global Natural Resources Fund Class R |
|
1.86 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Global Natural Resources Fund Class Y |
|
1.15 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund Class A |
|
0.80 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund Class C |
|
1.57 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund Class Y |
|
0.57 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory High Yield Fund Class A |
|
1.00 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory High Yield Fund Class C |
|
1.70 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory High Yield Fund Class R |
|
1.35 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory High Yield Fund Class Y |
|
0.76 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Quality Bond Fund Class A |
|
0.90 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Quality Bond Fund Class C |
|
1.77 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Quality Bond Fund Class R |
|
1.30 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Quality Bond Fund Class Y |
|
0.66 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Low Duration Bond Fund Class A |
|
0.85 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Low Duration Bond Fund Class C |
|
1.62 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Low Duration Bond Fund Class R |
|
1.27 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory INCORE Low Duration Bond Fund Class Y |
|
0.62 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class A |
|
1.34 |
% |
31-Jul-19 |
|
1-Sept-17 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class C |
|
2.14 |
% |
31-Jul-19 |
|
1-Sept-17 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class R |
|
1.58 |
% |
31-Jul-19 |
|
1-Sept-17 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class Y |
|
0.99 |
% |
31-Jul-19 |
|
1-Sept-17 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class R6 |
|
0.89 |
% |
31-Jul-19 |
|
1-Sept-17 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund Class A |
|
1.75 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund Class C |
|
2.50 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund Class Y |
|
1.50 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Global Fund Class A |
|
.85 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory RS Global Fund Class C |
|
1.60 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory RS Global Fund Class R |
|
1.10 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory RS Global Fund Class Y |
|
.60 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Jun-18 |
|
Victory RS Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.10 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Growth Fund Class C |
|
1.93 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.71 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Growth Fund Class Y |
|
0.83 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS International Fund Class A |
|
1.13 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS International Fund Class C |
|
1.88 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS International Fund Class R |
|
1.38 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
-1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS International Fund Class Y |
|
.88 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Investors Fund Class A |
|
1.33 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Investors Fund Class C |
|
2.07 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Investors Fund Class R |
|
1.95 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Investors Fund Class Y |
|
1.05 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Large Cap Alpha Fund Class A |
|
0.89 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Large Cap Alpha Fund Class C |
|
1.69 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Large Cap Alpha Fund Class R |
|
1.26 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Large Cap Alpha Fund Class Y |
|
0.68 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.20 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class C |
|
2.11 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.80 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class Y |
|
0.95 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
0.94 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund Class A |
|
1.45 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund Class R |
|
1.81 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund Class Y |
|
1.12 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Science and Technology Fund Class A |
|
1.49 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Science and Technology Fund Class C |
|
2.28 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Science and Technology Fund Class R |
|
1.93 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Science and Technology Fund Class Y |
|
1.24 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.40 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class C |
|
2.18 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.91 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class Y |
|
1.14 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
1.06 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund Class A |
|
1.35 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund Class C |
|
2.10 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund Class R |
|
1.75 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund Class Y |
|
1.10 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.40 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class C |
|
2.16 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.86 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class Y |
|
1.13 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
1.06 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-May-18 |
|
Victory RS Value Fund Class A |
|
1.30 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Value Fund Class C |
|
2.07 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Value Fund Class R |
|
1.69 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory RS Value Fund Class Y |
|
1.06 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Strategic Income Fund Class A |
|
0.95 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Strategic Income Fund Class C |
|
1.74 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Strategic Income Fund Class R |
|
1.34 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Strategic Income Fund Class Y |
|
0.74 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Tax-Exempt Fund Class A |
|
0.80 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Tax-Exempt Fund Class C |
|
1.60 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
Victory Tax-Exempt Fund Class Y |
|
0.69 |
% |
30-Apr-19 |
|
1-Aug-18 |
|
599 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10022-6069
+1.212.848.4000
VIA EDGAR
October 24, 2018
Victory Portfolios
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, OH 44144
Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 File Nos.: 811-04852; 033-08982
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We hereby consent to the reference to our firm as counsel in Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Victory Portfolios (File No. 033-08982).
Very truly yours,
/s/ Shearman & Sterling LLP
Shearman & Sterling LLP
SHEARMAN.COM
Shearman & Sterling LLP is a limited liability partnership organized in the United States under the laws of the state of Delaware, which laws limit the personal liability of partners.
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the references to our firm under the captions Financial Highlights in the Prospectuses and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Financial Statements in the Statement of Additional Information and to the incorporation by reference of our report dated August 24, 2018 on the financial statements and financial highlights of the Victory Integrity Discovery Fund, Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund, Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund, Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund, Victory S&P 500 Index Fund, Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund, Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund, Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund, Victory Trivalent International Fund-Core Equity, Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund, and Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund of the Victory Portfolios included in the Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 in Post-Effective Amendment Number 162 to the Registration Statement (Form N-1A, No. 33-8982) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
|
/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP |
Cincinnati, Ohio
October 24, 2018
Victory Capital Management Inc. Code of Ethics
Victory Capital Management Inc.
Code of Ethics
Effective July 1, 2018
Previously updated: July 30, 2016
E. |
Quarterly and Annual Certifications of Compliance |
17 |
|
|
|
F. |
Review Procedures |
17 |
|
|
|
G. |
Recordkeeping |
17 |
|
|
|
H. |
Whistleblower Provisions |
17 |
|
|
|
I. |
Confidentiality |
18 |
|
|
|
J. |
Reporting to the Board of Directors of Affiliated Funds |
18 |
|
|
|
8. |
Code of Ethics Violation Guidelines |
18 |
|
|
|
Appendix 1 Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Funds & Reportable Funds |
i |
|
|
|
|
Appendix 2 Approved Brokers List |
ii |
|
|
|
|
Appendix 3 Investment Account Disclosure |
iii |
|
|
|
|
Appendix 4 Reportable Securities |
iv |
|
|
|
|
Appendix 5 ETFs Eligible for De Minimis Transaction Exemption |
vii |
|
|
|
|
Supplement 1 - RS Investments (Hong Kong) Limited Code of Ethics Supplement (Hong Kong Supplement) |
viii |
|
|
|
|
Supplement 2 - RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (RSIMS) Code of Ethics Supplement (Singapore Supplement) |
xi |
1. INTRODUCTION
Rule 204A-1 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (Advisers Act) requires all investment advisers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to adopt codes of ethics that set forth standards of conduct and require compliance with federal securities laws. Victory Capital Management Inc. (Victory Capital), a registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act, and its subsidiaries, RS Investments (UK) Limited, RS Investments (Hong Kong) Limited, and RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (collectively, Victory Capital), have adopted this Code of Ethics (Code), which sets forth the standards of business conduct that are required of Victory Capital employees . As an adviser to regulated investment companies, Victory Capital also adopts this Code in adherence to Rule 17j-1(1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Officers and employees of RS Investments (Hong Kong) Limited and RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. should also review the related Code supplements.
Victory Capital is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (VCH). VCH is a Delaware corporation with its Class A common stock listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, under the ticker symbol VCTR. As a public company, new compliance policies were adopted by VCH. The VCH policies are in addition to the compliance program of Victory Capital. In particular, the VCH policies that apply to all Victory Capital employees include: (1) Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, (2) Corporate Communications Policy and (3) Insider Trading Policy. These policies are available through the company intranet site Under the wing.
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (VCA), a Victory Capital affiliate, is a registered broker-dealer and principal underwriter of Victory Capitals Affiliated Funds (defined herein) and has adopted this Code in compliance with Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act).
Victory Capital employees have a responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical principles. Thus, the Code imposes obligations in addition to those required under applicable laws and regulations. The Code is a minimum standard of conduct for employees. If an employee is uncertain as to the intent or purpose of any provision of the Code, he or she should consult Victory Capitals Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) or a member of the Compliance team.
Victory Capital recognizes the importance to its employees of being able to manage and develop their own and their dependents financial resources through long-term investments and strategies. However, because of the potential conflicts of interest inherent in our business and our industry, Victory Capital has implemented certain standards and limitations designed to minimize these conflicts.
Victory Capitals reputation is of paramount importance; therefore, Victory Capital will not tolerate blemishes as a result of careless personal trading or other conduct prohibited by the Code. Consequently, Material Violations (as defined herein) of the Code may be subject to harsh sanctions. Frequent violations of the Code may result in limitations on personal securities trading or other disciplinary actions, which can include termination of employment.
(1) Rule 17j-1 requires that fund advisers adopt written codes of ethics and have procedures in place to prevent their personnel from abusing their access to information about the funds securities trading, and requires access persons to submit reports periodically containing information about their personal securities holdings and transactions.
Copyright © 2018, Victory Capital Management Inc.
2. DEFINITIONS
Access Person means any employee of Victory Capital or anyone deemed an Access Person by the CCO. As a matter of practice, the Board of Directors of the Victory Portfolios, Victory Portfolios II, Victory Institutional Funds and Victory Variable Insurance Funds (collectively the Victory Funds) generally consists of members who are not employees or officers of Victory Capital, or their affiliates. A director designated as a non-access director is not treated as an access person of Victory Capital, within the meaning of Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the Advisers Act) and is not treated as either an access person or an advisory person of Victory Capital.
Affiliated Funds means any individual series portfolio of Victory Portfolios, Victory Portfolios II, Victory Variable Insurance Funds and Victory Institutional Funds, as well as other sub-advised affiliates listed in Appendix 1, each an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act.
Automatic or Periodic Investment Plan is a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An Automatic Investment Plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.
Beneficial Interest means the opportunity, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, to profit, or share in any profit derived from, a transaction in the subject Securities. An Access Person is deemed to have a Beneficial Interest in securities owned by members of his or her Immediate Family. Common examples of Beneficial Interest include joint accounts, spousal accounts (including Non-Victory Capital Employee Compensation Programs, Non- Victory Capital Employee Stock Participation Program, and Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan Accounts), Uniform Transfers to Minors Act accounts, partnerships, trusts and controlling interests in corporations. Any uncertainty as to whether an Access Person has a Beneficial Interest in a Security should be brought to the attention of the Compliance Department. Such questions will be resolved in accordance with, and this definition shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with, the definition of beneficial owner set forth in Rules 16a-1(a)(2) and (5) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Blackout Period means seven (7) calendar days before and three (3) calendar days after the date a client trade is executed.
Business Entertainment includes any social event, hospitality event, charitable event, sporting event, entertainment event, meal, leisure activity or event of like nature or purpose, and any transportation or lodging accompanying or related to such activity or event, including any entertainment activity offered in connection with an educational event or business conference, irrespective of whether any business is conducted during, or is attendant to, such activity.
Covered Government Official means a 1) state or local governmental official; 2) candidate for state or local office; or 3) federal candidate currently holding state or local office. A governmental official includes an incumbent, candidate, or successful candidate for elective office of a state or local government entity, if the office is directly or indirectly responsible for, or can influence the outcome of, the hiring of an investment adviser, or has authority to appoint any person who is directly or indirectly responsible for, or can influence the outcome of, the hiring of an investment adviser, by a state or a political subdivision of a state.
De Minimis Trade means a stock trade under $100,000 in a security of an issuer that is a member of the S&P 500 Index, or a security with an equivalent market capitalization and liquidity to a S&P 500 security, as determined by the CCO, or an exempt ETF (see Appendix 5 ETFs Eligible for De Minimis Transaction Exemption for more information). De Minimis Trades are subject to Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions in Section VII(C) except the Blackout Period.
Exempt Securities means 1) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; 2) bankers acceptances, bank certificates of deposit and commercial paper; 3) investment grade, short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; 4) shares held in money market funds; 5) variable insurance products that invest in funds for which Victory Capital does not act as adviser or sub-adviser; 6) open-end mutual funds for
which Victory Capital does not act as adviser or sub-adviser; and 7) investments in qualified tuition programs (529 Plans). Exempt Securities do not need to be pre-cleared.
Immediate Family means all family members who share the same household, including but not limited to, a spouse, domestic partner, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, step-siblings, step-children, step-parents, or in-laws. Immediate Family includes adoptive relationships and any other relationships (whether or not recognized by law) that the CCO determines could lead to conflicts of interest, diversions of corporate opportunity or create the appearance of impropriety.
Index Access Person means any employee who is a member of the Solutions Platform team, members of Victory Capitals trading team involved with trading on behalf of the Solutions Platform, employees who have access to trade rebalance information for index-based products or any other person designated as such by the CCO. Index Access Persons are restricted from trading equities during the rebalancing months. Index Access Persons may still trade securities, such as open-ended mutual funds and ETFs for which Victory Capital does not act as adviser or sub-adviser or other types of securities permitted by the CCO during this month.
Initial Holdings Report is a report that discloses all securities holdings of every Access Person, which must be submitted to the Compliance Department within ten (10) calendar days of becoming an Access Person.
Initial Public Offering or IPO means an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the issuer of which, immediately before such registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act.
Managed Accounts means investment advisory or brokerage accounts over which an Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control in the investment decisions or activities.
Material Non-Public Information or MNPI means information that is both material and non-public that might have an effect on the market for a security. Access Persons who possess MNPI must not act or cause others to act on such information.
Material Violation means any violation of this Code or other misconduct deemed material by the CCO, in conjunction with the Compliance Committee or the Victory Capital Board of Directors.
Maximum Allowable Trades means Access Persons are limited to 20 trades per calendar quarter across their Personal Accounts(2). A trade in the same security in multiple accounts on the same day will count as one trade towards the Maximum Allowable Trades in a quarter.
MCO means MyComplianceOffice, which is a web-based compliance system used to track and approve employee personal trading, gifts and entertainment, political contributions, and outside business activities, store policies, and facilitate employee certifications and manage other compliance objectives.
Personal Account means an investment account in which an employee retains investment discretion.
Personal Trading or Personal Trades means trades or transactions by Access Persons in their Personal Accounts.
Proprietary Fund is a fund or product in which Victory Capital or its employees have an aggregate of 25% or more Beneficial Interest. See Appendix 1 Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Funds & Reportable Funds for more information.
Portfolio Management Team means all members of a portfolio management team including all research analysts, research associates, product specialists, and market traders.
(2) Certain exceptions apply subject to CCO approval.
Reportable Fund means any investment company registered under the Investment Company Act for which Victory Capital is an investment adviser or a sub-adviser, or any registered investment company whose investment adviser or principal underwriter controls Victory Capital, is controlled by Victory Capital, or is under common control with Victory Capital. See Appendix 1 Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Funds & Reportable Funds for more information.
Reportable Security means any security that is not an Exempt Security.
RIC means a Regulated Investment Company.
Short-Sell or Short-Selling means the sale of a security that is not owned by the seller. Access Persons may not take a short position in a security. However, mutual funds or ETFs that correspond to the inverse performance of a broad-based index are not considered to be Short-Sales. For example, buying (long) the ProShares Short S&P500 ETF is permitted. Employees may also trade in funds that track a volatility index. Personal investments in highly concentrated funds made by Portfolio Management Team members may be prohibited if they contradict the clients recommendations. See Contra-Trading Rule under Section VII(C): Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions for more information.
Short-Term Holding Period means Access Persons may not purchase and sell or sell and purchase any Reportable Securities in a Personal Account within sixty (60) calendar days. Each purchase or sale of the same security has its own 60-day holding period.
Significant Transaction means the purchase or sale of an Affiliated Fund by an Access Person that exceeds the lesser of $1 million or 1% of the Funds outstanding shares, across all share classes. See Appendix 1 Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Funds & Reportable Funds for more information.
Victory Capital Stock means securities offered by Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (VCH) through a registration statement that has been declared effective by the SEC.
3. CULTURE OF COMPLIANCE
Victory Capitals primary objective is to provide value through investment advisory, sub-advisory and other financial services to a wide range of clients, including governments, corporations, financial institutions, high net worth individuals and pension funds.
Victory Capital requires that all dealings on behalf of existing and prospective clients be handled with honesty, integrity and high ethical standards, and that such dealings adhere to the letter and the spirit of applicable laws, regulations and contractual guidelines. As a general matter, Victory Capital is a fiduciary that owes its clients a duty of undivided loyalty, and each employee has a responsibility to act in a manner consistent with this duty. All employees must actively work to avoid the possibility that the advice or services provided to clients is, or gives the appearance of being, based on the self-interests of Victory Capital or its employees and not in the clients best interests. Violations of the Code must be reported promptly to the CCO.
Employees must act solely in the best interests their clients. Statutory and regulatory requirements impose specific responsibilities governing the behavior of personnel in carrying out their responsibilities to clients. Victory Capital and its employees must comply fully with these rules and regulations. The Legal, Compliance and Risk Department (LCR Department) personnel are available to assist employees in meeting these requirements.
