File No. 33-8982
ICA No. 811-4852
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 10, 2020
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 |
x |
|
|
Pre-Effective Amendment No. |
o |
Post-Effective Amendment No. 179 |
x |
And |
|
|
|
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 |
x |
Amendment No. 180 |
Victory Portfolios
(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Trust Instrument)
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th 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 |
|
Sidley Austin LLP |
4400 Easton Commons, Suite 200 |
|
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor |
|
787 Seventh Avenue |
Columbus, Ohio 43219 |
|
Brooklyn, OH 44144 |
|
New York, New York 10019 |
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 (June 10, 2020) 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. |
June 10, 2020
Prospectus
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund
Member Class |
MMMMX |
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund
Member Class |
MMIJX |
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund
Member Class |
MMMSX |
Beginning January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Victory Funds' shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Victory Funds or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on www.VictoryFunds.com, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change, and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Victory Funds or your financial intermediary electronically sooner than January 1, 2021 by notifying your financial intermediary directly or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 800-235-8396 or by sending an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your reports. If you invest directly with the Victory Funds, you can call 800-235-8396 or send an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Victory Funds you hold directly or through your financial intermediary. |
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
|
|
|
Table of Contents Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Organization and Management of the Funds |
Integrity Discovery Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory Integrity Discovery Fund (the "Fund") seeks to provide capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 1.00% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.13% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 4.13% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (2.73)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
1.40% |
1 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% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least October 31, 2021. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $143 | $1,013 | $1,900 | $4,188 |
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 40% 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 at the time of purchase lower than the largest company in the bottom 75% (based on index weightings) of the Russell 2000® Index, which as of March 31, 2020 included companies with market capitalizations below $2.86 billion. The size of companies in the index changes with market conditions and the composition of the index.
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) of 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:
Equity Risk The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions in the United States or abroad. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected (or may decline) because of poor management, competitive pressures, reliance on particular suppliers or geographical regions, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, man-made or natural disasters, military confrontations or wars, terrorism, public health crises, or other events, conditions and factors. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Stock Market Risk Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Domestic and international factors such as political events, war, trade disputes, interest rate levels and other fiscal and monetary policy changes, pandemics and other public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. The impact of these and other factors may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
Small Capitalization Stock Risk Smaller, less seasoned companies may lose market share or profits to a greater extent than larger, more established companies. Since micro-cap company stocks typically have narrower markets and are traded in lower volumes than larger company stocks, they may be more difficult to purchase and sell. Smaller companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
Foreign Securities Risk Foreign securities (including depositary receipts) are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments. Foreign securities could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Foreign securities generally experience more volatility than their domestic counterparts. In addition, to the extent investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment.
Sector Risk To the extent the Fund focuses in one or more sectors, such as the financials sector, market or economic factors impacting those sectors could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund's investments and could make the Fund's performance more volatile. The values of companies in the financials sector are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns and changes in government regulation and interest rates.
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 Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. 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. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund may not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, unusually high volume of redemptions, or other reasons. To meet redemption requests or to raise cash to pursue other investment opportunities, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, which may adversely affect the Fund.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class Y shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class Y shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class Y shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's 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 March 31, 2020 was -41.89%.
Highest Quarter | 20.75% (quarter ended December 31, 2011) |
Lowest Quarter | -22.09% (quarter ended September 30, 2011) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 21.58% | 7.95% | 13.00% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 20.96% | 6.03% | 11.19% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 13.21% | 5.93% | 10.54% |
INDEX | |||
Russell 2000® Value Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
22.39% | 6.99% | 10.56% |
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 | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund (the "Fund") seeks to provide capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 0.75% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.12% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 3.87% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (3.02)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
0.85% |
1 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% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least October 31, 2021. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $87 | $909 | $1,753 | $3,946 |
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 at the time of purchase within the range of companies included in the Russell Midcap® Index ($75.6 million to $64.6 billion as of March 31, 2020). The size of companies in the index changes with market conditions and the composition of the index. 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:
Equity Risk The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions in the United States or abroad. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected (or may decline) because of poor management, competitive pressures, reliance on particular suppliers or geographical regions, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, man-made or natural disasters, military confrontations or wars, terrorism, public health crises, or other events, conditions and factors. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Stock Market Risk Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Domestic and international factors such as political events, war, trade disputes, interest rate levels and other fiscal and monetary policy changes, pandemics and other public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. The impact of these and other factors may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
Mid Capitalization Stock Risk Mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss.
Foreign Securities Risk Foreign securities (including depositary receipts) are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments. Foreign securities could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Foreign securities generally experience more volatility than their domestic counterparts. In addition, to the extent investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment.
Sector Risk To the extent the Fund focuses in one or more sectors or industries, such as the financials sector, market or economic factors impacting those sectors could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund's investments and could make the Fund's performance more volatile. The values of companies in the financials sector are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns and changes in government regulation and interest rates.
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 Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. 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. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund may not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, unusually high volume of redemptions, or other reasons. To meet redemption requests or to raise cash to pursue other investment opportunities, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, which may adversely affect the Fund.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class Y shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class Y shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class Y shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's 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 March 31, 2020 was -33.92%.
Highest Quarter | 13.89% (quarter ended March 31, 2019) |
Lowest Quarter | -17.64% (quarter ended December 31, 2018) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years | Life of Fund1 |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 27.69% | 7.40% | 10.55% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 27.47% | 6.62% | 9.92% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 16.56% | 5.66% | 8.50% |
INDEX | |||
Russell Midcap® Value Index
returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
27.06% | 7.62% | 10.74% |
1 Inception date of Class Y shares is July 5, 2011
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 | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund (the "Fund") seeks to provide capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 0.80% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.13% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 3.93% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (2.98)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
0.95% |
1 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 0.95% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least October 31, 2021. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $97 | $931 | $1,785 | $4,001 |
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 67% 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 at the time of purchase within the range of companies included in the Russell 2500® Index ($5.3 million to $24.5 billion as of March 31, 2020). The size of companies in the index changes with market conditions and the composition of the index. 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) of 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:
Equity Risk The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions in the United States or abroad. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected (or may decline) because of poor management, competitive pressures, reliance on particular suppliers or geographical regions, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, man-made or natural disasters, military confrontations or wars, terrorism, public health crises, or other events, conditions and factors. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Stock Market Risk Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Domestic and international factors such as political events, war, trade disputes, interest rate levels and other fiscal and monetary policy changes, pandemics and other public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. The impact of these and other factors may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk Small and mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss. Smaller companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
Foreign Securities Risk Foreign securities (including depositary receipts) are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments. Foreign securities could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Foreign securities generally experience more volatility than their domestic counterparts. In addition, to the extent investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment.
Sector Risk To the extent the Fund focuses in one or more sectors or industries, such as the financials sector, market or economic factors impacting those sectors could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund's investments and could make the Fund's performance more volatile. The values of companies in the financials sector are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns and changes in government regulation and interest rates.
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 Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. 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. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund may not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, unusually high volume of redemptions, or other reasons. To meet redemption requests or to raise cash to pursue other investment opportunities, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, which may adversely affect the Fund.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class Y shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class Y shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class Y shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's 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 March 31, 2020 was -37.14%.
Highest Quarter | 13.65% (quarter ended March 31, 2013) |
Lowest Quarter | -17.49% (quarter ended December 31, 2018) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years | Life of Fund1 |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 25.44% | 6.38% | 9.06% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 25.22% | 6.01% | 8.57% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 15.22% | 4.95% | 7.26% |
INDEX | |||
Russell 2500® Value Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. |
23.56% | 7.18% | 9.46% |
1 Inception date of Class Y shares is July 5, 2011
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 | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor 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, 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. Under adverse, unstable or abnormal market conditions, a Fund may be unable to pursue or achieve its investment objective and, for temporary purposes, may invest some or all of its assets in a variety of instruments or assets, including high-quality fixed-income securities, cash and cash equivalents. 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. These positions 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.
Each Fund's investment objective and policy to invest at least 80% of its assets in the type of securities suggested by the Fund's name is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon at least 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, but exclusive of any collateral held from securities lending.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-235-8396 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. It is possible, however, that a Fund will lose money on a investment in an IPO, even in such a case.
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 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 the Funds principal risks and supplements those risks discussed in each Fund's Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.
Integrity Discovery Fund |
Integrity Mid-Cap
Value Fund |
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap
Value Fund |
|
Equity Risk | X | X | X |
Stock Market Risk | X | X | X |
Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risk | X | X | X |
IT and Operations Risk | X | X | X |
Manager Risk | X | X | X |
Foreign Investments Risk | X | X | X |
Investment Style Risk | X | X | X |
Liquidity Risk | X | X | X |
Sector Risk | X | X | X |
Smaller-Company Stock Risk | X | X | X |
Equity Risk
The market prices of equity securities, which may include common stocks and other stock-related securities such as preferred stocks may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The value of a security may decline for reasons that directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services or due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. 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. A Fund may continue to accept new subscriptions and to make additional investments in equity securities even under general market conditions that a Fund's investment team views as unfavorable for equity securities.
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.
Market turmoil may be reflected in perceptions of economic uncertainty, price volatility in the equity and debt markets, and fluctuating trading liquidity. In response, governments may adopt a variety of fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and lower interest rates. These policies may not be successful and any unexpected or quick reversal of these policies could increase volatility in the equity and debt markets. Market conditions and economic risks could have a significant effect on domestic and international economies and could add significantly to the risks of increased volatility and decreased liquidity for a Fund's portfolio.
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.
Foreign Investments Risk
Foreign securities, including depositary receipts, 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 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.
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 March 31, 2020, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $123.7 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256.
The Adviser is a diversified global 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.
Advisory fees to be paid annually, before waivers, will be equal to the following:
Fund | Advisory Fee |
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund | 1.00% |
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund | 0.75% |
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 is included in each Fund's semi-annual report for the period ended December 31.
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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
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. Member Class shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund.
Only Member Class shares are offered in this Prospectus. There are other share classes offered in different Prospectuses. Available classes may include Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. However, not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. The classes of shares that are offered by a Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
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 800-235-8396. 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 800-235-8396 or by visiting the Funds' website at VictoryFunds.com.
Investing in Member Class Shares
This Prospectus offers Member Class shares of the Funds. The Funds offer other classes of shares in a separate prospectus.
When you purchase shares of a Fund, you must choose a share class. 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.
The Funds reserve the right to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. The Funds may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
Any Fund or share class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
MEMBER CLASS SHARES
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Member Class Shares
Member Class shares may only be purchased by USAA members or individuals investing directly with Victory or a Victory sponsored product or by agreement.
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
Member Class shares are primarily intended for purchase directly from the Victory Funds. In the event you purchase the Fund or hold your 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.
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 1-800-235-8396. 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 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 an investment directly into 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 Member Class shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase. There is a $3,000 minimum investment amount required for Member Class shares beyond those set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase.
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees and immediate family members of 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 800-235-8396 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 800-235-8396 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 |
|
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
PHONE: 800-235-8396 |
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-235-8396 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. |
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-235-8396 |
|
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 800-235-8396 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 or USAA Mutual 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.
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 or USAA Mutual 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.
|
BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-235-8396. 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.
|
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.
|
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 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 800-235-8396.
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 Victory 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 Victory 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
A description of each Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds' portfolio securities is available in the Funds' SAI and on the Funds' website at 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 800-235-8396, 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
No financial information is available for the Member Class shares of each Fund since that class had not yet been offered as of the date of this Prospectus. The following financial highlights table reflects historical information about the Class Y shares of each Fund and are intended to help you understand the Funds financial performance for the past five years. Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Funds Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The information presented for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019 has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm, whose reports, along with the Funds' financial statements, are included in the Funds' annual report, which is available by calling 800-235-8396 and at www.VictoryFunds.com. The information for all periods prior to June 30, 2019 has been audited by a different independent registered public accounting firm.
Integrity Discovery Fund
Class Y | ||||||
Six Months
Ended 12/31/19 (unaudited) |
Year
Ended 6/30/19 |
Year
Ended 6/30/18 |
Year
Ended 6/30/17 |
Year
Ended 6/30/16 |
Year
Ended 6/30/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $36.65 | $46.47 | $44.11 | $35.02 | $40.52 | $39.55 |
Investment Activities | ||||||
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a) | 0.05 | (0.03) | (0.05) | (0.13) | (0.01) | (0.15) |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 3.11 | (6.04) | 6.91 | 10.83 | (2.89) | 4.48 |
Total from Investment Activities | 3.16 | (6.07) | 6.86 | 10.70 | (2.90) | 4.33 |
Distributions to Shareholders From | ||||||
Net Investment Income | | | (b) | | | |
Net Realized Gains from Investments | (0.82) | (4.75) | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) |
Total Distributions | (0.82) | (4.75) | (4.50) | (1.61) | (2.65) | (3.36) |
Capital Contributions from Prior Custodian, Net | | | | | 0.05 | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $37.99 | $35.65 | $46.47 | $44.11 | $35.02 | $40.52 |
Total Return (Excludes Sales Charge)(c) | 8.93% | (11.81)% | 16.08% | 30.62% | (7.10)%(d) | 11.60% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | ||||||
Net Expenses(e) | 1.33% | 1.30% | 1.28% | 1.38% | 1.35% | 1.45% |
Net Investment Income (Loss)(e) | 0.29% | (0.06)% | (0.12)% | (0.30)% | (0.03)% | (0.39)% |
Gross Expenses(e) | 1.33% | 1.30% | 1.28% | 1.38% | 1.35% | 1.45% |
Supplemental Data | ||||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $71,648 | $71,708 | $78,079 | $49,468 | $27,622 | $36,217 |
Portfolio Turnover(c),(f) | 16% | 40% | 45% | 110% | 42% | 38% |
(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) 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 0.16% for the year ended June 30, 2016.
(e) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(f) 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 Y | ||||||
Six Months
Ended 12/31/19 (unaudited) |
Year
Ended 6/30/19 |
Year
Ended 6/30/18 |
Year
Ended 6/30/17 |
Year
Ended 6/30/16 |
Year
Ended 6/30/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $18.02 | $19.34 | $18.06 | $15.58 | $15.65 | $15.89 |
Investment Activities | ||||||
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a) | 0.10 | 0.28 | 0.24 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.01 |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 1.37 | (0.37)(b) | 1.85 | 2.43 | (0.02)(b) | 0.18 |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.47 | (0.09) | 2.09 | 2.56 | 0.11 | 0.19 |
Distributions to Shareholders From | ||||||
Net Investment Income | (0.15) | (0.24) | (0.19) | (0.08) | (0.05) | |
Net Realized Gains from Investments | | (0.99) | (0.62) | | (0.13) | (0.43) |
Total Distributions | (0.15) | (1.23) | (0.81) | (0.08) | (0.18) | (0.43) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $19.34 | $18.02 | $19.34 | $18.06 | $15.58 | $15.65 |
Total Return (Excludes Sales Charge)(c) | 8.14% | 0.58% | 11.58% | 16.43% | 0.73% | 1.15% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | ||||||
Net Expenses(d) | 0.75% | 0.75% | 0.84% | 0.89% | 1.15% | 1.25% |
Net Investment Income (Loss)(d) | 1.13% | 1.52% | 1.25% | 0.74% | 0.85% | 0.08% |
Gross Expenses(d) | 1.22% | 1.17% | 1.13% | 1.18% | 1.15% | 1.75% |
Supplemental Data | ||||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $14,468 | $21,486 | $59,866 | $47,989 | $8,442 | $4,507 |
Portfolio Turnover(c),(e) | 35% | 73% | 73% | 68% | 71% | 58% |
(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 because of the timing of sales and purchases of fund shares in relation to fluctuating market values during the period.
(c) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(e) 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 Y | ||||||
Six Months
Ended 12/31/19 (unaudited) |
Year
Ended 6/30/19 |
Year
Ended 6/30/18 |
Year
Ended 6/30/17 |
Year
Ended 6/30/16 |
Year
Ended 6/30/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $16.86 | $17.92 | $16.17 | $13.35 | $14.16 | $15.20 |
Investment Activities | ||||||
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a) | 0.09 | 0.22 | 0.12 | 0.06 | 0.05 | (0.01) |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 1.06 | (0.60) | 1.91 | 2.78 | (0.81) | (0.15) |
Total from Investment Activities | 1.15 | (0.38) | 2.03 | 2.84 | (0.76) | (0.16) |
Distributions to Shareholders From | ||||||
Net Investment Income | (0.13) | (0.16) | (0.08) | (0.02) | (0.05) | |
Net Realized Gains from Investments | | (0.52) | (0.20) | | | (0.88) |
Total Distributions | (0.13) | (0.68) | (0.28) | (0.02) | (0.05) | (0.88) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $17.88 | $16.86 | $17.92 | $16.17 | $13.35 | $14.16 |
Total Return (Excludes Sales Charge)(b) | 6.84% | (1.45)% | 12.51% | 21.25% | (5.34)% | (1.14)% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | ||||||
Net Expenses(c) | 0.88% | 0.88% | 0.88% | 0.96% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
Net Investment Income (Loss)(c) | 1.06% | 1.30% | 0.67% | 0.38% | 0.37% | (0.04)% |
Gross Expenses(c) | 1.00% | 1.03% | 1.13% | 1.21% | 1.26% | 1.70% |
Supplemental Data | ||||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $38,216 | $35,927 | $92,019 | $53,509 | $18,918 | $18,821 |
Portfolio Turnover(b),(d) | 30% | 67% | 77% | 65% | 60% | 57% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Not annualized for periods less than one year.
(c) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(d) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
P.O. Box 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 800-235-8396 |
By mail:
Victory Funds P.O. Box 182903 Columbus, OH 43218-2903 |
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the SEC's Edgar database at http://www.sec.gov or, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request sent to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-INT-MEM-PRO (06/20) |
June 10, 2020
Prospectus
Victory INCORE Fund for Income
Member Class |
VFFMX |
Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund
Member Class |
SBFMX |
Beginning January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Victory Funds' shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Victory Funds or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on www.VictoryFunds.com, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change, and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Victory Funds or your financial intermediary electronically sooner than January 1, 2021 by notifying your financial intermediary directly or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 800-235-8396 or by sending an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your reports. If you invest directly with the Victory Funds, you can call 800-235-8396 or send an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Victory Funds you hold directly or through your financial intermediary. |
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
|
|
|
Table of Contents INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund Organization and Management of the Funds |
INCORE Fund for Income Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory INCORE Fund for Income (the "Fund") seeks to provide a high level of current income consistent with preservation of shareholders' capital.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 0.48% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.12% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 3.60% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (2.85)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
0.75% |
1 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 0.75% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least February 28, 2022. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $77 | $849 | $1,648 | $3,744 |
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 29% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing primarily in securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund primarily invests in:
The goal of the Fund's strategy is to provide high, reliable income by investing in securities backed 100% by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Portfolio construction consists of three factor-driven layers: (1) top-down, macro-economic; (2) mid-level, relative value; and (3) bottom-up, borrower characteristics. The greatest emphasis will generally be on the bottom-up factor, but the relative weightings of the three layers can and will vary over time, as each factor is reflective of the broad economic environment. The Adviser's sell discipline is driven by actual borrower prepayments, where bonds that exhibit either erratic or consistently fast prepayment speeds are sold first.
The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, to-be-announced or delayed delivery basis.
The Fund's average effective maturity is based on the value of a Fund's investments in securities with different maturity dates. This measures the sensitivity of the Fund to changes in interest rates. The value of a long-term debt security is more sensitive to interest rate changes than the value of a short-term security.
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.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
Debt Securities Risk The value of a debt security or other income-producing security changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates or changes in the risk appetite of investors generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations. Other factors that may affect the value of debt securities, include, among others, public health crises and responses by governments and companies to such crises. These and other events may affect the creditworthiness of the issuer of a debt security and may impair an issuer's ability to timely meet its debt obligations as they come due.
Interest Rate Risk - 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.
Prepayment Risk The amounts that the Fund receives as interest, sale proceeds or amounts received as a result of prepayment of asset-backed or mortgage-related securities may be reinvested at lower interest rates.
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk During periods of falling interest rates, mortgage- and asset-backed securities may be called or prepaid, which may result in the Fund having to reinvest proceeds in other investments at a lower interest rate. During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of mortgage- and asset-backed securities may extend, which may lock in a below-market interest rate, increase the security's duration, and reduce the value of the security. Enforcing rights against the underlying assets or collateral may be difficult, or the underlying assets or collateral may be insufficient if the issuer defaults.
U.S. Government Agency Obligations Risk A U.S. government agency or instrumentality may default on its obligation and the U.S. government may not provide support. Some securities issued by certain U.S. government instrumentalities are supported only by the credit of those instrumentalities.
When-Issued, TBA and Delayed Delivery Risk The market value of a security issued on a when-issued, to-be-announced or delayed-delivery basis may change before the delivery date, which may adversely impact the Funds net asset value. There is also the risk that a party fails to deliver the security on time or at all.
Liquidity Risk Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgement of the Adviser. 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. In addition, significant securities market disruptions related to outbreaks of the coronavirus (COVID-19) have led to dislocation in the markets for a variety of debt securities, which has decreased liquidity and sharply reduced returns.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class I shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class I shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class I shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Calendar Year Returns for Class I Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's Class I 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 I shares as of March 31, 2020 was 2.90%.
Highest Quarter | 2.34% (quarter ended March 31, 2015) |
Lowest Quarter | -1.45% (quarter ended December 31, 2016) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years |
Life
of Class1 |
CLASS I Before Taxes | 4.13% | 1.80% | 1.89% |
CLASS I After Taxes on Distributions | 1.89% | -0.50% | -0.33% |
CLASS I After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 2.43% | 0.35% | 0.49% |
INDEX | |||
Bloomberg Barclays Capital 1-5 Year U.S. Gov't Bond Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes. |
4.23% | 1.67% | 1.71% |
1 Inception date of Class I is March 1, 2011.
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 | |
Heidi L. Adelman | Chief Investment Officer of INCORE | Since 2006 |
Harriet R. Uhlir | Portfolio Manager | Since 2013 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund (the "Fund") seeks to provide a high level of current income together with long-term capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 0.75% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.12% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 3.87% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (2.77)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
1.10% |
1 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 1.10% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least February 28, 2022. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $112 | $938 | $1,786 | $3,992 |
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 35% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing primarily in securities convertible into common stocks, such as convertible bonds, convertible notes, and convertible preferred stocks. The Fund may invest in equity securities of foreign companies traded on U.S. exchanges, including American Depositary Receipts and Global Depositary Receipts (ADRs and GDRs).
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in investment grade securities convertible into common stock and synthetic convertible securities, which are derivative positions composed of two or more securities with investment characteristics that, when taken together, resemble those of traditional convertible securities.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in below-investment-grade securities (sometimes referred to as "junk bonds") if the Adviser believes that the positive qualities of the security justify the potential risk. These securities are rated Ba, B, Caa, or lower by Moody's and BB, B, CCC or lower by S&P. The Fund also may purchase unrated securities with similar characteristics.
The Adviser employs a bottom-up research process by identifying convertible securities that possess strong underlying equity potential, high quality financial characteristics and the opportunity for solid total return over a 12-18 month time horizon. The Adviser may sell a security when the underlying equity valuation changes due to a price change or change in fundamentals of the company, the underlying fixed income component has deteriorated or the convertible characteristics have changed.
As a result of the Advisers investment process, the Funds investments may be focused in one or more economic sectors from time to time, including the information technology sector.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
Convertible Securities Risk - Convertible securities rank senior to the issuer's common stock, but may be subordinate to senior debt obligations. In part, the total return for a convertible security may depend upon the performance of the underlying stock into which it can be converted. Synthetic convertibles may respond differently to market fluctuations than traditional convertible securities. They are also subject to counterparty risk.
Debt Securities Risk The value of a debt security or other income-producing security changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates or changes in the risk appetite of investors generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations. Other factors that may affect the value of debt securities, include, among others, public health crises and responses by governments and companies to such crises. These and other events may affect the creditworthiness of the issuer of a debt security and may impair an issuer's ability to timely meet its debt obligations as they come due.
Interest Rate Risk - 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.
Equity Risk The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions in the United States or abroad. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected (or may decline) because of poor management, competitive pressures, reliance on particular suppliers or geographical regions, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, man-made or natural disasters, military confrontations or wars, terrorism, public health crises, or other events, conditions and factors. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
High-Yield/Junk Bond Risk Lower-quality debt securities can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities, and their values can decline significantly over short and longer periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Liquidity Risk Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgement of the Adviser. 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. In addition, significant securities market disruptions related to outbreaks of the coronavirus (COVID-19) have led to dislocation in the markets for a variety of debt securities, which has decreased liquidity and sharply reduced returns.
Foreign Securities Risk Foreign securities (including depositary receipts) are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments. Foreign securities could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Foreign securities generally experience more volatility than their domestic counterparts. In addition, to the extent investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment.
Sector Risk To the extent the Fund focuses in one or more sectors, such as the information technology sector, market or economic factors impacting those sectors could have a significant effect on the value of the Funds investments and could make the Funds performance more volatile. For example, the values of companies in the information technology sector are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns, short product cycles and aggressive pricing, market competition and changes in government regulation.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class I shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class I shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class I shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Calendar Year Returns for Class I Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's Class I 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 I shares as of March 31, 2020 was -14.67%.
Highest Quarter | 8.16% (quarter ended March 31, 2012) |
Lowest Quarter | -9.64% (quarter ended September 30, 2011) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS I Before Taxes | 20.46% | 8.51% | 9.03% |
CLASS I After Taxes on Distributions | 18.38% | 7.10% | 7.81% |
CLASS I After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 12.61% | 6.16% | 6.84% |
INDEX | |||
ICE BofAML Investment Grade U.S. Convertible 5% Constrained Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.1 |
21.98% | 10.56% | N/A |
1 Inception date of the ICE BofAML Investment Grade U.S. Convertible 5% Constrained Index is January 1, 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 INCORE Capital Management ("INCORE") investment franchise.
Portfolio Managers
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
James K. Kaesberg | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since 1996 |
Mark Vucenovic | Senior Portfolio Manager | Since 2014 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor 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 INCORE Fund for Income and Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund 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 sometimes 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. Under adverse, unstable or abnormal market conditions, a Fund may be unable to pursue or achieve its investment objective and, for temporary purposes, may invest some or all of its assets in a variety of instruments or assets, including high-quality fixed-income securities, cash and cash equivalents. 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. These positions 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.
This INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund will not change its policy to invest at least 80% of its assets in investment grade convertible securities unless it notifies shareholders at least 60 days in advance. For purposes of this policy, "assets" means the Fund's net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes but exclusive of any collateral held from securities lending.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-235-8396 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.
INCORE Fund for Income
U.S. Government Securities1
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 Instrumentalities1
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").
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.
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.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock, preferred stock, and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
Equity Securities of Foreign Companies Traded in the U.S.
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.
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund
Convertible or Exchangeable Obligations
Debt instruments that may be exchanged or converted to other securities.
Synthetic Convertible Securities
A synthetic convertible is a security that is created by combining separate securities possessing the two principal characteristics of a true convertible security, i.e., fixed income ("fixed-income component") and the right to acquire equity securities ("convertibility component"). They are typically offered by financial institutions and investment banks in private placement transactions.
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.
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 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.
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 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 the Funds principal risks and supplements those risks discussed in each Fund's Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.
INCORE
Fund for Income |
INCORE
Investment Grade Convertible Fund |
|
ADRs, GDRs and U.S.-Traded Foreign Investments Risk | X | |
Below-Investment-Grade Securities Risk | X | |
Convertible Security Risk | X | |
Debt Security Risk | X | X |
Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risk | X | X |
IT and Operations Risk | X | X |
Manager Risk | X | X |
Equity Risk | X | |
Foreign Securities Risk | X | |
Liquidity Risk | X | X |
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk | X | |
Synthetic Convertible Securities Risk | X | |
When-Issued, TBA and Delayed-Delivery Securities Risk | X |
ADRs, GDRs and U.S.-Traded Foreign Investments Risks
Political and Economic Risks These risks along with other factors, could adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments in foreign companies traded on U.S. exchanges, such as ADRs and GDRs.
Foreign Securities Risk Investing in foreign companies, including through ADRs and GDRs, involves certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
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.
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.
Convertible Securities Risk
The values of convertible securities in which the Fund may invest may be affected by market interest rates, reduction in credit quality or credit ratings, issuer default on interest and principal payments, and declines in the value of the underlying common stock. Additionally, an issuer may retain the right to buy back its convertible securities at a time and price unfavorable to the Fund.
Debt Securities Risks
The value of a debt security or other income-producing security changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates, adverse economic or political conditions, tariffs and trade disruptions, inflation, or adverse investor sentiment generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations. Changes in value may occur sharply and unpredictably. Other factors that may affect the value of a debt security, include public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and responses by governments and companies to such crises. The COVID-19 pandemic is having, and any future outbreaks could have, an adverse impact on the issuers of debt securities in which a Fund may invest and the global economy in general, which impact could be material.
This pandemic, which has spread rapidly across the world, has led and will continue to lead for an unknown period of time to disruptions in local, regional, national and global markets and economies. The outbreak has resulted in, and until fully resolved is likely to continue to result in, among other things: (1) government imposition of various forms of stay at home orders and the closing of non-essential businesses, resulting in significant disruption to the businesses of many issuers as well as lay-offs of employees; (2) increased requests by issuers of debt instruments for amendments and waivers of agreements to avoid default and increased defaults; (3) volatility and disruption of markets, including greater volatility in pricing and spreads; and (4) rapidly evolving proposals and/or actions by state and federal governments to address problems being experienced by the markets and by businesses and the economy in general. For example, actions by the U.S. Federal Reserve (also known as the Fed) have included direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and dramatically lower interest rates. High public debt in the United States and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic and other market events also may affect the creditworthiness of the issuer of a debt security and may impair an issuer's ability to timely meet its debt obligations as they come due.
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. Duration is a measure of the price sensitivity of a debt security or portfolio to interest rate changes. The longer a fund's average portfolio duration, the more sensitive the fund will be 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. Decisions by the Fed regarding interest rate and monetary policy can have a significant effect on the value of debt securities as well as the overall strength of the U.S. economy. Precise interest rate predictions are difficult to make, and interest rates may change unexpectedly and dramatically in response to extreme changes in market or economic conditions. Interest rates have been unusually low in recent years in the U.S. and abroad, and central banks have reduced rates further in an effort to combat the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Extremely low or negative interest rates may become more prevalent or may not work as intended. As there is little precedent for this situation, the impact on various markets that interest rate or other significant policy changes may have is unknown.
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").
Redemption Risk - The Fund may experience periods of heavy shareholder redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Heavy redemptions could hurt the Fund's performance.
Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risk
Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely affect issuers in another country or region. Geopolitical and other risks, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in trade policies and international trade agreements could affect the economies of many countries in unpredictable ways. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus (or COVID-19), may result in, among other things, closing borders, disruptions to healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and consumer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
Information Technology and Operations Risk
Markets and market participants are increasingly reliant upon both publicly available and proprietary information data systems. Data imprecision, software or other technology malfunctions, programming inaccuracies, unauthorized use or access, and similar circumstances may impair the performance of these systems and may have an adverse impact upon a single issuer, a group of issuers, or the market at large. The information technology and other operational systems upon which a Fund's service providers rely may be subject to cyber attack or other technological disruptions, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of these service providers to perform essential tasks for the Fund. In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or accurately price its investments.
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.
Equity Risk
The market prices of equity securities, which may include common stocks and other stock-related securities such as preferred stocks may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The value of a security may decline for reasons that directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services or due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. 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. A Fund may continue to accept new subscriptions and to make additional investments in equity securities even under general market conditions that a Fund's investment team views as unfavorable for equity securities.
Foreign Investments Risk
Foreign securities 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.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity Risk Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund 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 Fund's 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-Related Risks
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.
Synthetic Convertible Securities Risk
The value of a synthetic convertible security will respond differently to market fluctuations than a convertible security because a synthetic convertible security is composed of two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Additionally, if the value of the underlying common stock or the level of the index involved in the convertible security falls below the exercise price of the warrant or option, the warrant or option may lose all value. Synthetic convertible securities are also subject to counterparty risk.
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.
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.
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 March 31, 2020, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $123.7 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256.
The Adviser is a diversified global 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") is the investment franchise responsible for management of the Funds.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 0.48% and 0.75% of the average daily net assets of the INCORE Fund for Income and the INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund, respectively.
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 considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement is available in each Fund's most recent semi-annual report for the period ended April 30.
Portfolio Management
Heidi L. Adelman is the Lead Portfolio Manager and Harriet R. Uhlir is the Co-Portfolio Manager of the Victory INCORE Fund for Income. The Fund's portfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio. Ms. Adelman has final investment authority for the Fund.
Ms. Adelman is a Chief Investment Officer of INCORE and has been with the Adviser or an affiliate since 1995.
Ms. Uhlir is a Portfolio Manager of INCORE and has been with the Adviser or an affiliate since 2001.
James K. Kaesberg is the Lead Portfolio Manager. Mark Vucenovic is a Senior Portfolio Manager of the Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund. Together, they are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
Mr. Kaesberg is a Senior Portfolio Manager of INCORE and has been associated with the Adviser or an affiliate since 1985. Mr. Kaesberg is a CFA charterholder.
Mr. Vucenovic is a Senior Portfolio Manager/Research Analyst of INCORE and has been associated with the Adviser or an affiliate since 2009, and previously, from 1995-2002.
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.
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. Member Class shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund.
Only Member Class shares are offered in this Prospectus. There are other share classes offered in different Prospectuses. Available classes may include Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. However, not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. The classes of shares that are offered by a Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
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 800-235-8396. 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 reserves the right to close if the primary trading markets of the Funds portfolio instruments are closed and the Funds 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 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
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 800-235-8396 or by visiting the Funds' website at VictoryFunds.com.
Investing in Member Class Shares
This Prospectus offers Member Class shares of the Funds. The Funds offer other classes of shares in a separate prospectus.
When you purchase shares of a Fund, you must choose a share class. 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.
The Funds reserve the right to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. The Funds may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
Any Fund or share class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
MEMBER CLASS SHARES
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Member Class Shares
Member Class shares may only be purchased by USAA members or individuals investing directly with Victory or a Victory sponsored product or by agreement.
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
Member Class shares are primarily intended for purchase directly from the Victory Funds. In the event you purchase the Fund or hold your 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.
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 1-800-235-8396. 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 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 an investment directly into 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 Member Class shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase. There is a $3,000 minimum investment amount required for Member Class shares beyond those set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase.
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees and immediate family members of 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 800-235-8396 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 800-235-8396 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 |
|
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
PHONE: 800-235-8396 |
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-235-8396 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. |
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-235-8396 |
|
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 800-235-8396 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 or USAA Mutual 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.
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 or USAA Mutual 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.
|
BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-235-8396. 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.
|
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.
|
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 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, the INCORE Fund for Income declares and pays dividends monthly and the INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly. 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 800-235-8396.
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 Victory 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 Victory 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
A description of each Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds' portfolio securities is available in the Funds' SAI and on the Funds' website at 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 800-235-8396, 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
No financial information is available for the Member Class shares of each Fund since that class had not yet been offered as of the date of this Prospectus. The following financial highlights table reflects historical information about the Class I shares of each Fund and are intended to help you understand the Funds financial performance for the past five years. Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Funds Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The information presented for the year ended October 31, 2019, as well as adjustments applied to correct an error for Victory INCORE Fund for Income in its financial highlights for the year ended October 31, 2018, have been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Funds independent registered public accounting firm, whose reports, along with the Funds financial statements, are included in the Funds annual report. The information for all periods prior to October 31, 2019 has been audited by a different independent registered public accounting firm. A Funds annual and semi-annual reports are available by calling the Victory Funds at 800-235-8396 and at VictoryFunds.com.
INCORE Fund for Income
Class I Shares | |||||
Year
Ended 10/31/19 |
Year
Ended 10/31/18 |
Year
Ended 10/31/17 |
Year
Ended 10/31/16 |
Year
Ended 10/31/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $8.55 | $9.08 | $9.63 | $9.96 | $10.26 |
Investment Activities | |||||
Net Investment Income (Loss) | 0.16(a) | 0.15(a),(b) | 0.13(a) | 0.13(a) | 0.16 |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 0.32 | (0.21)(b) | (0.16) | 0.06 | 0.07 |
Total from Investment Activities | 0.48 | (0.06) | (0.03) | 0.19 | 0.23 |
Distributions to Shareholders From | |||||
Net Realized Gains from Investments | (0.48) | (0.47) | (0.52) | (0.52) | (0.53) |
Total Distributions | (0.48) | (0.47) | (0.52) | (0.52) | (0.53) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $8.55 | $8.55 | $9.08 | $9.63 | $9.96 |
Total Return (Excludes Sales Charge) | 5.79% | (0.64)% | (0.34)% | 1.90% | 2.28% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | |||||
Net Expenses | 0.64% | 0.63% | 0.61% | 0.63% | 0.65% |
Net Investment Income (Loss) | 1.84% | 1.69%(b) | 1.34% | 1.37% | 1.37% |
Gross Expenses | 0.65%(c) | 0.63% | 0.61% | 0.63% | 0.65% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $447,735 | $331,338 | $520,056 | $547,322 | $403,879 |
Portfolio Turnover(d) | 29% | 27% | 30% | 31% | 44% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Subsequent to the issuance of the Funds October 31, 2018 financial statements, it was discovered that the GAAP reclassification of pay-down gain (loss) from realized gain (loss) to net investment income was not reflected on the Funds 2018 financial statements. As a result of this correction; Net investment income (loss) per share, net realized and unrealized gains (losses) per share and ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets have been restated. Net investment income (loss) per share and net realized and unrealized gains (losses) per share were originally reported as $0.37 and $(0.43) per share, respectively, and ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets was originally reported as 4.21%.
(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.
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund
Class I Shares | |||||
Year
Ended 10/31/19 |
Year
Ended 10/31/18 |
Year
Ended 10/31/17 |
Year
Ended 10/31/16 |
Year
Ended 10/31/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $16.21 | $16.53 | $13.71 | $13.98 | $14.09 |
Investment Activities | |||||
Net Investment Income (Loss) | 0.31(a) | 0.36(a) | 0.22(a) | 0.17(a) | 0.18 |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 1.83 | (0.01)(b) | 2.90 | (0.07) | 0.03 |
Total from Investment Activities | 2.14 | 0.35 | 3.12 | 0.10 | 0.21 |
Distributions to Shareholders From | |||||
Net Investment Income | (0.37) | (0.58) | (0.30) | (0.37) | (0.32) |
Net Realized Gains from Investments | (0.48) | (0.09) | | | |
Total Distributions | (0.85) | (0.67) | (0.30) | (0.37) | (0.32) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $17.50 | $16.21 | $16.53 | $13.71 | $13.98 |
Total Return (Excludes Sales Charge) | 13.99% | 2.16% | 23.07% | 0.77% | 1.54% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | |||||
Net Expenses | 0.96% | 0.94% | 0.94% | 0.99% | 1.00% |
Net Investment Income (Loss) | 1.87% | 2.17% | 1.47% | 1.26% | 1.14% |
Gross Expenses | 0.96% | 0.94% | 0.94% | 0.99% | 1.01%(c) |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $263,981 | $126,871 | $78,879 | $53,438 | $40,024 |
Portfolio Turnover(d) | 35% | 41% | 39% | 22% | 32% |
(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 because of the 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.
P.O. Box 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 800-235-8396 |
By mail:
Victory Funds P.O. Box 182903 Columbus, OH 43218-2903 |
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the SEC's Edgar database at http://www.sec.gov or, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request sent to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-IMF-MEM-PRO (06/20) |
June 10, 2020
Prospectus
Victory RS Partners Fund
Member Class |
RSPMX |
Beginning January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Victory Funds' shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Victory Funds or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on www.VictoryFunds.com, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change, and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Victory Funds or your financial intermediary electronically sooner than January 1, 2021 by notifying your financial intermediary directly or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 800-235-8396 or by sending an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your reports. If you invest directly with the Victory Funds, you can call 800-235-8396 or send an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Victory Funds you hold directly or through your financial intermediary. |
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
|
|
|
Table of Contents Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries Organization and Management of the Fund |
RS Partners Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory RS Partners Fund (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, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 1.00% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.12% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 4.12% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (2.87)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
1.25% |
1 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 1.25% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least April 30, 2022. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $127 | $1,006 | $1,906 | $4,226 |
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 57% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Adviser pursues the Fund's investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, principally in equity securities of small-capitalization companies. The Fund typically invests in equity securities of U.S. companies but may also invest any portion of its assets in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
The Adviser considers a company to be a small-capitalization company if its market capitalization (at the time of purchase) is less than $3 billion or 120% of the market capitalization of the largest company included in the Russell 2000® Index ("Index") (currently, approximately $13.5 billion, based on the size of the largest company in the Index on March 31, 2020), whichever is greater. The size of companies in the Index changes with market conditions and the composition of the Index.
In evaluating investments for the Fund, the Adviser conducts fundamental research to identify companies with improving returns on invested capital. The Adviser's research efforts seek to identify the primary economic and value drivers for each company. Research focuses on a company's capital deployment strategy, including decisions about capital expenditures, acquisitions, cost-saving initiatives, and share repurchase/dividend plans, as the Adviser seeks to understand how returns on invested capital may improve over time. Valuation is considered an important part of the process. The Adviser seeks to invest in companies based on its assessment of risk (the possibility of permanent capital impairment) and reward (the future value of the enterprise).
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.
The Fund holds a relatively few number of securities and, as a result of the Adviser's investment process, the Fund's investments may be focused in one or more economic sectors from time to time, including the financials sector.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
Equity Risk The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions in the United States or abroad. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected (or may decline) because of poor management, competitive pressures, reliance on particular suppliers or geographical regions, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, man-made or natural disasters, military confrontations or wars, terrorism, public health crises, or other events, conditions and factors. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Stock Market Risk Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Domestic and international factors such as political events, war, trade disputes, interest rate levels and other fiscal and monetary policy changes, pandemics and other public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. The impact of these and other factors may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk Small and mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss. Smaller companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
Foreign Securities Risk Foreign securities (including depositary receipts) are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments. Foreign securities could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Foreign securities generally experience more volatility than their domestic counterparts. In addition, to the extent investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment.
Focused Investment Risk To the extent the Fund focuses in one or more sectors, such as the financials sector, market or economic factors impacting those sectors could have a significant effect on the value of the Fund's investments and could make the Fund's performance more volatile. The values of companies in the financials sector are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns and changes in government regulation and interest rates.
Liquidity Risk Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. 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. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund may not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, unusually high volume of redemptions, or other reasons. To meet redemption requests or to raise cash to pursue other investment opportunities, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, which may adversely affect the Fund.
Limited Portfolio Risk To the extent the Fund invests its assets in a more limited number of issuers than many other mutual funds, a decline in the market value of a particular security may affect the Fund's value more than if the Fund invested in a larger number of issuers.
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.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class Y shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class Y shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class Y shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Performance information for the Fund's Class Y shares prior to July 30, 2016 reflects the historical performance of the Class Y shares of the RS Partners Fund, a series of RS Investment Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by RS Investment Management Co. LLC) (the "predecessor fund"). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in expenses paid by the predecessor fund and those paid by the Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's 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 March 31, 2020 was -32.90%.
Highest Quarter | 17.45% (quarter ended December 31, 2010) |
Lowest Quarter | -20.94% (quarter ended September 30, 2011) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 31.18% | 8.12% | 11.22% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 28.29% | 4.98% | 8.39% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 20.37% | 5.71% | 8.53% |
INDEX | |||
Russell 2000® Value Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
22.39% | 6.99% | 10.56% |
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 the day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's RS Investments investment franchise.
Investment Team
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Robert J. Harris | Chief Investment Officer | Since 2014 |
Joseph M. Mainelli | Investment Analyst | Since 2013 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor 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 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. Under adverse, unstable or abnormal market conditions, the Fund may be unable to pursue or achieve its investment objective and, for temporary purposes, may invest some or all of its assets in a variety of instruments or assets, including high-quality fixed-income securities, cash and cash equivalents. 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. These positions 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.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-235-8396 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.
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 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 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 market prices of equity securities, which may include common stocks and other stock-related securities such as preferred stocks may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The value of a security may decline for reasons that directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services or due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. 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. The Fund may continue to accept new subscriptions and to make additional investments in equity securities even under general market conditions that the Fund's investment team views as unfavorable for equity securities.
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.
Market turmoil may be reflected in perceptions of economic uncertainty, price volatility in the equity and debt markets, and fluctuating trading liquidity. In response, governments may adopt a variety of fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and lower interest rates. These policies may not be successful and any unexpected or quick reversal of these policies could increase volatility in the equity and debt markets. Market conditions and economic risks could have a significant effect on domestic and international economies and could add significantly to the risks of increased volatility and decreased liquidity for the Fund's portfolio.
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.
Focused Investment Risk
The Fund may focus its investments in companies in a particular market or sector. When the Fund focuses its investments in a particular market or sector, financial, economic, business, and other developments affecting issuers in that market or sector will have a greater effect on the Fund than if it had not focused its assets in that market or sector. In addition, investors may buy or sell substantial amounts of the Fund's shares in response to factors affecting or expected to affect a market or sector in which the Fund focuses its investments, resulting in extreme inflows or outflows of cash into and out of the Fund. Such inflows or outflows might affect management of the Fund adversely, to the extent that they were to cause the Fund's cash position or cash requirements to exceed normal levels.
Foreign Securities Risk
Foreign Investments Risk - Foreign investments involve certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies. Foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices prevalent in the U.S. Foreign securities markets may be subject to more or less governmental supervision than their U.S. counterparts. 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.
Political Risk - Foreign securities markets may be more volatile than their counterparts in the U.S. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Foreign settlement procedures may also involve additional risks, and foreign issuers can be impacted by changes to trade policies and trade disputes. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
Liquidity Risk - Securities that trade less frequently or with lower trade volume can be more difficult or more costly to buy or sell than more liquid or active investments. Liquidity risk is a factor of the trading volume of a particular investment, as well as the size and liquidity of the entire local market. On the whole, foreign exchanges are smaller and less liquid than U.S. exchanges. See also Liquidity Risk.
Currency Risk - Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment. Adverse changes in exchange rates, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may erode or reverse any gains produced by investments denominated in foreign currencies and may widen any losses.
Legal Risk - Legal remedies for investors in foreign countries may be more limited than the legal remedies available in the U.S.
Investment Style Risk
Different types of securities such as growth style or value style securities tend to shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic conditions. As a result, the Fund's performance may at times be worse than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or that have different investment styles.
Limited Portfolio Risk
Though the Fund is "diversified" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), it may hold a smaller number of portfolio securities than many other mutual funds. To the extent the Fund invests in a relatively small number of issuers, a decline in the market value of a particular security held by the Fund may affect its value more than if it invested in a larger number of issuers.
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). 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 Fund's investments and may lead to increased redemptions. Some securities held by the Fund may be restricted as to resale, and there is often no ready market for such securities. 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. It may also be the case that other market participants may be attempting to liquidate a security of a particular issuer or type of issuer at the same time as the Fund is attempting to liquidate such security, causing increased supply in the market and contributing to liquidity risk and downward pricing pressure. 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. It is possible that, during periods of extreme market volatility or unusually high and unanticipated levels of redemptions, 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 the 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 Fund's net asset value ("NAV").
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.
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 borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
Impact on Returns Example
The following example is intended to help you assess the impact of the operating expenses of the Fund on the Fund's potential returns. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for a 10-year period, and that your investment earns a 5% return each year. The example reflects the impact of sales loads and the impact of any fee waiver/expense reimbursement agreement in place for the Fund through its expiration date, as detailed in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses table of the Fund. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.
Based on these assumptions, the following table shows, for each year and cumulatively for all 10 years (1) the fees and the costs (the "Expenses") associated with your investment and (2) the difference (the "Impact on Return") between your return if the Fund had not incurred the Expenses and your return after giving effect to the Expenses.
Example of the Impact of Annual Fund Operating Expenses on Fund Returns (based on a $10,000 investment and a 5% annual return)
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 |
Cumulative
10-Year |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund | |||||||||||
Member Class Shares | |||||||||||
Expenses | $127 | $435 | $445 | $448 | $451 | $456 | $460 | $464 | $468 | $471 | $4,225 |
Impact on Return | $125 | $169 | $457 | $484 | $512 | $541 | $572 | $605 | $639 | $675 | $4,779 |
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 March 31, 2020, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $123.7 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256.
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate equal to 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
The Adviser is a diversified global asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. RS Investments, a Victory Capital investment franchise, is responsible for the day-to-day investment management 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 is available in the Fund's annual report for the period ended December 31.
Portfolio Management
Robert Harris is the Chief Investment Officer of the RS Value team. He has been responsible for the Victory RS Partners Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2014. From 2005 to 2016, he was an analyst with RS Investment Management Co. LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2016. Before joining RS Investments, he was a financial services analyst at Dresdner RCM Global Investors, LLC. Previously, he was a marketing associate for Chevron Texaco Corporation. He also spent seven years as a flight engineer in the United States Air Force.
Joseph Mainelli is a member of the RS Value team and has been responsible for the Victory RS Partners Fund, (including its predecessor fund) since 2013. From 2007 to 2016, he was an analyst with RS Investment Management Co. LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2016. Before joining RS Investments, he was an equity research analyst focusing on small- and mid-cap value investments at David J. Greene & Company for three years. Previously, he was an equity research analyst at Sagamore Hill Capital and ING Furman Selz Asset Management.
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. Member Class shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund.
Only Member Class shares are offered in this Prospectus. There are other share classes offered in different Prospectuses. Available classes may include Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. However, not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. The classes of shares that are offered by the Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
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 800-235-8396. 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 vcm.com.
Investing in Member Class Shares
This Prospectus offers Member Class shares of the Fund. The Fund offers other classes of shares in a separate prospectus.
When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class. 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.
The Fund reserves the right to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any share class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
MEMBER CLASS SHARES
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Member Class Shares
Member Class shares may only be purchased by USAA members or individuals investing directly with Victory or a Victory sponsored product or by agreement.
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
Member Class shares are primarily intended for purchase directly from the Victory Funds. In the event you purchase the Fund or hold your 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.
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 1-800-235-8396. 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 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 an investment directly into 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 Member Class shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase. There is a $3,000 minimum investment amount required for Member Class shares beyond those set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase.
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees, and immediate family members of the employee, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund 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 800-235-8396 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 800-235-8396 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.
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
|
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
PHONE: 800-235-8396 |
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-235-8396 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. |
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-235-8396 |
|
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 800-235-8396 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 or USAA Mutual 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.
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 or USAA Mutual 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.
|
BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-235-8396. 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.
|
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.
|
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.
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 Victory 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 Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund will:
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder's trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the "short-term transaction" policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary's policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary's policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund's portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available upon request and on the Fund's website at 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
No financial information is available for the Member Class shares of the Fund since that class had not yet been offered as of the date of this Prospectus. The following financial highlights table reflects historical information about the Class Y shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Funds financial performance for the past five years. Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Funds Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The information presented for the periods ending on or after December 31, 2019 has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, whose reports, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report, which is available by calling 800-235-8396 and at www.VictoryFunds.com. The information for all periods prior to December 31, 2019 has been audited by different independent registered public accounting firms.
RS Partners Fund
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended 12/31/19 |
Year
Ended 12/31/18 |
Year
Ended 12/31/17 |
Year
Ended 12/31/16 |
Year
Ended 12/31/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $21.94 | $30.67 | $32.75 | $27.75 | $31.95 |
Investment Activities | |||||
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a) | 0.21 | 0.14 | (0.04) | (0.03) | (0.02) |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 6.52 | (3.71) | 4.86 | 6.81 | (3.32) |
Total from Investment Activities | 6.73 | (3.57) | 4.82 | 6.78 | (3.34) |
Distributions to Shareholders From | |||||
Net Investment Income | (0.28) | (0.17) | | | |
Net Realized Gains from Investments | (2.22) | (4.99) | (6.90) | (1.78) | (0.86) |
Total Distributions | (2.50) | (5.16) | (6.90) | (1.78) | (0.86) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $26.17 | $21.94 | $30.67 | $32.75 | $27.75 |
Total Return | 31.18% | (11.77)% | 14.59% | 24.41% | (10.47)% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | |||||
Net Expenses | 1.12% | 1.12% | 1.12% | 1.12% | 1.12% |
Net Investment Income (Loss) | 0.82% | 0.48% | (0.11)% | (0.11)% | (0.05)% |
Gross Expenses | 1.21% | 1.19% | 1.21% | 1.22% | 1.18% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $232,432 | $250,709 | $349,022 | $378,271 | $542,595 |
Portfolio Turnover(b) | 57% | 62% | 38% | 60% | 42% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
P.O. Box 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 800-235-8396 |
By mail:
Victory Funds P.O. Box 182903 Columbus, OH 43218-2903 |
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the SEC's Edgar database at http://www.sec.gov or, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request sent to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-RS-VF-MEM-PRO (06/20) |
June 10, 2020
Prospectus
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund
Member Class |
RMOMX |
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund
Member Class |
RSMMX |
Beginning January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Victory Funds' shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Victory Funds or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on www.VictoryFunds.com, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change, and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Victory Funds or your financial intermediary electronically sooner than January 1, 2021 by notifying your financial intermediary directly or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 800-235-8396 or by sending an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your reports. If you invest directly with the Victory Funds, you can call 800-235-8396 or send an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Victory Funds you hold directly or through your financial intermediary. |
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
|
|
|
Table of Contents Organization and Management of the Funds |
RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund (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, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 0.85% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.12% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 3.97% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (2.92)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
1.05% |
1 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 1.05% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least April 30, 2022. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $107 | $957 | $1,830 | $4,092 |
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 86% 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 its assets in securities of companies considered by the Adviser to be (at the time of purchase) mid-capitalization companies. The Fund principally invests in equity securities. The Fund typically invests in equity securities of U.S. companies but will also invest any portion of its assets in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
A company is considered to be a mid-capitalization company if it has a market capitalization of between $1 billion and 120% of the market capitalization of the largest company included in the Russell Midcap® Index ("Index") (currently, approximately $77.5 billion, based on the size of the largest company in the Index on March 31, 2020). The size of companies in the Index changes with market conditions and the composition of the Index.
The Adviser employs both fundamental analysis and quantitative screening in seeking to identify companies that it believes will produce sustainable earnings growth over a multi-year horizon. Investment candidates typically exhibit some or all of the following key criteria: strong organic revenue growth, expanding margins and profitability, innovative products or services, defensible competitive advantages, growing market share, and experienced management teams. Valuation is an integral part of the investment process and purchase decisions are based on the Adviser's expectation of the potential reward relative to risk of each security based in part on its proprietary earnings calculations.
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.
As a result of the Advisers investment process, the Funds investments may be focused in one or more economic sectors from time to time, including the information technology sector.
The Adviser may from time to time generate portfolio turnover in excess of 100%.
Principal Risks
Equity Risk The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions in the United States or abroad. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected (or may decline) because of poor management, competitive pressures, reliance on particular suppliers or geographical regions, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, man-made or natural disasters, military confrontations or wars, terrorism, public health crises, or other events, conditions and factors. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Stock Market Risk Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Domestic and international factors such as political events, war, trade disputes, interest rate levels and other fiscal and monetary policy changes, pandemics and other public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. The impact of these and other factors may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
Mid Capitalization Stock Risk Mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss.
Foreign Securities Risk Foreign securities (including depositary receipts) are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments. Foreign securities could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Foreign securities generally experience more volatility than their domestic counterparts. In addition, to the extent investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment.
Sector Risk To the extent the Fund focuses in one or more sectors, such as the information technology sector, market or economic factors impacting those sectors could have a significant effect on the value of the Funds investments and could make the Funds performance more volatile. For example, the values of companies in the information technology sector are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns, short product cycles and aggressive pricing, market competition and changes in government regulation.
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.
Portfolio Turnover Risk Higher portfolio turnover ratios resulting from additional purchases and sales of portfolio securities will generally result in higher transaction costs and Fund expenses and can lead to distribution of additional short-term capital gains to investors, which are taxed as ordinary income.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class Y shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class Y shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class Y shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Performance information for the Fund's Class Y shares prior to July 30, 2016 reflects the historical performance of the Class Y shares of the RS Mid Cap Growth Fund, a series of RS Investment Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by RS Investment Management Co. LLC) (the "predecessor fund"). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in expenses paid by the predecessor fund and those paid by the Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's 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 March 31, 2020 was -19.77%.
Highest Quarter | 21.32% (quarter ended March 31, 2019) |
Lowest Quarter | -19.65% (quarter ended December 31, 2018) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 28.36% | 8.98% | 13.29% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 28.36% | 7.56% | 12.55% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 16.79% | 6.36% | 10.78% |
Index | |||
Russell Midcap® Growth Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
35.47% | 11.60% | 14.24% |
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 the day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's RS Investments investment franchise.
Investment Team
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
D. Scott Tracy, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since 2008 |
Stephen J. Bishop | Portfolio Manager | Since 2008 |
Melissa Chadwick-Dunn | Portfolio Manager | Since 2008 |
Christopher W. Clark, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since 2014 |
Paul Leung, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since 2018 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
RS Small Cap Equity Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund (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, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 0.75% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.16% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 3.91% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (2.76)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
1.15% |
1 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 1.15% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least April 30, 2022. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $117 | $953 | $1,812 | $4,044 |
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 89% 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 its assets in equity securities of small-capitalization companies, which may include common stocks, preferred stocks, or other securities convertible into common stock. The Fund typically invests in equity securities of U.S. companies but may also invest any portion of its assets in foreign securities, including depositary receipts such as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).
The Adviser currently considers a company to be a small-capitalization company if its market capitalization (at the time of purchase) is less than $3 billion or 120% of the market capitalization of the largest company included in the Russell 2000® Index ("Index") (currently, approximately $13.5 billion, based on the size of the largest company in the Index on March 31, 2020), whichever is greater. The size of companies in the Index changes with market conditions and the composition of the Index.
The Adviser employs both fundamental analysis and quantitative screening in seeking to identify companies that the Adviser believes will produce sustainable earnings growth over a multi-year horizon. Investment candidates typically exhibit some or all of the following key criteria: strong organic revenue growth, expanding margins and profitability, innovative products or services, defensible competitive advantages, growing market share, and experienced management teams. The Adviser seeks to categorize each potential investment based on its view of a company's stage of development on a spectrum that identifies companies as promising, developing, or proven. Valuation is an integral part of the growth investment process. Purchase decisions are based on the Adviser's expectation of the potential reward relative to risk of each security based in part on the Adviser's proprietary earnings calculations.
The Adviser regularly reviews the Fund's investments and will sell securities when the Adviser believes the securities are no longer attractive because (1) of 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.
As a result of the Advisers investment process, the Funds investments may be focused in one or more economic sectors from time to time, including the information technology sector.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
Equity Risk The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions in the United States or abroad. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected (or may decline) because of poor management, competitive pressures, reliance on particular suppliers or geographical regions, labor problems or shortages, corporate restructurings, fraudulent disclosures, man-made or natural disasters, military confrontations or wars, terrorism, public health crises, or other events, conditions and factors. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.
Stock Market Risk Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Domestic and international factors such as political events, war, trade disputes, interest rate levels and other fiscal and monetary policy changes, pandemics and other public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. The impact of these and other factors may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
Small Capitalization Stock Risk Small-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss. Smaller companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.
Foreign Securities Risk Foreign securities (including depositary receipts) are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments. Foreign securities could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Foreign securities generally experience more volatility than their domestic counterparts. In addition, to the extent investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment.
Sector Risk To the extent the Fund focuses in one or more sectors, such as the information technology sector, market or economic factors impacting those sectors could have a significant effect on the value of the Funds investments and could make the Funds performance more volatile. For example, the values of companies in the information technology sector are particularly vulnerable to economic downturns, short product cycles and aggressive pricing, market competition and changes in government regulation.
Liquidity Risk Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. 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. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund may not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, unusually high volume of redemptions, or other reasons. To meet redemption requests or to raise cash to pursue other investment opportunities, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, which may adversely affect the Fund.
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.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class Y shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class Y shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class Y shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Performance information for the Fund's Class Y shares prior to July 30, 2016 reflects the historical performance of the Class Y shares of the RS Small Cap Equity Fund, a series of RS Investment Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by RS Investment Management Co. LLC) (the "predecessor fund"). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in expenses paid by the predecessor fund and those paid by the Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's 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 March 31, 2020 was -24.21%.
Highest Quarter | 23.02% (quarter ended March 31, 2019) |
Lowest Quarter | -23.21% (quarter ended September 30, 2011) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 38.69% | 12.28% | 15.59% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 35.27% | 8.59% | 12.63% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 25.27% | 8.91% | 12.28% |
Index | |||
Russell 2000® Growth Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
28.48% | 9.34% | 13.01% |
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 the day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's RS Investments investment franchise.
Investment Team
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
D. Scott Tracy, CFA | Chief Investment Officer | Since 2009 |
Stephen J. Bishop | Portfolio Manager | Since 2009 |
Melissa Chadwick-Dunn | Portfolio Manager | Since 2009 |
Christopher W. Clark, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since 2014 |
Paul Leung, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since 2018 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor 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.
Each 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 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. Under adverse, unstable or abnormal market conditions, a Fund may be unable to pursue or achieve its investment objective and, for temporary purposes, may invest some or all of its assets in a variety of instruments or assets, including high-quality fixed-income securities, cash and cash equivalents. 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. These positions 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.