Since no set of rules can anticipate every possible situation, it is essential that Victory Capital employees and representatives obtain guidance from the CCO or Chief Legal Officer (CLO) when unsure how to follow these rules in letter and in spirit. It is the responsibility of all employees and representatives to fully understand and comply with the Code and the policies of Victory Capital or seek guidance from the CCO. Technical compliance with the Code and its procedures will not necessarily validate an employees actions
as appropriate. Any activity that compromises Victory Capitals integrity, even if it does not expressly violate a rule, may result in further action from the CCO. In some instances, the CCO holds discretionary authority to apply exceptions under the Code. In the CCOs absence, the CLO may act in his or her place.
Victory Capitals fiduciary responsibilities apply to a broad range of investment and related activities, including sales and marketing, portfolio management, securities trading, allocation of investment opportunities, client service, operations support, performance measurement and reporting, new product development as well as personal investing activities. These obligations include the duty to avoid material conflicts of interest (and, if this is not possible, to provide full and fair disclosure to clients in communications), to keep accurate books and records, and to supervise personnel appropriately. These concepts are further described in the sections that follow.
4. POLICY STATEMENT ON INSIDER TRADING
A. Introduction
Victory Capital seeks to foster a culture of compliance and a reputation for integrity and professionalism. Victory Capital values and endeavors to protect the confidence and trust placed in us by our clients. To further that goal, this Policy Statement implements procedures to deter the misuse of MNPI in securities transactions.
The term insider trading is not defined in the federal securities law, but refers generally to the situation when a person trades while aware of MNPI or communicates MNPI to others in breach of a duty of trust or confidence.
While the law concerning insider trading is not static, it is generally understood that the law prohibits any of the following:
· Trading by an insider, while aware of MNPI;
· Trading by a non-insider, while aware of MNPI, where the information was disclosed to the non-insider in violation of an insiders duty to keep it confidential; or
· Communicating MNPI to others in breach of a duty of trust or confidence.
Trading securities while in possession of MNPI or improperly communicating that information to others may result in stringent penalties. Criminal sanctions may include fines of up to $5,000,000, twenty years imprisonment, or both. The civil penalty for a violator may be an amount up to three times the profit (or loss avoided) as a result of the insider trading violation, and a permanent bar from working in the securities industry. Investors may sue and seek to recover damages for insider trading violations.
Regardless of whether a regulatory inquiry occurs, Victory Capital views seriously any violation of this Policy Statement. Such violations constitute grounds for disciplinary sanctions, up to and including dismissal.
B. Scope of the Policy Statement
This Policy Statement is drafted broadly and will be applied and interpreted in a similar manner. It applies to all Access Persons and to transactions in any security participated in by Immediate Family members of Access Persons or trusts or corporations controlled by Access Persons.
Any questions relating to this Policy Statement should be directed to the CCO or his or her designee. You must notify the LCR Department immediately if you have any reason to believe that a violation of this Policy Statement has occurred or is about to occur.
C. What is Material Information?
Trading on inside information is not a basis for liability unless the information relied upon is deemed to be material. Material information is defined generally as information for which there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making his or her investment decisions, or information that is reasonably certain to have a substantial effect on the price of a companys securities. If the disclosure of that information would be expected to alter the total mix of information that is publicly available about that company, then the information is considered material. Any questions about whether information is material should be directed to a member of the LCR Department.
Material information often relates to a companys financial results and operations, including, for example, dividend changes, earning results, changes in previously released earnings estimates, significant merger or acquisition proposals or agreements, major litigation, liquidation problems, and extraordinary management developments. Information about a company could be material because of its expected effect on a particular class of the companys securities, all of the companys securities, the securities of another company, or the securities of several companies. Material information does not have to relate to a companys business. For example, in Carpenter v. U.S. , the Supreme Court considered as material certain information about the contents of a forthcoming newspaper column that was expected to affect the market price of a security. In that case, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal was found criminally liable for disclosing to others the dates that reports on various companies would appear in the Journal and whether those reports would be favorable or not.
D. What is Non-Public Information?
In order for issues concerning insider trading to arise, information must not only be material, it must also be non-public. Non-public information is information that has not been made available to investors generally. Information received in circumstances indicating that it is not yet in general circulation or where the recipient knows or should know that the information could only have been provided by an insider is also deemed non-public information. For non-public information to become public information, it must be disseminated through recognized channels of distribution designed to broadly reach the securities marketplace.
Facts verifying that the information is public (and therefore has become generally available) may include, for example, and without limitation, disclosure in:
· National business and financial wire service, such as Dow Jones or Reuters;
· National news service or newspaper, such as AP or The Wall Street Journal; or
· Publicly disseminated disclosure document, such as a proxy statement or prospectus.
The circulation of rumors or talk on the street, even if accurate, widespread and reported in the media, does not constitute the requisite public disclosure. In addition, the information must not only be publicly disclosed, there must also be adequate time for the market as a whole to digest the information. Material non-public information is not made public by selective dissemination. Material information improperly disclosed only to institutional investors or to a fund analyst or a favored group of analysts retains its status as non-public information that must not be disclosed or otherwise misused.
Partial disclosure does not constitute public dissemination. So long as any material component of the inside information has yet to be publicly disclosed, the information is deemed non-public and may not be misused.
E. Identifying Inside Information
Before executing any Personal Trades or trades for client accounts, employees must determine whether they have access to MNPI. If an employee believes that he or she might have access to MNPI, the following steps should be taken:
· Report the information and proposed trade immediately to the CCO or a member of the LCR Department;
· Do not purchase or sell the securities as Personal Trades or for clients without written clearance to do so from the CCO or a member of the LCR Department; and
· Do not communicate the information inside or outside of Victory Capital, other than to the LCR Department and, if necessary, your direct manager.
A member of the Compliance Department will determine whether the information is material and non-public.
F. Contact with Public Companies
Victory Capitals contacts with public companies represent an important part of its research efforts. Victory Capital may make investment decisions on the basis of the firms conclusions formed through such contacts and analysis of publicly available information. Legal issues may arise if, in the course of these contacts, an employee becomes aware of MNPI. This could happen, for example, if a companys chief financial officer were to prematurely disclose quarterly results to an analyst, or an investor relations representative selectively discloses adverse news to a handful of investors.
G. Tender Offers
Tender offers represent a particular concern in the law of insider trading for two reasons. First, tender offer activity often produces extraordinary gyrations in the price of the target companys securities. Trading during this time period is more likely to attract regulatory attention (and produces a disproportionate percentage of insider trading cases). Second, the SEC forbids trading and tipping while in possession of MNPI regarding the receipt of a tender offer, the tender offeror, the target company or anyone acting on behalf of either of these parties. Employees should exercise particular caution any time they become aware of non-public information relating to a tender offer.
H. Protecting Sensitive Information
Employees are responsible for safeguarding all confidential information relating to investment research, fund and client holdings, including analyst research reports, investment meeting discussions or notes, and current fund or client transaction information, regardless whether such information is deemed MNPI. Other types of information (for example, marketing plans, employment issues and shareholder identities) may also be confidential and should not be shared with individuals outside the company unless approved by the CCO or a Victory Capital executive officer.
All Access Persons are expressly prohibited from knowingly spreading any false rumor concerning any company, or any purported market development, that is designed to impact trading in or the price of that companys or any other companys securities, and from engaging in any other type of activity that constitutes illegal market manipulation.
I. Trading in Securities Listed on Exchanges in Other Countries
Trading in securities listed on exchanges in other countries is governed by the laws of that country. Access Persons who are trading in such securities must ensure compliance with applicable law, which in all relevant cases prohibits trading on the basis of MNPI or price-sensitive information, as those terms are defined in the relevant jurisdiction.
J. Public Company Confidential Records
VCHs and Victory Capitals records must always be treated as confidential and must not be disclosed or used for any purpose at any time other than for the normal course of business. Information learned about other entities in a special relationship with VCH, such as acquisition, joint venture and partnership negotiations, is confidential and must not be disclosed without proper authorization.
At all times, Access Persons are prohibited from making any recommendation or expressing any opinion as to trading in Victory Capital Stock
See VCHs Corporate Communications Policy and Insider Trading Policy for more information.
5. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
A conflict of interest exists when a persons private interests may be contrary to the interests of clients or shareholders of Victory Capital. A conflict may arise if a Victory Capital employee takes actions or has business, financial or other interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work objectively and effectively.
Conflicts of interest may arise, for example, if a Victory Capital employee or his or her Immediate Family member receives improper personal benefits (for example, personal loans, services, or payment for services) as a result of his or her position at Victory Capital, or gains personal enrichment or benefits through access to confidential information. Conflicts may also arise if a Victory Capital employee or an Immediate Family member holds a financial interest in a company that does business with Victory Capital or has outside business interests that may result in divided loyalties or compromised independent judgment. Conflicts may also arise when making securities investments for Proprietary Funds or Personal Accounts or when determining how to allocate trading opportunities.
Conflicts of interest can arise in many common situations, despite best efforts to avoid them. This Code does not attempt to identify all possible conflicts of interest. Literal compliance with each of the specific procedures will not shield Access Persons from liability for Personal Trading or other conduct that violates fiduciary duties to Victory Capital clients. Victory Capital employees are encouraged to seek clarification of, and discuss questions about, potential conflicts of interest. Any questions regarding a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest should be directed to a manager, the CCO or a representative of the LCR Department.
The following areas represent many common types of conflicts of interests and the procedures to be followed; however, the list is not intended to be all-inclusive. A summary is provided for each case, but further details can be found in the related Policies and Procedures. For questions relating potential conflicts, please contact a member of the LCR Department.
A. Gifts and Entertainment
Gifts
Giving or receiving gifts or other items of value to or from persons doing business or seeking to do business with Victory Capital could call into question the independence of its judgment as a fiduciary of its clients. Accordingly, it is the policy of Victory Capital to permit such conduct only in accordance with the limitations stated herein.
Victory Capital s policies on gifts and entertainment are derived from industry practices. Employees should be aware that there are various laws and regulations that prohibit firms and their employees from giving anything of value to employees of various financial institutions in connection with attempts to obtain any business transaction with the institution, which is viewed as a form of bribery.
If there is any question about the appropriateness of any particular gift, an employee should consult a member of the LCR Department.
Under no circumstances may a gift to Victory Capital or any employee be received as any form of compensation for services provided by Victory Capital or an employee. Gifts of nominal value may be given to or accepted from present or prospective customers, brokers, service providers, suppliers or vendors with whom Victory Capital has a business or potential business relationship. Victory Capital employees are required to promptly report all gifts given in excess of $50 in Victory Capitals expense reporting system (Concur). Any gifts received in excess of $50 must promptly be disclosed in MCO. Gifts from an individual or entity may not exceed $100 in aggregate value in any calendar year unless approval is obtained from the employees direct manager and the LCR Department.
Gifts of up to $100 per person per year may be provided to present or prospective customers, brokers, service providers, suppliers or vendors with whom Victory Capital has a business or potential business relationship.
Additional policies concerning gifts may be applicable depending on the type of customer (e.g., ERISA, foreign, union, government officials, or Covered Government Officials).
Please refer to Victory Capital s Gifts and Entertainment Policy for more information.
Entertainment
Employees may sponsor and participate in Reasonable and Customary Business Entertainment. Any Business Entertainment that is not Reasonable and Customary must be approved by the CCO and the employees manager. You must accompany the persons being entertained for an entertainment activity to qualify as permissible Business Entertainment. All Business Entertainment expenses must be reported promptly in Concur, listing each attendee at the entertainment event. The receipt of Business Entertainment in excess of $50 per occurrence per employee must be disclosed promptly after each occurrence in MCO. If the client, broker, service provider, vendor or supplier is not present, the entertainment is considered a gift.
Additional policies concerning gifts and entertainment may be applicable depending on the type of customer (e.g., ERISA, foreign, union, government officials, or Covered Government Officials).
Please refer to Victory Capitals Gifts and Entertainment Policy for more information.
B. Political Contributions
SEC regulations limit political contributions to Covered Government Officials by employees of investment advisory firms and certain affiliated companies. The SECs Pay-to-Play Rule 206(4)-5 (the Rule) prohibits advisers from receiving any compensation for providing investment advice to a government entity within two years after a contribution has been made by the adviser or one of its covered associates. The two-year time out is triggered by a political contribution to an official of a government entity. The date of the contribution starts the time out.
The Rule permits contributions of up to $350 per person for any election to an elected official or candidate for whom the individual is entitled to vote, and up to $150 per person for any election to an elected official or candidate for whom the individual is not entitled to vote. Many U.S. cities, states and other government entities have also adopted regulations restricting political contributions by associates of investment management firms seeking to provide services to a governmental entity. While contributions to candidates in federal elections would generally not raise any issues under state or local laws, contributions to state and local officials may not be approved depending on the circumstances. Prior to the commencement of employment, new employees must disclose all political contributions in the past 2 years to Human Resources. During employment, Victory Capital
employees must receive approval from the LCR Department through MCO before making personal political contributions at all levels. Political contributions which require pre-approval include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Covered Government Officials;
· Federal candidate campaigns and affiliated committees;
· Political Action Committees (PACs) and Super PACs; and
· Non-profit organizations that may engage in political activities, such as 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) organizations.
Note: U.S. national political party donations (e.g. Democratic or Republican) do not require pre-clearance.
Contributions include:
· Monetary contributions, gifts or loans;
· In kind contributions (e.g. donations of goods or services or underwriting or hosting fundraisers);
· Contributions to help pay a debt incurred in connection with an election (including transition or inaugural expenses, purchasing tickets to inaugural events);
· Contributions to joint fund-raising committees; or
· Contributions made by a PAC that is controlled by an Access Person.
See Victory Capital s Political Contributions Policy for more information.
C. Outside Business Activities
Prior to commencement of employment with Victory Capital, all Outside Business Activities (OBAs) must be disclosed to Human Resources. During employment and prior to commencement of any new OBA, employees must fill out and submit an OBA request form in MCO. Employees are responsible for notifying the Compliance Department of any material OBA changes and must review, update and certify quarterly to their OBA activities.
Holding Political Office/Appointments
Victory Capital employees must avoid any political appointment that may conflict with the performance of his or her duties for Victory Capital. Prior written approval must be obtained from the CCO before holding political office and, if approved, must be confirmed annually through the compliance certification process. Employees must expressly remove themselves from discussions and decisions regarding Victory Capital, its products or services when Victory Capital may be a competitor for business related to their appointment.
Outside Employment or Business Activities
Employees may pursue other interests on their own time as long as the activity doesnt reflect negatively on Victory Capital and does not interfere or conflict in any way with Victory Capital or its clients. However, full-time employees of Victory Capital should consider their position to be their primary employment.
All outside business activities must be reported to and pre-approved by both the employees direct manager and the CCO. Outside employment or business activities may be considered any activity conducted by a Victory Capital employee for another organization or business purpose that is outside the scope of the employees job function for Victory Capital. This includes, but is not limited to, being an employee, independent contractor, sole proprietor, officer, director or partner of another organization, or being compensated by, or having the reasonable expectation of compensation from,
any other person or organization as a result of any business activity outside the scope of the relationship with Victory Capital.
Passive investments may be exempted from the reporting and pre-approval requirement. Although passive investments are exempted from the reporting requirements under the Outside Employment or Business Activities section of this Code, they may be subject to the reporting and pre-clearance requirements that fall under the Limited Offerings and Private Placements section of this Code. Any questions regarding non-compensated outside employment or business activities and passive investments should be directed to the CCO.
Absent prior approval of the CCO or the Chief Executive Officer, no employee of Victory Capital may serve on the board of directors of any publicly traded company or investment company. An employees or Immediate Family members service on a for-profit private companys board of directors must also be pre-approved by the employees direct manager and the CCO or CLO, and reported on the employees annual Code certification.
All outside employment or business activities must be reported to and pre-approved by both the employees direct manager and the CCO and reported on the employees quarterly certification. Employees are prohibited from the commencement of any outside employment or business activities until the CCOs final approval within MCO has occurred.
In addition to these outside employment or business activity procedures, all employees who are registered representatives of VCA must also adhere to related requirements as set forth in VCAs Written Supervisory Procedures Manual.
Bequests
A bequest is the act of leaving or giving something of value in a will. The acceptance of a bequest from a client, vendor or business partner may raise questions about the propriety of that relationship. Any potential or actual bequest in excess of $100 made to an employee by a client, vendor, or business partner under a will or trust agreement must be reported to the LCR Department. Such bequests shall be subject to the approval of the employees manager and CCO.
D. Other Prohibitions on Conduct
In addition to the specific prohibitions detailed elsewhere in the Code, Victory Capital employees are subject to a general requirement not to engage or participate in any act or practice that would defraud Victory Capital clients. This general prohibition includes, among other things:
· Making any untrue statement of a material fact or employing any device, scheme or artifice to defraud a client;
· Omitting to state a material fact, or failing to provide any information necessary to properly clarify any statements made, in light of the circumstances, thereby creating a materially misleading impression;
· Misuse of client confidential information;
· Making investment decisions, changing internal research ratings and trading decisions other than exclusively for the benefit and in the best interest of our clients;
· Using information about investment or trading decisions or changes in research ratings (whether considered, proposed or made) to benefit or avoid economic injury to an Access Person or anyone other than our clients.