Each Fund's investment objective and policy to invest at least 80% of its assets in the type of securities suggested by the Fund's name is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon at least 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, but exclusive of any collateral held from securities lending.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-235-8396 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.
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 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 the Funds principal risks and supplements those risks discussed in each Fund's Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.
Mid Cap
Growth |
Small Cap
Equity |
|
Equity Risk | X | X |
Stock Market Risk | X | X |
Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risk | X | X |
IT and Operations Risk | X | X |
Manager Risk | X | X |
Foreign Securities Risk | X | X |
Investment Style Risk | X | X |
IPO Risk | X | |
Liquidity Risk | X | |
Portfolio Turnover Risk | X | |
Smaller-Company Stock Risk | X | X |
Equity Risk
The market prices of equity securities, which may include common stocks and other stock-related securities such as preferred stocks may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The value of a security may decline for reasons that directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, and reduced demand for the issuer's goods or services or due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. 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. A Fund may continue to accept new subscriptions and to make additional investments in equity securities even under general market conditions that a Fund's investment team views as unfavorable for equity securities.
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.
Market turmoil may be reflected in perceptions of economic uncertainty, price volatility in the equity and debt markets, and fluctuating trading liquidity. In response, governments may adopt a variety of fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and lower interest rates. These policies may not be successful and any unexpected or quick reversal of these policies could increase volatility in the equity and debt markets. Market conditions and economic risks could have a significant effect on domestic and international economies and could add significantly to the risks of increased volatility and decreased liquidity for a Fund's portfolio.
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.
Foreign Securities Risk
Foreign Investments Risk - Foreign investments involve certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies. Foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices prevalent in the U.S. Foreign securities markets may be subject to more or less governmental supervision than their U.S. counterparts. 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.
Political Risk - Foreign securities markets may be more volatile than their counterparts in the U.S. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Foreign settlement procedures may also involve additional risks, and foreign issuers can be impacted by changes to trade policies and trade disputes. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
Liquidity Risk - Securities that trade less frequently or with lower trade volume can be more difficult or more costly to buy or sell than more liquid or active investments. Liquidity risk is a factor of the trading volume of a particular investment, as well as the size and liquidity of the entire local market. On the whole, foreign exchanges are smaller and less liquid than U.S. exchanges. See also Liquidity Risk.
Currency Risk - Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment. Adverse changes in exchange rates, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may erode or reverse any gains produced by investments denominated in foreign currencies and may widen any losses.
Legal Risk - Legal remedies for investors in foreign countries may be more limited than the legal remedies available in the U.S.
Investment Style Risk
Different types of securities such as growth style or value style securities tend to shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic conditions. As a result, a Fund's performance may at times be worse than the performance of other mutual funds that invest more broadly or that have different investment styles.
IPO Risk
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. It is possible, however, that a Fund will lose money on a investment in an IPO, even in such a case.
IPOs may not be available to a Fund at all times, and a Fund may not always invest in IPOs offered to it. For example, a Fund may not invest in an IPO if such an offering does not meet the specific investment criteria of that Fund. (In a case such as that described above, where the Adviser 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 such a Fund would nonetheless invest in that IPO.)
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.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of a Fund to dispose of such securities or other instruments at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and a 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). 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 a Fund's investments and may lead to increased redemptions. 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. It may also be the case that other market participants may be attempting to liquidate a security of a particular issuer or type of issuer at the same time as a Fund is attempting to liquidate such security, causing increased supply in the market and contributing to liquidity risk and downward pricing pressure. 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 a Fund might receive upon the sale of that security. It is possible that, during periods of extreme market volatility or unusually high and unanticipated levels of redemptions, a 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 Fund's net asset value ("NAV").
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.
The Adviser may use several types of investment strategies in pursuing the Funds' 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.
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 borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund's securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
An investment in the Fund is not a complete investment program.
Impact on Returns Example
The following example is intended to help you assess the impact of the operating expenses of the Fund on the Fund's potential returns. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for a 10-year period, and that your investment earns a 5% return each year. The example reflects the impact of sales loads and the impact of any fee waiver/expense reimbursement agreement in place for the Fund through its expiration date, as detailed in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses table of the Fund. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.
Based on these assumptions, the following table shows, for each year and cumulatively for all 10 years (1) the fees and the costs (the "Expenses") associated with your investment and (2) the difference (the "Impact on Return") between your return if the Fund had not incurred the Expenses and your return after giving effect to the Expenses.
Example of the Impact of Annual Fund Operating Expenses on Fund Returns (based on a $10,000 investment and a 5% annual return)
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | Year 10 |
Cumulative
10-Year |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund | |||||||||||
Member Class Shares | |||||||||||
Expenses | $107 | $420 | $430 | $434 | $439 | $443 | $448 | $452 | $457 | $462 | $4,092 |
Impact on Return | $105 | $148 | $440 | $467 | $495 | $524 | $554 | $587 | $621 | $656 | $4,597 |
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 March 31, 2020, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $123.7 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256.
The Adviser is a diversified global asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing. RS Investments, a Victory Capital investment franchise, is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Funds.
Advisory fees to be paid annually, before waivers, will be equal to the following:
Fund | Advisory Fee |
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund | 0.85% |
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund | 0.75% |
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 is included in each Fund's annual report for the period ended December 31.
Portfolio Management
Stephen J. Bishop has been a member of the RS Growth team since 1996 and has been with the Adviser since 2016. Mr. Bishop has been a co-portfolio manager and analyst of Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2008 and Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2009. From 1996 to 2016, Mr. Bishop was a research analyst primarily covering the technology sector with RS Investment Management Co. LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2016. Prior to joining RS Investments, he worked as an analyst in the corporate finance department of Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc., for two years.
Melissa Chadwick-Dunn has been a member of the RS Growth team since 2001. She has been a co-portfolio manager and analyst of Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2008 and Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2009. From 2001 to 2016, she was an investment professional with RS Investment Management Co. LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2016. Before joining RS Investments, she was an equity analyst at Putnam Investments for two years, covering international small-cap stocks. Prior to that, she spent four years in investment banking, working on corporate finance and mergers-and-acquisition transactions for Lehman Brothers and McDaniels S.A.
Christopher W. Clark has been a co-portfolio manager of Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund and Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund (including their predecessor funds) since 2014. From 2007 to 2016, he was an analyst with RS Investment Management Co. LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2016. Before joining RS Investments, he was a research associate at TIAA-CREF for three years, where he focused on global portfolio management and the health care sector. Prior to that, he was a research assistant at Dresdner RCM Global Investors for three years. Mr. Clark is a CFA charterholder.
Paul Leung has been a co-portfolio manager of Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund and Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund since May 2018. Mr Leung has been an analyst with the RS Growth team since 2012. Mr. Leung joined the Adviser in 2016 in connection with the Adviser's acquisition of RS Investments. Prior to that, he worked as a senior investment analyst at Ashfield Capital Partners where he focused on the technology sector. Previously, he held research and financial analyst positions at Sterling Johnston Capital Management, from 2002 to 2010, and Citigroup, from 1999 to 2001. Mr. Leung is a CFA charterholder.
D. Scott Tracy is the Chief Investment Officer of the RS Growth team and has been a co-portfolio manager and analyst of Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2008 and Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2009. From 2001 to 2016, he was with RS Investment Management Co. LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2016. Before joining RS Investments, he spent three years at Shoreline Investment Management, the in-house asset management arm of Hewlett-Packard, where his research focus included technology and industrial companies. He has also served as an equity analyst at Montgomery Securities. Mr. Tracy 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.
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. Member Class shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund.
Only Member Class shares are offered in this Prospectus. There are other share classes offered in different Prospectuses. Available classes may include Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. However, not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. The classes of shares that are offered by a Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
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 800-235-8396. 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 800-235-8396 or by visiting the Funds' website at VictoryFunds.com.
Investing in Member Class Shares
This Prospectus offers Member Class shares of the Funds. The Funds offer other classes of shares in a separate prospectus.
When you purchase shares of a Fund, you must choose a share class. 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.
The Funds reserve the right to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. The Funds may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
Any Fund or share class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
MEMBER CLASS SHARES
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Member Class Shares
Member Class shares may only be purchased by USAA members or individuals investing directly with Victory or a Victory sponsored product or by agreement.
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
Member Class shares are primarily intended for purchase directly from the Victory Funds. In the event you purchase the Fund or hold your 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.
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 1-800-235-8396. 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 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 an investment directly into 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 Member Class shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase. There is a $3,000 minimum investment amount required for Member Class shares beyond those set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase.
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees and immediate family members of 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 800-235-8396 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 800-235-8396 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 |
|
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
PHONE: 800-235-8396 |
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-235-8396 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. |
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-235-8396 |
|
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 800-235-8396 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 or USAA Mutual 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.
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 or USAA Mutual 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.
|
BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-235-8396. 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.
|
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.
|
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 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 800-235-8396.
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 Victory 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 Victory 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
A description of each Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds' portfolio securities is available in the Funds' SAI and on the Funds' website at 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 800-235-8396, 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
No financial information is available for the Member Class shares of each Fund since that class had not yet been offered as of the date of this Prospectus. The following financial highlights table reflects historical information about the Class Y shares of each Fund and are intended to help you understand the Funds financial performance for the past five years. Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Funds Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The information for the year ended December 31, 2019 has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm, whose reports, along with the Funds' financial statements, are included in the Funds' annual report, which is available by calling 800-235-8396 and at www.VictoryFunds.com. The information for all periods prior to December 31, 2019 has been audited by different independent registered public accounting firms.
RS Mid Cap Growth Fund
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended 12/31/19 |
Year
Ended 12/31/18 |
Year
Ended 12/31/17 |
Year
Ended 12/31/16 |
Year
Ended 12/31/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $20.73 | $26.54 | $21.90 | $20.79 | $20.58 |
Investment Activities | |||||
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a) | (0.11) | (0.08) | (0.04) | (0.02) | (0.03) |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 5.99 | (1.85) | 4.68 | 1.13 | 0.24 |
Total from Investment Activities | 5.88 | (1.93) | 4.64 | 1.11 | 0.21 |
Distributions to Shareholders From | |||||
Net Realized Gains from Investments | | (1.17) | | | |
Return of Capital | | (2.71) | | | |
Total Distributions | | (3.88) | | | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $26.61 | $20.73 | $26.54 | $21.90 | $20.79 |
Total Return | 28.36% | (7.15)% | 21.19% | 5.34% | 1.02% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | |||||
Net Expenses | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.97% |
Net Investment Income (Loss) | (0.43)% | (0.27)% | (0.18)% | (0.10)% | (0.15)% |
Gross Expenses | 1.10% | 1.05% | 1.06% | 1.05% | 1.08% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $395,586 | $243,009 | $310,050 | $168,936 | $173,629 |
Portfolio Turnover(b) | 86% | 126% | 86% | 138% | 120% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
RS Small Cap Equity Fund
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended 12/31/19 |
Year
Ended 12/31/18 |
Year
Ended 12/31/17 |
Year
Ended 12/31/16 |
Year
Ended 12/31/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $13.29 | $19.20 | $14.62 | $14.39 | $20.04 |
Investment Activities | |||||
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a) | (0.13) | (0.14) | (0.14) | (0.08) | (0.16) |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 5.24 | (1.49) | 5.66 | 0.30 | 0.26 |
Total from Investment Activities | 5.11 | (1.63) | 5.52 | 0.22 | 0.10 |
Distributions to Shareholders From | |||||
Net Realized Gains from Investments | (1.88) | (4.28) | (0.94) | | (5.75) |
Total Distributions | (1.88) | (4.28) | (0.94) | | (5.75) |
Capital Contribution from Prior Custodian, Net | | | | 0.01 | |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $16.52 | $13.29 | $19.20 | $14.62 | $14.39 |
Total Return | 38.69% | (8.23)% | 37.78% | 1.60%(b) | 0.18% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | |||||
Net Expenses | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.07% |
Net Investment Income (Loss) | (0.77)% | (0.69)% | (0.78)% | (0.64)% | (0.76)% |
Gross Expenses | 1.43% | 1.68% | 1.34% | 1.24% | 1.07% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $3,275 | $2,750 | $6,398 | $1,834 | $3,804 |
Portfolio Turnover(c) | 89% | 77% | 79% | 86% | 98% |
(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 less than 0.01% for the period shown.
(c) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
P.O. Box 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 800-235-8396 |
By mail:
Victory Funds P.O. Box 182903 Columbus, OH 43218-2903 |
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the SEC's Edgar database at http://www.sec.gov or, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request sent to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-RS-GF-MEM-PRO (06/20) |
June 10, 2020
Prospectus
Victory Floating Rate Fund
Member Class |
RSFMX |
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund
Member Class |
RHMMX |
Beginning January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Victory Funds' shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from the Victory Funds or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on www.VictoryFunds.com, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change, and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Victory Funds or your financial intermediary electronically sooner than January 1, 2021 by notifying your financial intermediary directly or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 800-235-8396 or by sending an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your reports. If you invest directly with the Victory Funds, you can call 800-235-8396 or send an e-mail request to TA.Processing@FISGlobal.com. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Victory Funds you hold directly or through your financial intermediary. |
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
|
|
|
Table of Contents High Income Municipal Bond Fund Organization and Management of the Funds |
Floating Rate Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory Floating Rate Fund (the "Fund") seeks to provide a high level of current income.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 0.65% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.18% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 3.83% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (2.98)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
0.85% |
1 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% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least April 30, 2022. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $87 | $910 | $1,758 | $3,965 |
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 35% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its assets in floating rate loans and other floating rate investments. Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC, the Fund's sub-adviser, ("Park Avenue") expects that most or all of the investments held by the Fund will typically be below investment grade.
Floating rate investments are debt obligations of companies or other entities that have interest rates that adjust or "float" periodically, normally on a daily, monthly, quarterly, or semiannual basis by reference to a base lending rate (such as LIBOR) plus a premium. A floating rate loan is typically structured and administered by a financial institution that acts as the agent of the lenders participating in the floating rate loan. The Fund will typically acquire loans directly in a transaction arranged through an agent or by assignment from another holder of the loan. The Fund will typically invest in senior secured corporate loans.
Park Avenue considers several factors in purchasing and selling investments for the Fund, such as fundamental analysis of the issuer, the credit quality of the issuer and any collateral securing the investment, the issuer's management, capital structure, leverage, and operational performance, and the business outlook for the industry of the issuer.
Floating rate investments include, without limitation, floating rate debt securities, money market securities of all types, repurchase agreements, and shares of money market funds. For this purpose, the Fund considers floating rate investments to include investments whose interest rates do not by their terms reset prior to maturity but have maturities of six months or less. The Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in obligations of foreign issuers, including sovereign and private issuers. The Fund may enter into foreign currency exchange transactions in order to hedge against adverse changes in the values of currencies in which those obligations are denominated.
Floating rate loans in which the Fund invests are expected to be "senior" loans, although the Fund may invest in other types of loans. Senior floating rate loans typically hold a senior position in the capital structure of the borrower, are typically secured by specific collateral, and have a claim on the assets and/or stock of the borrower that is senior to that held by subordinated debtholders and stockholders of the borrower. While these protections may reduce risk, these investments still present significant credit risk. For example, the Fund may be delayed or prevented from realizing on its collateral. A significant portion of the Fund's floating rate investments may be issued in connection with highly leveraged transactions such as leveraged buyouts, leveraged recapitalization loans, and other types of acquisition financing. Obligations in these types of transactions are subject to greater credit risk (including default and bankruptcy) than many other investments.
The Fund may purchase second lien loans (secured loans with a claim on collateral subordinate to a senior lender's claim on such collateral), fixed rate loans, unsecured loans, and other debt obligations, such as corporate bonds, government securities, repurchase agreements, and mortgage and other asset-backed securities.
Park Avenue may sell investments when it believes that they no longer offer attractive potential future returns compared to other investment opportunities or that they present undesirable risks, or in an attempt to limit losses on investments that may decline or have declined in value.
An investment will be considered to be below investment grade if it is rated Ba1 or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group, or if unrated, is considered by Park Avenue to be of comparable quality. A below investment grade rating reflects a greater possibility that the issuer of an investment may be unable to make timely payments of interest and principal and thus default. If this happens, or is perceived as likely to happen, the value of that investment will usually be more volatile and is likely to fall. Senior loans typically are of below investment grade quality and (if rated) have below investment grade credit ratings, which ratings are associated with securities having high risk, speculative characteristics (sometimes referred to as "junk").
Credit ratings are based largely on the issuer's historical financial condition and the rating agencies' investment analysis at the time of rating. The rating assigned to any particular investment does not necessarily reflect the issuer's current financial condition, and does not reflect an assessment of an investment's volatility or liquidity. Although Park Avenue considers credit ratings in making investment decisions, it performs its own investment analysis and does not rely only on ratings assigned by the rating agencies. The Fund depends more on Park Avenue's ability to buy lower-rated debt than it does on its ability to buy investment-grade debt. The Fund may have to participate in legal proceedings or take possession of and manage assets that secure the issuer's obligations. This could increase the Fund's operating expenses and decrease its net asset value.
The Fund may enter into exchange-traded or over-the-counter derivatives transactions of any kind, such as futures contracts, 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 option 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.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
Debt Securities Risk The value of a debt security or other income-producing security changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates or changes in the risk appetite of investors generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations. Securities with floating interest rates generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much as interest rates in general. Other factors that may affect the value of debt securities, include, among others, public health crises and responses by governments and companies to such crises. These and other events may affect the creditworthiness of the issuer of a debt security and may impair an issuers ability to timely meet its debt obligations as they come due.
Loan Risk Investments in loans are generally subject to the same risks as investments in other types of debt securities, including, in many cases, investments in high-yield/junk bonds. There may be limited public information available regarding the loan. They may be difficult to value and may be illiquid. The receipt of principal and interest on some loans may be subject to the credit risk of a financial institution that issues or administers the loan. Transactions in loans often settle on a delayed basis, and the Fund may not receive the proceeds from the sale of a loan for a substantial period of time after the sale. In certain circumstances, the Fund may not have the same protections available to investors under the federal securities laws.
High-Yield/Junk Bond Risk Lower-quality debt securities can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities, and their values can decline significantly over short and longer periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Liquidity Risk Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgement of the Adviser. 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. In addition, significant securities market disruptions related to outbreaks of the coronavirus (COVID-19) have led to dislocation in the markets for a variety of debt securities, which has decreased liquidity and sharply reduced returns.
Derivatives Risk Derivative instruments and strategies, including futures and selling securities short, may not perfectly replicate direct investment in the security. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty credit risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation, and the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses.
Credit Derivatives Risk Credit default swaps can create investment leverage and may create additional investment risks that may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in more traditional securities.
Foreign Securities Risk Foreign securities (including depositary receipts) are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments. Foreign securities could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign companies. Foreign securities generally experience more volatility than their domestic counterparts. In addition, to the extent investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class Y shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class Y shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class Y shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Performance information for the Fund's Class Y shares prior to July 30, 2016 reflects the historical performance of the Class Y shares of the RS Floating Rate Fund, a series of RS Investment Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by RS Investment Management Co. LLC) (the "predecessor fund"). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in expenses paid by the predecessor fund and those paid by the Fund.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's 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 March 31, 2020 was -14.70%.
Highest Quarter | 4.28% (quarter ended March 31, 2012) |
Lowest Quarter | -4.32% (quarter ended September 30, 2011) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 9.65% | 4.66% | 4.71% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 6.96% | 2.31% | 2.54% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 5.66% | 2.49% | 2.68% |
INDEX | |||
S&P/LSTA U.S. Leveraged Loan Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
8.64% | 4.45% | 5.01% |
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.
Investment Sub-Adviser
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
Investment Team
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
Kevin Booth, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since inception |
John Blaney, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since 2013 |
Paul Gillin, CFA | Portfolio Manager | Since 2014 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
High Income Municipal Bond Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund (the "Fund") seeks to provide a high current income exempt from federal income taxes with a secondary objective of capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay, directly or indirectly, to invest in the Fund. The annual fund operating expenses for the Fund are based on expenses incurred during the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment) |
Member Class |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
NONE |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price) |
NONE |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses are deducted from fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets) |
|
Management Fees | 0.50% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees | 0.00% |
Other Expenses | 3.19% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 3.69% |
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement | (3.04)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement1 |
0.65% |
1 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 0.65% of the Fund's Member Class shares through at least April 30, 2022. 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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. 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 or hold 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 any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its 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 | |
Member Class | $66 | $862 | $1,684 | $3,836 |
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 49% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategy
The Fund invests primarily in municipal obligations, the interest on which is, in the opinion of the issuer's bond counsel, exempt from federal individual income tax (but not necessarily the federal alternative minimum tax (the "AMT")). Under normal circumstances at least 80% of the value of the Fund's assets will be invested in tax-exempt municipal obligations (which may include obligations that pay interest subject to the AMT). This is a fundamental policy that cannot be changed without shareholder approval.
The Adviser allocates the Fund's investments among a diversified portfolio of municipal securities offering the potential for high current income. The Fund may invest any portion of its assets in municipal securities that are rated below investment grade (or, if unrated, considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality), commonly known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds.
In selecting securities for the Fund, the Adviser performs in-depth credit analysis of the issuer's creditworthiness and of the securities. The Adviser attempts to identify securities paying attractive current income, and securities that it believes are undervalued.
The Adviser considers the duration and the maturity of the Fund's portfolio; however, these factors are a lesser consideration than credit and yield considerations due to the nature of the securities in which the Fund invests. There is no lower limit on the rating of securities that may be in the Fund. Some of the securities that the Fund buys and holds may be in default.
Municipal obligations are debt securities issued by states, the District of Columbia, and territories and possessions of the United States, their political subdivisions, agencies, authorities, and instrumentalities. Types of municipal obligations in which the Fund may invest include:
The Adviser may sell investments when it believes that they no longer offer attractive potential future returns compared to other investment opportunities or that they present undesirable risks, or in an attempt to limit losses on investments that may decline or have declined in value.
The Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in high yield, lower-rated fixed-income securities, including securities below investment grade, commonly known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds. A security will be considered to be below investment grade if it is rated Ba1 or lower by Moodys Investors Service, Inc. and BB+ or lower by Standard & Poors Ratings Group, or if unrated, is considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. A below investment grade rating reflects a greater possibility that the issuer of an investment may be unable to make timely payments of interest and principal and thus default. If this happens, or is perceived as likely to happen, the value of that investment will usually be more volatile and is likely to fall.
The Fund may invest in other tax-exempt securities that are not municipal obligations. The Fund's investments may include any type of debt instrument, including, for example, zero-coupon securities, floating and variable-rate demand notes and bonds, and residual interest bonds, which are an inverse floating rate security ("inverse floaters"). The Fund may invest any portion of its assets in obligations that pay interest subject to the AMT.
The Fund may invest without limit in municipal obligations that pay interest from similar revenue sources, in municipal securities of issuers within a single state, or in municipal securities issued by entities having similar characteristics. The issuers may be located in the same geographic areas or may pay their interest obligations from revenue of similar projects, such as hospitals, airports, utility systems and housing finance agencies. This may make the Fund's investments more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory, or other factors affecting issuers in those geographic areas or issuers whose revenues are derived from such projects, and may increase the volatility of the Fund's net asset value. The Fund may invest more than 25% of its total assets in a segment of the municipal securities market with similar characteristics if the Fund's investment team determines that the potential return from such investment justifies the additional risk.
The Fund may enter into exchange-traded or over-the-counter derivatives transactions of any kind, such as futures contracts, options on futures, and swap contracts, including, for example, interest rate swaps and credit default swaps. 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, 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 or other risk; replicating certain direct investments; and asset and sector allocation.
Principal Risks
The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:
Debt Securities Risk The value of a debt security or other income-producing security changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates or changes in the risk appetite of investors generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations. Other factors that may affect the value of debt securities, include, among others, public health crises and responses by governments and companies to such crises. These and other events may affect the creditworthiness of the issuer of a debt security and may impair an issuer's ability to timely meet its debt obligations as they come due.
Municipal Obligations Risk Issuers, including governmental issuers, may be unable to pay their obligations as they come due. The values of municipal obligations that depend on a specific revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source. Changes in the financial health of a municipality or other issuer, or an insurer of municipalities, may make it difficult to pay interest and principal when due and may affect the overall municipal securities market. In addition, changes in federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal obligations. Loss of tax-exempt status may cause interest received and distributed to shareholders by the Fund to be taxable and may result in a significant decline in the values of such municipal obligations. Investments in inverse floaters typically involve greater risk than investments in municipal obligations of comparable maturity and credit quality, and the values of inverse floaters are more volatile than those of municipal obligations due to the leverage they entail.
High-Yield/Junk Bond Risk Lower-quality debt securities can involve a substantially greater risk of default than higher quality debt securities, and their values can decline significantly over short and longer periods of time. Lower-quality debt securities tend to be more sensitive to adverse news about the issuer, or the market or economy in general.
Derivatives Risk Derivative instruments and strategies, including futures and selling securities short, may not perfectly replicate direct investment in the security. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty credit risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation, and the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses.
Credit Derivatives Risk Credit default swaps can create investment leverage and may create additional investment risks that may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in more traditional securities.
Liquidity Risk Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgement of the Adviser. 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. In addition, significant securities market disruptions related to outbreaks of the coronavirus (COVID-19) have led to dislocation in the markets for a variety of debt securities, which has decreased liquidity and sharply reduced returns.
Management Risk The portfolio manager may not execute the Fund's principal investment strategy effectively.
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 information presented is for that of the Funds Class Y shares (which are not offered by this prospectus). The bar chart shows you how the Funds calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Class Y shares over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.
While no information is shown for the Member Class shares (because they were not offered for sale as of December 31, 2019), annual returns for Member Class shares would have been substantially similar to those shown here. Member Class shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities and the annual returns would differ only to the extent that Class Y shares have lower expenses and, as a result, annual returns would be higher.
Performance information for the Fund's Class Y shares prior to July 30, 2016 reflects the historical performance of Class Y shares of the RS High Income Municipal Bond Fund, a series of RS Investment Trust (the predecessor to the Fund managed by RS Investment Management Co. LLC and sub-advised by Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC) (the "predecessor fund"). The Fund's performance has not been restated to reflect any differences in expenses paid by the predecessor fund and those paid by the Fund. The Fund's investment team changed on April 1, 2020.
Calendar Year Returns for Class Y Shares
(The annual return in the bar chart is for the Fund's 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 March 31, 2020 was -3.15%.
Highest Quarter | 5.36% (quarter ended June 30, 2011) |
Lowest Quarter | -5.92% (quarter ended December 31, 2016) |
Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods Ended December 31, 2019) |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years |
CLASS Y Before Taxes | 8.29% | 4.30% | 5.42% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions | 8.14% | 4.27% | 5.40% |
CLASS Y After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 6.71% | 4.30% | 5.29% |
Indices | |||
Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond Index
(reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) |
7.54% | 3.53% | 4.34% |
Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Municipal Bond Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) |
10.68% | 5.93% | 7.15% |
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. (the Adviser) serves as the Funds investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are members of USAA Investments, A Victory Capital Investment Franchise.
Investment Team
Title | Tenure with the Fund | |
John C. Bonnell, CFA | Senior Portfolio Manager | April 2020 |
Regina G. Conklin, CFA, CPA | Senior Portfolio Manager | April 2020 |
Andrew Hattman, CFA, CAIA | Portfolio Manager | April 2020 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Investment Minimums | Member Class |
Minimum Initial Investment | $3,000 |
Minimum Subsequent Investments | $50 |
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
Fund distributions normally consist of exempt-interest dividends, which are generally not taxable to you for federal income tax purposes, but may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. A portion of the Fund's distributions may not qualify as exempt-interest dividends; such distributions will generally be taxable to you 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, in which case you will generally be taxed only upon withdrawal of monies from the arrangement.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, 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 financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor 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.
Each 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 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. Under adverse, unstable or abnormal market conditions, a Fund may be unable to pursue or achieve its investment objective and, for temporary purposes, may invest some or all of its assets in a variety of instruments or assets, including high-quality fixed-income securities, cash and cash equivalents. 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. These positions 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.
The High Income Municipal Bond Funds policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets in tax-exempt municipal obligations (which may include obligations that pay interest subject to the AMT) cannot be changed without the approval of the Funds shareholders. The Floating Rate Fund's policy to invest at least 80% of its assets in floating rate loans and other floating rate investments is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon at least 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, exclusive of collateral held from securities lending. Any derivatives counted towards the Fund's 80% investment policy will be valued at market value.
If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds at 800-235-8396 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. Government Securities1
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 Instrumentalities1
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").
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.
Loans
Debt obligations of companies or other entities that are typically structured and administered by a financial institution that acts as the agent of the lenders participating in the loan. A loan may be acquired directly in a transaction arranged through an agent or by assignment from another holder of the loan.
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.
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.
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 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.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock, preferred stock, and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including 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 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 the Funds principal risks and supplements those risks discussed in each Fund's Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.
Floating
Rate |
High Income
Municipal Bond |
|
Debt Securities Risk | X | X |
Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risk | X | X |
IT and Operations Risk | X | X |
Manager Risk | X | X |
Derivatives Risk | X | X |
Foreign Securities Risk | X | |
Below-Investment Grade Securities Risk | X | X |
Liquidity Risk | X | X |
Loan Risk | X | |
Municipal Obligations Risk | X | |
U.S. Government Securities Risk | X | X |
Debt Securities Risk
The value of a debt security or other income-producing security changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates, adverse economic or political conditions, tariffs and trade disruptions, inflation, or adverse investor sentiment generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations. Changes in value may occur sharply and unpredictably. Other factors that may affect the value of a debt security, include public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and responses by governments and companies to such crises. The COVID-19 pandemic is having, and any future outbreaks could have, an adverse impact on the issuers of debt securities in which a Fund may invest and the global economy in general, which impact could be material.
This pandemic, which has spread rapidly across the world, has led and will continue to lead for an unknown period of time to disruptions in local, regional, national and global markets and economies. The outbreak has resulted in, and until fully resolved is likely to continue to result in, among other things: (1) government imposition of various forms of stay at home orders and the closing of non-essential businesses, resulting in significant disruption to the businesses of many issuers as well as lay-offs of employees; (2) increased requests by issuers of debt instruments for amendments and waivers of agreements to avoid default and increased defaults; (3) volatility and disruption of markets, including greater volatility in pricing and spreads; and (4) rapidly evolving proposals and/or actions by state and federal governments to address problems being experienced by the markets and by businesses and the economy in general. For example, actions by the U.S. Federal Reserve (also known as the Fed) have included direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and dramatically lower interest rates. High public debt in the United States and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic and other market events also may affect the creditworthiness of the issuer of a debt security and may impair an issuer's ability to timely meet its debt obligations as they come due.
Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risk
Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely affect issuers in another country or region. Geopolitical and other risks, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in trade policies and international trade agreements could affect the economies of many countries in unpredictable ways. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus (or COVID-19), may result in, among other things, closing borders, disruptions to healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and consumer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
Information Technology and Operations Risk
Markets and market participants are increasingly reliant upon both publicly available and proprietary information data systems. Data imprecision, software or other technology malfunctions, programming inaccuracies, unauthorized use or access, and similar circumstances may impair the performance of these systems and may have an adverse impact upon a single issuer, a group of issuers, or the market at large. The information technology and other operational systems upon which a Fund's service providers rely may be subject to cyber attack or other technological disruptions, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of these service providers to perform essential tasks for the Fund. In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or accurately price its investments.
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.
Derivatives Risk
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 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; (4) 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 theoretically unlimited); (5) 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 (6) 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.
Foreign Securities Risk
Foreign Investments Risk - Foreign investments involve certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies. Foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices prevalent in the U.S. Foreign securities markets may be subject to more or less governmental supervision than their U.S. counterparts. 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.
Political Risk - Foreign securities markets may be more volatile than their counterparts in the U.S. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the U.S., including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Foreign settlement procedures may also involve additional risks, and foreign issuers can be impacted by changes to trade policies and trade disputes. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
Legal Risk - Legal remedies for investors in foreign countries may be more limited than the legal remedies available in the U.S.
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.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of a Fund to dispose of such securities or other instruments at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and a 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). 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 a Fund's investments and may lead to increased redemptions. 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. It may also be the case that other market participants may be attempting to liquidate a security of a particular issuer or type of issuer at the same time as a Fund is attempting to liquidate such security, causing increased supply in the market and contributing to liquidity risk and downward pricing pressure. 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 a Fund might receive upon the sale of that security. It is possible that, during periods of extreme market volatility or unusually high and unanticipated levels of redemptions, a 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 Fund's net asset value ("NAV").
Loan Risk
Investments in loans are generally subject to the same risks as investments in other types of debt instruments, including, in many cases, investments in high-yield/junk bonds. This means they are subject to greater credit risks than other investments, including a greater possibility that the borrower will be adversely affected by changes in market or economic conditions and may default or enter bankruptcy. In addition, investments in loans may be difficult to value and may be illiquid. The secondary market for loans may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods, which may cause the Fund to be unable to realize the full value of its investment in the loan, resulting in a material decline in the Fund's NAV. In certain circumstances, bank loans may not be deemed to be securities. As a result, the Fund may not have the same protections as securities under the provisions of the federal securities laws. In such cases, the Fund generally must rely on the contractual provisions in the loan agreement and common-law fraud protections under applicable state law. The Fund's Adviser or Sub-Adviser may seek to avoid the receipt of material non-public information about the issuers of the loans being considered for purchase by the Fund, which may affect its ability to assess the loans as compared to investors that do receive such information.
Additional risks of investments in loans include:
Municipal Obligations Risk
The values of municipal obligations can fluctuate and may be affected by adverse tax, legislative, or political changes, and by financial developments affecting municipal issuers. Issuers, including governmental issuers of municipal obligations, may be unable to pay their obligations as they come due. Decreases in tax revenues, and increases in liabilities such as pension and health care liabilities, may increase the actual or perceived risk of default on such obligations. Because many municipal obligations are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, housing, utilities, and water and sewer projects, conditions in these sectors can affect the overall municipal market. Payment of municipal obligations may depend on an issuer's general unrestricted revenues, revenue generated by a specific project or the operator of a project, government appropriations, or aid from other governments. The values of municipal obligations that depend on a specific revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source. In addition, future changes in federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal obligations, causing interest received and distributed to shareholders by the Fund to be taxable and resulting in a significant decline in the values of such municipal obligations. There is generally less public information available for municipal obligations compared to corporate equities or debt securities, and the investment performance of a Fund holding municipal obligations may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser.
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund may invest in residual interest bonds ("inverse floaters"). Inverse floaters are a type of inverse floating rate security, and their values generally move in the opposite direction from interest rates. Inverse floaters typically are issued by a special purpose vehicle, and are structured to provide their holders with a leveraged return on a fixed-rate municipal bond held by the special purpose vehicle. The Fund's investment in an inverse floater typically involves greater risk than an investment in a fixed-rate bond of comparable maturity and credit quality, and the value of an inverse floater is more volatile than that of a fixed-rate bond due to the leverage it entails. The Fund could lose more than the amount of its investment in certain types of inverse floaters. Inverse floaters may be subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale and therefore may be less liquid than other types of securities.
U.S. Government Securities
U.S. government securities are securities issued or guaranteed as to the payment of interest or principal by the U.S. government, by an agency or instrumentality of the U.S. government, or by a U.S. government-sponsored entity. Certain U.S. government securities may not be supported as to the payment of principal and interest by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or the ability to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Some U.S. government securities may be supported as to the payment of principal and interest only by the credit of the entity issuing or guaranteeing the security.
The Adviser may use several types of investment strategies in pursuing the Funds' 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.
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 March 31, 2020, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $123.7 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256.
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.
Advisory fees to be paid annually, before waivers, will be equal to the following:
Fund | Advisory Fee |
Victory Floating Rate Fund | 0.65% |
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund | 0.50% |
The Sub-Adviser
The Adviser has entered into a Sub-Advisory Agreement with Park Avenue. Park Avenue is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Victory Floating Rate Fund, which includes buying and selling securities and choosing broker-dealers. Park Avenue is a Delaware limited liability company organized in 2015 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GIS. GIS, a Delaware limited liability company, and its predecessor, Guardian Investor Services Corporation, a New York corporation, served as investment sub-adviser for certain predecessor funds from 1968 through 2015. GIS is a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America ("Guardian Life"), a New York mutual insurance company. Located at 7 Hanover Square, New York, New York 10004, Park Avenue had approximately $5.6 billion in assets under management as of April 1, 2020. For its services, the Adviser, not the Fund, pays Park Avenue an annual fee out of the Adviser's advisory fee.
A discussion of the Board's considerations in approving the Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements is included in each Funds' annual report for the period ended December 31.
Portfolio Management
John Blaney, Kevin Booth and Paul Gillin are the portfolio managers of the Victory Floating Rate Fund. These portfolio managers are, together, primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
John Blaney has been a co-portfolio manager of Victory Floating Rate Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2013. Mr. Blaney is a managing director and co-head of the high yield and loan portfolio management group at Guardian Life, and has been with Guardian Life since 2000. He has focused on corporate credit and bank loan and high yield bond analysis since 2003. Prior to 2003, he was a structured products analyst and trader. He also helps manage the fixed-income assets of Guardian Life. Prior to joining Guardian Life, Mr. Blaney spent three years as an investment analyst at MetLife. He is a CFA charterholder, and he is a member of the CFA Institute and the New York Society of Security Analysts.
Kevin Booth has been a co-portfolio manager of Victory Floating Rate Fund (including its predecessor fund) since their inceptions. Mr. Booth has been a managing director of Guardian Life since 2009 and is co-head of the high yield and loan portfolio management group at Guardian Life. Within the high yield and corporate loan investment team, he is responsible for issuer and security selection for the Fund, as well as industry allocations. Prior to joining Guardian Life, Mr. Booth was a managing director at BlackRock/Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, and was co-head of BlackRock's leveraged finance business through January 2009, specializing in portfolios consisting of leveraged bank loans, high yield bonds, and distressed obligations. He joined Merrill Lynch Investment Managers in 1991. Mr. Booth is a CFA charterholder.
Paul Gillin has been a co-portfolio manager of Victory Floating Rate Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2014. He is a senior director and co-head of the high yield and loan portfolio management group at Guardian Life. Prior to joining Guardian in 2012, Mr. Gillin spent 13 years as a partner and high yield portfolio manager at Rogge Global Partners and its predecessor companies. Before that, he was vice president and portfolio manager with Saudi International Bank, where he participated in the initial development and management of collateralized bond obligation, collateralized loan obligation and leveraged high yield hedge fund products. Mr. Gillin also spent seven years as a managing director and portfolio manager at AIG Investment Advisers. Prior to joining AIG, he helped launch and was the initial portfolio manager for the MainStay High Yield Fund, managed by MacKay Shields Financial. Mr. Gillin is a CFA charterholder.
John C Bonnell, Regina G. Conklin and Andrew Hattman are the portfolio managers of the Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund. These portfolio managers are, together, primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio.
John C. Bonnell, CFA, is a Senior Portfolio Manager with USAA Investments, A Victory Capital Investment Franchise, and has managed the Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund since April 2020. Mr. Bonnell has over 30 years of investment management experience, 25 years of which had been with USAA Asset Management Company, which was acquired by the Advisers parent company in 2019. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a member of the CFA Institute, the CFA Society of San Antonio, and the National Federation of Municipal Analysts.
Regina G. Conklin, CFA, CPA, is a Senior Portfolio Manager with USAA Investments, A Victory Capital Investment Franchise, and has managed the Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund since April 2020. Ms. Conklin has over 24 years of investment management experience. She worked 28 years with USAA Asset Management Company, which was acquired by the Advisers parent company in 2019. Ms. Conklin is a member of the CFA Institute, the CFA Society of San Antonio, and the National Federation of Municipal Analysts.
Andrew Hattman, CFA, CAIA, is a Portfolio Manager with USAA Investments, A Victory Capital Investment Franchise, and has managed the Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund since April 2020. Mr. Hattman has over eight years of investment management experience. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Hattman worked for USAA Asset Management Company, which was acquired by the Advisers parent company in 2019. Mr. Hattman holds CFA and CAIA designations.
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.
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. Member Class shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. The following sections describe how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund.
Only Member Class shares are offered in this Prospectus. There are other share classes offered in different Prospectuses. Available classes may include Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6 or Class Y shares. However, not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares. The classes of shares that are offered by a Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol.
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 800-235-8396. 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 reserves the right to close if the primary trading markets of the Funds portfolio instruments are closed and the Funds 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 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
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 800-235-8396 or by visiting the Funds' website at VictoryFunds.com.
Investing in Member Class Shares
This Prospectus offers Member Class shares of the Funds. The Funds offer other classes of shares in a separate prospectus.
When you purchase shares of a Fund, you must choose a share class. 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.
The Funds reserve the right to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. The Funds may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
Any Fund or share class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons.
MEMBER CLASS SHARES
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Member Class Shares
Member Class shares may only be purchased by USAA members or individuals investing directly with Victory or a Victory sponsored product or by agreement.
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
Member Class shares are primarily intended for purchase directly from the Victory Funds. In the event you purchase the Fund or hold your 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.
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 1-800-235-8396. 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 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 an investment directly into 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 Member Class shares, you must first be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class Eligibility Requirements to Purchase. There is a $3,000 minimum investment amount required for Member Class shares beyond those set forth in the Eligibility Requirements to Purchase.
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees and immediate family members of 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 800-235-8396 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 800-235-8396 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 |
|
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
PHONE: 800-235-8396 |
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-235-8396 BEFORE wiring money to notify the Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire instructions. |
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-235-8396 |
|
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 800-235-8396 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 or USAA Mutual 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.
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 or USAA Mutual 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.
|
BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-235-8396. 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.
|
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.
|
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 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, 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 800-235-8396.
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 Victory 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 Victory 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
A description of each Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds' portfolio securities is available in the Funds' SAI and on the Funds' website at 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 800-235-8396, 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
No financial information is available for the Member Class shares of each Fund since that class had not yet been offered as of the date of this Prospectus. The following financial highlights table reflects historical information about the Class Y shares of each Fund and are intended to help you understand the Funds financial performance for the past five years. Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Funds Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The information for the year ended December 31, 2019 has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm, whose reports, along with the Funds' financial statements, are included in the Funds' annual report, which is available by calling 800-235-8396 and at www.VictoryFunds.com. The information for all periods prior to December 31, 2019 has been audited by different independent registered public accounting firms.
Floating Rate Fund
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended 12/31/19 |
Year
Ended 12/31/18 |
Year
Ended 12/31/17 |
Year
Ended 12/31/16 |
Year
Ended 12/31/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $9.14 | $9.61 | $9.72 | $9.08 | $9.83 |
Investment Activities | |||||
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a) | 0.57 | 0.54 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 0.48 |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 0.29 | (0.47) | (0.10) | 0.63 | (0.75) |
Total from Investment Activities | 0.86 | 0.07 | 0.38 | 1.12 | (0.27) |
Distributions to Shareholders From | |||||
Net Investment Income | (0.57) | (0.54) | (0.49) | (0.48) | (0.48) |
Total Distributions | (0.57) | (0.54) | (0.49) | (0.48) | (0.48) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $9.43 | $9.14 | $9.61 | $9.72 | $9.08 |
Total Return | 9.65% | 0.64% | 3.98% | 12.71% | (2.91)% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | |||||
Net Expenses | 0.78% | 0.78% | 0.78% | 0.78% | 0.78% |
Net Investment Income (Loss) | 6.10% | 5.64% | 4.99% | 5.21% | 4.91% |
Gross Expenses | 0.92% | 0.89% | 0.88% | 0.88% | 0.84% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $289,796 | $281,545 | $276,195 | $370,035 | $471,827 |
Portfolio Turnover(b) | 35% | 48% | 57% | 56% | 29% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
High Income Municipal Bond Fund
Class Y Shares | |||||
Year
Ended 12/31/19 |
Year
Ended 12/31/18 |
Year
Ended 12/31/17 |
Year
Ended 12/31/16 |
Year
Ended 12/31/15 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $10.39 | $10.79 | $10.35 | $10.89 | $10.84 |
Investment Activities | |||||
Net Investment Income (Loss)(a) | 0.38 | 0.46 | 0.48 | 0.47 | 0.45 |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investments | 0.47 | (0.40) | 0.44 | (0.54) | 0.05 |
Total from Investment Activities | 0.85 | 0.06 | 0.92 | (0.07) | 0.50 |
Distributions to Shareholders From | |||||
Net Investment Income | (0.43) | (0.46) | (0.48) | (0.47) | (0.45) |
Net Realized Gains from Investments | (0.06) | | | | |
Total Distributions | (0.49) | (0.46) | (0.48) | (0.47) | (0.45) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $10.75 | $10.39 | $10.79 | $10.35 | $10.89 |
Total Return | 8.29% | 0.57% | 9.10% | (0.81)% | 4.75% |
Ratios to Average Net Assets | |||||
Net Expenses | 0.57% | 0.57% | 0.57% | 0.57% | 0.57% |
Net Investment Income (Loss) | 3.56% | 4.36% | 4.55% | 4.26% | 4.18% |
Gross Expenses | 0.88% | 0.78% | 0.73% | 0.72% | 0.73% |
Supplemental Data | |||||
Net Assets, End of Period (000's) | $10,620 | $11,683 | $26,864 | $36,603 | $43,024 |
Portfolio Turnover(b) | 49% | 48% | 66% | 49% | 53% |
(a) Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b) Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.
P.O. Box 182903
Columbus, OH 43218-2903
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 800-235-8396 |
By mail:
Victory Funds P.O. Box 182903 Columbus, OH 43218-2903 |
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the SEC's Edgar database at http://www.sec.gov or, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request sent to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at publicinfo@sec.gov |
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852 | VF-RS-FIF-MEM-PRO (06/20) |
VICTORY FUNDS
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
June 10, 2020
FUND NAME |
|
MEMBER CLASS |
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
MMMMX |
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
MMIJX |
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
MMMSX |
(each a Fund and together, the Funds)
Each Fund is a series of Victory Portfolios (the Trust)
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with each Funds prospectus, dated June 10, 2020, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time (each, a Prospectus). The SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into each 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, 2019 contained in the Funds June 30, 2019 Annual Reports, including the Financial Highlights and the related reports of Cohen & Compnay, Ltd., the Funds independent registered public accounting firm; and the Funds financial statements for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2019 contained in the Funds December 31, 2019 Semi Annual Report, including the Financial Highlights. You may obtain a copy of the Funds most recent Reports at no charge by writing to the address or calling the phone number noted above. The Funds most recent Reports are also available at no charge at www.VictoryFunds.com. The Funds June 30, 2019 Annual Reports, including the Financial Highlights and the related reports of Cohen & Company, Ltd., however, do not include information related to the Funds Member Class share class since that share class is new as of the date of this SAI.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION |
3 |
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND LIMITATIONS |
3 |
INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS AND RISKS |
5 |
DETERMINING NET ASSET VALUE (NAV) AND VALUING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES |
30 |
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE, EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION |
32 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST |
35 |
INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS |
42 |
CODE OF ETHICS |
50 |
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
50 |
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE |
51 |
DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS AND DISTRIBUTIONS |
54 |
TAXES |
54 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
65 |
APPENDIX A |
A-1 |
APPENDIX B |
B-1 |
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory 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 or Victory Capital) is the Funds investment adviser. Each Funds investment objective(s), restrictions and policies are more fully described below and in the Funds Prospectus. The Trusts Board of Trustees (the Board or Trustees) may organize and offer shares of a new fund or a new share class of an existing Fund or liquidate a Fund or share class at any time.
This SAI relates to the shares of 3 series of the Trust (each a Fund, and collectively, the Funds) and their Member Class shares.
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 each Funds Prospectus. No investment in shares of a Fund should be made without first reading the 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 diversified Fund is not subject to this limitation with respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets. In addition, each Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). To qualify as a regulated investment company, each Fund 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. Under the 1940 Act, the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities 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.
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 (the 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 segregates assets or covers the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC or staff guidance and procedures adopted by the Board. 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
In addition to the principal investment strategies and the principal risks of the Funds described in each 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 every 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 Objectives, Policies and Limitations in this SAI, or by applicable law, a Fund may, but will not necessarily, engage in each of the practices described below.
Victory Capital serves as investment adviser to the Funds. Victory Capital and a Funds sub-adviser, if applicable, are each referred to in this section as an Adviser.
Debt Securities
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.
Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition. See Appendix A to this SAI for a more detailed discussion of securities ratings.
Lower-Rated Debt Securities. 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. 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.
Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition. See Appendix A to this SAI for a more detailed discussion of securities ratings.
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).
Although a Fund may hold securities that carry U.S. government guarantees, these guarantees do not extend to shares of the Fund itself and do not guarantee the market prices of the securities.
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 Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities.
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 Fund 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 Registry 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. Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition. See Appendix A to this SAI for a more detailed discussion of securities ratings.
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
The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that can involve investment techniques and risks different from, and in some respects greater than, those associated with investing in more traditional investments such as stocks and bonds. Derivatives may have a return that is tied to a formula based upon an interest rate, index or other reference measurement, which may differ from the return of a simple security of the same maturity. A formula may have a cap or other limitation on the rate of interest to be paid. Derivatives may have varying degrees of volatility at different times, or under different market conditions, and may perform in unanticipated ways.
The SEC has proposed new rules governing the use of derivatives by registered investment companies. If adopted as proposed, the new rules may restrict the Funds in their ability to use derivatives as part of their investment strategy, may make the use of derivatives more costly, or may otherwise adversely affect their liquidity, value or performance.
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.
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.
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.
Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act (the Liquidity Rule) requires the Funds to establish a liquidity risk management program. The Liquidity Rule defines illiquid security as a security that a 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 security. Such securities include, but are not limited to, time deposits and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. Securities that may be resold under the Liquidity Rule, securities offered pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, or securities otherwise subject to restrictions or limitations on resale under the Securities Act shall not be deemed illiquid solely by reason of being unregistered. Victory Capital, under oversight of the Board, determines whether a particular security is deemed to be liquid based on the trading markets for the specific security and other factors.
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 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 an exemption granted by the SEC. 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.
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 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 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. Certain funds in the Victory Funds Complex 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 will 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 its 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 restrictions or non-fundamental policies.
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.
Securities Lending. 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 equal to 102% of the market value of the loaned securities, plus any interest due in the form of cash or U.S. government obligations. This collateral must be valued daily and, should the market value of the loaned securities increase, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to a Fund sufficient to maintain the value of the collateral equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. The lending agent receives a pre-negotiated percentage of the net earnings on the investment of the collateral. A Fund will not lend portfolio securities to: (a) any affiliated person (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of any Fund; (b) any affiliated person of the Adviser; or (c) any affiliated person of such an affiliated person. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay 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/or small asset base 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 may determine to liquidate 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, the timing of any possible liquidation might not be favorable to certain individual shareholders.
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares. Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Funds performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
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.
Recent Market Events. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely affect issuers in another country or region. Geopolitical and other risks, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in trade policies and international trade agreements could affect the economies of many countries in unpredictable ways. Likewise, systemic market dislocations of the kind that occurred during the financial crisis that began in 2008, if repeated, would be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely affecting individual companies and industries, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a Funds investments. Some countries, including the United States, are adopting more protectionist trade policies and moving away from the tighter financial industry regulations that followed the 2008 financial crisis, which may also affect the value of a Funds investments.
Political events within the United States at times have resulted, and may in the future result, in a shutdown of government services, which could negatively affect the U.S. economy, decrease the value of a Funds investments, increase uncertainty in or impair the operation of the U.S. or other securities markets and degrade investor and consumer confidence, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree.
Certain illnesses spread rapidly and have the potential to significantly and adversely affect the global economy and the value of a Funds investments. An outbreak of respiratory disease called COVID-19 was first detected in China in December 2019 and subsequently spread internationally. As of the date of this SAI, the impact of the outbreak has been rapidly evolving, and cases of COVID-19 have continued to be identified in most developed and emerging countries throughout the world. The transmission of COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread have resulted in international, national and local border closings and other significant travel restrictions and disruptions, significant disruptions to business operations, supply chains and customer activity, significant challenges to healthcare service
preparation and delivery, and quarantines, as well as general concern and uncertainty that has negatively affected the economic environment. These impacts have caused significant volatility and declines in global financial markets, which have caused losses for investors. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may be short-term or may last for an extended period of time, and in either case could result in a substantial economic downturn or recession.
Public health crises may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social, economic, market and financial risks. The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could result in a general decline in the global economy, and negatively affect the performance of individual countries, industries, or sectors in significant and unforeseen ways. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may in turn increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular companies, negatively impact market value, increase market volatility, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce liquidity. There can be no assurance that market conditions will not worsen in the future. All of these risks may have a material adverse effect on the performance and financial condition of the securities in which a Fund invests, and on the overall performance of a Fund.
The U.S. federal government and certain foreign central banks have taken a variety of unprecedented actions to stimulate the economy and calm the financial markets. For example, in March 2020, the U.S. federal government adopted the largest economic stimulus package in recent history, estimated at $2 trillion, which is aimed at supporting American workers and businesses adversely affected by the economic upheaval stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The law provides for loans and other disbursements to a wide swath of the economy, including direct payments to Americans and loans to large and small companies, as well as expanding unemployment insurance. The ultimate effect of these efforts is not yet known, and they may not be successful.
In the future, the U.S. federal government or other governments may take actions that could affect the overall economy as well as the securities in which a Fund invests, the markets in which they trade, or the issuers of such securities, in ways that are unforeseen. Governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve (the Fed), have in the past responded to major economic disruptions with a variety of significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and dramatically lower interest rates. Certain of those policy changes have been or are being implemented or considered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fed has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to keep credit flowing through short-term money markets since mid-September 2019 when a shortage of liquidity caused a spike in overnight borrowing rates, and again in 2020 with large stimulus initiatives intended to respond to economic stresses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fed has signaled that it plans to maintain its interventions at an elevated level.
In the past, instability in the global capital markets resulted in disruptions in liquidity in the debt capital markets, significant write-offs in the financial services sector, the repricing of credit risk in credit markets and the failure of major domestic and international financial institutions. Precise interest rate predictions are difficult to make, and interest rates may change unexpectedly and dramatically in response to extreme changes in market or economic conditions. As a result, the value of fixed income securities may vary widely under certain market conditions and may result in heightened market volatility and a decline in the value of a Funds portfolio. Changes in government policies or central banks could negatively affect the value and liquidity of a Funds investments and cause it to lose money. The markets could react strongly to expectations for changes in government policies, which could increase volatility, especially if the markets expectations are not borne out. There can be no assurance that the initiatives undertaken by governments and central banks will be successful.
The COVID-19 outbreak, and future epidemics or pandemics, could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which a Funds service providers rely, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of a Funds service providers to perform essential tasks. Such impacts could impair a Funds ability to maintain operational standards (such as with respect to satisfying redemption requests), disrupt the operations of a Funds service providers, and negatively impact a Funds performance. In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in a Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or accurately value its investments.
Markets generally and the energy sector specifically, including MLPs and energy companies in which a Fund invests, have also been adversely impacted by reduced demand for oil and other energy commodities as a result of
the slowdown in economic activity resulting from the spread of COVID-19 and by price competition among key oil producing countries. Recently, global oil prices have declined significantly and experienced significant volatility, including a period where an oil-price futures contract fell into negative territory for the first time in history, as demand for oil has slowed and oil storage facilities reach their storage capacities. Although the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other oil-producing countries have agreed to reduce production by approximately 10 million barrels per day, such production cuts do not take effect until May and June of 2020. Reduced production and continued oil price volatility may adversely impact MLPs and energy infrastructure companies. Such companies growth prospects and ability to pay dividends may be negatively impacted, which could adversely impact a Funds performance. Additionally, an extended period of reduced oil prices may significantly lengthen the time the energy sector would need to recover after a stabilization of prices.
Some market participants have expressed concern that passively-managed index funds and other indexed products inflate the value of their component securities. If the component securities in such indices decline in value for this and other reasons, the value of a Funds investments in these securities will also decline.
Some countries, including the United States, are adopting more protectionist trade policies and are moving away from the tighter financial industry regulations that followed the 2008 financial crisis. The United States may also be considering significant new investments in infrastructure and national defense which, coupled with potentially lower federal taxes, could lead to sharply increased government borrowing and higher interest rates. The exact shape of these policies is still being worked out through the political process, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations, which could increase volatility, especially if the markets expectations for changes in government policies are not borne out.
High public debt in the United States and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty. Interest rates have been unusually low in recent years in the United States and abroad, and central banks have reduced rates further in an effort to combat the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because there is little precedent for this situation, it is difficult to predict the impact on various markets of a significant rate increase or other significant policy changes, whether brought about by U.S. policy makers or by dislocations in world markets. Extremely low or negative interest rates may become more prevalent. To the extent a Fund has a bank deposit or holds a debt instrument with a negative interest rate to maturity, a Fund would generate a negative return on that investment. Similarly, negative rates on investments by a fund that is a money market fund would make it difficult, if not impossible, for the fund to maintain a stable $1 net asset value per share without financial support from the funds sponsor or other persons. There is no assurance that such support would be provided, which could lead to losses on investments in the fund, including on investments by a Fund that uses the fund as an investment option for a Funds uninvested cash. While negative yields may reduce the demand, liquidity and valuation of fixed income investments, investors may be willing to continue to purchase such investments for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, price insensitivity, arbitrage opportunities across fixed income markets or rules-based investment strategies. If negative interest rates become more prevalent, investors may over time seek to reallocate assets to other income-producing assets or equity investments that pay a dividend, which may cause the price of such instruments to rise while triggering a corresponding decrease in yield and the value of debt instruments over time. Over the longer term, rising interest rates may present a greater risk than has historically been the case due to the current period of low rates and the effect of government fiscal policy initiatives and potential market reaction to those initiatives.
Some countries where economic conditions are still recovering from the 2008 crisis are perceived as still fragile. The crisis caused strains among countries in the euro-zone that have not been fully resolved, and it is not yet clear what measures, if any, EU or individual country officials may take in response. Withdrawal of government support, failure of efforts in response to the strains, or investor perception that such efforts are not succeeding could adversely impact the value and liquidity of certain securities and currencies.
In addition, global climate change may have an adverse effect on property and security values. A rise in sea levels, an increase in powerful windstorms and/or a storm-driven increase in flooding could cause coastal properties to lose value or become unmarketable altogether. Large wildfires driven by high winds and prolonged drought may devastate entire communities and may be very costly to any business found to be responsible for the fire or conducting operations in affected areas. These losses could adversely affect corporate borrowers and mortgage lenders, the value of mortgage-backed securities, the bonds of municipalities that depend on tax revenues and tourist
dollars generated by such properties, and insurers of the property and/or of corporate, municipal or mortgage-backed securities. Since property and security values are driven largely by buyers perceptions, it is difficult to know the time period over which these effects might unfold. Economists warn that, unlike previous declines in the real estate market, properties in affected coastal zones may never recover their value.
Brexit. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (Brexit). In March 2017, the UK formally began the process to withdraw from the European Union (EU) by triggering a two-year period for negotiation of the terms of the withdrawal. After several extensions to this period, the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020 (the Exit Day). EU laws continue to apply in the UK for a transitional period following Exit Day until December 31, 2020 under the withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU. In any event, the UK has undertaken a process of on-shoring all EU legislation, pursuant to which there appears, at this stage, to be no policy changes to EU law. 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.
A central issue for the UK will be its relationship with the EU going-forward after the transitional period. The ongoing negotiations have yet to provide clarity on what the outcome will be for the UK or Europe. The resulting uncertainty may adversely affect business activity and economic conditions across the eurozone and the EU. This uncertainty may increase if one or more EU countries also come under pressure to leave the EU. The exit of other countries from the EU, or the perception that other countries may leave, could have material adverse effect on economic growth or business activity in the eurozone and the EU.
The London Interbank Offer Rate (LIBOR). Many financial instruments may be tied to LIBOR to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies, or investment value. LIBOR is the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. On July 27, 2017, the head of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority announced a desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. Regulators and industry working groups have suggested alternative reference rates, but global consensus is lacking and the process for amending existing contracts or instruments to transition away from LIBOR remains unclear. There also remains uncertainty and risk regarding the willingness and ability of issuers to include enhanced provisions in new and existing contracts or instruments. As such, the transition away from LIBOR may lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that are tied to LIBOR, reduced values of LIBOR-related investments, and reduced effectiveness of hedging strategies, adversely affecting a Funds performance or net asset value. In addition, the alternative reference rate may be an ineffective substitute resulting in prolonged adverse market conditions for a Fund.
Risks Related to Cybersecurity. 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. 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. Cybersecurity 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 cybersecurity 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 Prospectus on each Business Day. A Business Day is a day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the NYSE) is open. 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 any ETFs held by a Fund are valued in the manner described below under Equity Securities.
Fixed-Income Securities
Fixed-income securities held by a Fund 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.
Convertible Securities
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 a Funds NAV, futures and options contracts generally will be valued 15 minutes after the close of trading of the NYSE.
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.
Fair Value Pricing
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 a Fund is traded and before the time as of which the 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 Advisers Pricing and Liquidity 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 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 a Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a foreign security if it were to sell the security at approximately the same time at which the Fund determines its NAV 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
Each Fund 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 Prospectus. 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. Performance information regarding Member Class Shares is available by calling toll-free 800-235-8396 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 Victory Fund.