· Taking, delaying or failing to take any action with respect to any research recommendation, report or rating or any investment or trading decision for a client in order to avoid economic injury to an Access Person or anyone other than a client;
· Purchasing or selling a security on the basis of knowledge of a possible trade by or for a client with the intent of personally profiting from personal holdings in the same or related securities (front-running or scalping);
· Revealing to any other person (except in the normal course of an employees duties on behalf of a client) any information regarding securities transactions by any client or the consideration by any client of any such securities transactions; or
· Engaging in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on a client or engaging in any manipulative practice with respect to any client.
E. Review of Employee Communications
All correspondence related to Victory Capitals business and any client correspondence is subject to review by the LCR Department. Victory Capital is required to maintain original records of employee correspondence that is communicated on approved devices (such as through email). In addition, Victory Capital is required to monitor employee communications and compliance with Victory Capitals conflicts of interest and insider trading policies and procedures. Consequently, Victory Capital reviews or archives all employee communications, including emails and other forms of electronic communication for compliance purposes. Employees are advised that they should have no expectation of privacy regarding personal communications that are sent or received on company-provided or connected electronic devices or communication platforms, such as instant messages or emails.
Employees are prohibited from sending communications regarding Victory Capital business via any personal, non-Victory Capital email account, instant messaging, text or other method that is not captured in our archiving system. Employees may only use Victory Capitals e-mail system, instant messaging system, Bloomberg and other explicitly approved methods for business-related communications. Employees are permitted to communicate on Victory Capitals e-mail system connected through personal mobile devices such as smartphones. See Victory Capitals Corporate Information Protection and Technology Use Policy for more information .
6. STANDARDS OF BUSINESS CONDUCT
· Every employee has a duty to place the interests of Victory Capital client accounts first and not take advantage of his or her positions at the expense of Victory Capital or its clients.
· Victory Capital employees must not mislead or defraud any Victory Capital clients by any statement, act or manipulative practice.
· All personal securities transactions must be conducted in a manner to avoid any actual, potential or the appearance of a conflict of interest, or any abuse of an employees position of trust and responsibility with Victory Capital.
· Victory Capital employees may not induce or cause a client to take action, or not to take action, for personal benefit.
· Victory Capital employees may not share portfolio holdings information except as permitted under Victory Capitals Disclosures of Portfolio Securities Policy .
· Every Access Person must notify the CCO or CLO, as soon as reasonably practical, if he or she is arrested, arraigned, indicted or pleads no contest or guilty to any criminal offense (other than minor traffic violations) or if named as a defendant in any investment-related civil proceeding or any administrative or disciplinary action.
7. PERSONAL TRADING, CODE OF ETHICS REPORTING AND CERTIFICATIONS
Personal Trading is a privilege granted by Victory Capital that may be withdrawn at any time. The CCO has complete discretion over all Personal Trading activity and has no obligation to explain any denial or
restriction relating thereto. Employees who violate Personal Trading restrictions may be required to disgorge any gains generated (or losses avoided) by Personal Trading. Access Persons must maintain adequate records of all Personal Trading transactions and be prepared to disclose those transactions to the LCR Department.
A. Employee Investment Accounts
Employee Managed Accounts and Personal Accounts are supported by MCO through direct electronic feeds from select approved brokers (Approved Brokers). Any accounts held with a broker that is not an Approved Broker must be transferred to an Approved Broker within 90 days of the commencement of employment with Victory Capital. See Appendix 2 Approved Brokers List for more information.
On a case-by-case basis, the LCR Department may approve certain accounts held with brokers that are not on the Approved Brokers List. The LCR Department must still receive duplicate statements and confirmations directly from the broker for each of these types of accounts.
Managed Accounts
Access Persons may open and maintain Managed Accounts with brokers on the Approved Brokers List. See Appendix 2 Approved Brokers List for more information. With the exception of IPOs and Limited Offerings, the requirements listed below under Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions do not apply to Managed Accounts. Participation in an IPO or a private placement in a Managed Account still requires prior approval of the CCO or his or her designee.
Managed Accounts require the following:
· They must be submitted through MCO and approved by the LCR Department prior to trading;
· The employee must certify and the broker must verify that the account is truly discretionary;
· The broker must provide to the Compliance Department duplicate confirmations or an electronic data feed of each transaction in the account;
· Access Persons may not exercise any direct or indirect influence or control over the transactions; and
· Access Persons must certify annually that they had no direct or indirect influence or control over any transactions that occurred in their Managed Accounts.
Failure to adhere to these requirements could lead to disciplinary actions and penalties up to and including termination.
Personal Accounts
Access Persons may open and maintain Personal Accounts with brokers on the Approved Brokers List. See Appendix 2 Approved Brokers List for more information. Access Persons acknowledge and agree that Victory Capital may request and obtain information regarding Personal Accounts from broker-dealers. Victory Capital may use personal information, including name, address and social security numbers, to identify and verify employee accounts.
B. Employee Investment Account Reporting
Investment Account Disclosure
Access Persons may open and maintain investment accounts subject to the disclosure and pre-clearance requirements. See Appendix 3 Investment Account Disclosure for more information.
At the end of each quarter, all employees must certify that all Personal Accounts have been disclosed and verify all Personal Trades or transactions are correctly reflected in MCO.
Initial Holdings Report/Annual Holdings Report
No Personal Trading will be authorized before the LCR Department has received a completed Initial Holdings Report as part of the new hire on-boarding process. Any exceptions must be approved by the CCO. The Initial Holdings Report must be submitted to the Compliance Department within ten (10) calendar days of becoming an Access Person. All Access Persons must submit a similar report annually to the Compliance Department. These reports must include the following information:
· The date when the individual became an Access Person (Initial Holdings Report only);
· The name of each Personal Account in which any securities are or could be held in the Beneficial Interest of the Access Person, and the name of the broker-dealer or financial institution holding these accounts;
· Current holdings in private placements (or non-public offering), including private equity, hedge funds or partnerships; and
· Each Reportable Security or Reportable Fund in which the Access Person has a Beneficial Interest, including title, number of shares, and principal amount. Holdings information must be current as of 45 calendar days before the report is submitted.
Quarterly Securities Transaction Report
At the end of each quarter, every Access Person must verify his or her Personal Trades or transactions in Personal Accounts through MCO by submitting a Securities Transaction Report (STR) no later than 30 calendar days following the end of each calendar quarter (whether or not trades were made). The STR must include:
· A description of any transaction in a Reportable Security or Reportable Fund effected during the preceding quarter, such as the date, number of shares, principal amount of securities involved, nature of the transaction (i.e., a buy or a sell), price, and the name of the broker-dealer or financial institution that effected the transaction; and
· The name and number for any account established in the preceding quarter, including the name and address of the broker-dealer or financial institution where the account is held and the date it was created.
Certain transactions are exempt from the quarterly reporting requirement. See Summary of Pre-clearance Requirements in Appendix 4 Reportable Securities for more information.
C. Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions
Permissible Transactions
Personal Trades are limited to the types of securities that are permitted under this Code. Most Personal Trades require pre-clearance by the Compliance Department through MCO. Employees should complete a Personal Trading Request (PTR) through MCO for review by the Compliance Department. See Appendix 4 Reportable Securities for more information.
Pre-Clearance Expiration
Pre-clearance is only valid on the date it is provided by the Compliance Department (see exception granted to Covered Persons, as defined in VCHs Insider Trading Policy) ). PTRs should be submitted before 3:30 PM ET and may be denied for any reason deemed appropriate by the CCO or his or her designee. Late submissions or transactions that require additional research may take longer to obtain pre-clearance and approval may not be granted in time to allow trading on the same day.
Prohibition on Short-Selling Securities
Employees may not Short Sell securities in their Personal Accounts.
Blackout Period
Access Persons are subject to the Blackout Period for any security in which a Victory Capital client has a buy, sell, or Short-Sell. For exceptions to the Blackout Period, see Exempt Securities or De Minimis Trades transactions. In certain circumstances, Personal Trades approved by the LCR Department may need to be broken due to subsequent client trading activity during the Blackout Period.
Although Short-Selling is strictly prohibited in Personal Accounts, it may be permitted in client accounts as dictated by their investment guidelines. As a result, Short-Sell securities in a client account will be restricted from Personal Trading in the same manner as if the security was sold long.
The Compliance Department will evaluate program trades (e.g., client cash flows or subscriptions and redemptions) placed by a Portfolio Management Team after an Access Person makes a Personal Trade to determine if such trade is in violation of the Blackout Period. Trades in the opposite direction from an investment team may not cause the Personal Trade to be in violation of the Blackout Period. A limit order by a Portfolio Management Team that is placed before and executed during the Blackout Period is permitted. If there is a consistent pattern of such activity, these transactions may be subject to review. The LCR Department may deny a trade and is not obligated to explain the reason to the employee.
Index Access Persons are restricted from trading equities during the rebalancing months, which generally occur in March and September. Index Access Persons may still trade securities, such as open-ended mutual funds and ETFs for which Victory Capital does not act as adviser or sub-adviser or other types of securities permitted by the CCO during this month.
Short-Term Holding Period
Personal Trading must be for investment purposes rather than for speculation. Therefore, Access Persons may not purchase and sell or sell and purchase any Reportable Securities in a Personal Account within sixty (60) calendar days (3). Each purchase or sale of the same security has its own 60-day holding period. Excess profits (or losses avoided) as a result of violating this restriction may be subject to disgorgement.
Maximum Allowable Trades
Access Persons are limited to 20 Personal Trades per calendar quarter across their Personal Accounts(3). A trade in the same security in multiple accounts on the same day will count as one trade.
De Minimis Trades
A De Minimis Trade means a stock trade under $100,000 in a security of an issuer that is a member of the S&P 500 Index, or a security with an equivalent market capitalization and liquidity to a S&P 500 security, as determined by the CCO or his or her designee, or an exempt ETF (see Appendix 5 ETFs Eligible for De Minimis Transaction Exemption for more information). Pre-clearance is required for De Minimis Trades but will not be subject to the Blackout Period.
(3) Certain exceptions apply subject to CCO Approval.
Contra-Trading Rule
No Portfolio Management Team member may trade a security in their Personal Account in the opposite direction of a security held in any client account that he or she manages for Victory Capital unless he or she receives prior written approval from either the CCO or his or her designee. It is the responsibility of the employee to notify the CCO if he or she intends to make a Personal Trade that is contrary to a client account. Trades related to rebalancing or cash flows are not considered in the contra-trading analysis.
Small Market Capitalization Securities
Victory Capital generally discourages Personal Trading in smaller market capitalization stocks (e.g. less than $1 billion), in particular, any microcap stocks, as these securities could lead to a potential conflict of interest if they are also purchased in client accounts. Personal Trading by members of a Portfolio Management Team in common holdings with Victory Capital clients, especially in low volume or low market capitalization stocks, could lead to a potential conflict of interest and therefore may be prohibited.
IPO Rule
No Access Person may directly or indirectly acquire a Beneficial Interest in any securities offered in an IPO or in an Initial Coin Offering (ICO), in a Personal Account or Managed Account, except with the prior approval of the CCO or his or her designee.
Limited Offerings (Private Placements)
No Access Person may acquire a Beneficial Interest in a private placement without the prior approval of the CCO or his or her designee. Prior approval is required whether investing directly or through a Personal Account or Managed Account. Private placements, such as investment in a private company, purchases of hedge funds or other private investment funds are reportable through the pre-clearance process. Subsequent capital contributions and full or partial redemptions must be pre-cleared through MCO.
Significant Affiliated Fund Transactions
Pre-clearance is required for any Significant Transaction (greater than $1 million or 1% of the Funds outstanding shares) in an Affiliated Fund . Significant Transactions do not require pre-clearance in Victory Capitals 401(k), unless it is a Proprietary Fund.
Market Timing Mutual Fund Transactions
Access Persons shall not participate in any activity that may be construed as market timing of mutual funds. Specifically, no employee shall engage in excessive trading or market timing activities with respect to any Proprietary Fund or Reportable Funds. See Appendix I Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Funds & Reportable Funds for more information . In accordance with each Affiliated Funds policy, no shareholders may complete more than three (3) round-trip trades in the same fund during any 90-day period. For a first violation, a warning is issued; for the second violation, the person is permanently restricted from additional purchases. The foregoing restrictions shall not apply to an employee investing in mutual funds through automatic reinvestment programs or to any other non-volitional investment program.
Trading in Victory Capital Stock
Victory Capital Stock (VCTR) is a Reportable Security under the Code. As a general rule, pre-clearance is required prior to executing any trades of VCTR in the open market. For a summary of pre-clearance requirements for VCTR see Pre-Clearance Requirements for Victory Capital Stock
under Appendix 4 Reportable Securities . If an employee is uncertain whether a transaction requires pre-clearance, he or she should consult with the CCO or a member of the Compliance team.
Covered Persons, as defined in VCHs Insider Trading Policy, will not be subject to the Pre-Clearance Expiration requirement above and will instead have 3 business days upon receipt of approval to effect transactions in VCTR.
D. Representation and Warranties
Each time an Access Person submits a PTR, that Access Person shall be deemed to make the following representations and warranties:
· They are not in possession of any MNPI for the requested security;
· They are not aware of any client trading in the same security during the previous 3 days or in the next 7 days (Blackout Period);
· They have not traded the same position in the opposite direction, in the past 60 days (Mandatory Short-Term Holding Period);
· For Investment Team members, they are not trading contrary to one of their client accounts (Contra-Trading).
E. Quarterly and Annual Certifications of Compliance
Each Access Person is required to certify quarterly that he or she has disclosed all reportable:
1. Gifts and entertainment;
2. Outside Business Activities;
3. Political activity and contributions;
4. All Personal Trading Accounts, including Managed Accounts; and
5. Personal Trades.
Each Access Person is required to certify annually to the following:
1. They have read, understand and complied with this Code and other related policies;
2. They have read, understand and complied with Victory Capitals Corporate Information Protection and Technology Use policy;
3. They have provided and verified all reportable holdings data; and
4. They have answered all additional questions and disclosures within Victory Capitals Annual Code of Ethics Certification in an accurate and truthful manner.
F. Review Procedures
The LCR Department will maintain review procedures consistent with this Code .
G. Recordkeeping
All Code of Ethics records will be maintained pursuant to the provisions of Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company. See Victory Capitals Books and Records Policy for more information.
H. Whistleblower Provisions
If an Access Person believes that there has been a violation of this Code, he or she must promptly notify the CCO or CLO or report anonymously to the Victory Capital Ethics telephone hotline at 800-584-9055. Access Persons are protected from retaliation for reporting violations of this Code. Retaliation or the threat of retaliation against an Access Person for reporting a violation constitutes a further violation of this Code and may lead to immediate suspension and further sanctions. See Victory Capitals Whistleblower and Reporting Suspicious Activity Policy for more information.
Victory Capital is also responsible for communicating the Affiliated Funds whistleblower procedures to our employees. The Affiliated Funds have implemented procedures for receiving anonymous reports of suspected or actual violations of Affiliated Funds policies and questionable accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters. Call 866-844-3863 to initiate a report regarding an Affiliated Fund.
I. Confidentiality
All information obtained from any employee shall be kept in strict confidence, except when requested by the SEC or any other regulatory or self-regulatory organization, and may otherwise be disclosed to the extent required by law or regulation. Additionally, certain information may be provided to a broker-dealer, service provider or vendor, such as employee name, social security number and home address, in order to ascertain Personal Trading activity that is required to be disclosed by an Access Person.
J. Reporting to the Board of Directors of Affiliated Funds
At least annually, Victory Capital will provide the Board of Directors of Affiliated Funds with information regarding: 1) any Material Violations under this Code and any sanctions imposed as a response to such Material Violation; and 2) certification that Victory Capital has adopted procedures necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating this Code.
8. CODE OF ETHICS VIOLATION GUIDELINES
Each Access Person is responsible for conducting his or her activities in accordance with this Code. Violations of the Code may result in applicable sanctions.
Sanctions may correlate to the severity of the violation and may take into consideration, among other things, such factors as the frequency and severity of any prior violations. The CCO may recommend escalation to the Victory Capital Board of Directors and Compliance Committee. When necessary, the Victory Capital Board of Directors may obtain input from the Compliance Committee and the CCO when determining whether such violation is a Material Violation.
The CCO holds discretionary authority to revoke Personal Trading privileges for any length of time and also reserves the right to lift Personal Trading sanctions in response to market conditions. Additionally, the CCO or Compliance Committee may impose a monetary penalty for any violation. The CCO will report all warnings, violations and sanctions to the Compliance Committee.
The Code of Ethics Violation Guidelines provides examples of potential Code violations and the actions that Victory Capital might take if employees are in violation of the Code; it is not intended to serve as an exhaustive list of potential Code violations or actions relating thereto. All findings of Code violations and any actions relating thereto will be made on a case-by-case basis. The CCO has discretion to interpret violations and impose various sanctions in response to such violations as deemed necessary.