Purchasing Shares
Only certain investors are eligible to buy Member Class shares, as set forth in a Funds Prospectus, and your financial adviser or other financial intermediary can help you determine whether you are eligible to invest.
Each Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums related to each class of shares. Each 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 its 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.
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). 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 be 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. 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, 2019, 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 Smith Barney |
MSCS Financial Services |
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. |
Raymond James |
UBS |
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC |
Member Class Shares
Member Class shares of each Fund are sold at NAV without any initial sales charges or CDSCs.
Redemptions in Kind. Subject to its election under Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, 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 price used in calculating the Funds NAV on the day of redemption. A shareholder may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities to cash.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Leadership Structure
The Trust is governed by the Board, which is comprised of nine Trustees, eight of whom are not interested persons of the Trust within the meaning of 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, the Adviser and other service providers. The Chair is actively involved in setting the Board meeting agenda, and participates on certain Board 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, among other things, the Funds investment portfolios, trading practices, operational matters, financial and accounting controls, and legal and regulatory compliance. The Board has delegated to each of the Compliance Committee and Audit and Risk Oversight Committee certain responsibilities for reviewing reports relating to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk, liquidity and personnel. The Board relies on the Investment Committee to review reports relating to investment risks, that is, risks to the Funds resulting from pursuing the Funds investment strategies (e.g., credit risk 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, or who file reports under that Act. Each Trustee currently oversees 42 portfolios in the Trust, 24 portfolios in Victory Portfolios II and 9 portfolios in Victory Variable Insurance Funds, each of which is a registered investment company that, together with the Trust, comprise the Victory Fund Complex. Dave Brown also oversees 47 portfolios in USAA Mutual Funds Trust. 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, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
Independent Trustees
Name and Age |
|
Position
|
|
Date
|
|
Principal Occupation
|
|
Other Directorships
|
|
David Brooks Adcock,
|
|
Trustee |
|
May 2005 |
|
Consultant (since 2006). |
|
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Turner Funds (December 2016 -December 2017). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nigel D.T. Andrews,
|
|
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). |
|
E. Lee Beard,
|
|
Trustee |
|
May 2005 |
|
Retired (since 2015). |
|
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dennis M. Bushe,
|
|
Trustee |
|
July 2016 |
|
Retired. |
|
Trustee, RS Investment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John L. Kelly
|
|
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. |
|
Director, Caledonia Mining Corporation (since May 2012). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David L. Meyer,
|
|
Trustee |
|
December 2008 |
|
Retired. |
|
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gloria S. Nelund,
|
|
Trustee |
|
July 2016 |
|
Chair, CEO, and Co-Founder of TriLinc Global, LLC, an investment firm. |
|
TriLinc Global Impact Fund, LLC (since 2012); Trustee,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leigh A. Wilson,
|
|
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), the Adviser; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. |
|
Trustee, USAA Mutual Funds Trust. |
|
*The Board has designated Ms. Beard and Mr. Meyer 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 U.S. 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. The Board believes that Mr. Bushes experience qualifies him 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 boards 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. The Board believes that this experience qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.
· Leigh A. Wilson. Mr. Wilson served for many years as Chief Executive Officer of Paribas North America and as such has extensive experience in the financial sector. He serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Caledonia Mining Corporation, a Canadian mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. As a former director of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum (MFDF), he is familiar with the operation and regulation of registered investment companies. He served on a MFDF steering committee created at the request of then-SEC Chairman William Donaldson to recommend best practices to independent mutual fund directors. He received the Small Fund Trustee of the Year award from Institutional Investor Magazine in 2006. The Board believes that this experience and his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
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. In addition, a Committee may form a Sub-Committee to address particular areas of concern to that Committee.
· The members of the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee, all of whom are Independent Trustees, are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Ms. Beard, Ms. Nelund 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. Meyer and Ms. Nelund. 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) and Ms. Beard. 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 Mr. Kelly (Chair), Mr. Andrews, Mr. Bushe 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. Meyer and Ms. Nelund. 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, 2019, 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 four 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, 58* |
|
President |
|
February 2006* |
|
Director of Mutual Fund Administration, the Adviser. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott A. Stahorsky, 50 |
|
Vice President |
|
December 2014 |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2015); Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2015). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Erin G. Wagner, 46 |
|
Secretary |
|
December 2014 |
|
Associate General Counsel, the Adviser (since 2013). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allan Shaer, 55 |
|
Treasurer |
|
May 2017 |
|
Senior Vice President, Financial Administration, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (since 2016); Vice President, Mutual Fund Administration, JP Morgan Chase Bank (2011-2016). |
Christopher Ponte, 36 |
|
Assistant Treasurer |
|
December 2017 |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2017); Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2017); Chief Financial Officer, Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (since 2018). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colin Kinney, 46 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer |
|
July 2017 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer (since 2013) and Chief Risk Officer (2009-2017), the Adviser. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles Booth, 60 |
|
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, 66 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
|
December 1997 |
|
Partner, Sidley Austin LLP (since April 2020); Partner, Shearman and Sterling LLP (January 2018-April 2020); 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 of the Trust.
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 each Trustee as of December 31, 2019. 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, 2019, 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 |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Beard |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Dungan* |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Kelly |
|
Integrity Discovery: $10,001 - $50,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Mr. Meyer |
|
Integrity Discovery: $10,001 - $50,000 |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Nelund |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Wilson |
|
None |
|
Over $100,000 |
*Sally M. Dungan is a former Trustee.
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 |
*Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.
Trustee Compensation
Effective January 1, 2020, the Victory Fund Complex pays each Independent Trustee $330,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex. The Board Chair is paid an additional retainer of $150,000 per year. Prior to that date, the Victory Fund Complex paid each Independent Trustee $312,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex, and the Board Chair was 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 covered in this SAI and from the Victory Fund Complex for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019. As of June 30, 2019, there were 71 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 |
|
$ |
2,754 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
$ |
2,754 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Ms. Beard |
|
$ |
2,754 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
$ |
2,754 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Ms. Dungan* |
|
$ |
2,754 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Kelly |
|
$ |
2,754 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Meyer |
|
$ |
2,754 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Ms. Nelund |
|
$ |
2,754 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Wilson |
|
$ |
4,131 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
*Former Trustee.
Interested Trustee
Trustee |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds |
|
Total Compensation from
|
|
|
Mr. Brown* |
|
$ |
None |
|
None |
|
*Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.
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.
As of the last completed fiscal year, the following current Trustees have elected to defer a portion of his or her compensation from the Victory Fund Complex.
Trustee |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds |
|
Total Compensation from
|
|
||
Mr. Adcock |
|
$ |
218 |
|
$ |
39,000 |
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
$ |
947 |
|
$ |
202,800 |
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
$ |
1,456 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
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 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256. Subject to the authority of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management and administration of the Funds business affairs. Each of the Advisers multiple investment teams, referred to separately as investment franchises utilizes its own independent approach to investing. 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 March 31, 2020 the Adviser managed assets totaling in excess of $123.7 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 following schedule lists the advisory fees for each Fund, as an annual percentage of its average daily net assets.
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
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 |
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements
Where the Adviser has contractually and/or voluntarily agreed to waive its investment advisory fees, and reimburse expenses when necessary, so that the net operating expenses of a Fund do not exceed certain limits, those limits do not apply to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, other expenditures capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business. There is no guarantee that the limits will remain in place or at the same level in the future.
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 below) 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.
Advisory fees paid by the Funds to the Adviser for the last three fiscal years ended June 30 are shown in the tables below:
June 30, 2019
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
|
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
1,431,707 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
577,956 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
1,022,301 |
|
June 30, 2018
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
|
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
1,505,873 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
475,028 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
632,660 |
|
June 30, 2017
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
|
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
1,410,874 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
266,322 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
297,952 |
|
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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. This agreement may only be terminated by the Board. 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 sub-adviser 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 June 30, 2019.
|
|
Registered Investment
|
|
Pooled Investment Vehicle
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number of
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number of
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number
|
|
Total Assets
|
|
||||
Integrity Team |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Daniel G. Bandi |
|
$ |
2,546.85 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
310,89 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,087.26 |
|
75 |
|
$ |
4,945.00 |
|
Daniel J. DeMonica |
|
$ |
2,679.22 |
|
4 |
|
$ |
310,89 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,166.72 |
|
77 |
|
$ |
5,156.83 |
|
Mirsat Nikovic |
|
$ |
132.37 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
79.46 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
211.83 |
|
Sean A. Burke |
|
$ |
132.37 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
79.46 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
211.83 |
|
Adam I. Friedman |
|
$ |
2,546.85 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
310,89 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,087.26 |
|
75 |
|
$ |
4,945.00 |
|
Joe A. Gilbert |
|
$ |
2,546.85 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
310,89 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,087.26 |
|
75 |
|
$ |
4,945.00 |
|
J. Bryan Tinsley |
|
$ |
2,546.85 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
310,89 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,087.26 |
|
75 |
|
$ |
4,945.00 |
|
Michael P. Wayton |
|
$ |
2,679.22 |
|
4 |
|
$ |
310,89 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
2,166.72 |
|
77 |
|
$ |
5,156.83 |
|
Fund Ownership
As of the end of the last completed fiscal 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
|
|
Integrity Team |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel G. Bandi |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
Over $1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel J. DeMonica |
|
Integrity Discovery |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
$0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mirsat Nikovic |
|
Integrity Discovery |
|
$10,001 - $50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sean A. Burke |
|
Integrity Discovery |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adam I. Friedman |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
$0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joe A. Gilbert |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
|
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
$0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Bryan Tinsley |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
$50,001 - $100,000 |
|
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
$10,001 - $50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael P. Wayton |
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$1 - $10,000 |
|
|
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$1 - $10,000 |
|
|
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$0 |
|
Compensation
The Adviser has designed the structure of its portfolio managers compensation to (1) align portfolio managers interests with those of the Advisers clients with an emphasis on long-term, risk-adjusted investment performance, (2) help the Adviser attract and retain high-quality investment professionals, and (3) contribute to the Advisers overall financial success. Each of the portfolio managers receives a base salary plus an annual incentive bonus for managing 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, and 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 Trust entered into an Agreement to Provide Compliance Services (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 1940 Act. The funds in the Victory Fund Complex, in the aggregate, compensate the Adviser for these services. For the three most recent fiscal years ended December 31, the Funds paid the Adviser the following fees under the terms of the Compliance Agreement:
Fund |
|
2019 Fees Paid |
|
2018 Fees Paid |
|
2017 Fees Paid* |
|
|||
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
1,133 |
|
$ |
1,481 |
|
$ |
946 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
600 |
|
$ |
579 |
|
$ |
243 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
981 |
|
$ |
734 |
|
$ |
243 |
|
* July 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017.
Administrator and Fund Accountant
Victory Capital serves as the 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 and sub-fund accountant to the Trust pursuant to an agreement with Victory Capital dated October 1, 2015, as amended (the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement). As administrator, Victory Capital supervises the Trusts operations, including the services that Citi provides to the Funds as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant, but excluding those that Victory Capital supervises as investment adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board.
Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, for the administration and fund accounting services that 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 in aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF net assets, plus 0.05% of aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF net assets in excess of $15 billion to $30 billion, plus 0.04% of aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF 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, including costs associated with implementing new reports required by the new RIC Modernization rules adopted by the SEC under the 1940 Act.
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 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 Independent Trustees. 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, among other things, 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, its dividend and capital gain distribution, if any, and its 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.
The following table reflects fees that each Fund paid to Victory Capital under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement for the last three fiscal years ended June 30:
Fund |
|
2019 Fees Paid |
|
2018 Fees Paid |
|
2017 Fees Paid |
|
|||
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
88,722 |
|
$ |
88,813 |
|
$ |
94,462 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
47,832 |
|
$ |
37,390 |
|
$ |
23,604 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
79,277 |
|
$ |
46,712 |
|
$ |
24,202 |
|
Sub-Administrator and Sub-Fund Accountant
Citi serves as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant to the Funds pursuant to the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement. Citi assists in supervising all operations of the Funds (other than those performed by 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 mutual funds, VVIF and USAA Mutual Funds Trust (the Victory Mutual Funds), Victory Capital pays Citi an annual fee, computed daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates: 0.0110% of the first $50 billion of aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds; plus 0.01% of the aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds in excess of $50 billion to $100 billion; plus 0.0085% of the aggregate net assets of the
Victory Mutual Funds in excess of $100 billion to $125 billion; plus 0.0065% of the aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds in excess of $125 billion. Victory Capital also pays Citi a per Fund annual fee for Citis services in connection with the preparation and filing of Form N-PORT and liquidity risk management services and certain other charges as agreed from time to time. 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 Victory Mutual Funds 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. 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 and N-PORT; 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; assists with liquidity risk management services; and assists in the annual audit of the Funds, among other services.
Transfer Agent
FIS Investor Services LLC (FIS), 4249 Easton Way, Suite 400, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Funds. Under its agreement with the 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 or Citibank), 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the assets of each Fund pursuant to the Global Custodial Services Agreement dated August 5, 2008, as amended (the Custody Agreement). 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 the 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 Custody Agreement. As Foreign Custody Manager, the Custodian must (a) determine that the assets of the 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.
Line of Credit. Effective July 1, 2019, each Fund participates, along with other funds of the Trust, VP II, VVIF and USAA Mutual Funds Trust, in a short-term, demand note line of credit agreement with Citibank. Under the agreement with Citibank, the Funds may borrow up to $600 million, of which $300 million is committed and $300 million is uncommitted. Of the committed 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. Citibank receives an annual commitment fee of 0.15%. Each Fund 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 whereby Citibank 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 of at least 102% of the value of U.S. securities loaned or at least 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 Citibank fees based on the investment income received from securities lending activities. In its role as securities lending agent, Citibank (1) arranges and administers the loan of securities when establishing a loan and the return of securities upon termination of a loan, (2) collects from borrowers cash, securities or other instruments to serve as collateral for the loans, (3) monitors the value of securities on loan and the value of the corresponding collateral, (4) 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, (5) collects or arranges for the collection of any interest, dividends or other distributions related to loaned securities, and (6) 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, 2019:
Fund |
|
Gross income
|
|
Fees paid to
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
Net income
|
|
||||
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
403,331 |
|
$ |
11,464 |
|
$ |
321,578 |
|
$ |
70,289 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
72,638 |
|
$ |
842 |
|
$ |
67,043 |
|
$ |
4,753 |
|
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
163,260 |
|
$ |
2,125 |
|
$ |
149,090 |
|
$ |
12,045 |
|
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). Effective on or about June 30, 2020, the Distributors name will change to Victory Capital Services, Inc. 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, 2019 |
|
||||
|
|
Underwriting Commissions |
|
Amount Retained |
|
||
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
18,864 |
|
$ |
2,422 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
49,104 |
|
$ |
6,095 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
22,105 |
|
$ |
2,659 |
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2018 |
|
||||
|
|
Underwriting Commissions |
|
Amount Retained |
|
||
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 |
|
|
|
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2017 |
|
||||
|
|
Underwriting Commissions |
|
Amount Retained |
|
||
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 |
|
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 Advisers Code of Ethics applies to all of the Advisers directors and officers and employees with investment advisory duties (Access Personnel) and all of the Advisers directors, officers and employees (Supervised Personnel). Each Code of Ethics provides that Access Personnel must refrain from certain trading practices. Each Code also requires all Access Personnel (and, in the Advisers 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 a Fund. 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 held by the Funds (the Proxy Voting Policy). The Trusts Proxy Voting Policy is designed to: (i) ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds with a view toward maximizing the value of their investments; (ii) address conflicts of interests between these shareholders, on the one hand, and affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser or the Distributor, on the other, that may arise regarding the voting of proxies; and (iii) provide for the disclosure of the Funds proxy voting records and the Proxy Voting Policy.
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.
A summary of the proxy voting policies and procedures for the Adviser is included in Appendix B.
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. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser may delegate these responsibilities to a sub-adviser.
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 commission rates. It is expected that equity securities will ordinarily be purchased in the primary markets for such securities, 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 generally 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.
Subject to its obligation to seek best execution, the Adviser may use brokerage commissions generated from client transactions to obtain services and/or research from broker-dealers to assist in the Advisers investment management decision-making process. These services and research 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 sole benefit of any employee or non-client entity.
It is the policy of the Adviser to seek 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.
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, ownership 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.
The Adviser will make a good faith determination that the commissions paid are reasonable in relationship to the value of the services received. The continuous review of stock commissions is the responsibility of the Advisers Head of Capital Markets and client trading, brokerage and soft-dollar performance is performed by the Advisers Trade Oversight Committee. Quarterly, the Advisers research analysts and portfolio managers will participate in a broker vote. The Advisers Equity Trading Desk will utilize the vote results during the broker selection process. 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, bunching or blocking 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. However, no proprietary account may be favored over any other participating account and such practice must be consistent with the Advisers policies and procedures including its 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.
If the order is filled in its entirety, securities purchased in the aggregate transaction will be allocated among accounts participating in the trade in accordance with an Allocation Statement prepared at the time of order entry. If the order is partially filled, the securities will be allocated pro rata based on the Allocation Statement. Portfolio managers may allocate executed trades in a different manner than indicated on the Allocation Statement (e.g., non-pro rata) only if all client accounts receive fair and equitable treatment.
In some instances, such as trading in fixed income securities, it may not be practical to complete the Allocation Statement prior to the placement of the order. In that case, the trading desk will complete the Allocation Statement as soon as practicable, but no later than the end of the same business day on which the securities have been allocated to the trading desk by the broker.
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 may be 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.
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 following table shows 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:
Fund |
|
Fiscal Year
|
|
Fiscal Year
|
|
Fiscal Year
|
|
|||
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
295,264 |
|
$ |
306,506 |
|
$ |
499,963 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
107,880 |
|
$ |
100,455 |
|
$ |
76,197 |
|
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
192,509 |
|
$ |
182,220 |
|
$ |
86,247 |
|
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 consistent with best execution and completed in accordance with procedures approved by the Board.
For the last three fiscal years ended June 30, the Funds paid no commissions to affiliated broker-dealers.
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 certain 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 entire 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
|
|
||
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
$ |
31,052,470 |
|
$ |
68,539 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
35,455,382 |
|
$ |
25,523 |
|
Integrity Small Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
$ |
73,282,687 |
|
$ |
63,916 |
|
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 parent companies) 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 the last fiscal year ended June 30:
Fund |
|
Broker-Dealer |
|
Type of Security
|
|
Aggregate Value
|
|
Integrity Discovery Fund |
|
Cowen Group, Inc. |
|
Equity |
|
1,580 |
|
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund |
|
Raymond James Financial, Inc. |
|
Equity |
|
605 |
|
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, could be greater in periods of unusual market movement and volatility. Transaction costs associated with turnover are borne directly by the Fund and, ultimately, by its shareholders. A high rate of portfolio turnover (generally, over 100% annually) will generally involve correspondingly greater transaction costs. 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 |
|
2019 |
|
2018 |
|
Integrity Discovery |
|
40 |
% |
45 |
% |
Integrity Mid-Cap Value |
|
73 |
% |
73 |
% |
Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value |
|
67 |
% |
77 |
% |
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 and 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 each Funds Prospectus that relates to federal income taxation is only a summary of certain key federal income tax considerations generally affecting purchasers of shares of a Fund. 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 each Funds Prospectus. 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.
If a Fund has a net capital loss (i.e., an excess of capital losses over capital gains), the amount thereof may be carried forward 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 may be carried. 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.
There are no capital loss carryforwards for the applicable Funds as of June 30, 2019.
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. 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).
If a Fund receives a dividend (other than a capital gain dividend) in respect of any share of REIT stock with a tax holding period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend, then Fund dividends attributable to that REIT dividend income (as reduced by certain fund expenses) may be reported by the Fund as eligible for the 20% deduction for qualified REIT dividends generally available to noncorporate shareholders under the Code. In order to qualify for this deduction, noncorporate shareholders must hold their Fund shares for at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which such Fund shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend.
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 generally 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 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 these purposes, 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 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 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.
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 Second Amended and Restated Trust Instrument, dated February 26, 2019 (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, Y and Member Class 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 Fund 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 a Fund with another investment company or another series of the Trust; (b) liquidating a Fund; (c) restructuring a Fund into a master/feeder structure, in which a 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, a Fund will be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of the 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 the 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 Funds.
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 file their complete portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters on Form N-PORT (available for filings after March 31, 2019). 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 and Fund Accountant |
|
Victory Capital Management Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Distributor |
|
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Custodian |
|
Citibank, N.A. |
|
Daily. |
Sub-Fund Accountant |
|
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Financial Data Service |
|
FactSet Research Systems, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Liquidity Risk Management Service Provider |
|
MSCI, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
|
Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
|
Annual Reporting Period: within 15 business days of end of reporting period. |
Printer for Financial Reports |
|
Toppan Merrill LLC |
|
Up to 30 days before distribution to shareholders. |
Legal Counsel, for EDGAR filings on Forms N-CSR and Form N-PORT |
|
Sidley Austin 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 May 31, 2020, there were no shareholders owning 5% or more of the Member Class of the Funds since the share class is new as of the date of this SAI. 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.
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; 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.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Funds independent registered public accounting firm is Cohen & Company, Ltd., located at 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115.
Legal Counsel
Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, is the counsel to the Trust.
Financial Statements
The audited financial statements of the Funds for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019 are incorporated by reference herein. The financial statements of the Funds for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2019 are incorporated by reference herein. The financial highlights, however, do not include information related to the Funds Member Class share class since that share class is new as of the date of this SAI.
Miscellaneous
As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, references to a Funds assets mean the consideration received by the Trust upon the issuance or sale of a Funds shares, 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 Fund that are allocated to that Fund 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 multiple Funds will be the relative NAV of such Funds at the time of allocation. Assets belonging to a particular Fund are charged with the direct liabilities and expenses in respect of that Fund, and with a share of the general liabilities and expenses of the Trust not readily identified as belonging to a particular Fund, which are allocated to each Fund in accordance with its proportionate share of the NAV 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 Fund 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 Fund are conclusive.
As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of a 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.
Each Prospectus 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 salesperson, dealer, or other person is authorized to give any information or make any representation other than those contained in a 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 a 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.
Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition.
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.
APPENDIX B
SUMMARY OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Victory Capital Management Inc. (Adviser)
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 to be 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 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.
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.
VICTORY FUNDS
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
June 10, 2020
FUND NAME |
|
MEMBER CLASS |
Victory INCORE Fund for Income |
|
VFFMX |
Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund |
|
SBFMX |
(each a Fund and together, the Funds)
Each Fund is a series of Victory Portfolios (the Trust)
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with each Funds prospectus, dated June 10, 2020, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time (each, a Prospectus). The SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into each 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 (1) the Victory INCORE Fund for Income financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019 and (2) the Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, each contained in the Funds October 31, 2019 Annual Reports, including the Financial Highlights and the related reports of Cohen and Company, Ltd., 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. The Funds October 31, 2019 Annual Reports, including the Financial Highlights and the related reports of Cohen & Company Ltd., however, do not include information related to the Funds Member Class share class since that share class is new as of the date of this SAI.
Table of Contents
GENERAL INFORMATION |
3 |
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND LIMITATIONS |
3 |
INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS AND RISKS |
7 |
DETERMINING NET ASSET VALUE (NAV) AND VALUING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES |
37 |
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE, EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION |
40 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST |
42 |
INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS |
50 |
CODE OF ETHICS |
57 |
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
57 |
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE |
58 |
DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS AND DISTRIBUTIONS |
61 |
TAXES |
61 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
72 |
APPENDIX A |
A-1 |
APPENDIX B |
B-1 |
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory 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 or Victory Capital) is the Funds investment adviser. Each Funds investment objective(s), restrictions and policies are more fully described below and in the Funds Prospectus. The Trusts Board of Trustees (the Board or Trustees) may organize and offer shares of a new fund, or a new share class of an existing Fund, or liquidate a Fund or share class at any time.
This SAI relates to the shares of 2 series of the Trust (each a Fund, and collectively, the Funds) and their Member Class shares. The INCORE Fund for Income and INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund are referred to in this SAI, collectively, as the Fixed Income Funds. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund is referred to in this SAI as a Hybrid 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 each Funds Prospectuses. No investment in shares of a Fund should be made without first reading the Funds Prospectus.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND LIMITATIONS
Investment Objectives
Each Funds investment objective is fundamental, meaning it may not be changed 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 diversified Fund is not subject to this limitation with respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets. In addition, each Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). To qualify as a regulated investment company, each Fund 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. Under the 1940 Act, the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities 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.
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 (the 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 segregates assets or covers the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC or staff guidance and procedures adopted by the Board. 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.
Non-Fundamental Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds. The following investment restrictions are non-fundamental and may be changed by a vote of a majority of the Trustees.
1. Illiquid Securities
No Fund may invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act (the Liquidity Rule) requires the Funds to establish a liquidity risk management program. The Liquidity Rule defines illiquid security as a security that a 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 security. Such securities include, but are not limited to, time deposits and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. Securities that may be resold under the Liquidity Rule, securities offered pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, or securities otherwise subject to restrictions or limitations on resale under the Securities Act shall not be deemed illiquid solely by reason of being
unregistered. Victory Capital, under oversight of the Board, determines whether a particular security is deemed to be liquid based on the trading markets for the specific security and other factors.
2. Short Sales and Purchases on Margin
No Fund may make short sales of securities, other than short sales against the box, or purchase securities on margin except for short-term credits necessary for clearance of portfolio transactions, provided that this restriction will not be applied to limit the use of options, futures contracts and related options, in the manner otherwise permitted by the investment restrictions, policies and investment program of the Fund.
3. Other Investment Companies
No Fund may purchase the securities of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act, which permits operation as a fund of funds.
Except as provided in the next paragraph with respect to money market funds and as described further below under Other Pooled Investment Vehicles, none of the Funds may: (1) invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company; (2) own more than 3% of the securities of any one investment company; or (3) invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies.
Each Fund may purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, 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.
4. Miscellaneous
a. Concentration
For purposes of calculating concentration of investments in the utility and finance categories, each Fund will operate as follows: neither finance companies as a group nor utility companies as a group are considered a single industry for purposes of a Funds concentration policy (i.e., finance companies will be considered a part of the industry they finance and utilities will be divided according to the types of services they provide).
b. Foreign Issuers
The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may not invest in excess of 10% of its total assets in the securities of foreign issuers, excluding from such limitation securities listed on any U.S. securities exchange.
c. Unseasoned Issuers
The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may not invest in excess of 5% of its total assets in securities of issuers which, including predecessors, do not have a record of at least three years operation.
d. Mortgage, Pledge or Hypothecation of Securities or Assets
The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may not pledge or hypothecate any of its assets. For the purpose of this limitation, collateral arrangements with respect to stock options or forward transactions are not deemed to be a pledge of assets.
e. Lending or Borrowing
No Fund intends to borrow money for leveraging purposes.
Secondary Investment Strategies
In addition to the investment strategies described in each Funds Prospectus, the Funds may engage in other investment strategies outlined below.
· The INCORE Fund for Income may, but is not required to, use derivative instruments.
· The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in corporate debt securities, common stock, U.S. government securities and high-quality short-term debt obligations, preferred stock and repurchase agreements; and up to 10% of its total assets in foreign debt and equity securities.
· The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest no more than 20% of their assets in securities of foreign companies traded on U.S. exchanges, including in American and Global Depositary Receipts (ADRs and GDRs).
INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS AND RISKS
In addition to the principal investment strategies and the principal risks of the Funds described in each 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 every 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 Objectives, Policies and Limitations in this SAI, or by applicable law, a Fund may, but will not necessarily, engage in each of the practices described below.
Victory Capital serves as investment adviser to the Funds. Victory Capital and a Funds sub-adviser, if applicable, are each referred to in this section as an Adviser.
A Fund may, following notice to their shareholders, take advantage of 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 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.
Temporary Defensive Measures. For temporary defensive purposes in response to market conditions, each Fund may hold up to 100% of its assets in cash or high quality, short-term obligations such as domestic and foreign commercial paper (including variable-amount master demand notes), bankers acceptances, CDs and demand and time deposits of domestic and foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign banks and repurchase agreements. (See International and Foreign Investments for a description of risks associated with investments in foreign securities.) These temporary defensive measures may result in performance that is inconsistent with a Funds investment objective.
Debt Securities
Corporate Obligations. Corporate debt obligations include bonds, debentures and notes. Debentures represent unsecured promises to pay, while notes and bonds may be secured by mortgages on real property or security interests in personal property. Bonds include, but are not limited to, debt instruments with maturities of approximately one year or more, debentures, mortgage-related securities, stripped government securities and zero coupon obligations. Bonds, notes and debentures in which the Funds may invest may differ in interest rates, maturities and times of issuance. The market value of a Funds fixed income investments will change in response to interest rate changes and other factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the values of outstanding fixed income securities generally rise. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the values of such securities generally decline. Moreover, while securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields, the price of longer maturity securities also are subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates.
Changes by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) in the rating of any fixed income security and in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal also affect the value of these investments. Except under conditions of default, changes in the value of a Funds securities will not affect cash income derived from these securities but may affect the Funds net asset value per share (NAV). Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition. See Appendix A to this SAI for a more detailed discussion of securities ratings.
Convertible and Exchangeable Debt Obligations. A convertible debt obligation is typically a bond or preferred stock that may be converted at a stated price within a specified period of time into a specified number of shares of common stock of the same or a different issuer. Convertible debt obligations are usually senior to common stock in a corporations capital structure, but usually are subordinate to similar non-convertible debt obligations. While providing a fixed income stream (generally higher in yield than the income derivable from a common stock but lower than that afforded by a similar non-convertible debt obligation), a convertible debt obligation also affords an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the common stock into which it is convertible.
An exchangeable debt obligation is debt that is redeemable in either cash or a specified number of common shares of a company different from the issuing company. Exchangeable debt obligations have characteristics and risks similar to those of convertible debt obligations and behave in the market place the same way as convertible debt obligations.
In general, the market value of a convertible debt obligation is at least the higher of its investment value (i.e., its value as a fixed income security) or its conversion value (i.e., the value of the underlying share of common stock if the security is converted). As a fixed-income security, a convertible debt obligation tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and tends to decrease in value when interest rates rise. However, the price of a convertible debt obligation also is influenced by the market value of the securitys underlying common stock. Thus, the price of a convertible debt obligation tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock increases, and tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying stock declines. While no securities investment is without some risk, investments in convertible debt obligations generally entail less risk than investments in the common stock of the same issuer.
Securities received upon conversion of convertible debt obligations or upon exercise of call options or warrants forming elements of synthetic convertibles (described below) may be retained temporarily to permit orderly disposition or to defer realization of gain or loss for federal tax purposes, and will be included in calculating the amount of the Funds total assets invested in true and synthetic convertibles.