Reconsideration
If an Access Person wishes to dispute a violation notice, he or she may submit a written explanation of the circumstances of the violation to the CCO. The CCO (and the CLO if escalation is deemed necessary) will review submissions on a case by case basis. The CCO and CLO are under no obligation to change any sanction that has been imposed.
Appendix 1 Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Funds & Reportable Funds
Victory Capital is comprised of separate investment franchises and its Solutions Platform, each with its own investment teams and unique strategies. Victory Capital provides continuous investment management advice either directly or indirectly (i.e., through certain financial intermediaries) to:
· Separate accounts - institutional clients and high net worth individuals
· Collective investment trusts
· Pooled vehicles - affiliated and unaffiliated registered investment companies (mutual funds)
· Exchange traded funds (ETFs)
· Undertaking for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) funds
· Clients who participate in wrap fee programs
· Victory Capital also oversees the management of fixed-income and natural resources equity mutual funds, which are sub-advised by other investment advisers
As described in this Code, certain restrictions apply to trading in an Affiliated Fund, a Proprietary Fund and any fund sub-advised by Victory Capital. Please refer to the companys intranet site Under the wing for a complete list or follow one of the links below.
Affiliated Funds
For the most up-to-date list of Affiliated Victory Funds, please visit www.victoryfunds.com.
Proprietary Funds
Preclearance is required before trading in one of the following Proprietary Funds, which is a fund or product in which Victory Capital or its employees have an aggregate of 25% or more Beneficial Interest:
· Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Fund (MASCX, MYSGX), managed by Munder Capital Management
· Victory Munder Small Cap/Mid-Cap Blend (strategy), managed by Munder Capital Management
· Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund (MAEMX, MYEMX), managed by Trivalent Investments
Sub-Advised Funds
Victory Capital acts as sub-adviser to a number of unaffiliated registered investment companies (mutual funds). Please refer to Victory Capital Management Inc.s ADV filed with the SEC by searching for the firm name on https://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. ADV Part 1 contains SECTION 5.G.(3), which lists Advisers to Registered Investment Companies and Business Development Companies. The name of the fund complex can be obtained by searching for the SEC File Number (under More Options) using EDGAR: https://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html. A complete list is also available on the companys intranet site Under the wing under the compliance tab.
Appendix 2 Approved Brokers List
1. Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans
2. Ameriprise Financial Services
3. Charles Schwab
4. E*TRADE
5. Edward Jones
6. Fidelity Investments
7. Interactive Brokers
8. JP Morgan Chase
9. Merrill Lynch
10. Morgan Stanley
11. Northern Trust
12. Raymond James
13. RBC
14. Scottrade
15. TD Ameritrade
16. UBS
17. Vanguard
18. Wells Fargo
Appendix 3 Investment Account Disclosure
The account disclosure requirements listed below are required under the Code. Accounts need to be disclosed when opened and then verified as part of your quarterly Code of Ethics certification. Failure to comply may result in sanctions imposed by the Victory Capital Compliance Committee and/or Board of Directors.
A Beneficial Interest in the following types of accounts must be reported to the LCR Department initially and reported on the annual holdings report:
· All Personal Accounts, which includes any account that can hold a Reportable Security or Reportable Fund
· Affiliated Funds accounts (or any other Reportable Fund)
· Employee & Immediate Familys 401(k) if able to buy or sell Reportable Securities
· Security Lending Accounts
· Margin Accounts
The following accounts must be reported to the LCR Department initially:
· Private Placements (Private Investment Funds, Hedge Fund, Private Equity, Limited Offerings)
· Investment Clubs
The following accounts do not need to be held at an Approved Broker and do not need to be pre-cleared or reported on the annual holdings report:
· Open-end mutual fund accounts held directly with an unaffiliated Fund (for Non-Reportable Funds only)
· Employee & Immediate Familys employer sponsored retirement plan accounts (e.g., 401(k)) if unable to buy or sell Reportable Securities requiring pre-clearance
· 529 Plans
Appendix 4 Reportable Securities
Personal Accounts generally require employees to pre-clear transactions by submitting PTRs through MCO. See Section VI: Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions for more information.
Summary of Pre-clearance Requirements
All Access Persons must obtain pre-clearance prior to effecting most transactions in a Personal Account. However, for certain accounts and security types, pre-clearance is not necessary. Generally, these transactions do not need to be pre-cleared because the transactions are passive, are not Reportable Securities, or they are made in accounts in which the Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control. The below chart summarizes instances in which pre-clearance is required and other instances which it is not. If an employee is uncertain whether a transaction requires pre-clearance, he or she should consult with the CCO of a member of the Compliance team. For Victory Capital Stock, please refer to the Summary of Pre-Clearance Requirements for Victory Capital Stock provided in this Appendix.
Transaction Description |
|
Pre-Clearance Required |
Pre-clearance Required |
|
|
Bonds (including convertible, corporate, high-yield, and municipal bonds) |
|
Yes |
Closed-end funds |
|
Yes |
Equities |
|
Yes |
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including Victory Capital ETFs |
|
Yes |
Exchange-traded notes (ETNs) |
|
Yes |
Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac mortgage-related securities |
|
Yes |
Trust preferred & traditional preferred securities |
|
Yes |
IPOs, with the prior approval of the CCO or his or her designee |
|
Yes |
Private placements |
|
Yes |
Any securities that are gifted or donated by an Access Person |
|
Yes |
Unit investment trusts |
|
Yes |
Significant Transactions in an Affiliated Fund |
|
Yes |
Investments in Proprietary Funds |
|
Yes |
Pre-clearance NOT Required |
|
|
All securities in Managed Accounts (that have been approved by Compliance), with the exception of IPOs or Private Placements |
|
No |
Approved automatic or periodic investment plans |
|
No |
Bankers acceptances, bank certificates of deposit and commercial paper |
|
No |
Corporate action transactions (e.g., stock splits, rights offerings, mergers and acquisitions) |
|
No |
Direct obligations of the U.S. government |
|
No |
Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIPs) or dividend transactions |
|
No |
Investment grade, short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements |
|
No |
Variable insurance products that invest in funds for which Victory Capital does not act as adviser or sub-adviser |
|
No |
Open-end mutual funds (unless it is a Proprietary Funds or Significant Transaction for which Victory Capital acts as adviser or sub-adviser) |
|
No |
Money market funds |
|
No |
Affiliated Funds under $1 million or that are not Proprietary Funds |
|
No |
Physical commodity contracts |
|
No |
Investments in qualified tuition programs (529 Plans) |
|
No |
Securities that are gifted or donated to an Access Person |
|
No |
Security lending transactions |
|
No |
Victory Capital 401(k) transactions unless greater than $100,000 in a Proprietary Fund or a Significant Transaction in any Affiliated Fund |
|
No |
Summary of Pre-Clearance Requirements for Victory Capital Stock (ticker VCTR)
VCTR Transaction Description |
|
Pre-Clearance Required |
Common Stock (Class A Shares) |
|
|
Employee purchase or sale in any Personal Account (e.g. a brokerage account for the benefit of the employee or for the benefit of the employees Immediate Family) |
|
Yes |
Employee purchase or sale in a Managed Account approved by Compliance. |
|
No |
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) |
|
|
Purchases made pursuant to Employee Stock Purchase Plan |
|
No |
Sales of shares acquired through the Employee Stock Purchase Plan |
|
Yes |
Options |
|
|
Sale of shares in the open market acquired through the exercise of any options |
|
Yes |
Same Day Sale Exercise - Sale of all shares in the open market to cover the cost of the exercise. Remaining proceeds go to the Employee. |
|
Yes |
Sell To Cover Exercise - Sell enough shares in the open market to cover the cost of the exercise. |
|
Yes |
Cash Exercise - Employee pays the entire cost of the exercise. |
|
No |
Withhold Shares - Victory Capital withholds shares equal to the cost of the exercise. |
|
No |
Restricted Stock (Class B Shares) |
|
|
Selling restricted stock in the open market |
|
Yes |
Sell-to-cover - Sale of restricted stock in open market to cover vested shares tax liability |
|
Yes |
Cash - Cash payment to cover vested shares tax liability |
|
No |
Net - Surrender shares to Victory Capital to cover vested shares tax liability |
|
No |
10b5-1 Trading Plan |
|
|
Officers of VCH required to make filings under Section 16 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, conducting trades in accordance with an approved 10b5-1 Trading Plan. |
|
No |
Prohibited from Personal Trading
Access Persons may NOT trade the following securities in Personal Accounts:
· Commodities
· Currencies, including cryptocurrencies (e.g. Bitcoin, Ethereum)
· Futures
· Options
Appendix 5 ETFs Eligible for De Minimis Transaction Exemption
Trades in the following ETFs shall be considered De Minimis Trades due to their use as highly liquid cash management vehicles in various Victory Capital accounts.
Name |
|
Symbol |
|
CUSIP |
iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF |
|
IEFA |
|
46432F842 |
iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF |
|
IEMG |
|
46434G103 |
iShares Core S&P 500 ETF |
|
IVV |
|
464287200 |
iShares FTSE China 25 Index |
|
FXI |
|
464287184 |
iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond |
|
HYG |
|
464288513 |
iShares MSCI ACWI Index Fund |
|
ACWI |
|
464288257 |
iShares MSCI Emerging Index Fund ETF |
|
EEM |
|
464287234 |
iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund ETF |
|
EFA |
|
464287465 |
iShares MSCI Japan Index Fund ETF |
|
EWJ |
|
464286848 |
iShares MSCI India |
|
INDA |
|
46429B598 |
iShares Russell 1000 |
|
IWF |
|
464287614 |
iShares Russell 2000 ETF |
|
IWM |
|
464287655 |
iShares Russell 2000 Value |
|
IWN |
|
464287630 |
iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value |
|
IWS |
|
464287473 |
iShares MSCI China Index Fund |
|
MCHI |
|
46429B671 |
SPDR S&P 500 ETF |
|
SPY |
|
78462F103 |
SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF |
|
MDY |
|
78467Y107 |
Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF |
|
VEA |
|
921943858 |
Vanguard Total International Stock ETF |
|
VXUS |
|
921909768 |
Supplement 1 -
RS Investments (Hong Kong) Limited
Code of Ethics Supplement (Hong Kong Supplement)
The following policies and procedures are in addition to, and supersede where relevant, the policies and procedures detailed in the Code.
I. COMPLIANCE
General
Compliance with all regulatory requirements is of the utmost importance to RS Investments (Hong Kong) Limited ( RSHK ). All staff members of RSHK should read and understand the content of the Code and Victory Capitals Compliance Manual (the Compliance Manual), and each staff member should also read and understand the content of the Code of Conduct for Persons Licensed by or Registered with the Securities and Futures Commission (the Code of Conduct ) and the Fund Manager Code of Conduct (the FMCC ) issued by the Securities and Futures Commission (the SFC ) where such staff member is licensed by the SFC. RSHK should at all times have at least one designated Compliance Officer. The Compliance Officer and the responsible officers who are ultimately responsible for seeking to ensure compliance by RSHK with all applicable regulatory requirements on a daily basis are identified in the RSHK Compliance Manual.
In addition, it is also the duty of all staff members of RSHK to comply with the contents of the Code and the Compliance Manual, and to observe all other regulatory requirements as applicable to them from time to time, in all their activities on behalf of RSHK. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.
II. PROHIBITED CONDUCT
General
Every director, manager or any other person involved in the management of RSHK has a statutory obligation to take all reasonable measures from time to time to seek to ensure that proper safeguards exist to prevent RSHK from acting in a way which would result in RSHK perpetrating any market misconduct under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (the SFO ).
Market Misconduct
Market misconduct under the SFO means:
1. Insider dealing
2. False trading
3. Price rigging
4. Disclosure of information about prohibited transactions
5. Disclosure of false or misleading information inducing transactions stock market manipulation; and
6. Includes attempting to engage in, or assisting, counseling or procuring another person to engage in any of the above activities
Insider Dealing
See Section IV Policy Statement on Insider Trading for more information .
False Trading
False trading attracts civil and criminal liabilities. In brief, false trading occurs when a person, in Hong Kong or elsewhere, engages in conduct intending that, or being reckless as to whether, it creates, or is likely to create, a false or misleading appearance of active trading in securities or futures contracts traded on a Hong Kong or overseas market. An on-market wash sale or matched order is presumed to create a false or misleading appearance of active trading.
Price Rigging
Price rigging attracts civil and criminal liabilities. In brief, price rigging occurs where a person, in Hong Kong or elsewhere engages, directly or indirectly, in:
1. A wash sale which maintains, increases, reduces, stabilizes or causes fluctuations in, the price of securities traded on a Hong Kong market; or
2. Any fictitious or artificial transaction or device, intending that, or being reckless as to whether, it maintains, increases, reduces, stabilizes or causes fluctuations in, the price of securities, or the price for dealing in futures contracts, traded on a Hong Kong market.
There will also be a breach where such activity is carried out in Hong Kong which affects shares and futures contracts that are traded on an overseas market.
Disclosure of Prohibited Transactions and Disclosure of False and Misleading Information
Disclosure of prohibited transactions and disclosure of false and misleading information inducing transactions attract civil and criminal liabilities. In brief, these occur when a person discloses, circulates or disseminates information:
1. To the effect that the price of securities of a corporation, or the price for dealings in futures contracts, will be maintained, reduced or stabilized because of a prohibited transaction; or
2. That is likely to induce a transaction in securities or futures contracts if the information is false or misleading.
Stock Market Manipulation
Stock market manipulation attracts civil and criminal liabilities under the laws of Hong Kong. It is prohibited when, in Hong Kong or elsewhere, a person enters into, directly or indirectly, two or more transactions in securities that by themselves or in conjunction with any other transaction increase reduce, maintain or stabilize the price of securities and with the effect of influencing the investment decisions of other persons.
Other Offenses
All Victory Capital employees, including the employees of RSHK, are prohibited from engaging in the Short-Selling of any securities, including naked or uncovered, Short-Selling on the SEHK. It is a criminal offence under the SFO for a person to sell securities at or through the SEHK unless at the time of the sale he (or his client, if he acts as an agent) has a presently exercisable and unconditional right to vest the securities in the purchaser of them, or believes and has reasonable grounds to believe that he (or his client, as the case may be) has such a right.
RSHK should also note that section 171 of the SFO imposes a duty to report Short-Selling transactions (which are covered) on both the seller (as a principal, whether he is a client or an intermediary) and the intermediary (as an agent). RSHK must also observe the Securities and Futures (Short-Selling and Securities Borrowing and Lending (Miscellaneous) Rules) and the SFCs Guidance Note on Short-Selling Reporting and Stock Lending Record Keeping Requirements as applicable.
RSHK and the employees of RSHK shall not make any unsolicited call (unless specifically allowed under s174 of the SFO or under the Securities and Futures (Unsolicited Calls Exclusion) Rules in order to induce
or attempt to induce another person to sell or purchase securities, futures contract or leveraged foreign exchange contract.
Other criminal offences under the SFO include:
1. Offence involving fraudulent or deceptive devices etc. in transactions in securities, futures contracts or leveraged foreign exchange trading;
2. Offence of disclosing false or misleading information inducing others to enter into leveraged foreign exchange contracts; and
3. Offence of falsely representing dealings in futures contracts on behalf of others, etc.
Other Misconduct
Prohibition on Shadowing
An employee is prohibited from replicating deliberately what the clients of RSHK trade for the purpose of making speculative profits or avoiding losses.
Prohibition on Churning or Twisting
RSHK is not permitted to generate high commission income by putting excessive orders through the client accounts.
Prohibition on Rat Trading
An employee is prohibited from rat trading, which covers deliberate trading to the disadvantage of the client. For example, a fund manager might execute a buy order and delay allocating it to the funds or accounts it manages. If the price moves up, he may allocate it to his own account or to a nominee account at the lower execution price. On the other hand, he may delay executing the order and, if the price moves down, buy it at the lower price for himself or herself and sell it to the fund or accounts that it manages.
Supplement 2 -
RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (RSIMS)
Code of Ethics Supplement (Singapore Supplement)
The policies and procedures in this Singapore Supplement to the Code apply to Access Persons of RSIMS and are in addition to, and supplement, the policies and procedures detailed in the Code.
Matters set out in the relevant sections of this Singapore Supplement shall be read in conjunction, and as one, with the Code. To the extent there is any inconsistency between the Code and this Singapore Supplement, this Singapore Supplement shall prevail.
Short-Selling of Securities
All Victory Capital employees, including employees of RSIMS, are prohibited from Short-Selling any security.
Trading on Inside Information
In addition to the requirements set out in the Code, all employees of RSIMS and all members of their Immediate Family are required to comply with all applicable laws in Singapore in relation to any Securities Transactions. Such laws include but are not limited to Part XII (Market Conduct) of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289 of Singapore) (SFA) which set out prohibitions against the following conduct:
· False trading and market rigging transactions;
· Securities market manipulation and manipulation of prices of futures contracts and cornering;
· The making of false or misleading statements or the dissemination of information that is false or misleading;
· Fraudulently inducing persons to deal in securities or trade in futures contracts;
· Employment of fraudulent or deceptive devices, or manipulative and deceptive devices;
· Bucketing; and
· Insider trading and tipping off.