The Funds may invest in securities convertible into common stock, such as convertible bonds, convertible notes, and convertible preferred stocks. In making investment decisions involving convertible securities, the Adviser considers the attractiveness of the underlying common stock, the financial condition of the issuer, the effect on portfolio diversification, equity sensitivity or delta, current income or yield, upside/downside analysis (how the Adviser expects the convertible security to perform over a given time period given a change in the underlying common stock), convertible valuation (convertible price relative to its theoretical value), and the liquidity of the security.
Synthetic Convertibles. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund also may invest in synthetic convertibles. A synthetic convertible is created by combining separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a true convertible security, i.e., fixed income (fixed-income component) and the right to acquire equity securities (convertibility component). The fixed-income component is achieved by investing in non-convertible bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments. The convertibility component is achieved by investing in warrants or exchange listed call options or stock index call options granting the holder the right to purchase a specified quantity of securities within a specified period of time at a specified price or to receive cash in the case of stock index options.
A holder of a synthetic convertible faces the risk of a decline in the price of the stock or the level of the index involved in the convertibility component, causing a decline in the value of the option or warrant. Should the price of the stock fall below the exercise price and remain there throughout the exercise period, the entire amount paid for
the call option or warrant would be lost. Since a synthetic convertible includes the fixed-income component as well, the holder of a synthetic convertible also faces the risk that interest rates will rise, causing a decline in the value of the fixed-income instrument.
Short-Term Corporate Obligations. Corporations and other business organizations may issue short-term obligations in order to finance their short-term credit needs. Corporate bonds in which a Fund may invest generally consist of those rated in the two highest rating categories of an NRSRO that possess many favorable investment attributes. In the lower end of this category, credit quality may be more susceptible to potential future changes in circumstances.
Demand Features. A Fund may acquire securities that are subject to puts and standby commitments (demand features) to purchase the securities at their principal amount (usually with accrued interest) within a fixed period (usually seven days) following a demand by the Fund. The demand feature may be issued by the issuer of the underlying securities, a dealer in the securities or by another third party, and may not be transferred separately from the underlying security. A Fund uses these arrangements to obtain liquidity and not to protect against changes in the market value of the underlying securities. The bankruptcy, receivership or default by the issuer of the demand feature, or a default on the underlying security or other event that terminates the demand feature before its exercise, will adversely affect the liquidity of the underlying security. Demand features that are exercisable even after a payment default on the underlying security may be treated as a form of credit enhancement.
Bankers Acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, typically drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are accepted by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Bankers acceptances will be those guaranteed by domestic and foreign banks, if at the time of purchase such banks have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (as of the date of their most recently published financial statements).
Certificates of Deposit (CDs) are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank or a savings and loan association for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. A Fund may invest in CDs and demand and time deposits of domestic and foreign banks and savings and loan associations, if (a) at the time of purchase such financial institutions have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (as of the date of their most recently published financial statements) or (b) the principal amount of the instrument is insured in full by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the FDIC) or the Savings Association Insurance Fund.
Eurodollar CDs are U.S. dollar-denominated CDs issued by branches of foreign and domestic banks located outside the United States. Eurodollar time deposits are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in a foreign branch of a U.S. bank or a foreign bank.
Yankee CDs are issued by a U.S. branch of a foreign bank denominated in U.S. dollars and held in the U.S.
Canadian Time Deposits are U.S. dollar-denominated CDs issued by Canadian offices of major Canadian banks.
Commercial Paper is comprised of unsecured promissory notes, usually issued by corporations. Except as noted below with respect to variable amount master demand notes, issues of commercial paper normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return. In addition to corporate issuers, borrowers that issue municipal securities also may issue tax-exempt commercial paper. The Funds will purchase only commercial paper that is rated, at the time of purchase, in one of the two highest rating categories by at least one 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.
Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition.
Short-Term Funding Agreements. Short-term funding agreements (sometimes referred to as guaranteed investment contracts or GICs) are issued by insurance companies. Pursuant to such agreements, a Fund makes cash contributions to a deposit fund of the insurance companys general account. The insurance company then credits the Fund, on a monthly basis, guaranteed interest that is based on an index. The short-term funding agreement provides that this guaranteed interest will not be less than a certain minimum rate. Because the principal amount of a short-term funding agreement may not be received from the insurance company on seven days notice or less, the agreement is considered to be an illiquid investment and subject to the restrictions on investing in illiquid securities. In determining dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity, a short-term funding agreement will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period of time remaining until the next readjustment of the guaranteed interest rate.
Variable and Adjustable Rate Debt Securities
Variable Amount Master Demand Notes are unsecured demand notes that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary and provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate according to the terms of the instrument. Although there is no secondary market for these notes, a Fund may demand payment of principal and accrued interest at any time and may resell the notes at any time to a third party. The absence of an active secondary market, however, could make it difficult for a Fund to dispose of a variable amount master demand note if the issuer defaulted on its payment obligations, and the Fund could, for this or other reasons, suffer a loss to the extent of the default. While the notes typically are not rated by credit rating agencies, issuers of variable amount master demand notes must satisfy the same criteria as set forth above for unrated commercial paper, and the Adviser will monitor continuously the issuers financial status and ability to make payments due under the instrument. Where necessary to ensure that a note is of high quality, a Fund will require that the issuers obligation to pay the principal of the note be backed by an unconditional bank letter or line of credit, guarantee or commitment to lend. For purposes of a Funds investment policies, a variable amount master demand note will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the longer of the period of time remaining until the next readjustment of its interest rate or the period of time remaining until the principal amount can be recovered from the issuer through demand.
Variable Rate Demand Notes are tax-exempt obligations containing a floating or variable interest rate adjustment formula, together with an unconditional right to demand payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest upon a short notice period, generally not to exceed seven days. The Funds also may invest in participation variable rate demand notes, which provide a Fund with an undivided interest in underlying variable rate demand notes held by major investment banking institutions. Any purchase of variable rate demand notes will meet applicable diversification and concentration requirements.
Variable and Floating Rate Notes. A variable rate note is one whose terms provide for the readjustment of its interest rate on set dates and that, upon such readjustment, reasonably can be expected to have a market value that approximates its par value. A floating rate note is one whose terms provide for the readjustment of its interest rate whenever a specified interest rate changes and that, at any time, reasonably can be expected to have a market value that approximates its par value. Such notes frequently are not rated by credit rating agencies; however, unrated variable and floating rate notes purchased by the Fund will only be those determined by the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Trustees, to pose minimal credit risks and to be of comparable quality, at the time of purchase, to rated instruments eligible for purchase under the Funds investment policies. In making such determinations, the Adviser will consider the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the issuers of such notes (such issuers include financial, merchandising, bank holding and other companies) and will continuously monitor their financial condition. Although there may be no active secondary market with respect to a particular variable or floating rate note purchased by a Fund, the Fund may resell the note at any time to a third party. The absence of an active secondary market, however, could make it difficult for a Fund to dispose of a variable or floating rate note in the event that the issuer of the note defaulted on its payment obligations and a Fund could, for this or other reasons, suffer a loss to the extent of the default. Bank letters of credit may secure variable or floating rate notes.
The maturities of variable or floating rate notes are determined as follows:
1. A variable or floating rate note that is issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any agency thereof and that has a variable rate of interest readjusted no less frequently than annually will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate.
2. A variable or floating rate note, the principal amount of which is scheduled on the face of the instrument to be paid in one year or less, will be deemed by the Fund to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate.
3. A variable or floating rate note that is subject to a demand feature scheduled to be paid in one year or more will be 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.
4. A variable or floating rate note that is subject to a demand feature will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand.
As used above, a note is subject to a demand feature where a Fund is entitled to receive the principal amount of the note either at any time on no more than 30 days notice or at specified intervals not exceeding one year and upon no more than 30 days notice.
The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in variable and floating rate notes. The INCORE Fund for Income may invest up to 35% of its total assets in variable and floating rate U.S. government securities.
Extendible Debt Securities are securities that can be retired at the option of a Fund at various dates prior to maturity. In calculating average portfolio maturity, a Fund may treat extendible debt securities as maturing on the next optional retirement date.
Receipts and Zero Coupon Bonds
Receipts are separately traded interest and principal component parts of bills, notes, and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury that are transferable through the federal book entry system, known as separately traded registered interest and principal securities (STRIPS) and coupon under book entry safekeeping (CUBES). These instruments are issued by banks and brokerage firms and are created by depositing U.S. Treasury notes and U.S. Treasury bonds into a special account at a custodian bank; the custodian holds the interest and principal payments for the benefit of the registered owners of the certificates or receipts. The custodian arranges for the issuance of the certificates or receipts evidencing ownership and maintains the register. Receipts include U.S. Treasury receipts (TRs), U.S. Treasury investment growth receipts (TIGRs), and certificates of accrual on U.S. Treasury securities (CATS).
The INCORE Fund for Income may invest up to 20% of its total assets in U.S. government security receipts.
Zero Coupon Bonds are purchased at a discount from the face amount because the buyer receives only the right to a fixed payment on a certain date in the future and does not receive any periodic interest payments. The effect of owning instruments that do not make current interest payments is that a fixed yield is earned not only on the original investment but also, in effect, on accretion during the life of the obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at the same rate eliminates the risk of being unable to reinvest distributions at a rate as high as the implicit yields on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the holders ability to reinvest at higher rates. For this reason, zero coupon bonds are subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities that pay interest currently. This fluctuation increases in accordance with the length of the period to maturity.
The INCORE Fund for Income may invest up to 20% of its total assets in zero coupon U.S. government securities.
Investment Grade and High Quality Securities. The Funds may invest in investment grade obligations, which are those that are rated at the time of purchase within the four highest rating categories assigned by an NRSRO or, if unrated, are obligations that the Adviser determines to be of comparable quality. The applicable securities ratings are described in Appendix A to this SAI. High-quality short-term obligations are those obligations that, at the time of purchase, (1) possess a rating in one of the two highest ratings categories from at least one NRSRO (for example, commercial paper rated A-1 or A-2 by Standard & Poors (S&P) or P-1 or P-2 by Moodys Investors Service (Moodys)) or (2) are unrated by an NRSRO but are determined by the Adviser to present minimal credit risks and to be of comparable quality to rated instruments eligible for purchase by the Funds under guidelines adopted by the Board.
Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition.
High-Yield Debt Securities. High-yield debt securities are below-investment grade debt securities, commonly referred to as junk bonds (those rated Ba to C by Moodys or BB to C by S&P), that have poor protection with respect to the payment of interest and repayment of principal, or may be in default. These securities are often considered to be speculative and involve greater risk of loss or price changes due to changes in the issuers capacity to pay. The market prices of high-yield debt securities may fluctuate more than those of higher-rated debt securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty, which may follow periods of rising interest rates.
An economic downturn could disrupt the high yield debt market and impair the ability of issuers to repay principal and interest. Also, an increase in interest rates would have a greater adverse impact on the value of such obligations than on higher quality debt securities. During an economic downturn or period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issues may experience financial stress which would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations. Prices and yields of high yield securities will fluctuate over time and, during periods of economic uncertainty, volatility of high yield securities may adversely affect a Funds NAV.
While the market for high-yield debt securities has been in existence for many years and has weathered previous economic downturns, the 1980s brought a dramatic increase in the use of such securities to fund highly leveraged corporate acquisitions and restructurings. Past experience may not provide an accurate indication of future performance of the high yield bond market, especially during periods of economic recession.
The market for high-yield debt securities may be thinner and less active than that for higher-rated debt securities, which can adversely affect the prices at which the former are sold. If market quotations are not available, high-yield debt securities will be valued in accordance with procedures established by the Board, including the use of outside pricing services.
Judgment plays a greater role in valuing high-yield debt securities than is the case for securities for which more external sources for quotations and last-sale information are available. Adverse publicity and changing investor perceptions may affect the ability of outside pricing services to value high-yield debt securities and a Funds ability to sell these securities.
Credit quality (or perceived credit quality) in the high-yield securities market can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and even recently issued credit ratings may not fully reflect the actual risks posed by a particular high-yield security. Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition. For these reasons, among others, the Adviser will not to rely exclusively on ratings issued by established credit rating agencies, but to supplement such ratings with its own independent and on-going review of credit quality. The achievement of a Funds investment objective by investment in such securities may be more dependent on the Advisers credit analysis than is the case for higher quality bonds. Should the rating of a portfolio security be downgraded, the Adviser will determine whether it is in the best interests of the Fund to retain or dispose of such security.
Since the risk of default is higher for high-yield debt securities, the Advisers research and credit analysis are an especially important part of managing securities of this type held by a Fund. In considering investments for a Fund, the Adviser will attempt to identify those issuers of high-yielding debt securities whose financial conditions are adequate to meet future obligations, has improved, or is expected to improve in the future. Analysis by the Adviser focuses on relative values based on such factors as interest or dividend coverage, asset coverage, earnings prospects, and the experience and managerial strength of the issuer.
Prices for high-yield debt securities may also be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. For example, new federal rules require savings and loan institutions to gradually reduce their holdings of this type of security. Congress has from time to time considered legislation which would restrict or eliminate the corporate tax deduction for interest payments in these securities and regulate corporate restructurings. Such legislation may significantly depress the prices of outstanding securities of this type.
A Fund may choose, at its expense or in conjunction with others, to pursue litigation or otherwise exercise its rights as security holder to seek to protect the interests of security holders if it determines this to be in the best interest of the Funds shareholders.
The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest up to 20% in securities that are either not rated or rated below investment grade. Included within this limit are credit derivatives that are considered high yield instruments.
Loans and Other Direct Debt Instruments. Loans and other direct debt instruments are interests in amounts owed by a corporate, governmental, or other borrower to another party. They may represent amounts owed to lenders or lending syndicates (loans and loan participations), to suppliers of goods or services (trade claims or other receivables), or to other parties. Direct debt instruments involve a risk of loss in case of default or insolvency of the borrower and may offer less legal protection to a Fund in the event of fraud or misrepresentation. In addition, loan participations involve a risk of insolvency of the lending bank or other financial intermediary. Direct debt instruments also may include standby financing commitments that obligate a Fund to supply additional cash to the borrower on demand.
U.S. Government Obligations
U.S. Government Securities are obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities. Obligations of certain agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agencys obligations; and still others are supported only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality. Although a Fund may hold securities that carry U.S. government guarantees, these guarantees do not extend to shares of the Fund itself and do not guarantee the market prices of the securities. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not obligated to do so by law. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in these securities.
Wholly-Owned Government Corporations include: (A) the Commodity Credit Corporation; (B) the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund; (C) the Export-Import Bank of the United States; (D) the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation; (E) Federal Prison Industries, Incorporated; (F) the Corporation for National and Community Service; (G) the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA); (H) the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; (I) the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation; (J) the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; (K) the Rural Telephone Bank until the ownership, control and operation of the Bank are converted under section 410(a) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950(a)); (L) the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation; (M) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development when carrying out duties and powers related to the Federal Housing Administration Fund; (N) the Tennessee Valley Authority; (O) the Panama Canal Commission; and (P) the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a federal corporation and the nations largest public power company, issues a number of different power bonds, quarterly income debt securities (QUIDs) and discount notes to provide
capital for its power program. TVA bonds include: global and domestic power bonds, valley inflation-indexed power securities, which are indexed to inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index; and put-able automatic rate reset securities, which are 30-year non-callable securities. QUIDs pay interest quarterly, are callable after five years and are due at different times. TVA discount notes are available in various amounts and with maturity dates less than one year from the date of issue. Although TVA is a federal corporation, the U.S. government does not guarantee its securities, although TVA may borrow under a line of credit from the U.S. Treasury.
Municipal Obligations
The Funds may invest in municipal securities. Municipal securities are obligations, typically bonds and notes, issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies, authorities and instrumentalities, the interest on which, in the opinion of the issuers bond counsel at the time of issuance, is both exempt from federal income tax and not treated as a preference item for individuals for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax.
Generally, municipal securities are issued by governmental entities to obtain funds for various public purposes, such as the construction of a wide range of public facilities, the refunding of outstanding obligations, the payment of general operating expenses and the extension of loans to other public institutions and facilities. Municipal securities may include fixed, variable, or floating rate obligations. Municipal securities may be purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis (including refunding contracts).
The prices and yields on municipal securities are subject to change from time to time and depend upon a variety of factors, including general money market conditions, the financial condition of the issuer (or other entities whose financial resources are supporting the municipal security), general conditions in the market for tax-exempt obligations, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating(s) of the issue. There are variations in the quality of municipal securities, both within a particular category of municipal securities and between categories. Current information about the financial condition of an issuer of tax-exempt bonds or notes usually is not as extensive as that which is made available by corporations whose securities are publicly traded.
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. Moreover, changes in the financial health of a municipality or other issuer, or an insurer of municipalities, may make it difficult to pay interest and principal when due and may affect the overall municipal securities market.
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 tax-exempt bonds, and similar proposals may be introduced in the future. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that Congress has the constitutional authority to enact such legislation. It is not possible to determine what effect the adoption of such proposals could have on the availability of tax-exempt bonds for investment by a Fund and the value of its portfolio. Proposals also may be introduced before state legislatures that would affect the state tax treatment of municipal securities. If such proposals were enacted, the availability of municipal securities and their value would be affected.
The ratings of NRSROs represent their opinions as to the quality of municipal securities. In this regard, it should be emphasized that the ratings of any NRSRO are general and are not absolute standards of quality, and municipal securities with the same maturity, interest rate and rating may have different yields, while municipal securities of the same maturity and interest rate with different ratings may have the same yield. Subsequent to purchase by a Fund, an issue of municipal securities may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum rating required for purchase by the Fund. The Adviser will consider such an event in determining whether the Fund should continue to hold the obligation.
Subsequent to its purchase by a Fund, an issue of rated municipal obligations may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum required for purchase by the Fund. Neither event will require the sale of such
municipal obligations by the Fund. To the extent that the ratings given by Moodys or S&P for municipal obligations may change as a result of changes in such organizations or their rating systems, the Fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for its investments in accordance with the investment policies contained in the Prospectus and this SAI. See Appendix A to this SAI for a more detailed discussion of securities ratings.
Municipal bonds are generally considered riskier investments than U.S. Treasury securities. Contrary to historical trends, in recent years, the market has encountered downgrades, increased rates of default and lower yields on municipal bonds. This is a product of significant reductions in revenues for many states and municipalities as well as residual effects of a generally weakened economy.
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities
Mortgage-Backed Securities are backed by mortgage obligations including, among others, conventional 30-year fixed rate mortgage obligations, graduated payment mortgage obligations, 15-year mortgage obligations and adjustable-rate mortgage obligations. All of these mortgage obligations can be used to create pass-through securities. A pass-through security is created when mortgage obligations are pooled together and undivided interests in the pool or pools are sold. The cash flow from the mortgage obligations is passed through to the holders of the securities in the form of periodic payments of interest, principal, and prepayments (net of a service fee).
Prepayments occur when the holder of an individual mortgage obligation prepays the remaining principal before the mortgage obligations scheduled maturity date. As a result of the pass-through of prepayments of principal on the underlying securities, mortgage-backed securities are often subject to more rapid prepayment of principal than their stated maturity indicates. Because the prepayment characteristics of the underlying mortgage obligations vary, it is not possible to predict accurately the realized yield or average life of a particular issue of pass-through certificates. Prepayment rates are important because of their effect on the yield and price of the securities.
Accelerated prepayments have an adverse impact on yields for pass-throughs purchased at a premium (i.e., a price in excess of principal amount) and may involve additional risk of loss of principal because the premium may not have been fully amortized at the time the obligation is repaid. The opposite is true for pass-throughs purchased at a discount. A Fund may purchase mortgage-backed securities at a premium or at a discount. Among the U.S. government securities in which a Fund may invest are government mortgage-backed securities (or government guaranteed mortgage-related securities). Such guarantees do not extend to the value of yield of the mortgage-backed securities themselves or of the Funds shares.
The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in tax-exempt mortgage-backed securities.
Federal Farm Credit Bank Securities. A U.S. government-sponsored institution, the Federal Farm Credit Bank (FFCB) consolidates the financing activities of the component banks of the Federal Farm Credit System, established by the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to provide credit to farmers and farm-related enterprises. The FFCB sells short-term discount notes maturing in 1 to 365 days, short-term bonds with three- and six-month maturities and adjustable rate securities through a national syndicate of securities dealers. Several dealers also maintain an active secondary market in these securities. FFCB securities are not guaranteed by the U.S. government and no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to this instrumentality.
Federal Home Loan Bank Securities. Similar to the role played by the Federal Reserve System with respect to U.S. commercial banks, the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB), created in 1932, supplies credit reserves to savings and loans, cooperative banks and other mortgage lenders. FHLB sells short-term discount notes maturing in one to 360 days and variable rate securities, and lends the money to mortgage lenders based on the amount of collateral provided by the institution. FHLB securities are not guaranteed by the U.S. government, although FHLB may borrow under a line of credit from the U.S. Treasury.
U.S. Government Mortgage-Backed Securities. Certain obligations of certain agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government are mortgage-backed securities. Some such obligations, such as those issued by GNMA, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; others are supported
by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agencys obligations; still others, such as those of FFCB or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies and instrumentalities if it is not obligated to do so by law.
GNMA is the principal governmental (i.e., backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government) guarantor of mortgage-backed securities. GNMA is a wholly-owned U.S. government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. 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 pools of FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed mortgages. Government-related (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government) guarantors include FNMA and FHLMC, which are government-sponsored corporations owned entirely by private stockholders. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
GNMA Certificates are mortgage-backed securities that evidence an undivided interest in a pool or pools of mortgages. GNMA Certificates that a Fund may purchase are the modified pass-through type, which entitle the holder to receive timely payment of all interest and principal payments due on the mortgage pool, net of fees paid to the issuer and GNMA, regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.
The National Housing Act authorizes GNMA to guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest on securities backed by a pool of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (VA). The GNMA guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. GNMA also is empowered to borrow without limitation from the U.S. Treasury if necessary to make any payments required under its guarantee.
The estimated average life of a GNMA Certificate is likely to be substantially shorter than the original maturity of the underlying mortgages. Prepayments of principal by mortgagors and mortgage foreclosures usually will result in the return of the greater part of principal investment long before the maturity of the mortgages in the pool. Foreclosures impose no risk to principal investment because of the GNMA guarantee, except to the extent that a Fund has purchased the certificates above par in the secondary market.
A Fund may purchase construction loan securities, a form of GNMA certificate, that are issued to finance building costs. The funds are paid by a Fund and disbursed as needed or in accordance with a prearranged plan over a period as long as three years. The securities provide for the timely payment to the registered holder of interest at the specified rate plus scheduled installments of principal. Upon completion of the construction phase, the construction loan securities are terminated and project loan securities are issued. GNMA certificates are recorded on the day after trade date and to segregate assets to cover its commitments on the day after trade date as well. When a Fund sells a construction loan security, the settlement of the trade is not completed as to any additional funds that are scheduled to be paid by the owner of the security until those payments are made, which may be as long as three years. During this period of time prior to settlement of the trade, the Funds segregation of assets continues in the amount of the additional funds scheduled to be paid by the owner of the security. If the security fails to settle at any time during this period because the current owner fails to make a required additional payment of funds, a Fund could be subject to a loss similar to the loss that a seller normally is subject to upon the failed settlement of a security.
FHLMC Securities. FHLMC was created in 1970 to promote development of a nationwide secondary market in conventional residential mortgages. FHLMC issues two types of mortgage pass-through securities (FHLMC Certificates), mortgage participation certificates and collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs). Participation Certificates resemble GNMA Certificates in that each Participation Certificate represents a pro rata share of all interest and principal payments made and owed on the underlying pool. FHLMC guarantees timely monthly payment of interest on Participation Certificates and the ultimate payment of principal. FHLMC Gold Participation Certificates guarantee the timely payment of both principal and interest.
FHLMC CMOs are backed by pools of agency mortgage-backed securities and the timely payment of principal and interest of each tranche is guaranteed by the FHLMC. Although the FHLMC guarantee is not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, FHLMC may borrow under a line of credit from the U.S. Treasury.
FNMA Securities. FNMA was established in 1938 to create a secondary market in mortgages insured by the FHA, but has expanded its activity to the secondary market for conventional residential mortgages. FNMA primarily issues two types of mortgage-backed securities, guaranteed mortgage pass-through certificates (FNMA Certificates) and CMOs. FNMA Certificates resemble GNMA Certificates in that each FNMA Certificate represents a pro rata share of all interest and principal payments made and owed on the underlying pool. FNMA guarantees timely payment of interest and principal on FNMA Certificates and CMOs. Although the FNMA guarantee is not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, FNMA may borrow under a line of credit from the U.S. Treasury.
SLMA Securities. Established by federal decree in 1972 to increase the availability of education loans to college and university students, the Student Loan Marketing Association (SLMA) is a publicly traded corporation that guarantees student loans traded in the secondary market. SLMA purchases student loans from participating financial institutions that originate these loans and provides financing to state education loan agencies. SLMA issues short- and medium-term notes and floating rate securities. SLMA securities are not guaranteed by the U.S. government, although SLMA may borrow under a line of credit from the U.S. Treasury.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. Mortgage-backed securities also may include CMOs. CMOs are securities backed by a pool of mortgages in which the principal and interest cash flows of the pool are channeled on a prioritized basis into two or more classes, or tranches, of bonds. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in CMOs.
Non-Government Mortgage-Backed Securities. A Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities issued by non-government entities. 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 also may be the originators of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-government issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are not direct or indirect government guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools is supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance. The insurance and guarantees are issued by government entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers, thereof will be considered in determining whether a non-government mortgage-backed security meets a Funds investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers can meet their obligations under the policies. A Fund may buy non-government mortgage-backed securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Funds quality standards. Although the market for such securities is becoming increasingly liquid, securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable and subject to a Funds restrictions on acquiring illiquid securities.
A Fund may purchase mortgage-related securities with stated maturities in excess of 10 years. Mortgage-related securities include CMOs and participation certificates in pools of mortgages. The average life of mortgage-related securities varies with the maturities of the underlying mortgage instruments, which have maximum maturities of 40 years. The average life is likely to be substantially less than the original maturity of the mortgage pools underlying the securities as the result of mortgage prepayments. The rate of such prepayments, and hence the average life of the certificates, will be a function of current market interest rates and current conditions in the relevant housing markets. The impact of prepayment of mortgages is described under Mortgage-Backed Securities. Estimated average life will be determined by the Adviser. Various independent mortgage-related securities dealers publish estimated average life data using proprietary models, and in making such determinations, the Adviser will rely on such data except to the extent such data are deemed unreliable by the Adviser. The Adviser might deem data unreliable that appeared to present a significantly different estimated average life for a security than data relating to the estimated average life of comparable securities as provided by other independent mortgage-related securities dealers.
Forward Roll Transactions. A Fund can enter into forward roll transactions with respect to mortgage-related securities. In this type of transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security to a buyer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (the same type of security and having the same coupon and maturity) at a later date at a set price. The securities that are repurchased will have the same interest rate as the securities that are sold, but typically will be collateralized by different pools of mortgages (with different prepayment histories) than the securities that have been sold. Proceeds from the sale are invested in short-term instruments, such as repurchase agreements. The income from those investments, plus the fees from the forward roll transaction, are expected to generate income to the Fund in excess of the yield on the securities that have been sold. A Fund will only enter into covered rolls. To assure its future payment of the purchase price, the Fund will identify on its books liquid assets in an amount equal to the payment obligation under the roll. For financial reporting and tax purposes, the Fund treats each forward roll transaction as two separate transactions: one involving the purchase of a security and a separate transaction involving a sale. The Funds currently do not intend to enter into forward roll transactions that are accounted for as a financing.
Asset-Backed Securities are debt securities backed by pools of automobile or other commercial or consumer finance loans. The collateral backing asset-backed securities cannot be foreclosed upon. These issues are normally traded over-the-counter and typically have a short to intermediate maturity structure, depending on the pay-down characteristics of the underlying financial assets that are passed through to the security holder. The value of asset-backed securities, including those issued by structured investment vehicles (SIVs), may be affected by, among other things, changes in: interest rates, the quality of underlying assets or the markets assessment of those assets, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or the originator of the receivables, or the creditworthiness of entities that provide any credit enhancements. SIVs generally have experienced significantly decreased liquidity as well as declines in the market value of certain categories of collateral underlying the SIVs.
Prime Rate Indexed Adjustable Rate Securities. Floating rate notes include prime rate-indexed adjustable rate securities, which are securities whose interest rate is calculated based on the prime rate, that is, the interest rate that banks charge to their most creditworthy customers. Market forces affecting a banks cost of funds and the rates that borrowers will accept determine the prime rate. The prime rate tends to become standard across the banking industry when a major bank moves its prime rate up or down.
Repurchase Agreements. Securities held by a Fund may be subject to repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements with maturities of more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of complying with a Funds restriction on purchasing illiquid securities Under the terms of a repurchase agreement, a Fund would acquire securities from financial institutions or registered broker-dealers deemed creditworthy by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Trustees, subject to the sellers agreement to repurchase such securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price. The seller is required to maintain the value of collateral held pursuant to the agreement at not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). If the seller were to default on its repurchase obligation or become insolvent, a Fund would suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from a sale of the underlying portfolio securities were less than the repurchase price, or to the extent that the disposition of such securities by the Fund is delayed pending court action.
The acquisition of a repurchase agreement will be deemed to be an acquisition of the underlying securities, provided that the obligation of the seller to repurchase the securities from a Fund is collateralized fully and the Adviser, pursuant to its authority as delegated by the Board, has evaluated the sellers creditworthiness. In this regard, the underlying securities must be consistent with a Funds investment policies and limitations.
Each of the INCORE Fund for Income and INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Funds may invest up to 35% of its total assets in repurchase agreements. Subject to the conditions of an exemptive order (if any) from the SEC, the Adviser may be able to combine repurchase transactions among one or more Funds into a single transaction.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. A Fund may borrow funds for temporary purposes by entering into reverse repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings under the 1940 Act. Pursuant to such an agreement, a Fund would sell a portfolio security to a financial institution, such as a bank or a broker-dealer, and agree to repurchase such security at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will segregate assets (such as cash or liquid securities) consistent with a Funds investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest). The
collateral will be marked-to-market on a daily basis and will be monitored continuously to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by a Fund may decline below the price at which the Fund is obligated to repurchase the securities.
When-Issued Securities. A Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis (i.e., for delivery beyond the normal settlement date at a stated price and yield). When a Fund agrees to purchase securities on a when issued basis, the custodian will set aside cash or liquid securities equal to the amount of the commitment in a separate account. Normally, the custodian will set aside portfolio securities to satisfy the purchase commitment, and in such a case, a Fund may be required subsequently to segregate additional assets in order to assure that the value of the segregated assets remains equal to the amount of the Funds commitment. It may be expected that a Funds net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside portfolio securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash. When a Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the seller to consummate the trade. Failure of the seller to do so may result in the Fund incurring a loss or missing the opportunity to obtain a price considered to be advantageous. The Funds do not intend to purchase when-issued securities for speculative purposes, but only in furtherance of their investment objectives.
Delayed-Delivery Transactions. A Fund may buy and sell securities on a delayed-delivery basis. These transactions involve a commitment by a Fund to purchase or sell specific securities at a predetermined price or yield, with payment and delivery taking place after the customary settlement period for that type of security (and more than seven days in the future). Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is delivered. A Fund may receive fees for entering into delayed-delivery transactions.
When purchasing securities on a delayed-delivery basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership, including the risks of price and yield fluctuations in addition to the risks associated with a Funds other investments. Because a Fund is not required to pay for securities until the delivery date, these delayed-delivery purchases may result in a form of leverage. When delayed-delivery purchases are outstanding, a Fund will segregate cash and appropriate liquid assets to cover its purchase obligations. When a Fund has sold a security on a delayed-delivery basis, it does not participate in further gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a delayed-delivery transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, a Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or suffer a loss.
A Fund may renegotiate delayed-delivery transactions after they are entered into or may sell underlying securities before they are delivered, either of which may result in capital gains or losses.
To-Be-Announced Securities. A Fund may purchase securities that are to-be-announced (TBA). The term TBA is derived from the fact that the actual mortgage-backed security that will be delivered to fulfill a TBA trade is not designated at the time the trade is made. In a TBA transaction, a seller generally agrees to deliver a mortgage-backed security meeting certain criteria at a future date. Failure of the seller to do so may result in the Fund incurring a loss or missing the opportunity to obtain a price considered to be advantageous. The Funds do not intend to purchase TBA securities for speculative purposes, but only in furtherance of their investment objectives.
Forward Transactions. A Fund may invest in securities (including, for example, Government Mortgage-Backed Securities) on a forward basis. When purchasing securities on a forward basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership, including the risks of price and yield fluctuations in addition to the risks associated with a Funds other investments. Because a Fund is not required to pay for securities until the settlement date, these forward purchases may result in a form of leverage. When forward purchases are outstanding, the Fund will segregate cash and appropriate liquid assets to cover its purchase obligations. When a Fund has sold a security on a forward basis, it does not participate in further gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a forward transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, a Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or suffer a loss.
When a Fund enters into a forward transaction, the Fund may be required to provide collateral to cover potential losses of the counterparty, due to changes in the value of the security, in the event that the transaction is unable to settle (e.g., in the event of a default or a failure to deliver the security). Similarly, the counterparty may be required to provide collateral to cover the potential losses of the Fund, due to changes in the value of the security, in the event
that the transaction is unable to settle. A Fund may reduce the amount of liquid assets it will segregate to the extent it provides such collateral.
International and Foreign Investments
General considerations. There may be less information publicly available about a foreign issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and foreign issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. The securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and at times more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Foreign brokerage commissions and other fees are also generally higher than in the U.S. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations may involve certain risks (such as delay in payment or delivery of securities or in the recovery of a Funds assets held abroad) and expenses not present in the settlement of investments in U.S. markets. Payment for securities without delivery may be required in certain foreign markets.
In addition, foreign securities may be subject to the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets, imposition of currency exchange controls or restrictions on the repatriation of foreign currency, confiscatory taxation, political or financial instability and diplomatic developments which could affect the value of a Funds investments in certain foreign countries. Governments of many countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector through the ownership or control of many companies, including some of the largest in these countries. As a result, government actions in the future could have a significant effect on economic conditions which may adversely affect prices of certain portfolio securities. There is also generally less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the U.S. Dividends or interest on, or proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, and special U.S. tax considerations may apply. Moreover, foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position.
Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be more limited than those available with respect to investments in the U.S. or in other foreign countries. The laws of some foreign countries may limit a Funds ability to invest in securities of certain issuers organized under the laws of those foreign countries.
Of particular importance, many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon exports, particularly to developed countries, and, accordingly, have been and may continue to be adversely affected by trade barriers, managed adjustments in relative currency values, and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the U.S. and other countries with which they trade. These economies also have been and may continue to be negatively impacted by economic conditions in the U.S. and other trading partners, which can lower the demand for goods produced in those countries.
The risks described above, including the risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets, typically are increased in connection with investments in emerging markets. For example, political and economic structures in these countries may be in their infancy and developing rapidly, and such countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries (including amplified risk of war and terrorism).
Certain of these countries have in the past failed to recognize private property rights and have at times nationalized and expropriated the assets of private companies. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative.
The currencies of certain emerging market countries have experienced devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar, and future devaluations may adversely affect the value of assets denominated in such currencies. In addition, currency hedging techniques may be unavailable in certain emerging market countries. Many emerging market countries have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation or deflation for many years, and future inflation may adversely affect the economies and securities markets of such countries.
In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the value of investments in emerging markets and the availability of additional investments in these markets. Any change in the leadership or politics of emerging market countries, or the countries that exercise a significant influence over those countries, may halt the expansion of or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring and adversely affect existing investment opportunities. The small size, limited trading volume and relative inexperience of the securities markets in these
countries may make investments in securities traded in emerging markets illiquid and more volatile than investments in securities traded in more developed countries. For example, limited market size may cause prices to be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions. In addition, a Fund may be required to establish special custodial or other arrangements before making investments in securities traded in emerging markets. There may be little financial or accounting information available with respect to issuers of emerging market securities, and it may be difficult as a result to assess the value of prospects of an investment in such securities.
The risk also exists that an emergency situation may arise in one or more emerging markets as a result of which trading of securities may cease or may be substantially curtailed and prices for a Funds securities in such markets may not be readily available. A Fund may suspend redemption of its shares for any period during which an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC. Accordingly, if a Fund believes that appropriate circumstances exist, it may apply to the SEC for a determination that an emergency is present. During the period commencing from a Funds identification of such condition until the date of the SEC action, a Funds securities in the affected markets will be valued at fair value determined in good faith by or under the direction of a Funds Board.
Foreign markets may offer less protection to investors than U.S. markets. Foreign issuers, brokers and securities markets may be subject to less government supervision. Foreign security trading practices, including those involving the release of assets in advance of payment, may involve increased risks in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a broker-dealer, which may result in substantial delays. It also may be difficult to enforce legal rights in foreign countries.
Investing abroad also involves different political and economic risks. Foreign investments may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of U.S. investors, including the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on U.S. investment or on the ability to repatriate assets or convert currency into U.S. dollars, or other government intervention. There may be a greater possibility of default by foreign governments or foreign government-sponsored enterprises. Investments in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political, economic, or social instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments. There is no assurance that the Adviser will be able to anticipate these potential events or counter their effects.
The considerations noted above generally are intensified for investments in developing countries. Emerging countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries, and securities markets that trade a small number of securities.
A Fund may invest in foreign securities that impose restrictions on transfer within the U.S. or to U.S. persons. Although securities subject to transfer restrictions may be marketable abroad, they may be less liquid than foreign securities of the same class that are not subject to such restrictions.
Depositary Receipts. A Fund may invest in sponsored or unsponsored ADRs, European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), GDRs, International Depositary Receipts (IDRs) and other types of depositary receipts (which, together with ADRs, EDRs, GDRs and IDRs are hereinafter referred to as Depositary Receipts). Depositary Receipts provide indirect investment in securities of foreign issuers. Prices of unsponsored Depositary Receipts may be more volatile than if they were sponsored by the issuer of the underlying securities. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. In addition, the issuers of the stock of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the U.S. and, therefore, there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.
ADRs are depositary receipts which are bought and sold in the U.S. and are typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company which evidences ownership of underlying securities by a foreign corporation. GDRs, IDRs and other types of Depositary Receipts are typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies, although they may also be issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or a United States corporation. Generally, Depositary Receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets and Depositary Receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States.
For purposes of a Funds investment policies, a Funds investments in ADRs, GDRs, IDRs and other types of Depositary Receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities. Depositary Receipts, including those denominated in U.S. dollars will be subject to foreign currency exchange rate risk. However, by investing in U.S. dollar-denominated ADRs rather than directly in foreign issuers stock, a Fund avoids currency risks during the settlement period. In general, there is a large, liquid market in the United States for most ADRs. However, certain Depositary Receipts may not be listed on an exchange and therefore may be illiquid securities.
Brexit
In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (Brexit). In March 2017, the UK formally began the process to withdraw from the European Union (EU) by triggering a two-year period for negotiation of the terms of the withdrawal. After several extensions to this period, the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020 (the Exit Day). EU laws continue to apply in the UK for a transitional period following Exit Day until December 31, 2020 under the withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU. In any event, the UK has undertaken a process of on-shoring all EU legislation, pursuant to which there appears, at this stage, to be no policy changes to EU law. 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.
A central issue for the UK will be its relationship with the EU going-forward after the transitional period. The ongoing negotiations have yet to provide clarity on what the outcome will be for the UK or Europe. The resulting uncertainty may adversely affect business activity and economic conditions across the eurozone and the EU. This uncertainty may increase if one or more EU countries also come under pressure to leave the EU. The exit of other countries from the EU, or the perception that other countries may leave, could have material adverse effect on economic growth or business activity in the eurozone and the EU.
The London Interbank Offer Rate (LIBOR)
Many financial instruments may be tied to LIBOR to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies, or investment value. LIBOR is the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. On July 27, 2017, the head of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority announced a desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. Regulators and industry working groups have suggested alternative reference rates, but global consensus is lacking and the process for amending existing contracts or instruments to transition away from LIBOR remains unclear. There also remains uncertainty and risk regarding the willingness and ability of issuers to include enhanced provisions in new and existing contracts or instruments. As such, the transition away from LIBOR may lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that are tied to LIBOR, reduced values of LIBOR-related investments, and reduced effectiveness of hedging strategies, adversely affecting a Funds performance or net asset value. In addition, the alternative reference rate may be an ineffective substitute resulting in prolonged adverse market conditions for a Fund.
International and Foreign Debt Securities
International Bonds include Yankee and Euro obligations, which are U.S. dollar-denominated international bonds for which the primary trading market is in the United States (Yankee Bonds), or for which the primary trading market is abroad (Eurodollar Bonds). International bonds also include Canadian and supranational agency bonds (e.g., those issued by the International Monetary Fund). (See Foreign Debt Securities for a description of risks associated with investments in foreign securities.)
Foreign Debt Securities. Investments in securities of foreign companies generally involve greater risks than are present in U.S. investments. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies.
Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those prevalent in the U.S. Securities of some foreign companies are less liquid, and their prices more volatile, than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Settlement of transactions in
some foreign markets may be delayed or may be less frequent than in the U.S., which could affect the liquidity of a Funds investment.
In addition, with respect to some foreign countries, there is the possibility of nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; limitations on the removal of securities, property, or other assets of a Fund; political or social instability; increased difficulty in obtaining legal judgments; or diplomatic developments that could affect U.S. investments in those countries. The Adviser will take such factors into consideration in managing a Funds investments.
Since most foreign debt securities are not rated, a Fund will invest in those foreign debt securities based on the Advisers analysis without relying on published ratings. Achievement of a Funds goals, therefore, may depend more upon the abilities of the Adviser than would otherwise be the case. The value of the foreign debt securities held by a Fund, and thus the net asset value of a Funds shares, generally will fluctuate with (a) changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the issuers of those securities, (b) movements in interest rates, and (c) changes in the relative values of the currencies in which a Funds investments in debt securities are denominated with respect to the U.S. dollar. The extent of the fluctuation will depend on various factors, such as the average maturity of a Funds investments in foreign debt securities, and the extent to which a Fund hedges its interest rate, credit and currency exchange rate risks. A longer average maturity generally is associated with a higher level of volatility in the market value of such securities in response to changes in market conditions. In the event of default, there may be limited or no legal recourse in that, generally, remedies for defaults must be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party.
Foreign Currency Considerations. Because investments in foreign securities usually involve currencies of foreign countries, and because a Fund may hold foreign currencies and forward contracts, futures contracts, options on foreign currencies and foreign currency futures contracts and other currency related instruments, the value of the assets of a Fund as measured in U.S. dollars may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations, and a Fund may incur costs and experience conversion difficulties and uncertainties in connection with conversions between various currencies. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing the security.
The value of securities denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies and of dividends and interest from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. The strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar against these currencies is responsible for part of a Funds investment performance. If the dollar falls in value relative to the Japanese yen, for example, the dollar value of a Japanese stock held in the portfolio will rise even though the price of the stock remains unchanged. Conversely, if the dollar rises in value relative to the yen, the dollar value of the Japanese stock will fall. Many foreign currencies have experienced significant devaluation relative to the dollar.
Although a Fund values its assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it does not intend to convert its holdings of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. It will do so from time to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the spread) between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to a Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should a Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer. A Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange transactions either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market, or through entering into options or forward or futures contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies.
Derivatives
The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that can involve investment techniques and risks different from, and in some respects greater than, those associated with investing in more traditional investments such as stocks and bonds. Derivatives may have a return that is tied to a formula based upon an interest rate, index or other measurement, which may differ from the return of a simple security of the same maturity. A formula may have a cap or other limitation on the rate of interest to be paid. Derivatives may have varying degrees of volatility at different times, or under different market conditions, and may perform in unanticipated ways.
The SEC has proposed new rules governing the use of derivatives by registered investment companies. If adopted as proposed, the new rules may restrict the Funds in their ability to use derivatives as part of their investment strategy, may make the use of derivatives more costly, or may otherwise adversely affect their liquidity, value or performance.
Forward Contracts. A forward currency exchange contract (forward contract) involves an obligation to buy or sell a specific currency at a future date that 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. These contracts are traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks). A Fund may engage in cross-hedging by using forward contracts in one currency to hedge against fluctuations in the value of securities denominated in a different currency if the managers determine that there is a pattern of correlation between the two currencies. A Fund may also buy and sell forward contracts (to the extent they are not deemed commodities) for non-hedging purposes when the managers anticipate that the foreign currency will appreciate or depreciate in value, but securities denominated in that currency do not present attractive investment opportunities and are not held in a Funds portfolio.
A Funds custodian bank will place cash or liquid high grade debt securities (securities rated in one of the top three ratings categories by Moodys or S&P or, if unrated, deemed by the managers to be of comparable quality) into a segregated account of the Fund maintained by its custodian bank in an amount equal to the value of the Funds total assets committed to the forward foreign currency exchange contracts requiring the funds to purchase foreign currencies. If the value of the securities placed in the segregated account declines, additional cash or securities is placed in the account on a daily basis so that the value of the account equals the amount of the Funds commitments with respect to such contracts. The segregated account is marked-to-market on a daily basis.
Although the contracts are not presently regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC), a U.S. governmental agency, the CFTC may in the future assert authority to regulate these contracts. In such event, a Funds ability to utilize forward foreign currency exchange contracts may be restricted. A Fund generally will not enter into a forward contract with a term of greater than one year. A Fund will not enter into forward currency exchange contracts or maintain a net exposure to such contracts where the completion of the contracts would obligate the Fund to deliver an amount of currency other than U.S. dollars in excess of the value of the Funds portfolio securities or other assets denominated in that currency or, in the case of cross-hedging, in a currency closely correlated to that currency.
Hedging the Funds currency risks through forward foreign currency exchange contracts involves the risk of mismatching the Funds objectives under a forward foreign currency exchange contract with the value of securities denominated in a particular currency. There is additional risk that such transactions reduce or preclude the opportunity for gain and that currency contracts create exposure to currencies in which the Funds securities are not denominated.
Futures Contracts. A Fund may enter into futures contracts, including stock index futures contracts and options on futures contracts for the purposes of remaining fully invested and reducing transaction costs. Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific security, class of securities, or an index, at a specified future time and at a specified price. In a stock index futures contract, two parties agree to receive or deliver a specified amount of cash multiplied by the difference between the stock index value at the close of trading of the contracts and the price at which the futures contract is originally struck.
Futures contracts, which are standardized as to maturity date and underlying financial instrument, are traded on national futures exchanges. The CFTC regulates futures exchanges and trading under the Commodity Exchange Act. Pursuant to a claim for exemption filed with the National Futures Association, the Funds are deemed not to be a commodity pool or a commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act and are not subject to registration or regulation as such. In connection with this exemption, each Fund has undertaken to submit to any CFTC special calls for information.
Although futures contracts by their terms call for actual delivery and receipt of the underlying securities, in most cases these contracts are closed out before the settlement date without actual delivery or receipt. Closing out an open futures position is done by taking an offsetting position in an identical contract to terminate the position
(buying a contract that has previously been sold, or selling a contract previously purchased). Taking an offsetting position also can be accomplished by the acquisition of put and call options on futures contracts that will, respectively, give a Fund the right (but not the obligation), in return for the premium paid, for a specified price, to sell or to purchase the underlying futures contract, upon exercise of the option, at any time during the option period. Brokerage commissions are incurred when a futures contract is bought or sold.
Futures traders, such as the Funds, are required to make a good faith margin deposit in cash or liquid securities with a broker or custodian to initiate and maintain open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit is intended to assure completion of the contract (delivery or acceptance of the underlying security) if it is not terminated prior to the specified delivery date. Minimal initial margin requirements are established by the futures exchange and are subject to change. Brokers may establish deposit requirements that are higher than the exchange minimums. Initial margin deposits on futures contracts are customarily set at levels much lower than the prices at which the underlying securities are purchased and sold, typically ranging upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.
After a futures contract position is opened, the value of the contract is marked-to-market daily. If the futures contract price changes to the extent that the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, payment of additional variation margin will be required. Conversely, change in the contract value may reduce the required margin, resulting in a repayment of excess margin to the contract holder. Variation margin payments are made to and from the futures broker for as long as the contract remains open. The Funds expect to earn interest income on their margin deposits.
When interest rates are expected to rise or market values of portfolio securities are expected to fall, a Fund may seek to offset a decline in the value of its portfolio securities through the sale of futures contracts. When interest rates are expected to fall or market values of portfolio securities are expected to rise, a Fund may purchase futures contracts in an attempt to secure better rates or prices on anticipated purchases than those that might later be available in the market.
Positions in futures contracts may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for such futures. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close a futures position. In the event of adverse price movements, a Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments to maintain the required margin. In such situations, if a Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet daily margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, a Fund may be required to make delivery of the instruments underlying the futures contracts that it holds. The inability to close options and futures positions also could have an adverse impact on the ability to effectively hedge them. A Fund will minimize the risk that it will be unable to close out a futures contract by only entering into futures contracts that are traded on national futures exchanges and for which there appears to be a liquid secondary market.
The risk of loss in trading futures contracts in some strategies can be substantial, due both to the low margin deposits required and the extremely high degree of leverage involved in futures pricing. Because the deposit requirements in the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets, there may be increased participation by speculators in the futures market that also may cause temporary price distortions. A relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss (as well as gain) to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase, 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit if the contract were closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the contract. However, because the futures strategies engaged in by the Funds are generally only for hedging purposes, the Adviser does not believe that the Funds are subject to the risks of loss frequently associated with futures transactions. The Funds would presumably have sustained comparable losses if, instead of the futures contract, it had invested in the underlying financial instrument and sold it after the decline.
Use of futures transactions by the Funds involves the risk of imperfect or no correlation where the securities underlying futures contract have different maturities than the portfolio securities being hedged. It also is possible
that a Fund could both lose money on futures contracts and also experience a decline in value of its portfolio securities. There also is the risk of loss by the Funds of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the Funds have open positions in a futures contract or related option.
A Fund may lose the expected benefit of futures transactions if interest rates, exchange rates or securities prices move in an unanticipated manner. Such unanticipated changes also may result in poorer overall performance than if a Fund had not entered into any futures transactions. Futures transactions involve brokerage costs and require a Fund to segregate assets to cover contracts that would require it to purchase securities or currencies.
Restrictions on the Use of Futures Contracts. A Fund may invest in futures contracts, including stock index futures contracts and options on futures contracts, in a manner consistent with its policies for investing in derivative instruments, as established by the Board.
These investments may be made (i) as a substitute for investing directly in securities to keep the Fund fully invested and reduce transaction costs, (ii) for speculative purposes (for example, to generate income), (iii) to hedge, and (iv) as a temporary substitute to maintain exposure to a particular market or security pending investment in that market or security. The Funds will not enter into futures contract transactions for purposes other than bona fide hedging if, immediately thereafter, the sum of its initial margin deposits on open contracts exceeds 5% of the market value of the Funds total assets. In addition, the Funds will not enter into futures contracts to the extent that the value of the futures contracts held would exceed 1/3 of a Funds total assets. In addition, futures transactions may be limited by a Funds intention to remain qualified as a regulated investment company under the Code. A Fund will only sell futures contracts to protect securities it owns against price declines or purchase contracts to protect against an increase in the price of securities it intends to purchase.
In addition to the margin restrictions discussed above, transactions in futures contracts may involve the segregation of funds pursuant to requirements imposed by the SEC. Under those requirements, where a Fund has a long position in a futures contract, it may be required to establish a segregated account (not with a futures commission merchant or broker) containing cash or liquid securities equal to the purchase price of the contract (less any margin on deposit). For a short position in futures contracts held by a Fund, those requirements may mandate the establishment of a segregated account (not with a futures commission merchant or broker) with cash or liquid securities that, when added to the amounts deposited as margin, equal the notional value of the instruments underlying the futures contracts (but is not less than the price at which the short position was established). However, segregation of assets is not required if a Fund covers a long position. For example, instead of segregating assets, a Fund, when holding a long position in a futures contract, could purchase a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund. In addition, where a Fund takes short positions, it need not segregate assets if it covers these positions. For example, where a Fund holds a short position in a futures contract, it may cover by owning the instruments underlying the contract. A Fund also may cover such a position by holding a call option permitting it to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price at which the short position was established. Where a Fund sells a call option on a futures contract, it may cover either by entering into a long position in the same contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option or by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract. A Fund also could cover this position by holding a separate call option permitting it to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.
Options. Options are complex instruments whose value depends on many variables. Options may be listed on a national securities exchange or traded over-the-counter. Call options and put options typically have similar structural characteristics and operational mechanics regardless of the underlying instrument on which they are purchased or sold. Thus, the following general discussion relates to each of the particular types of options discussed in greater detail below.
Exchange-listed options are traded on U.S. securities exchanges, such as the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and the Pacific Stock Exchange. Exchange-listed options are issued by a regulated intermediary such as the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), which guarantees the performance of the obligations of the parties to such options.
Rather than taking or making delivery of the underlying instrument through the process of exercising the option, listed options are frequently closed by entering into offsetting purchase or sale transactions that do not result in ownership of the new option. A Funds ability to close out its position as a purchaser or seller of an OCC or exchange-listed put or call option is dependent, in part, upon the liquidity of the option market. If a secondary trading market in options were to become unavailable, the Fund could no longer engage in closing transactions which may limit the Funds ability to realize its profits or limit its losses and adversely affect the performance of the Funds. Among the possible reasons for the absence of a liquid option market on an exchange are: (i) insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions on transactions imposed by an exchange; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities including reaching daily price limits; (iv) interruption of the normal operations of the OCC or an exchange; (v) inadequacy of the facilities of an exchange or OCC to handle current trading volume; or (vi) a decision by one or more exchanges to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the relevant market for that option on that exchange would cease to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange would generally continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
The hours of trading for listed options may not coincide with the hours during which the underlying financial instruments are traded. To the extent that the option markets close before the markets for the underlying financial instruments, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the option markets.
Over-the-counter (OTC) options are purchased from or sold to securities dealers, financial institutions or other parties (Counterparties) through direct bilateral agreement with the Counterparty. In contrast to exchange-listed options, which generally have standardized terms and performance mechanics, all the terms of an OTC option, including such terms as method of settlement, term, exercise price, premium, guarantees and security, are set by negotiation of the parties.
Unless the parties provide for it, there is no central clearing or guaranty function in an OTC option. As a result, if the Counterparty fails to make or take delivery of the security, currency or other instrument underlying an OTC option it has entered into with the Fund or fails to make a cash settlement payment due in accordance with the terms of that option, the Fund will lose any premium it paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit of the transaction. Accordingly, the Adviser must assess the creditworthiness of each such Counterparty or any guarantor or credit enhancement Utilizing options is a specialized investment technique that entails a substantial risk, up to and including a complete loss of the amount invested.
Call Options. A call option, upon payment of a premium, gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the seller the obligation to sell, the underlying instrument at the exercise price. The seller of a call option remains obligated to sell the security to the buyer until the expiration of the option. A seller also may enter into closing purchase transactions in order to terminate its obligation as a writer of a call option prior to the expiration of the option. A call option is said to be covered when the seller of a call option owns the underlying instrument at all times prior to the exercise or expiration of the call option.
A Fund may purchase a call option on a security, financial future, index, currency or other instrument to protect the Fund against an increase in the price of the underlying instrument that it intends to purchase in the future by fixing the price at which it may purchase such instrument.
A Fund may write (i.e., sell) call options in an attempt to realize a greater level of current income than would be realized on the securities alone as the writer of a call option receives a premium for undertaking the obligation to sell the underlying security at a fixed price during the option period, if the option is exercised. A Fund also may write call options as a partial hedge against a possible stock market decline. In view of its investment objective, a Fund generally would write call options only in circumstances where the Adviser does not anticipate significant appreciation of the underlying security in the near future or has otherwise determined to dispose of the security.
The following risks are associated with call writing transactions:
· So long as a Fund remains obligated as a call option writer, it forgoes the opportunity to profit from increases in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option, except insofar as the premium represents such a profit.
· A Fund retains the risk of loss should the value of the underlying security decline.
· Although the writing of call options only on national securities exchanges increases the likelihood of a Funds ability to make closing purchase transactions, there is no assurance that a Fund will be able to effect such transactions at any particular time or at any acceptable price.
· Call option writing could result in increases in the Funds portfolio turnover rate, especially during periods when market prices of the underlying securities appreciate.
· The Fund may be forced to acquire the underlying security of an uncovered call option transaction at a price in excess of the exercise price of the option, that is, the price at which the Fund has agreed to sell the underlying security to the purchaser of the option.
Put Options. A put option gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a premium, the right to sell, and the writer the obligation to buy, the underlying security, commodity, index, currency or other instrument at the exercise price. A put option is said to be covered when the buyer of a put option owns the underlying instrument at all times prior to the exercise or expiration of the put option. A Funds purchase of a put option on a security might be designed to protect its holdings in the underlying instrument (or, in some cases, a similar instrument) against a substantial decline in the market value by giving the Fund the right to sell such instrument at the option exercise price.
A Fund may sell, transfer, or assign a put only in conjunction with the sale, transfer, or assignment of the underlying security or securities. The amount payable to the Fund upon its exercise of a put is normally (i) the Funds acquisition cost of the securities (excluding any accrued interest that the Fund paid on the acquisition), less any amortized market premium or plus any amortized market or original issue discount during the period the Fund owned the securities, plus (ii) all interest accrued on the securities since the last interest payment date during that period.
A Fund may acquire puts to facilitate the liquidity of its portfolio assets. A Fund also may use puts to facilitate the reinvestment of its assets at a rate of return more favorable than that of the underlying security. A Fund generally will acquire puts only where the puts are available without the payment of any direct or indirect consideration. However, if necessary or advisable, a Fund may pay for puts either separately in cash or by paying a higher price for portfolio securities that are acquired subject to the puts (thus reducing the yield to maturity otherwise available for the same securities). The Funds intend to acquire puts only from dealers, banks and broker-dealers that, in the Advisers opinion, present minimal credit risks.
The risk of writing put options is that the Fund may be unable to terminate its position in a put option before exercise by closing out the option in the secondary market at its current price if the secondary market is not liquid for a put option the Fund has written. In such a case, the Fund must continue to be prepared to pay the strike price while the option is outstanding, regardless of price changes and must continue to set aside assets to cover its position. Upon the exercise of a put option written by the Fund, the Fund is not entitled to the gains in excess of the strike price, if any, on securities underlying the options.
Restrictions on the use of Options. Except where allowed below, a Fund must at all times have in its portfolio the securities that it may be obligated to deliver if the option is exercised.
The following Funds may write (i.e., sell) call options that are traded on national securities exchanges with respect to common stock in its portfolio: Sycamore Small Company Opportunity and Special Value Funds. Each of these Funds may write covered calls on up to 25% of its total assets.
The INCORE Fund for Income may write covered call options on up to 25% of its total assets and may also invest up to 5% of its total assets to purchase options or to close out open options transactions.
The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may purchase and write call options that are traded on U.S. securities exchanges. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may write call options only if they are covered, on portfolio securities amounting to up to 25% of its total assets and the options must remain covered so long as the Fund is obligated as a writer.
Credit Default Swap Agreements. In a credit default swap transaction (CDS), the buyer in a credit default contract is obligated to pay the seller a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default on an underlying reference obligation has occurred. If an event of default occurs, the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value, or par value, of the reference obligation in exchange for the reference obligation. A Fund may be either the buyer or the seller in a credit default transaction. If a Fund is a buyer and no event of default occurs, the Fund will lose its investment and recover nothing. However, if an event of default occurs, the Fund (if the buyer) will receive the full notional value of the reference obligation that may have little or no value. As a seller, a Fund receives a quarterly fixed rate of income throughout the term of the contract, the contract of which typically is between six months and ten years, provided that there is no default event. If an event of default occurs, the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value of the reference obligation. CDS involve greater risks than if a Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly.
Whether a Funds use of CDS agreements will be successful in furthering its investment objective of total return will depend on the Advisers ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Because they are two party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, CDS agreements may be considered to be illiquid. Moreover, a Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a CDS agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a CDS agreement counterparty. The Funds will enter into CDS agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness (generally, such counterparties would have to be eligible counterparties under the terms of the Funds repurchase agreement guidelines). Certain restrictions imposed on the Funds by the Code may limit the Funds ability to use CDS agreements. The swap market is a relatively new market and is largely unregulated. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including potential government regulation, could adversely affect a Funds ability to terminate existing CDS agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.
Most swap agreements entered into by the Funds would calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a net basis. Consequently, a Funds current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the net amount). A Funds current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by the segregation or earmarking of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser, pursuant to procedures approved by the Trustees, to avoid any potential leveraging of the Funds portfolio. Obligations under swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be senior securities for purposes of a Funds investment restriction concerning senior securities.
Other Investments and Investment Practices
Illiquid Investments. No Fund may invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Under the Liquidity Rule, the term illiquid security is defined as a security that a 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 security. If the limitation on illiquid securities is exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported to the Board and, when required by the Liquidity Rule, to the SEC. The impact the Liquidity Rule will have on the Funds is not yet fully known, but the Liquidity Rule could impact a Funds performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.