Reporting Requirements
In addition to the Personal Account and Personal Trading requirements and restrictions set out in the Code, each employee of RSIMS who acts as a representative of RSIMS in RSIMS capacity as the holder of a capital markets services license issued pursuant to the SFA for fund management (each a Relevant Access Person) is required to maintain a register of his or her interests in securities (as such term is defined in section 2(1) of the SFA, the relevant extract of which is set out in the Appendix) that are listed for quotation, or quoted, on a securities exchange or recognized market operator in the prescribed Form 15 to the Securities and Futures (Licensing and Conduct of Business) Regulations (Rg 10).
Within 7 days after the date he or she acquires the interest in the relevant securities, each Relevant Access Person shall be required to enter into his or her register:
1. Particulars of securities in which such Relevant Access Person has any interest; and
2. Particulars of such interests.
Where there is any change in any interest in the securities of such Relevant Access Person, he or she shall enter particulars of the change (including the date of the change and the circumstances by reason of which the change has occurred), within 7 days after the date of the change.
All entries in the register must be kept in an easily accessible form for a period of not less than 5 years after the date on which such entry was first made. The register shall:
1. If in physical form, be kept at RSIMSs principal place of business in Singapore; or
2. If in electronic form, be kept in such manner so as to ensure that full access to the register may be gained by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) at RSIMSs principal place of business in Singapore.
RSIMS is required to maintain records of the place at which the Relevant Access Persons keep their respective registers and the places at which copies of those registers are kept in Singapore. As a separate matter, RSIMS is also required to maintain a Form 15 in relation to RSIMS own interests in the relevant Securities.
Guardian Investments
Guardian Variable Products Trust
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC (1)
Code of Ethics
Valid from |
July 2016 |
Version 1.0 |
Issuing Unit |
Investments |
|
Replaces |
version dated March 2014 |
|
Scope/Recipients |
All Supervised Persons of Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC |
|
|
|
|
Summary
This Code of Ethics (the Code) sets forth the standards of conduct expected of Supervised Persons (defined in Section 3.7 herein) of Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC (PAIA) and addresses conflicts that arise from personal trading by Supervised Persons. |
||
|
(1) Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, acting in its capacity as an adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. |
Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures
Version 1.0
Table of Contents
1. |
Scope and Purpose |
|
|
|
|
2. |
Standard of Business Conduct and Compliance with Laws |
|
|
|
|
3. |
Definitions |
|
|
|
|
3.1 |
Access Person |
|
|
|
|
3.2 |
Beneficial Ownership |
|
|
|
|
3.3 |
Investments Compliance |
|
|
|
|
3.4 |
Investments Personnel |
|
|
|
|
3.5 |
Portfolio Manager |
|
|
|
|
3.6 |
Security |
|
|
|
|
3.7 |
Supervised Person |
|
|
|
|
4. |
Pre-clearance of Personal Securities Transactions |
|
|
|
|
5. |
Prohibited Transactions and Practices |
|
|
|
|
5.1 |
Prohibited Transactions |
|
|
|
|
5.2 |
Misuse of Material Non-Public Information |
|
|
|
|
5.3 |
Initial Public Offerings |
|
|
|
|
5.4 |
Prohibition on Short-term Profits |
|
|
|
|
5.5 |
Gifts and Entertainment |
|
|
|
|
5.6 |
Service on Boards of Publicly Traded Companies |
|
|
|
|
5.7 |
Private Placements |
|
|
|
|
5.8 |
Portfolio Manager Trades |
|
|
|
|
5.9 |
Exchange Traded Funds |
|
|
|
|
5.10 |
Outside Business Activities and 5% Ownership in a Public Company |
|
|
|
|
6. |
Exempt Purchases and Sales |
|
|
|
|
7. |
Personal Securities Reporting |
|
|
|
|
7.1 |
Transaction Reports |
|
|
|
|
7.2 |
Holdings Reports |
|
|
|
|
7.3 |
Brokerage Accounts |
|
|
|
|
8. |
Receipt and Acknowledgement of the Code |
|
|
|
|
9. |
Annual Report to Board |
|
|
|
|
10. |
Reporting of Violations of the Code |
|
|
|
|
11. |
Violations and Sanctions |
|
|
|
|
12. |
Recordkeeping |
|
1. Scope and Purpose
This Code applies to all Supervised Persons of PAIA. The purpose of this Code is to set forth standards to ensure that personal investment activities are conducted in compliance with fiduciary obligations, applicable laws and regulations and that conflicts of interest related to personal investment activities are avoided or managed appropriately.
2. Standard of Business Conduct and Compliance with Laws
PAIA has adopted the following Code in connection with the investment advisory services it may from time to time provide to institutional and other clients (PAIA clients), as well as investment advisory and sub-advisory services it provides to certain registered investment companies (each, a Fund, and collectively, the Funds). The Code governs securities trading by Supervised Persons of PAIA as required by Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), and Rule 204A-1 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the Advisers Act). Inherent throughout the Code is the principle that Supervised Persons have a responsibility to place the interests of PAIA clients and the Funds shareholders, as applicable, ahead of their own, to resolve conflicts in favor of PAIA clients and the Funds, and to comply with applicable federal securities laws.
As a registered investment adviser, PAIA and its personnel owe a fiduciary duty requiring all Supervised Persons to place the interests of PAIA clients and Fund shareholders ahead of their own interests. A critical component of PAIAs and all Supervised Persons fiduciary duty is to avoid potential conflicts of interest. Accordingly, Supervised Persons must avoid activities, interests, and relationships that might interfere or appear to interfere with making decisions in the best interests of PAIA clients and Fund shareholders. Please bear in mind that a conflict of interest can arise even if there is no financial loss to PAIA clients or the Funds, and regardless of the employees motivation. Many potential conflicts of interest can arise in connection with personal trading and related activities of Supervised Persons.
The Code is designed to address and avoid potential conflicts of interest relating to personal trading and related activities and is based on three underlying principles:
· At all times, the interests of PAIA clients and Fund shareholders must come first. In other words, as fiduciaries Supervised Persons must scrupulously avoid serving their own personal interests ahead of the interests of PAIA clients and Fund shareholders.
· All personal securities transactions must be conducted consistently with the Code and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflicts of interest or any abuse of an individuals position of trust and responsibility.
· Supervised Persons should not take inappropriate advantage of their positions. The receipt of investment opportunities, perquisites, or gifts from persons seeking business with the Funds or PAIA in contravention of this Code is prohibited.
It is every Supervised Persons responsibility to become familiar with the Code and abide by the Code. Violations of the Code will be taken seriously and could result in sanctions against the violator, which sanctions can include termination of employment. Mere technical compliance with the procedures set forth in the Code will not serve to insulate from scrutiny those personal trades that indicate a pattern of breach of the Supervised Persons responsibilities to PAIA clients and Fund shareholders.
This Code is subject to modification and further development. PAIA, in its sole and absolute discretion, may amend, modify, suspend or terminate any policy or procedure contained in this Code, at any time. PAIA will provide reasonable advance notice to any persons covered by the Code whose reporting or other responsibilities or obligations under the Code are changed by any such amendment or modification. PAIA has sole and absolute discretion to interpret and apply the policies and procedures established herein and to make all determinations of fact with respect to their application. The Board of Trustees (the Board) of any Fund for which PAIA serves as the investment adviser and whose Board has adopted this Code must approve a material change to the Code no later than six months after adoption of the material change.
3. Definitions
3.1 Access Person(2)
As used in this Code, the term Access Person is defined as:
· any Supervised Person of PAIA (A) who has access to non-public information regarding the securities transactions of PAIA clients and the Funds, or non-public information regarding the portfolio holdings of the Funds; or (B) is involved in making securities recommendations to PAIA clients, including the Funds, or has access to recommendations on behalf of a PAIA client including any Fund that are non-public; or
· any Supervised Person of PAIA (or of any company in a control relationship with PAIA) or a member of the staff of the Investments department or other employee, officer or director of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian Life) who, in the ordinary course of his or her duties: (A) participates in the determination of which recommendations shall be made on behalf of a PAIA client, including any Fund; (B) engages in functions or duties which relate to the determination of which recommendations shall be made; or (C) obtains any information concerning recommendations being made with regard to the purchase or sale of securities by PAIA clients and any Fund.
3.1-1 Special Rules for Certain Access Persons
All directors and officers of PAIA are presumed to be Access Persons unless Investments Compliance determines that such presumption may be rebutted after review of the facts
(2) This term covers not only the Access Person, but also his or her immediate household (as defined below), or any trust or estate of which the person or spouse is a trustee, fiduciary or beneficiary, or any person for whom the Access Person directs or effects transactions under a power of attorney or otherwise. The term immediate household means anyone who resides in the Access Persons household or who depends on the Access Person for basic living support and may include any of the following persons: the Access Persons spouse or domestic partner, any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including any adoptive relationships.
and circumstances, including procedures to ensure that such persons do not have access to non-public information regarding the securities transactions of PAIA clients and the Funds, or non-public information regarding the portfolio holdings or strategies of the Funds.
The independent members of the Board of any Fund for which PAIA serves as the investment adviser, and whose Board has adopted this Code, who are not interested persons of the Fund (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) (the Independent Board Members) are subject to a separate code of ethics and are exempt from all provisions of this Code.
Access Persons of any Fund for which PAIA serves as the investment adviser and whose Board has adopted this Code who are also access persons under, and subject to, a sub-advisers code of ethics that has been approved by the Board in accordance with the requirements of Rule 17j-1(c)(1)(ii) under the 1940 Act, are exempt from all provisions of this Code.
Consultants and temporary employees associated with PAIA are not considered Access Persons under the Code unless their engagement is expected to exceed three months, or as otherwise determined by the Chief Compliance Officer.
3.2 Beneficial Ownership
The term Beneficial Ownership is interpreted in the same manner as in Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In general, Beneficial Owner shall mean any person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the securities of an issuer. The term also includes any interest in a security that entitles a person to benefits substantially equivalent to ownership even though such person is not the owner of record. Thus, a person may be regarded as the Beneficial Owner of securities held in the name of another person if by reason of any contract, understanding, relationship, agreement or other arrangement a person obtains such benefits of ownership. Securities owned beneficially by a person would include securities held by others for such persons benefit (e.g., by a custodian, broker, trustee, executor or administrator), securities held for such persons account by pledgees, securities owned by a partnership in which such person is a member and securities owned by any closely held or related corporation of any corporation which should be regarded as a personal holding corporation of such person.
3.3 Investments Compliance
As used in this Code, the term Investments Compliance shall mean authorized personnel in the office of the Chief Compliance Officer of PAIA and the Funds (Chief Compliance Officer).
3.4 Investments Personnel
As used in this Code, the term Investments Personnel shall mean any Access Person who is also a member of the staff of the Investments Department of Guardian Life.
3.5 Portfolio Manager
As used in this Code, the term Portfolio Manager shall mean a person entrusted with the direct responsibility and authority to make investment decisions affecting a PAIA client, including a Fund. The Chief Compliance Officer may at his or her discretion identify other Access Persons to be classified as Portfolio Managers as deemed appropriate. For example, Access Persons who provide information or advice to Portfolio Managers, or who help execute and/or implement the Portfolio Managers investment decisions, may be included in the Portfolio Manager classification. All Access Persons identified as Portfolio Managers will be notified of such status.
3.6 Security
As used in this Code, the term security has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(36) of the 1940 Act except that the term shall not include:
· securities that are direct obligations of the government of the United States;
· bankers acceptances;
· bank certificates of deposit;
· commercial paper;
· securities guaranteed by the U.S. Government (e.g., Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA or Ginnie Mae), Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA or Fannie Mae) or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC or Freddie Mac);
· high-quality short-term debt instruments (including repurchase agreements);
· shares of money market mutual funds;
· shares of registered open-end investment companies; and
· shares of unit investment trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more registered investment companies (e.g., variable insurance contracts that are funded by insurance company separate accounts organized as unit investment trusts).
3.7 Supervised Persons
As used in this Code, the term Supervised Person shall include any officer, director, or employee of PAIA or officer or director of any Fund for which PAIA serves as the investment adviser and whose Board has adopted this Code.
4. Pre-clearance of Personal Securities Transactions
Subject to the exceptions listed below, no Access Person may purchase or sell any security without first obtaining prior approval from Investments Compliance. These pre-clearance procedures shall not apply to exempt transactions as set forth in Section 6 of this Code.
Any Access Person who wishes to purchase or sell a security that is not exempt from the Codes pre-clearance procedures must submit an approval request to Investments Compliance through the StarCompliance System, including the type of information described in Section 7.1 below concerning the transaction. An Access Person must also represent that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the transaction does not conflict with or violate the provisions of this Code.
An approval of a securities trade shall remain valid only for the date approval is given by Investments Compliance, and the two following calendar days, except that no pre-clearance is valid after the calendar week in which pre-clearance has been granted. If the proposed securities transaction is not completed during the period in which approval is granted, or by the end of the calendar week, if sooner, the Access Person must seek additional approval prior to completing the transaction. All personal transaction approvals are subject to cancellation by Investments Compliance at any time.
5. Prohibited Transactions and Practices
5.1 Prohibited Transactions
No Access Person shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any security in which he or she has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership and which, to his or her knowledge, is currently being purchased or sold by any PAIA client, including the Funds, or which, to his or her knowledge, PAIA or any employee of PAIA or of any PAIA client, including the Funds, is actively considering recommending to a PAIA client, including the Funds, for purchase or sale. These prohibitions shall continue until the time that PAIA or the employee decides not to recommend such purchase or sale, or if such recommendation is made, until the time that the PAIA client completes, or decides not to enter into, such recommended purchase or sale. These prohibitions shall apply to any purchase or sale by any Access Person of any convertible security, option, warrant or other derivative security, or any private placement of any issuer whose underlying securities are being actively considered for recommendation to, or are currently being purchased or sold by any PAIA client, including the Funds. Any profits realized on trades made by Access Persons within the proscribed period must be disgorged.
No Access Person may utilize a Fund for short-term trading (market timing) purposes, as defined from time to time in each Funds prospectus.
5.2 Misuse of Material Non-Public Information
No Access Person shall make personal use of material non-public information or engage in a securities transaction available only by reason of his or her position with PAIA, Guardian Life or their affiliates. Each investment opportunity which comes to the attention of an Access Person and which is appropriate for consideration by the PAIA clients and the Funds must first be made available to PAIA clients and the Funds before the Access Person may take personal advantage of the opportunity.
5.3 Initial Public Offerings
No Access Person may purchase, directly or indirectly, any securities to be issued in an initial public offering, other than municipal bonds. Investments in initial public offerings of municipal bonds must be pre-approved by Investments Compliance.
5.4 Prohibition on Short-term Profits
Except as described below, no Access Person may profit from the purchase and sale, or sale and purchase, of the same (or equivalent) securities within 30 calendar days. All profits realized on such short-term trades must be disgorged. Subject to pre-approval by Investments Compliance, a securities transaction which occurs within the 30 day proscribed period as a result of a change in personal circumstances that takes place or becomes known
during the proscribed period shall not be considered a violation of this section or subject to the disgorgement rule set forth in this section.
5.5 Gifts and Entertainment
No Investment Personnel shall accept any gifts or other things of more than de minimis value (in excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00)) from any person or entity that does business with or on behalf of the Funds, PAIA, Guardian Life or their affiliates. As a continuing guideline for defining de minimis, Investments Compliance relies on guidance provided by the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in comparable circumstances.
Investment Personnel may attend an occasional dinner, sporting event or the theater, or comparable entertainment, so long as the provider of the entertainment is present at the dinner or event, and such entertainment is not conditioned on doing business with any of the Funds, PAIA, Guardian Life or their affiliates, and is neither so frequent nor expensive as to raise questions of propriety.
Investments Compliance should be consulted in any questionable situation. All gifts, other than promotional items of nominal value that display a company logo, and entertainment received by Investment Personnel must be reported on a Gifts and Entertainment form in the StarCompliance system.
5.6 Service on Boards of Publicly Traded Companies
No Access Person shall serve on the board of directors of publicly traded companies, absent a prior written authorization by Investments Compliance based upon a determination that the board service is consistent with the interests of the Funds and their shareholders. Any Access Persons who are authorized to serve as directors shall have no authority to make or influence investment decisions by the Funds with regard to any company on whose board they serve.
5.7 Private Placements
Access Persons who hold securities acquired in a private placement must disclose that investment when they take part in any way in a Funds subsequent consideration of any investment transaction with respect to the issuer of the private placement. A Funds decision to purchase securities of the issuer of such private placement shall be subject to an independent review by Investments Compliance with no personal interest in the matter.
Access Persons investing in a private placement of any kind must obtain prior approval from Investments Compliance. All Access Persons requesting private placement approval must submit a completed Private Placement Approval Request Form through the StarCompliance System. Supporting documents necessary to fully evaluate the approval of a private placement investment must be provided to Investments Compliance at the time of the request. Approval to invest in a private placement shall be valid for the period of time stated in the approval, but may be withdrawn at any time prior to the Access Persons purchase in the private placement.
New Access Persons must disclose pre-existing private placement securities on their Initial Holdings Report and must report them on the Annual Holdings Report filed through the StarCompliance System.
5.8 Portfolio Manager Trades
No Portfolio Manager may buy or sell a security within at least seven calendar days before the day any Client advised by PAIA, which includes the Funds, trades in that security. All profits realized on trades by Portfolio Managers within the proscribed period must be disgorged.
5.9 Exchange Traded Funds
All personal transactions in exchange traded funds (ETFs) are subject to pre approval and all reporting requirements as defined in the Code. However, broad-based ETFs (ETFs based on non sector specific indices, including but not limited to Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, Russell (1000, 2000, 3000), NASDAQ 100, Wilshire 500 or Morgan Stanley Capital International) are exempt from the proscribed trading periods in Sections 5.1 and 5.8 of this Code.
5.10 Outside Business Activities and 5% Ownership in a Public Company.
All Access Persons must advise Investments Compliance of all outside business activities, directorships or ownerships of 5% or greater of the voting shares of any public company by submitting the Outside Business Activity/ 5% Ownership in a Public Company disclosure form through the StarCompliance System.
6. Exempt Purchases and Sales
The pre-clearance requirements in Section 4 of this Code shall not apply to the following:
· purchases or sales of securities which are ineligible for purchase or sale by the Funds;
· purchases or sales of securities excluded under Section 3.6 of this Code; and
· purchases effected upon the exercise of rights (e.g., automatic reinvestment of dividends) provided by an issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of its securities to the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer, and sales of such rights so acquired.
7. Personal Securities Reporting
7.1 Transaction Reports
Each Access Person shall provide a report through the StarCompliance System, for review by Investments Compliance no later than 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, which must cover, at a minimum, all transactions during the quarter for each security in which the Access Person has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership except purchases and sales specifically exempted in Section 6 above and as set forth below.
All Access Persons must direct their brokers to supply to Investments Compliance, on a timely basis, duplicate copies of confirmations of all personal securities transactions required to be reported by this Code and copies of periodic statements for all securities accounts. Each such report shall state: (1) the title and type of security involved; (2) the
exchange ticker or CUSIP number, as applicable; (3) the number of shares and principal amount of the security involved; (4) the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); (5) the price at which the transaction was effected; (6) the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; (7) the name of the broker, dealer or bank with which the Access Person maintains an account in which any securities are held for the Access Person; and (8) the date the Access Person submitted the report.
Transactions not exempted by Section 6 and all transactions in shares of a Fund(3) must be reported on a quarterly basis through the StarCompliance System. Transaction reports need not be submitted with respect to transactions effected pursuant to an automatic investment plan. Such report may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the Access Person making the report has any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership in the security.
Each report shall be treated confidentially and will be maintained on file in the office of Investments Compliance. The reports are, however, available for inspection by authorized members of the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission during normal business hours.
7.2 Holdings Reports
All Access Persons shall disclose all personal securities in which the Access Person has any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership to Investments Compliance, including holdings of private placements and shares of any Fund by submitting an Initial Holdings Report via the StarCompliance System within 10 days following the commencement of employment or upon becoming an Access Person, if later. The information on the Initial Holdings Report must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the person becomes an Access Person and must contain (i) the title and type of security; (ii) the exchange ticker or CUSIP number, as applicable; (iii) the number of shares and principal amount of the security involved; (iv) the name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom the Access Person maintained an account in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Access Person; and (v) the date the Access Person submitted the report.
Each Access Person must also file a report disclosing all personal securities holdings including holdings of private placements and shares of any Fund through the StarCompliance System once a year and the information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the report was submitted. Holdings reports must include shares owned through an automatic investment plan.
Each such report may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the Access Person making the report has any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership in the security.
(3) Investments Compliance will rely on data feeds and reporting from service providers for the reporting of transactions of Access Persons in the Funds for certain benefits programs including Guardian Life 401(k) accounts (i.e., shares held at Wells Fargo or any successor custodian for the Guardian Life 401(k) plan), payroll deduction or direct purchased Funds (i.e., shares held in a transfer agent account at BFDS or any successor transfer agent for the Funds).
7.3 Brokerage Accounts
Brokerage accounts may not be maintained with any broker/dealer who is not on the approved designated broker/dealer list without Investments Compliance approval. Please contact Investments Compliance for a current list of approved designated broker/dealers. All new brokerage accounts must be disclosed to Investments Compliance within five business days or prior to making any securities transactions in the account, the lesser of which applies.
8. Receipt and Acknowledgement of the Code
All Supervised Persons must receive a copy of the Code and any amendments to the Code. All Supervised Persons must certify annually via the StarCompliance System that they have read the Code and recognize that they are subject to the requirements set forth herein. Further, all Access Persons must certify annually that they have complied with the Code and that they have disclosed or reported all personal securities transactions required to be disclosed or reported pursuant to the requirements of the Code.
9. Annual Report to Board
The Chief Compliance Officer will prepare and submit to the Board of any Fund for which PAIA serves as the investment adviser and whose Board has adopted this Code, an annual report which: (i) certifies that PAIA and the Funds have adopted procedures reasonably designed to prevent Access Persons from violating the Code; (ii) summarizes any material violations of the Code and any sanctions imposed; and (iii) makes any recommended changes in the procedures, as appropriate, based on operating experience under the Code, evolving industry practices or amendments to applicable laws or regulations.
10. Reporting of Violations of the Code
Any known violations of this Code must be reported promptly to the Chief Compliance Officer.
11. Violations and Sanctions
Should Investments Compliance detect a potential violation of this Code or any apparent trading irregularity, Investments Compliance shall take whatever steps deemed appropriate under the circumstances to investigate said potential violation or trading irregularity. If Investments Compliance reasonably believes a violation or trading irregularity to exist, said violation or trading irregularity shall be reported to the PAIA Compliance Oversight Committee for review and a determination of the appropriate sanction, if necessary.
Upon learning of a violation of this Code, the PAIA Compliance Oversight Committee may impose such sanctions as they deem appropriate under the circumstances which may include but is not limited to the following: written warnings, fines, disgorgement of profits, suspension of trading privileges or termination of employment. In addition to sanctions, violations may result in referral to civil or criminal authorities where appropriate.
The Chief Compliance Officer will bring to the attention of the Board of any Fund for which PAIA serves as the investment adviser and whose Board has adopted this Code any violation of the Code, and the action, if any, taken by PAIA in response to such violation.
12. Recordkeeping
Copies of the Code, Supervised Persons written acknowledgment of receipt of the Code, records of violations of the Code, and records of actions taken as a result of violations shall be maintained by Investments Compliance, in addition to: (i) the names of all Access Persons (including the basis of any determinations made by Investments Compliance that a director or officer of PAIA is not an Access Person); (ii) holdings and transaction reports made by Access Persons; and (iii) records of any decisions approving Access Persons acquisitions of securities not specifically exempted under Section 6 of the Code. All such records shall be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year on which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in an easily accessible place.
Exhibit 99.B(p)(4)
SailingStone Capital Partners LLC
Code of Ethics
May 31, 2018
This Code of Ethics is the property of SailingStone Capital Partners LLC (SailingStone or the firm) and must be returned to the firm if an individuals association with the firm terminates for any reason.
The content of this manual is confidential, and must not be revealed to third parties. The policies and procedures set forth herein supersede previous policies.
Table of Contents
CODE OF ETHICS |
3 |
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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
3 |
Fiduciary Standards and Compliance with the Federal Securities Laws |
3 |
Whistleblower Policy |
4 |
Violations |
5 |
Distribution of the Code and Acknowledgement of Receipt |
5 |
Conflicts of Interest |
6 |
Personal Securities Transactions |
6 |
Class I Prohibited Securities, Class II Non-Restricted Securities and Class III Approved Securities |
7 |
SECURITY TYPES |
8 |
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SECURITY DEFINITIONS |
9 |
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Disclosure of the Code of Ethics |
12 |
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INSIDER TRADING |
13 |
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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
13 |
Procedures for Recipients of Material Non-Public Information |
13 |
Watch List |
14 |
Selective Disclosure |
14 |
Relationships with Potential Insiders |
15 |
Obtaining Research from Political Participants |
15 |
Paying Industry Experts for Research |
15 |
Intentional Receipt of Non-Public Information about Public Issuers |
16 |
Rumors |
16 |
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GIFTS AND ENTERTAINMENT |
17 |
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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
17 |
Guiding Principles |
17 |
Specific Policies and Procedures |
17 |
Internal Controls |
19 |
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POLITICAL AND CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS, AND PUBLIC POSITIONS |
20 |
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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
20 |
Political Contributions |
20 |
Charitable Donations |
21 |
Public Office |
21 |
Outside Business Activities |
21 |
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COMPLAINTS |
22 |
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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
22 |
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OUTSIDE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, INVESTMENT CLUBS, AND PRIOR EMPLOYMENT |
23 |
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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
23 |
Outside Business Activities, Directorships and Investment Clubs |
23 |
Prior Employment Arrangements |
24 |
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DEFINITIONS |
25 |
CODE OF ETHICS
Policies and Procedures
Fiduciary Standards and Compliance with the Federal Securities Laws
At all times, SailingStone and its Employees must comply with the spirit and the letter of the Federal Securities Laws and the rules governing the capital markets. The CCO administers the Code of Ethics (or the Code). All questions regarding the Code must be directed to the CCO. Employees must cooperate to the fullest extent reasonably requested by the CCO to enable (i) SailingStone to comply with all applicable Federal Securities Laws and (ii) the CCO to discharge his or her duties under the Code.
All Employees will act with competence, dignity, integrity, and in an ethical manner, when dealing with Clients, the public, prospects, third-party service providers and fellow Employees. Employees must use reasonable care and exercise independent professional judgment when conducting investment analysis, making investment recommendations, trading, promoting SailingStones services, and engaging in other professional activities.
We expect all Employees to adhere to the highest standards with respect to any potential conflicts of interest with Clients. As a fiduciary, SailingStone must act in its Clients best interests. Neither SailingStone, nor any Employee should ever benefit at the expense of any Client. Notify the CCO promptly about any practice that creates, or gives the appearance of, a material conflict of interest.
Employees are generally expected to discuss any perceived risks, or concerns about SailingStones business practices, with their direct supervisor. However, if an Employee is uncomfortable discussing an issue with their supervisor, or if they believe that an issue has not been appropriately addressed, they must bring the matter to the CCOs attention.
Whistleblower Policy
Every Employee has a responsibility for knowing and following the firms policies and procedures. Every person in a supervisory role is also responsible for those individuals under his/her supervision.
Recognizing the firms commitment to its clients, all Employees are required to conduct themselves with the utmost loyalty and integrity in their dealings with clients, vendors and one another. Improper conduct on the part of any Employee puts the firm and its personnel at risk. Therefore, while senior management ultimately has supervisory responsibility and authority, these individuals cannot stop or remedy misconduct unless they know about it. Accordingly, all Employees are not only expected to, but are required to report their concerns about potentially illegal conduct as well as violations of firm policies.
Reporting Potential Misconduct
To ensure consistent implementation of such practices, it is imperative that Employees have the opportunity to report any concerns or suspicions of improper activity at the firm (whether by an Employee or other party) confidentially and without retaliation.
SailingStones Whistleblower Policy covers the treatment of all concerns relating to suspected illegal activity or potential misconduct.
Employees may report potential misconduct by emailing compliance@sailingstonecapital.com. The report will be kept confidential. Reports of violations or suspected violations must be reported to the firms CCO, or to other members of senior management with a copy to the CCO. Employees may report suspected improper activity by the CCO to the firms other senior management.
Responsibility of the Whistleblower
A person must be acting in good faith in reporting a complaint or concern under this policy and must have reasonable grounds for believing a deliberate misrepresentation has been made regarding a violation of a securities law(s) which the firm is subject to. A malicious allegation known to be false is considered a serious offense and will be subject to disciplinary action that may include termination of employment.
Handling of Reported Improper Activity
The firm will take seriously any report regarding a potential violation of policy or other improper or illegal activity, and recognizes the importance of keeping the identity of the reporting person strictly confidential. Employees are to be assured that the firm will appropriately manage all such reported concerns or suspicions of improper activity in a timely and professional manner, confidentially and without retaliation.
No Retaliation Policy
It is the firms policy that no Employee who submits a complaint made in good faith will experience retaliation, harassment, or unfavorable or adverse employment consequences. An Employee who retaliates against an Employee reporting a complaint will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include termination of employment. An Employee who believes s/he has been subject to retaliation or
reprisal as a result of reporting a concern or making a complaint is to report such action to the CCO or to the firms other senior management in the event the concern pertains to the CCO.
Reporting Violations and Sanctions
All Employees shall promptly report to the firms CCO all apparent or potential violations of the Code. Any retaliation for the reporting of a violation under this Code will constitute a violation of the Code.
The CCO shall promptly report to senior management all apparent material violations of the Code. When the CCO finds that a violation otherwise reportable to senior management could not be reasonably found to have resulted in a fraud, deceit, or a manipulative practice in violation of Section 206 of the Advisers Act, the CCO will submit a written memorandum of such finding to a reporting file created for this purpose. The CCO will prepare a quarterly summary of such findings (if any) for senior management.
If the CCO determines that a material violation of this Code of Ethics has occurred, the CCO will promptly report the violation, and any association action(s), to the firms Management Committee. If the Management Committee determines that the material violation may involve a fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative act, the firm will report its findings to any sub-advised mutual funds Board of Directors or Trustees pursuant to Rule 17j-1.
Senior management shall consider reports made to it hereunder and shall determine whether or not the Code has been violated and what sanctions, if any, should be imposed. Possible sanctions may include reprimands, monetary fine or assessment, or suspension or termination of the Employees employment with the firm.
Violations
Violations of this Code of Ethics may warrant sanctions including, without limitation, requiring that personal trades be reversed, requiring the disgorgement of profits or gifts, issuing a letter of caution or warning, suspending personal trading rights, imposing a fine, suspending employment (with or without compensation), making a civil referral to the SEC, making a criminal referral, terminating employment for cause, and/or a combination of the foregoing. Violations may also subject an Employee to civil, regulatory or criminal sanctions. No Employee will determine whether he or she committed a violation of the Code of Ethics, or impose any sanction against himself or herself. All sanctions and other actions taken will be in accordance with applicable employment laws and regulations.
Distribution of the Code and Acknowledgement of Receipt
SailingStone will distribute this Code to each Employee upon the commencement of employment, annually, and upon any material change to the Code of Ethics or to another portion of the Code.
All Employees must acknowledge that they have received, read, understood, and agree to comply with SailingStones policies and procedures described in this Code. All Employees must use Financial Tracking ETS to acknowledge that they have received, read, understood, and agree to comply with the firms policies and procedures described in the firms Compliance Manual, including this Code of Ethics.
Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest may exist between various individuals and entities, including SailingStone, Employees, and current or prospective Clients. Any failure to identify or properly address a conflict can have severe negative repercussions for SailingStone, its Employees, and/or Clients. In some cases, the improper handling of a conflict could result in litigation and/or disciplinary action.
SailingStones policies and procedures have been designed to identify and properly disclose, mitigate, and/or eliminate applicable conflicts of interest. However, written policies and procedures cannot address every potential conflict, so Employees must use good judgment in identifying and responding appropriately to actual or apparent conflicts. Conflicts of interest that involve SailingStone and/or its Employees on one hand, and Clients on the other hand, will generally be fully disclosed and/or resolved in a way that favors the interests of Clients over the interests of SailingStone and its Employees. If an Employee believes that a conflict of interest has not been identified or appropriately addressed, that Employee must promptly bring the issue to the CCOs attention.
In some instances, conflicts of interest may arise between Clients. Responding appropriately to these types of conflicts can be challenging, and may require robust disclosures if there is any appearance that one or more Clients have been unfairly disadvantaged. Employees must notify the CCO promptly if it appears that any actual or apparent conflict of interest between Clients has not been appropriately addressed.
It may sometimes be beneficial for SailingStone to be able to retroactively demonstrate that it carefully considered particular conflicts of interest. The firms Risk Committee will document the firms assessment of, and response to, such conflicts.
Personal Securities Transactions
The personal transactions and investment activities of Employees of SailingStone, and certain of their Family Members (referred to collectively as Personal Securities Transactions), are the subject of various federal securities laws, rules and regulations. Personal Securities Transactions must be executed in a manner consistent with SailingStones fiduciary obligations to its Clients: trades must avoid actual improprieties as well as the appearance of impropriety.
In the event of a material change to this Personal Securities Transactions section of the Code of Ethics, the CCO shall inform each sub-advised mutual funds CCO of such change and ensure that the change is approved by each sub-advised mutual funds Board no later than six months after the change is adopted.
Accounts Covered by the Policies and Procedures
SailingStones Personal Securities Transactions policies and procedures apply to all accounts holding any Securities over which Employees have any beneficial ownership interest, which typically includes accounts held by immediate family members sharing the same household. Immediate family members include children, step-children, grandchildren, parents, step-parents, grandparents, spouses, domestic
partners, siblings, parents-in-law, and children-in-law, as well as adoptive relationships that meet the above criteria.
It may be possible for Employees to exclude accounts held personally or by immediate family members sharing the same household if the Employee does not have any direct or indirect influence or control over the accounts, or if the Employee can rebut the presumption of beneficial ownership over family members accounts. Employees must consult with the CCO before any accounts held by immediate family members sharing the same household will be excluded.
Employees who have immediate family member who are granted stock or option-based compensation from their employers are required to disclose the occurrence and/or accounts. The Employees immediate family member may exercise their option and/or sell the stock on a case by case basis only with pre-clearance from SailingStones CCO. Please contact the CCO for specific guidance and/or questions.
Class I Prohibited Securities, Class II Non-Restricted Securities and Class III Approved Securities
· Each Employee and such Employees Family Members may hold Class I Prohibited Securities that were held at the time of such Employees hiring.
· All Employees and their Family Members are prohibited from purchasing Class I Prohibited Securities while Employee is employed by SailingStone; and
· All Employees and their Family Members are allowed to trade Class II Non-Restricted Reportable Securities and Class III Approved Non- Reportable Securities; provided that any security purchased must be held for 90 days before it can be sold by an Employee or such Employees Family Members. The purpose of the 90-day hold is to discourage frequent and short term trading. This includes short selling of non-restricted and approved securities.
· Employees must have written clearance from the CCO for any transaction involving a Class II Security before initiating a contemplated transaction. SailingStone may disapprove any proposed transaction, particularly if the transaction appears to pose a conflict of interest or otherwise appears improper. If clearance is granted for a specified period of time, the Employee receiving the approval is responsible for ensuring that his or her trading is completed before the clearances expiration. Approvals are generally given for the same trading day. All pre-clearance requests must be submitted to the CCO.
PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING PAGE FOR A DEFINITION OF SECURITY TYPES
SECURITY TYPES
Class I Prohibited Securities |
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Class II Non- Restricted Reportable
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Class III Approved Non-
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equity and debt securities |
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Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) |
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Closed-end funds |
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common and preferred stock |
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Exchange-traded notes (ETNs) |
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Shares issued by open-end investment companies registered in the U.S., other than funds advised by SailingStone; |
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investment and non-investment grade debt securities |
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Private Placements (hedge fund or private equity fund) |
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Shares issued by unit investment trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more open-end registered investment companies. |
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investments convertible into or exchangeable for stock or debt securities |
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MLP mutual fund |
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Direct obligations of the Government of the United States or Canada; |
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securities sold in IPOs or limited offerings |
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Shares issued by open-end investment companies registered in the U.S., sub-advised by SailingStone; |
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Bankers acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high-quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; |
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any derivative instrument including futures, forwards, swaps, options, warrants, caps, floors, collars and CDs |
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Initial Coin Offering ICO |
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Shares issued by money market funds; |
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publicly traded single stock master limited partnerships |
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Interests in 529 college savings plans; |
*Reportable Securities are required to be reported on Financial Tracking ETS.
**Non-Reportable Securities do not require reporting on Financial Tracking ETS.
***Exception to the 90-day hold is if the position shows a 10% loss.
SECURITY DEFINITIONS
· Open-end investment company registered in the U.S. Open-end funds are the most common type of mutual fund. Open-end mutual funds must be willing to buy back their shares from their investors at the end of every business day at the net asset value computed that day. Most open-end funds also sell shares to the public every business day; these shares are also priced at net asset value. The total investment in the fund will vary based on share purchases, share redemptions and fluctuation in market valuation. There is no legal limit on the number of shares that can be issued.
· Closed-end funds Closed-end funds generally issue shares to the public only once, when they are created through an initial public offering. Their shares are then listed for trading on a stock exchange. Investors who no longer wish to invest in the fund cannot sell their shares back to the fund (as they can with an open-end fund). Instead, they must sell their shares to another investor in the market; the price they receive may be significantly different from NAV.
· Unit Investment Trust (UIT) - Unit investment trusts or UITs issue shares to the public only once, when they are created. UITs generally have a limited life span, established at creation. Investors can redeem shares directly with the fund at any time (as with an open-end fund) or wait to redeem upon termination of the trust. Less commonly, they can sell their shares in the open market. Unit investment trusts do not have a professional investment manager. Their portfolio of securities is established at the creation of the UIT and does not change.
· Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) A relatively recent innovation, the exchange-traded fund or ETF is often structured as an open-end investment company, though ETFs may also be structured as unit investment trusts, partnerships, investments trust, grantor trusts or bonds (as an exchange-traded note). Most ETFs are index funds that combine characteristics of both closed-end funds and open-end funds. Ideally, ETFs are traded throughout the day on a stock exchange at a price that is close to net asset value of the ETF holdings.
· Exchange-traded notes (ETNs) An exchange-traded note (ETN) is a senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt security issued by an underwriting bank. Similar to other debt securities, ETNs have a maturity date and are backed only by the credit of the issuer. ETNs are designed to provide investors access to the returns of various market benchmarks.
· Initial Coin Offering (ICO) - For the avoidance of doubt, any offerings of virtual currency or cryptocurrency coins or tokens that are part of an initial coin offering (ICO) are considered a security and subject to firms pre-clearance policy.
Pre-clearance Procedures
Employees must have written pre-clearance for all Class II transactions (Class I transactions are prohibited) before initiating the transaction. SailingStone may disapprove any proposed transaction, particularly if the transaction appears to pose a conflict of interest or otherwise appears improper. If clearance is granted for a specified period of time, the Employee receiving the approval is responsible for ensuring that his or her trading is completed before the clearances expiration.
Employees must use Financial Tracking ETS to seek pre-clearance. Class III Securities do not require pre-clearance.
Please Note: Employees must use Financial Tracking ETS to seek pre-clearance for sub-advised mutual fund(s). All pre-clearance requests must be submitted to the CCO via Financial Tracking ETS.
Reporting
SailingStone will collect information regarding the personal trading activities and holdings of all Employees. Employees must submit quarterly reports regarding Securities transactions and newly opened accounts, as well as annual reports regarding holdings and existing accounts. This is done through Financial Tracking.
Quarterly Transaction Reports
Each quarter, Employees must report all Class II Securities transactions in accounts in which they have a Beneficial Interest(1). Employees must also report any accounts opened during the quarter that hold any Securities (including Class I and Class II Securities).
Reports regarding Class II Securities transactions and newly opened Class I and Class II accounts must be submitted to the CCO within 30 days of the end of each calendar quarter.
Employees must utilize Financial Tracking ETS to fulfill quarterly reporting obligations.
Employees must utilize Financial Tracking ETS to instruct the institution hosting their accounts to send the CCO duplicate trade confirmations and/or account statements. This will ensure that the CCO will receive all such confirmations and statements within 30 days of the end of each calendar quarter electronically. Any trades that did not occur through a broker-dealer, such as the purchase of a private fund, must be reported manually using Financial Tracking ETS.
If an Employee did not have any transactions or account openings to report, this must be reported using Financial Tracking ETS within 30 calendar days of the end of each calendar quarter.
(1) An individual has a Beneficial Interest in a security if he or she can directly or indirectly profit from the security. An individual generally has a Beneficial Interest in all securities held directly or indirectly, as well as those owned directly or indirectly by family members sharing the same household.
Initial and Annual Holdings Reports
Employees must report the existence of any account that holds any Securities (including Securities excluded from the definition of a Reportable Security), as well as all Reportable Securities holdings. Reports regarding accounts and holdings must be submitted to the CCO on or before February 14 th of each year, and within 10 business days of an individual first becoming an Employee. Annual reports must be current as of December 31 st ; initial reports must be current as of a date no more than 45 calendar days prior to the date that the person became an Employee.
Employees may submit copies of account statements that are current as of the dates noted above. Employees must sign and date each such statement before submitting it to the CCO. Any Class II Securities not appearing on an account statement must be reported via Financial Tracking ETS.
If an Employee does not have any holdings and/or accounts to report, they must certify No Reportable Holdings within 10 days of becoming an Employee and by February 14 th of each year.
Exceptions from Reporting Requirements
There are limited exceptions from certain reporting requirements. Specifically, an Employee is not required to submit:
· Quarterly reports for any transactions effected pursuant to an Automatic Investment Plan; or
· Any reports with respect to Securities held in accounts over which the Employee had no direct or indirect influence or control, such as an account managed by an investment adviser on a discretionary basis.
Any investment plans or accounts that may be eligible for either of these exceptions must be brought to the attention of the CCO who will, on a case-by-case basis, determine whether the plan or account qualifies for an exception. In making this determination, the CCO may ask for supporting documentation, such as a copy of the Automatic Investment Plan, a copy of the discretionary account management agreement, and/or a written certification from an unaffiliated investment adviser. The CCO may also require the Employee to complete additional certifications with respect to any such plan or account.
Personal Trading and Holdings Reviews
SailingStones Personal Securities Transactions policies and procedures are designed to mitigate any potential material conflicts of interest associated with Employees personal trading activities.
The CCO will review all reports submitted pursuant to the Personal Securities Transactions policies and procedures for potentially abusive behavior, and will compare Employee trading with Clients trades as necessary. Any personal trading that appears abusive may result in further inquiry by the CCO and/or sanctions, up to and including dismissal.
The Trade Compliance Officer will monitor the CCOs personal Securities transactions for compliance with the Personal Securities Transactions policies and procedures.
Disclosure of the Code of Ethics
SailingStone will describe its Code of Ethics in Part 2 of Form ADV and, upon request, furnish Clients with a copy of the Code of Ethics. All Client requests for SailingStones Code of Ethics must be directed to the CCO.
INSIDER TRADING
Policies and Procedures
Employees are strictly forbidden from engaging in Insider Trading, either personally or on behalf of SailingStones Clients. SailingStones Insider Trading Policies and Procedures apply to all Employees, as well as any transactions in any securities by family members, trusts, or corporations, directly or indirectly controlled by such persons. The policy also applies to transactions by corporations in which the Employee is an officer, director, or 10% or greater stockholder, as well as transactions by partnerships of which the Employee is a partner unless the Employee has no direct or indirect control over the partnership.
Procedures for Recipients of Material Non-Public Information
If an Employee has questions as to whether they are in possession of Material Non-Public Information, they must inform the CCO as soon as possible. The CCO will conduct research to determine if the information is likely to be considered material, and whether the information has been publicly disseminated.
Given the severe penalties imposed on individuals and firms engaging in Insider Trading, an Employee:
· must immediately report the potential receipt of Material Non-Public Information to the CCO;
· must not trade the securities of any company about which they may possess Material Non-Public Information;
· must not discuss any potentially Material Non-Public Information with colleagues, except as specifically required by their position; and
· must not conduct research, trading, or other investment activities regarding a security for which they may have Material Non-Public Information until the CCO dictates an appropriate course of action.
If the CCO determines that the information is material and non-public, the CCO may prepare a written memorandum describing the information, its source, and the date that the information was received. SailingStone will not place any trades in securities for which it has Material Non-Public Information. The security will also be placed on the firms Restricted List. Depending on the relevant facts and circumstances, the CCO may also take some or all of the following steps:
· review SailingStones Insider Trading policies and procedures with the affected Employee(s);
· initially ask the affected Employee (s) to execute written agreements that they will not disclose the potentially Material Non-Public Information to others, including colleagues;
· periodically ask the affected Employee (s) to sign certifications that they have not improperly shared the information;
· require the affected Employee (s) to institute enhanced information security practices;
· review the emails of the affected Employees more frequently;
· review SailingStones Insider Trading policies and procedures with all Employees;
· inform SailingStones other Employees that the affected Employee (s) may be in possession of Material Non-Public Information;
· remind the other Employees that they must take reasonable steps to avoid inadvertent receipt of the information;
· forbid other Employees from trading the security in question on behalf of any Client;
· forbid other Employees from seeking to obtain the information; and
· conduct key word searches of all Employees emails for the information in question.
Trading in affected securities may resume, and other responses may be adjusted or eliminated, when the CCO determines that the information has become public and/or immaterial. At such time, the CCO may amend the memorandum noted above to indicate the date that trading was allowed to resume and the reason for the resumption.
Watch List
SailingStones investment management personnel will from time to time maintain a Watch List of Securities that SailingStone is actively evaluating for purchase or sale in Client accounts, or about which SailingStone might have received Material Non-Public Information.
If a security is determined to be placed on the Watch List, any member of the firms investment team must notify the CCO of the security. This will be done immediately upon placement on the Watch List either verbally or via email.
Selective Disclosure
Non-public information about SailingStones investment strategies, trading, and Client holdings may not be shared with third parties except as is necessary to implement investment decisions and conduct other legitimate business. Employees must never disclose proposed or pending trades or other sensitive information to any third party without the prior approval of the CCO. Federal Securities Laws may prohibit the dissemination of such information, and doing so may be considered a violation of the fiduciary duty that SailingStone owes to its Clients.
Provision of information to Private Fund Investors : Absent specific disclosure, all Investors should have equal access to information about a Private Funds holdings and activities.
Employees must not disclose proposed or pending trades to any Client or other individual or entity outside of SailingStone other than a trading counterparty with a legitimate need to know the
information. Additionally, Employees must be careful when disclosing the composition of any sub advised RIC (registered investment company or mutual fund) portfolios without obtaining consent from the CCO; Federal Securities Laws and/or the sub advised RICs policies may limit the dissemination of such information, and selective dissemination could be viewed as favoritism. Requests for information regarding a sub advised RICs holdings from outside individuals or entities must be forwarded to the CCO, who will consider, among other things, the timeliness and sensitivity of the information and the sub advised RICs policies and procedures. In no case will the CCO approve the dissemination of holdings information that is less than 30 days old.
Relationships with Potential Insiders
SailingStones Clients, portfolio companies, or Third-Party Service Providers may possess Material Non-Public Information. Access to such information could come as a result of, among other things:
· Being employed by an issuer (or sitting on the issuers board of directors);
· Working for an investment bank, consulting firm, supplier, or customer of an issuer;
· Sitting on an issuers creditors committee;
· Serving as an elected official, or otherwise being involved in non-public political processes;
· Meetings or idea dinners with investment bankers or other connected individuals;
· Personal relationships with connected individuals; and
· A spouses involvement in any of the preceding activities.
Individuals with access to Material Non-Public Information may have an incentive to disclose the information to SailingStone due to the potential for personal gain. Employees must be extremely cautious about investment recommendations, or information about issuers, that it receives from Clients, portfolio companies, or Third-Party Service Providers. Employees must inquire about the basis for any such recommendations or information, and must consult with the CCO if there is any appearance that the recommendations or information are based on Material Non-Public Information.
If an Employee expects that discussions with an outsider might involve the transmission of Material Non-Public Information, the Employee must disclose whether or not SailingStone is an insider, and must seek a representation regarding the counterpartys status as a potential insider. When practicable, this disclosure and representation should be communicated by email. Employees must consult with the CCO if there is any question regarding the appropriate types of information that can be provided to, or received from, an outside individual or entity.
Obtaining Research from Political Participants
Employees must consult with the CCO prior to seeking research or other information from participants in non-public political processes. This obligation may apply to elected officials, lobbyists, and political staff members. The CCO may discuss the matter with Outside Counsel, and/or chaperone any meetings or telephone calls with the information provider.
Paying Industry Experts for Research
SailingStone prohibits the use of Paid Industry Experts.
Intentional Receipt of Non-Public Information about Public Issuers
In certain circumstances SailingStone may intentionally obtain non-public information about public issuers. For example, the firm might be provided with non-public information in connection with certain types of debt investments. SailingStone might also be invited to participate in a private offering of a public equity (a PIPE) or a tender offer. SailingStones receipt of non-public information about a public issuer may limit the firms ability to trade in that issuers public securities, so the CCO must carefully consider the benefits and limitations before non-public information is received. Only a Managing Partner or the COO is authorized to sign confidentiality agreements on SailingStones behalf in connection with the potential receipt of non-public information, and Employees must consult with the CCO before gaining access to documents or databases, or engaging in conversations, that are expected to yield non-public information. To the extent that the CCO approves SailingStones receipt of non-public information, the CCO will oversee the implementation of procedures designed to prevent improper transactions involving related publicly traded securities.
Rumors
Creating or passing false rumors with the intent to manipulate securities prices or markets may violate the antifraud provisions of Federal Securities Laws. Such conduct is contradictory to SailingStones Code of Ethics, as well as the firms expectations regarding appropriate behavior of its Employees. Employees are prohibited from knowingly circulating false rumors or sensational information that might reasonably be expected to affect market conditions for one or more securities, sectors, or markets, or improperly influencing any person or entity.
This policy is not intended to discourage or prohibit appropriate communications between Employees of SailingStone and other market participants and trading counterparties. Employees must consult with the CCO regarding questions about the appropriateness of any communications.
GIFTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Policies and Procedures
Guiding Principles
SailingStone holds its Employees to high ethical standards and strictly prohibits any giving or receipt of things of value that are designed to improperly influence the recipient. Anti-bribery and anti-corruption statutes in the U.S. and the U.K. are broadly written, so Employees must consult with the CCO if there is even an appearance of impropriety associated with the giving or receipt of anything of value.
Specific Policies and Procedures
Employees Receipt of Entertainment No Employee may accept extravagant or excessive entertainment from any person or entity that does or seeks to do business with or on behalf of SailingStone. The guidelines below assume the person providing the entertainment is present (otherwise it is subject to the annual gift limitation):
· The value of events such as dinners, concerts, sporting events, golf outings, etc., must not exceed $200.00 in value per event, per Employee, and each Employee is limited to two (2) of these types of events with the same outside individual in any twelve (12) month period.
The Employee who receives the entertainment must seek approval via from the firms CCO prior to acceptance and report it via Financial Tracking ETS by quarter end.
· Meals at sponsored conferences or group meetings do not count towards the twice per year limit, unless they may be construed as extravagant or excessive.
Meals at sponsored conferences or group meetings do not require reporting.
· Generally, an Employee may not allow an outside firm or person to pay the costs of any guest of the Employee unless the situation dictates that it would be appropriate behavior (e.g., the host brings a guest to the event). Otherwise, the Employee or the guest must pay for the guests tickets or restaurant bill.
Client entertainment (i.e., paid by, or on behalf of, the firm) may be maintained at a social level, generally conducive with these guidelines, but not held to the same standard as long as it is communicated to a Managing Partner or the CCO and the entertainment cannot be construed as extravagant or excessive.
Employees Receipt of Gifts No Employee may accept or receive on their own behalf or on behalf of the firm, any gift or other accommodation from a vendor, broker, securities salesman, Client, or prospective Client (a business contact) that might create a conflict of interest or an appearance of such a conflict or interfere with the impartial discharge of the recipients responsibilities to SailingStone or its Clients or place the recipient or the firm in a difficult or embarrassing position or that may be construed as an improper attempt to influence the recipient. This prohibition applies equally to gifts to members of the immediate family or household of SailingStone Employees. In no event should gifts to or from any one business contact have a value that exceeds the annual limitation on the dollar value of gifts established by the FINRA from time to time (currently $100), unless there is no conflict of interest, directly or indirectly, with any of the firms Clients and the gift is approved by the CCO or a Managing Partner of the firm.
SailingStone expects that it will bear the costs of Employee travel and lodging associated with conferences, research trips, and other business-related travel. If these costs are borne by a person or entity other than SailingStone they must be treated as a gift to the Employee for purposes of this policy.
Gifts such as holiday baskets or lunches delivered to SailingStones offices, which are received on behalf of the firm, do not require reporting. Promotional items valued at less than $50 that clearly display the givers company logo also need not be reported. Examples of promotional gifts include mugs, hats and umbrellas.
Gifts that are reportable under this policy (receipt of a Gift from a business contact that is valued $100 dollars or below) must be entered into Financial Tracking ETS by quarter end.
SailingStones Gift and Entertainment Giving Policy SailingStone and its Employees are prohibited from giving gifts or entertainment that may appear lavish or excessive, and must obtain approval to give gifts or entertainment in excess of $100 to any Client, prospect, or individual or entity that SailingStone does, or is seeking to do, business with. Employees must seek approval by report it via Financial Tracking ETS by quarter end.
Gifts and Entertainment Given to Union Officials Any gift or entertainment provided by SailingStone to a labor union or a union official of $250 or more per fiscal year must be reported on Department Labor Form LM-10 within 90 days following the end of SailingStones fiscal year. Consequently, all gifts and entertainment provided to labor unions or union officials must be reported to the CCO by entering into Financial Tracking ETS.
Gifts and Entertainment Given to Foreign Governments and Government Instrumentalities The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits the direct or indirect giving of, or a promise to give, things of value in order to corruptly obtain a business benefit from an officer, employee, or other instrumentality of a foreign government. Companies that are owned, even partly, by a foreign government may be considered an instrumentality of that government. In particular, government investments in foreign financial institutions may make the FCPA applicable to those institutions. Individuals acting in an official capacity on behalf of a foreign government or a foreign political party may also be instrumentalities of a foreign government.
The FCPA includes provisions that may permit the giving of gifts and entertainment under certain circumstances, including certain gifts and entertainment that are lawful under the written laws and regulations of the recipients country, as well as bona-fide travel costs for certain legitimate business purposes. However the availability of these exceptions is limited and is dependent on the relevant facts and circumstances.
Civil and criminal penalties for violating the FCPA can be severe. SailingStone and its Employees must comply with the spirit and the letter of the FCPA at all times. Employees must obtain written pre-clearance from the CCO prior to giving anything of value that might be subject to the FCPA except food and beverages that are provided during a legitimate business meeting and that are clearly not lavish or excessive.
Employees must track all Gifts and Entertainment in Financial Tracking ETS to disclose all gifts and entertainment that may be subject to the FCPA, irrespective of value and including food and beverages provided during a legitimate business meeting.
Employees must consult with the CCO if there is any question as to whether gifts or entertainment need to be pre-cleared and/or reported in connection with this policy.
Gifts and Entertainment Given to ERISA Plan Fiduciaries SailingStone is prohibited from giving gifts or entertainment with an aggregate value of $250 or more per year to any ERISA plan fiduciary. Consequently, all gifts and entertainment provided to ERISA plan fiduciaries must be reported by logging into Financial Tracking ETS.
Internal Controls
Gifts and Entertainment Tracking The CCO will use Financial Tracking ETS to track Employees provision and receipt of gifts and entertainment. The CFO will be responsible for reviewing any gifts and entertainment reported by the CCO.
Monitoring Third Parties The CCO is responsible for assessing whether agreements with third parties should include anti-bribery representations, and for ensuring that any necessary representations are included in executed agreements. The CCO may also require that third parties acting on behalf of SailingStone attend the firms anti-bribery training sessions. Employees may not execute agreements with third parties that are reasonably expected to interact with government officials, union representatives or ERISA plan fiduciaries without the CCOs approval.
If a third party is reasonably expected to interact with government officials, union representatives or ERISA plan fiduciaries, the CCO will review any expense claims submitted by the third party and may require explanations and supplemental documentation to ensure that the third party has not provided improper gifts or entertainment on SailingStones behalf.
POLITICAL AND CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS,
AND PUBLIC POSITIONS
Policies and Procedures
Political Contributions
Political contributions by SailingStone or Employees to politically connected individuals or entities with the intention of influencing such individuals or entities for business purposes are strictly prohibited.
If an Employee is considering making a political contribution to any state or local government entity, official, candidate, political party, or political action committee, the potential contributor must seek pre-clearance from the CCO or a Managing Partner. Employees should be aware that political contributions that may require pre-clearance include cash donations, as well as substantive donations of SailingStones resources, such as the use of conference rooms or communication systems. If pre-clearance is granted, it is valid for seven days before and after the intended contribution date. Any contributions outside of this date range require re-approval. The CCO will consider whether the proposed contribution is consistent with restrictions imposed by Rule 206(4)-5, and to the extent practicable, the CCO will seek to protect the confidentiality of all information regarding each proposed contribution.
The CCO will meet with new Employees to discuss their past political contributions. The review will address the prior six months for Employees who will have no involvement in the solicitation of Clients; contributions for covered associates will be reviewed for the past two years. Note: A covered associate of an adviser is defined to include:
· Any managing partner or executive officer, or other individual with a similar status or function; and
· Any Employee that solicits a government entity for the adviser, as well as any direct or indirect supervisor of that Employee.
Employees may make contributions to national political candidates, parties, or action committees without seeking pre-clearance as long as the recipient is not otherwise associated with a state or local political office. However, Employees must use good judgment in connection with all contributions and must consult with the CCO if there is any actual or apparent question about the propriety of a potential contribution.
Any political contribution by SailingStone, rather than its Employees, must be pre-cleared by the CCO, irrespective of the proposed amount or recipient of the contribution. The CCO will maintain a chronological list of contributions in accordance with the requirements of the Pay-to-Play Rule, as well as a list of all Clients that meet the definition of a government entity for purposes of Rule 206(4)-5.
The CFO is responsible for reviewing the CCOs political contribution activities.
Charitable Donations
Donations by SailingStone or Employees to charities with the intention of influencing such charities to become Clients are strictly prohibited. Employees must notify the CCO about any actual or apparent conflict of interest in connection with any charitable contribution, or about any contribution that could give an appearance of impropriety. Employees must pre-clear any donation to charities that are current Clients or a current prospect. It is up to the Employee to ensure the contemplated charity status is 501(c)(3) and there must be no expectation of quid pro quo.
Public Office
Employees must obtain written pre-approval from the CCO prior to running for any public office. Employees may not hold a public office if it presents any actual or apparent conflict of interest with SailingStones business activities.
Outside Business Activities
If an Employee is associated with an outside business, such as by serving as an officer or director, the Employee must recuse himself or herself from any decisions regarding that entitys political contributions. If the Employee believes that the outside business political contributions could give even the appearance of being related to SailingStones advisory activities or marketing initiatives, the Employee must discuss the matter with the CCO. Any outside business activities by the CCO will be reviewed by the CFO.
COMPLAINTS
Policies and Procedures
Any statement transmitted verbally, in a letter, by fax, by email, or otherwise, that alleges specific inappropriate conduct by SailingStone is a complaint. While observations about market conditions or an accounts performance may not be complaints, Employees must consult with the CCO if there is any question as to whether a communication is a complaint.
All Employees must promptly report any complaints to the CCO or Managing Partner. Failure to report a complaint will be cause for corrective action, up to and including dismissal. Employees receiving a verbal complaint must document the complaint and must submit the documented complaint when reporting the complaint.
The CCO will investigate and respond to all Client complaints in a timely manner, will describe all complaints using the Complaint Log, and will retain copies of all documentation associated with each complaint in a Complaint File. The CCO may consult with ACA Compliance Group and/or Outside Counsel regarding the appropriate resolution of a complaint. Any offers of settlement, or actual settlements, may only be made with the written approval of the CCO and/or a Managing Partner.
OUTSIDE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, INVESTMENT CLUBS, AND PRIOR EMPLOYMENT
Policies and Procedures
Outside Business Activities, Directorships and Investment Clubs
Employees are prohibited from engaging in outside business activities, serving on boards of directors, and participating in investment clubs without the prior written approval of the CCO. Approval will be granted on a case-by-case basis, subject to careful consideration of potential conflicts of interest, disclosure obligations, and any other relevant regulatory issues. Employees may use the Request for Approval of Outside Business Activities, Directorships and Investment Clubs via Financial Tracking ETS to seek approval for the activities. The CCO will use Financial Tracking ETS to track Employees participation in such activities.
No Employee may utilize property of SailingStone, or utilize the services of SailingStone or its Employees, for his or her personal benefit or the benefit of another person or entity, without approval of the CCO or a Managing Partner. For this purpose, property means both tangible and intangible property, including funds, premises, equipment, supplies, information, business plans, business opportunities, confidential research, intellectual property, proprietary processes, and ideas for new research or services.
An Employee may not participate in any business opportunity that comes to his or her attention as a result of his or her association with SailingStone and in which he or she knows that SailingStone might be expected to participate or have an interest, without:
· Disclosing in writing all necessary facts to the CCO or a Managing Partner;
· Offering the particular opportunity to SailingStone; and
· Obtaining written authorization to participate from the CCO or a Managing Partner.
Any personal or family interest in any of SailingStones business activities or transactions must be immediately disclosed to the CCO. For example, if a transaction by SailingStone may benefit that Employee or a family member, either directly or indirectly, then the Employee must immediately disclose this possibility to the CCO. Employees may use email to inform the CCO of any such issues.
No Employee may borrow from or become indebted to any person, business or company having business dealings or a relationship with SailingStone, except with respect to customary personal loans (such as home mortgage loans, automobile loans, and lines of credit), unless the arrangement is disclosed in writing and receives prior approval from the CCO. No Employee may use SailingStones name, position in a particular market, or goodwill to receive any benefit on loan transactions without the prior express written consent of the CCO.
An Employee who is granted approval to engage in an outside business activity must not transmit Material Non-Public Information between SailingStone and the outside entity. If participation in the outside business activity results in the Employees receipt of Material Non-Public Information that could reasonably be viewed as relevant to SailingStones business activities, the Employee must discuss the scope and nature of the information flow with the CCO. Similarly, if an Employee receives approval to engage in an outside business activity and subsequently becomes aware of a material conflict of interest that was not disclosed when the approval was granted, the conflict must be promptly brought to the attention of the CCO.
Prior Employment Arrangements
Employees are expected to act with professionalism, to avoid any improper disclosure of proprietary information, and to satisfy all other obligations owed to SailingStone and to any prior employers. Employees must discuss any concerns regarding their prior employment with the CCO prior to hire. Such concerns may include, but are not limited to, possession of Material Non-Public Information from a prior employer, a non-solicitation and/or non-compete clause in the Employees previous employment agreement, and any prior (two years) political contributions made by the Employee.
DEFINITIONS
The following defined terms are used throughout the Code of Ethics. Other capitalized terms are defined within specific sections of the Code of Ethics.
· ACA ACA Compliance Group, an independent third-party regulatory compliance consulting firm.
· Automatic Investment Plan A program in which regular trades are made automatically in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An Automatic Investment Plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.
· Beneficial Interest An individual has a Beneficial Interest in a security if he or she can directly or indirectly profit from the security. An individual generally has a Beneficial Interest in all securities held directly or indirectly, as well as those owned directly or indirectly by family members sharing the same household.
· CCO Kathlyne Kiaie, SailingStones Chief Compliance Officer or her designated back-up.
· CFO Jim Klescewski, SailingStones Chief Financial Officer or his designated back-up.
· Clients Individuals and entities for which SailingStone provides investment advisory services.
· Employees SailingStones officers, directors, principals, and Supervised Persons.
· ERISA The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
· Federal Securities Laws The Federal Securities Laws include the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the IC Act, the Advisers Act, Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, any rules adopted by the SEC under any of these statutes, the Bank Secrecy Act as it applies to investment companies and investment advisers, and any rules adopted thereunder by the SEC or the Department of the Treasury.
· FINRA The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a self-regulatory organization. FINRA was formed in 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and certain functions of the New York Stock Exchange.
· FTC The Federal Trade Commission.
· Financial Tracking ETS Financial Tracking Employee Trade Sphere Compliance software program for financial services companies utilized by SailingStone to track Code of Ethics obligations including Books & Records. Acquired by ComplySci 1Q 2018.
· IC Act The Investment Company Act of 1940.
· Insider Trading Trading personally or on behalf of others on the basis of Material Non-Public Information, or improperly communicating Material Non-Public Information to others.
· IPO An initial public offering. An IPO is an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act where the issuer, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
· Managing Partner MacKenzie Davis or Ken Settles.
· Material Non-Public Information Information that (i) has not been made generally available to the public, and that (ii) a reasonable investor would likely consider important in making an investment decision. Employees must consult with SailingStones CCO about any questions as to whether information constitutes Material Non-Public Information.
· Natural Person A human being, as opposed to a legal entity.
· Nonpublic Personal Information Regulation S-P defines Nonpublic Personal Information to include personally identifiable financial information that is not publicly available, as well as any list, description, or other grouping of consumers derived from nonpublic personally identifiable financial information.
· Outside Counsel Dechert LLP; K&L Gates.
· PCAOB The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
· Portfolio Managers MacKenzie Davis and Ken Settles.
· RIC An investment company registered under the IC Act, often referred to as a mutual fund.
· Security The SEC defines the term Security broadly to include stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, options, interests in Private Placements, futures contracts on other securities, participations in profit-sharing agreements, and interests in oil, gas, or other mineral royalties or leases, among other things. Security is also defined to include any instrument commonly known as a security. Security may also include virtual currency or cryptocurrency coins or tokens that are being offered, or previously were offered, as part of certain types of initial coin offerings (ICOs). For the avoidance of doubt, virtual currency or cryptocurrency coins or tokens that were created outside the context of an ICO are not to be considered Securities. Any questions about whether an instrument is a security for purposes of the Federal Securities Laws should be directed to the CCO.
· SEC The Securities and Exchange Commission.
· Sub - advised mutual fund a mutual fund that is managed by SailingStone. Please see the CCO for the most current list of sub-advised mutual fund(s).
· Securities Act The Securities Act of 1933.