Under the supervision of the Board, the Adviser determines the liquidity of the Funds investments and, through reports from the Adviser, the Board monitors investments in illiquid instruments. In determining the liquidity of a Funds investments, the Adviser may consider various factors, including (1) the frequency of trades and quotations, (2) the number of dealers and prospective purchasers in the marketplace, (3) dealer undertakings to make a market, (4) the nature of the security (including any demand or tender features), and (5) the nature of the marketplace for
trades (including the ability to assign or offset the Funds rights and obligations relating to the investment). The Funds have adopted and implemented a written liquidity risk management program, under the supervision of the Board, that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk.
Investments currently considered by the Funds to be illiquid include repurchase agreements not entitling the holder to payment of principal and interest within seven days and certain restricted securities the Adviser has determined not to be liquid.
In the absence of market quotations, illiquid investments are priced at fair value as determined in good faith pursuant to procedures approved by the Trustees. If, through a change in values, net assets, or other circumstances, a Fund were to exceed its limitations on investing in illiquid securities, the Fund would consider appropriate actions to protect liquidity.
Master Limited Partnerships. Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) are publicly traded limited partnerships that combine the tax benefits of limited partnerships with the liquidity of common stock. MLPs have a partnership structure, with one or more general partners who oversee the business operations and one or more limited partners who contribute capital. MLPs issue investment units that are registered with the SEC and trade freely on a securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market. To be considered an MLP, a firm must earn 90% of its income through activities or interest and dividend payments relating to real estate, natural resources or commodities.
As a limited partner in an MLP, a Fund will have limited control of the partnership and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the partnership. While a Fund would not be liable for the debts of an MLP beyond the amounts a Fund has contributed, it will not be shielded from potential liability to the same extent it would be if it were a shareholder of a corporation. In certain circumstances, creditors of an MLP may have the right to seek a return of capital that has been distributed to a limited partner, such as a Fund. This right continues even after a Fund has sold its interest in the MLP. Each Fund may, from time to time, invest in MLPs.
Restricted Securities. Restricted securities are securities that generally can be sold in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, or in a registered public offering. Where registration is required, a Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse between the time it decides to seek registration and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, a Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to seek registration of the shares.
Subject to the limitation on illiquid securities, the Funds may invest in restricted securities without limit.
Participation Interests. The Funds may purchase interests in securities from financial institutions such as commercial and investment banks, savings and loan associations and insurance companies. These interests may take the form of participation, beneficial interests in a trust, partnership interests or any other form of indirect ownership. The Funds invest in these participation interests in order to obtain credit enhancement or demand features that would not be available through direct ownership of the underlying securities.
Warrants. Warrants are securities that give a Fund the right to purchase equity securities from the issuer at a specific price (the strike price) for a limited period of time. The strike price of warrants typically is much lower than the current market price of the underlying securities, yet warrants are subject to greater price fluctuations. As a result, warrants may be more volatile investments than the underlying securities and may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. Each Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in warrants. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in warrants that are attached to the underlying securities.
Refunding Contracts. Securities may be purchased on a when-issued basis in connection with the refinancing of an issuers outstanding indebtedness. Refund contracts require the issuer to sell and a purchaser to buy refunded municipal obligations at a stated price and yield on a settlement date that may be several months or several years in the future. A Fund generally will not be obligated to pay the full purchase price if it fails to perform under a refunding contract. Instead, refunding contracts generally provide for payment of liquidated damages to the issuer
(currently 15-20% of the purchase price). A Fund may secure its obligations under a refunding contract by depositing collateral or a letter of credit equal to the liquidated damages provisions of the refunding contract. When required by SEC guidelines, a Fund will place liquid assets in a segregated custodial account equal in amount to its obligations under refunding contracts.
Standby Commitments. A Fund may enter into standby commitments, which are puts that entitle holders to same-day settlement at an exercise price equal to the amortized cost of the underlying security plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The Funds may acquire standby commitments to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. Ordinarily, the Funds may not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although they could sell the underlying municipal security to a third party at any time. The Funds may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of securities subject to such commitments. In the latter case, the Funds would pay a higher price for the securities acquired, thus reducing their yield to maturity. Standby commitments are subject to certain risks, including the ability of issuers of standby commitments to pay for securities at the time the commitments are exercised; the fact that standby commitments are not marketable by the Funds; and the possibility that the maturities of the underlying securities may be different from those of the commitments.
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles. A Fund may invest in securities of other pooled investment vehicles, including shares of open- or closed-end investment companies and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Provisions of the 1940 Act may limit the ability of a Fund to invest in certain investment companies or may limit the amount of its assets that a Fund may invest in any investment company or investment companies in general.
As an investor in a pooled investment vehicle, a Fund will bear its ratable share of that investment companys expenses, in addition to the fees and expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations. These securities represent interests in professionally managed portfolios that may invest in various types of instruments pursuant to a wide range of investment styles. A Fund would also bear the risk of all of the underlying investments held by the other investment company. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective.
Except for investments in money market funds, a Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company, but may not own more than 3% of the securities of any one investment company or invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies.
Each Fund may purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, provided that either: (1) the Fund pays no sales charge or service fee (as each of those terms is defined in the FINRA Conduct Rules); or (2) the Adviser waives its advisory fee in an amount necessary to offset any such sales charge or service fee. For purposes of 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.
Pursuant to orders 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 limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), provided that the Fund has disclosed ETF investments in its Prospectus and otherwise complies with the conditions of the relevant SEC Order, as it may be amended, and any other applicable investment limitations.
ETFs are investment companies whose shares trade throughout the day on an exchange. ETF shares are sold directly only to authorized participates in large units (e.g. 50,000 shares or more) (creation units). A creation unit generally represents a bundle of securities or commodities that replicates, or is a representative sample of, a particular index or commodity and that is deposited with the ETF. Once owned, the individual shares comprising each creation unit are traded on an exchange in secondary market transactions for cash. The secondary market for ETF shares allows them to be readily converted into cash, like commonly traded stocks. The combination of primary and secondary markets permits ETF shares to be traded throughout the day close to the value of the ETFs underlying portfolio securities. A Fund would purchase and sell individual shares of ETFs in the secondary
market. These secondary market transactions require the payment of commissions. Some ETFs seek is to achieve the same rate of return as a particular market index or commodity. ETFs that use a passive investment strategy will not attempt to take defensive positions in volatile or declining markets. Other ETFs are actively managed portfolios rather than being based upon an underlying index.
Pursuant to orders 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 such ETFs in excess of the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), provided that the Fund has disclosed ETF investments in its Prospectus and otherwise complies with the conditions of the relevant SEC Order, as it may be amended, and any other applicable investment limitations.
Unit investment trusts (UITs) are investment companies that hold a fixed portfolio of securities until the fixed maturity date of the UIT. The Funds would generally only purchase UITs in the secondary market for cash, which would result in the payment of commissions.
ETF and UIT shares are subject to the same risk of price fluctuation due to supply and demand as any other stock traded on an exchange, which means that a Fund could receive less from the sale of shares of an ETF or UIT it holds than it paid at the time it purchased those shares. Furthermore, there may be times when the exchange halts trading, in which case a Fund owning ETF or UIT shares would be unable to sell them until trading is resumed. There can be no assurance that an ETF or UIT will continue to meet the listing requirements of the exchange or that an active secondary market will develop for shares. In addition, because ETFs and UITs invest in a portfolio of common stocks or other instruments or commodities, the value of an ETF or UIT could decline if prices of those instruments or commodities decline. An overall decline of those instruments or commodities comprising an ETFs or UITs benchmark index could have a greater impact on the ETF or UIT and investors than might be the case in an investment company with a more widely diversified portfolio. Losses could also occur if the ETF or UIT is unable to replicate the performance of the chosen benchmark index. There may be times when the market price for an ETF or UIT and its NAV vary significantly and a Fund may pay more than (premium) or less than (discount) NAV when buying shares on the secondary market. The market price of an ETFs or UITs shares includes a bid-ask spread charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that the shares may trade at a discount to NAV and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of shares is falling fastest.
Other risks associated with ETFs and UITs include the possibility that: (i) an ETFs or UITs distributions may decline if the issuers of the ETFs or UITs portfolio securities fail to continue to pay dividends; and (ii) under certain circumstances, an ETF or UIT could be terminated. Should termination occur, the ETF or UIT could have to liquidate its portfolio securities when the prices for those securities are falling. In addition, inadequate or irregularly provided information about an ETF or UIT or its investments, because ETFs and UITs are generally passively managed, could expose investors in ETFs and UITs to unknown risks. Actively managed ETFs are also subject to the risk of underperformance relative to their chosen benchmark.
Convertible Preferred Stock. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible may invest in convertible preferred stock, which is a class of stock that pays dividends at a specified rate and that has preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of assets and it convertible into common stock.
Preferred Stocks are instruments that combine qualities both of equity and debt securities. Individual issues of preferred stock will have those rights and liabilities that are spelled out in the governing document. Preferred stocks usually pay a fixed dividend per quarter (or annum) and are senior to common stock in terms of liquidation and dividend rights and preferred stocks typically do not have voting rights. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in preferred stocks.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are corporations or business trusts that invest in real estate, mortgages or real estate-related securities. REITs are often grouped into three investment structures: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest in and own real estate properties. Their revenues come principally from rental income of their properties. Equity REITs provide occasional capital gains or losses from the sale of properties in their portfolio. Mortgage REITs deal in investment and ownership of property mortgages. These REITs typically loan money for mortgages to owners of real estate, or invest in existing mortgages or mortgage
backed securities. Their revenues are generated primarily by the interest that they earn on the mortgage loans. Hybrid REITs combine the investment strategies of Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs by investing in both properties and mortgages. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in REITs. The Funds investments in REITs present certain further risks that are unique and in addition to the risks associated with investing directly in the real estate industry in general. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property may decline due to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhoods and in demographics, increases in market interest rates, or other factors. Factors such as these may adversely affect companies, which own and operate real estate directly, companies which lend to such companies, and companies which service the real estate industry.
Interfund Borrowing and Lending. Certain funds in the Victory Funds Complex 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 will 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 its 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 restrictions or non-fundamental policies.
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.
Securities Lending. 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 equal to 102% of the market value of the loaned securities, plus any interest due in the form of cash or U.S. government obligations. This collateral must be valued daily and, should the market value of the loaned securities increase, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to a Fund sufficient to maintain the value of the collateral equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. The lending agent receives a pre-negotiated percentage of the net earnings on the investment of the collateral. A Fund will not lend portfolio securities to: (a) any affiliated person (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of any Fund; (b) any affiliated person of the Adviser; or (c) any affiliated person of such an affiliated person. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay 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/or small asset base 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 may determine to liquidate 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, the timing of any possible liquidation might not be favorable to certain individual shareholders.
Impact of Activity by Other Shareholders. The Funds, like all mutual funds, pools the investments of many investors. Actions by one shareholder or multiple shareholders may have an impact on the Fund and, therefore, indirectly on other shareholders. For example, significant levels of new investments in the Fund by shareholders may cause the Fund to have more cash than would otherwise be the case, which might have a positive or negative impact on Fund performance. Similarly, redemption activity might cause the Fund to sell portfolio securities, which may increase transaction costs and might generate a capital gain or loss, or cause it to borrow funds on a short-term basis to cover redemptions, which would cause the Fund to incur costs that, in effect, would be borne by all shareholders, not just the redeeming shareholders. Shareholder purchase and redemption activity also may affect the per share amount of the Funds distributions of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, thereby affecting the tax burden on the Funds shareholders subject to federal income tax. To the extent a larger shareholder (including, for example, a fund-of-funds) invests in a Fund, the Fund may experience large inflows or outflows of cash from time to time. This activity could magnify these adverse effects on the Fund.
Risks Related to Cybersecurity. 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. Cybersecurity 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 cybersecurity 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.
Recent Market Events. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely affect issuers in another country or region. Geopolitical and other risks, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in trade policies and international trade agreements could affect the economies of many countries in unpredictable ways. Likewise, systemic market dislocations of the kind that occurred during the financial crisis that began in 2008, if repeated, would be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely affecting individual companies and industries, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a Funds investments. Some countries, including the United States, are adopting more protectionist trade policies and moving away from the tighter financial industry regulations that followed the 2008 financial crisis, which may also affect the value of a Funds investments.
Political events within the United States at times have resulted, and may in the future result, in a shutdown of government services, which could negatively affect the U.S. economy, decrease the value of a Funds investments, increase uncertainty in or impair the operation of the U.S. or other securities markets and degrade investor and consumer confidence, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree.
Certain illnesses spread rapidly and have the potential to significantly and adversely affect the global economy and the value of a Funds investments. An outbreak of respiratory disease called COVID-19 was first detected in China in December 2019 and subsequently spread internationally. As of the date of this SAI, the impact of the outbreak has been rapidly evolving, and cases of COVID-19 have continued to be identified in most developed and emerging countries throughout the world. The transmission of COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread have resulted in international, national and local border closings and other significant travel restrictions and disruptions, significant disruptions to business operations, supply chains and customer activity, significant challenges to healthcare service preparation and delivery, and quarantines, as well as general concern and uncertainty that has negatively affected the economic environment. These impacts have caused significant volatility and declines in global financial markets, which have caused losses for investors. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may be short-term or may last for an extended period of time, and in either case could result in a substantial economic downturn or recession.
Public health crises may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social, economic, market and financial risks. The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could result in a general decline in the global economy, and negatively affect the performance of individual countries, industries, or sectors in significant and unforeseen ways. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may in turn increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular companies, negatively impact market value, increase market volatility, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce liquidity. There can be no assurance that market conditions will not worsen in the future. All of these risks may have a material adverse effect on the performance and financial condition of the securities in which a Fund invests, and on the overall performance of a Fund.
The U.S. federal government and certain foreign central banks have taken a variety of unprecedented actions to stimulate the economy and calm the financial markets. For example, in March 2020, the U.S. federal government adopted the largest economic stimulus package in recent history, estimated at $2 trillion, which is aimed at supporting American workers and businesses adversely affected by the economic upheaval stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The law provides for loans and other disbursements to a wide swath of the economy, including direct payments to Americans and loans to large and small companies, as well as expanding unemployment insurance. The ultimate effect of these efforts is not yet known, and they may not be successful.
In the future, the U.S. federal government or other governments may take actions that could affect the overall economy as well as the securities in which a Fund invests, the markets in which they trade, or the issuers of such securities, in ways that are unforeseen. Governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve (the Fed), have in the past responded to major economic disruptions with a variety of significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and dramatically lower interest rates. Certain of those policy changes have been or are being implemented or considered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fed has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to keep credit flowing through short-term money markets since mid-September 2019 when a shortage of liquidity caused a spike in overnight borrowing rates, and again in 2020 with large stimulus initiatives intended to respond to economic stresses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fed has signaled that it plans to maintain its interventions at an elevated level.
In the past, instability in the global capital markets resulted in disruptions in liquidity in the debt capital markets, significant write-offs in the financial services sector, the repricing of credit risk in credit markets and the failure of major domestic and international financial institutions. Precise interest rate predictions are difficult to make, and interest rates may change unexpectedly and dramatically in response to extreme changes in market or economic conditions. As a result, the value of fixed income securities may vary widely under certain market conditions and may result in heightened market volatility and a decline in the value of a Funds portfolio. Changes in government policies or central banks could negatively affect the value and liquidity of a Funds investments and cause it to lose money. The markets could react strongly to expectations for changes in government policies, which could increase volatility, especially if the markets expectations are not borne out. There can be no assurance that the initiatives undertaken by governments and central banks will be successful.
The COVID-19 outbreak, and future epidemics or pandemics, could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which a Funds service providers rely, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of a Funds service providers to perform essential tasks. Such impacts could impair a Funds ability to maintain operational standards (such as with respect to satisfying redemption requests), disrupt the operations of a Funds service providers, and negatively impact a Funds performance. In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in a Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or accurately value its investments.
Markets generally and the energy sector specifically, including MLPs and energy companies in which a Fund invests, have also been adversely impacted by reduced demand for oil and other energy commodities as a result of the slowdown in economic activity resulting from the spread of COVID-19 and by price competition among key oil producing countries. Recently, global oil prices have declined significantly and experienced significant volatility, including a period where an oil-price futures contract fell into negative territory for the first time in history, as demand for oil has slowed and oil storage facilities reach their storage capacities. Although the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other oil-producing countries have agreed to reduce production by approximately 10 million barrels per day, such production cuts do not take effect until May and June of 2020. Reduced production and continued oil price volatility may adversely impact MLPs and energy infrastructure companies. Such companies growth prospects and ability to pay dividends may be negatively impacted, which could adversely impact a Funds performance. Additionally, an extended period of reduced oil prices may significantly lengthen the time the energy sector would need to recover after a stabilization of prices.
Some market participants have expressed concern that passively-managed index funds and other indexed products inflate the value of their component securities. If the component securities in such indices decline in value for this and other reasons, the value of a Funds investments in these securities will also decline.
Some countries, including the United States, are adopting more protectionist trade policies and are moving away from the tighter financial industry regulations that followed the 2008 financial crisis. The United States may also be considering significant new investments in infrastructure and national defense which, coupled with potentially lower federal taxes, could lead to sharply increased government borrowing and higher interest rates. The exact shape of these policies is still being worked out through the political process, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations, which could increase volatility, especially if the markets expectations for changes in government policies are not borne out.
High public debt in the United States and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty. Interest rates have been unusually low in recent years in the United States and abroad, and central banks have reduced rates further in an effort to combat the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because there is little precedent for this situation, it is difficult to predict the impact on various markets of a significant rate increase or other significant policy changes, whether brought about by U.S. policy makers or by dislocations in world markets. Extremely low or negative interest rates may become more prevalent. To the extent a Fund has a bank deposit or holds a debt instrument with a negative interest rate to maturity, a Fund would generate a negative return on that investment. Similarly, negative rates on investments by a fund that is a money market fund would make it difficult, if not impossible, for the fund to maintain a stable $1 net asset value per share without financial support from the funds sponsor or other persons. There is no assurance that such support would be provided, which could lead to losses on investments in the fund, including on investments by a Fund that uses the fund as an investment option for a Funds uninvested cash. While negative yields may reduce the demand, liquidity and valuation of fixed income investments, investors may be willing to continue to purchase such investments for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, price insensitivity, arbitrage opportunities across fixed income markets or rules-based investment strategies. If negative interest rates become more prevalent, investors may over time seek to reallocate assets to other income-producing assets or equity investments that pay a dividend, which may cause the price of such instruments to rise while triggering a corresponding decrease in yield and the value of debt instruments over time. Over the longer term, rising interest rates may present a greater risk than has historically been the case due to the current period of low rates and the effect of government fiscal policy initiatives and potential market reaction to those initiatives.
Some countries where economic conditions are still recovering from the 2008 crisis are perceived as still fragile. The crisis caused strains among countries in the euro-zone that have not been fully resolved, and it is not yet clear what measures, if any, EU or individual country officials may take in response. Withdrawal of government support, failure of efforts in response to the strains, or investor perception that such efforts are not succeeding could adversely impact the value and liquidity of certain securities and currencies.
In addition, global climate change may have an adverse effect on property and security values. A rise in sea levels, an increase in powerful windstorms and/or a storm-driven increase in flooding could cause coastal properties to lose value or become unmarketable altogether. Large wildfires driven by high winds and prolonged drought may devastate entire communities and may be very costly to any business found to be responsible for the fire or conducting operations in affected areas. These losses could adversely affect corporate borrowers and mortgage lenders, the value of mortgage-backed securities, the bonds of municipalities that depend on tax revenues and tourist dollars generated by such properties, and insurers of the property and/or of corporate, municipal or mortgage-backed securities. Since property and security values are driven largely by buyers perceptions, it is difficult to know the time period over which these effects might unfold. Economists warn that, unlike previous declines in the real estate market, properties in affected coastal zones may never recover their value.
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 Prospectus on each Business Day. A Business Day is a day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the NYSE) is open. The Fixed Income Funds are 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 a Fixed Income 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 any ETFs held by a Fund are valued in the manner described below under Equity Securities.
Fixed-Income Securities
Fixed-income securities held by a Fund 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 Securities
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 a Funds NAV, futures and options contracts generally will be valued 15 minutes after the close of trading of the NYSE.
Fair Value Pricing
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 a Fund is traded and before the time as of which the 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 Advisers Pricing and Liquidity 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.
A 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 a Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a foreign 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
Each Fund 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 Prospectus. 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. Performance information regarding Member Class Shares is available by calling toll-free 800-235-8396 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 Victory Fund.
Purchasing Shares
Only certain investors are eligible to buy Member Class shares, as set forth in a Funds Prospectus, and your financial adviser or other financial intermediary can help you determine whether you are eligible to invest.
Each Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums related to each class of shares. Each 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 its 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.
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). 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 be 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. 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 October 31, 2019, the Adviser and its affiliates had arrangements in place with respect to the Funds with the following intermediaries:
ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc. |
Mid Atlantic Capital Corp |
AIG Advisor Group, Inc. |
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney |
Alight Financial Solutions LLC |
Morgan Stanley, Retirement & Equity Solutions |
American United Life |
MSCS Financial Services |
Ameriprise Financial |
National Financial Services Corp. |
Benefit Plans Administrators |
Nationwide Investment Services Corp. |
Benefit Trust Company |
Plan Administration Inc. |
Charles Schwab |
Princor Financial Services |
Digital Retirement Solutions, Inc. |
Prudential Retirement Services |
Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Co., Inc. |
Raymond James Associates |
Financial Data Services, Inc. |
RBC Wealth Management |
GWFS Equities Inc |
Reliance Trust Company |
Hartford Life |
SEI Private Trust Company |
John Hancock Life Insurance Co (USA) |
T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services |
John Hancock Retirement Plan Services |
TD Ameritrade Trust Co. |
Lincoln Financial Advisors |
TIAA - CREF |
Lincoln Financial Securities |
UBS Financial Services, Inc. |
Lincoln Retirement Services Co. |
VALIC Retirement Services Company |
LPL Financial Corporation |
VOYA America Insurance Holdings Inc. |
MassMutual Financial Group |
VOYA Institutional Plan Services, LLC |
MassMutual Life Insurance Company |
Wells Fargo Bank, NA |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC |
Member Class Shares
Member Class shares of each Fund are sold at NAV without any initial sales charges or CDSCs.
Redemptions in Kind. Subject to its election under Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, 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 price used in calculating the Funds NAV on the day of redemption. A shareholder may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities to cash.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Leadership Structure
The Trust is governed by the Board, which is comprised of nine Trustees, eight of whom are not interested persons of the Trust within the meaning of 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, the Adviser and other service providers. The Chair is actively involved in setting the Board meeting agenda, and participates on certain Board 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, among other things, the Funds investment portfolios, trading practices, operational matters, financial and accounting controls, and legal and regulatory compliance. The Board has delegated to each of the Compliance Committee and Audit and Risk Oversight Committee certain responsibilities for reviewing reports relating to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk, liquidity and personnel. The Board relies on the Investment Committee to review reports relating to investment risks, that is, risks to the Funds resulting from pursuing the Funds investment strategies (e.g., credit risk 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, or who file reports under that Act. Each Trustee currently oversees 42 portfolios in the Trust, 24 portfolios in Victory Portfolios II and 9 portfolios in Victory Variable Insurance Funds, each of which is a registered investment company that, together with the Trust, comprise the Victory Fund Complex. Dave Brown also oversees 47 portfolios in USAA Mutual Funds Trust. 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, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
Independent Trustees
Name and Age |
|
Position
|
|
Date
|
|
Principal Occupation
|
|
Other Directorships
|
David Brooks
|
|
Trustee |
|
May 2005 |
|
Consultant (since 2006). |
|
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Turner Funds (December 2016 -December 2017). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nigel D.T. Andrews,
|
|
Vice Chair
|
|
August 2002 |
|
Retired. |
|
Director, TCG BDC II, Inc. (since 2017); Director, TCG
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Lee Beard,
|
|
Trustee |
|
May 2005 |
|
Retired (since 2015). |
|
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dennis M. Bushe,
|
|
Trustee |
|
July 2016 |
|
Retired. |
|
Trustee, RS Investment
|
John L. Kelly
|
|
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. |
|
Director, Caledonia Mining Corporation (since May 2012). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David L. Meyer,
|
|
Trustee |
|
December 2008 |
|
Retired. |
|
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gloria S. Nelund,
|
|
Trustee |
|
July 2016 |
|
Chair, CEO, and Co-Founder of TriLinc Global, LLC, an investment firm. |
|
TriLinc Global Impact Fund, LLC (since 2012); Trustee,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leigh A. Wilson,
|
|
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), the Adviser; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. |
|
Trustee, USAA Mutual Funds Trust. |
* The Board has designated Ms. Beard and Mr. Meyer 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 U.S. 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. The Board believes that Mr. Bushes experience qualifies him 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 boards 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. The Board believes that this experience qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.
· Leigh A. Wilson. Mr. Wilson served for many years as Chief Executive Officer of Paribas North America and as such has extensive experience in the financial sector. He serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Caledonia Mining Corporation, a Canadian mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. As a former director of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum (MFDF), he is familiar with the operation and regulation of registered investment companies. He served on a MFDF steering committee created at the request of then-SEC Chairman William Donaldson to recommend best practices to independent mutual fund directors. He received the Small Fund Trustee of the Year award from Institutional Investor Magazine in 2006. The Board believes that this experience and his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
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. In addition, a Committee may form a Sub-Committee to address particular areas of concern to that Committee.
· The members of the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee, all of whom are Independent Trustees, are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Ms. Beard, Ms. Nelund 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. Meyer and Ms. Nelund. 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) and Ms. Beard. 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 Mr. Kelly (Chair), Mr. Andrews, Mr. Bushe 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. Meyer and Ms. Nelund. 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 October 31, 2019, the Board held six meetings; the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee held four 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 four 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, 58* |
|
President |
|
February 2006* |
|
Director of Mutual Fund Administration, the Adviser. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott A. Stahorsky, 50 |
|
Vice President |
|
December 2014 |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2015); Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2015). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Erin G. Wagner, 46 |
|
Secretary |
|
December 2014 |
|
Associate General Counsel, the Adviser (since 2013). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allan Shaer, 55 |
|
Treasurer |
|
May 2017 |
|
Senior Vice President, Financial Administration, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (since 2016); Vice President, Mutual Fund Administration, JP Morgan Chase Bank (2011-2016). |
Christopher Ponte, 36 |
|
Assistant Treasurer |
|
December 2017 |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2017); Senior Analyst, Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2017); Chief Financial Officer, Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (since 2018). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colin Kinney, 46 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer |
|
July 2017 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer (since 2013) and Chief Risk Officer (2009-2017), the Adviser. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles Booth, 60 |
|
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, 66 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
|
December 1997 |
|
Partner, Sidley Austin LLP (since April 2020); Partner, Shearman and Sterling LLP (January 2018-April 2020); 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 of the Trust.
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 each Trustee as of December 31, 2019. 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, 2019, 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 |
|
INCORE Fund for Income: Over $100,000 |
|
Over $100,000 |
Mr. Andrews |
|
INCORE Fund for Income: $1 - $10,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
Ms. Beard |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund $10,001 - $50,000 |
|
Over $100,000 |
Mr. Bushe |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
Ms. Dungan* |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
Mr. Kelly |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
Mr. Meyer |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
Ms. Nelund |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
Mr. Wilson |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
*Sally M. Dungan is a former Trustee.
Interested Trustee
Trustee |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership of Fund Shares |
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of Ownership
|
*Mr. Brown |
|
INCORE Fund For Income: Over $100,000
|
|
Over $100,000 |
*Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.
Trustee Compensation
Effective January 1, 2020, the Victory Fund Complex pays each Independent Trustee $330,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex. The Board Chair is paid an additional retainer of $150,000 per year. Prior to that date, the Victory Fund Complex paid each Independent Trustee $312,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex, and the Board Chair was 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 covered in this SAI and from the Victory Fund Complex for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019. As of October 31, 2019 there were 75 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 |
|
$ |
6,890 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
$ |
6,890 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Ms. Beard |
|
$ |
6,890 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
$ |
6,890 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Ms. Dungan* |
|
$ |
6,890 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Kelly |
|
$ |
6,890 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Meyer |
|
$ |
6,890 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Ms. Nelund |
|
$ |
6,890 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Wilson |
|
$ |
10,335 |
|
$ |
468,000 |
|
*Former Trustee.
Interested Trustee
Trustee |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds |
|
Total Compensation from
|
|
Mr. Brown* |
|
None |
|
None |
|
*Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.
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. As of the last completed fiscal year, the following current Trustees have elected to defer a portion of his or her compensation from the Victory Fund Complex:
Trustee |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds |
|
Total Compensation from
|
|
||
Mr. Adcock |
|
$ |
1,033 |
|
$ |
46,800 |
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
$ |
4,478 |
|
$ |
202,800 |
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
$ |
6,890 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
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 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256. Subject to the authority of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management and administration of the Funds business affairs. Each of the Advisers multiple investment teams, referred to separately as investment franchises utilizes its own independent approach to investing. 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 March 31, 2020 the Adviser managed assets totaling in excess of $123.7 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 following schedule lists the advisory fees for each Fund, as an annual percentage of its average daily net assets.
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
0.75% on the first $400 million, 0.65% on the next $400 million and 0.60% on assets in excess of $800 million |
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
0.50% on the first $400 million, 0.45% on the next $400 million and 0.40% on assets in excess of $800 million |
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements
Where the Adviser has contractually and/or voluntarily agreed to waive its investment advisory fees, and reimburse expenses when necessary, so that the net operating expenses of a Fund do not exceed certain limits, those limits do not apply to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, other expenditures capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business. There is no guarantee that the limits will remain in place or at the same level in the future.
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 below) 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.
Advisory fees paid by the Funds to the Adviser for the last three fiscal years ended October 31 are shown in the table below:
Fund |
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
|||
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$ |
3,161,376 |
|
$ |
3,454,520 |
|
$ |
4,581,055 |
|
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
$ |
1,457,137 |
|
$ |
1,093,521 |
|
$ |
660,477 |
|
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, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. This agreement may only be terminated by the Board. 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.
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. For each Fund, the portfolio managers listed in the following table manage all of the other investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts shown below as a team. The figures below, therefore, reflect their assets under management as of that date.
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 the last completed fiscal year:
|
|
Registered Investment
|
|
Pooled Investment Vehicle
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number of
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number of
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number
|
|
Total Assets
|
|
||||
Ms. Adelman |
|
$ |
714.59 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
301.93 |
|
4 |
|
$ |
104.10 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
1,120.62 |
|
Mr. Kaesberg |
|
$ |
280.23 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
1,634,10 |
|
8 |
|
$ |
1,914.33 |
|
Ms. Uhlir |
|
$ |
714.59 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
301.93 |
|
4 |
|
$ |
104.10 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
1,120.62 |
|
Mr. Vucenovic |
|
$ |
280.23 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
1,634,10 |
|
8 |
|
$ |
1,914.33 |
|
The following table sets forth performance-based accounts for which the Funds portfolio managers were primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management as of the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019:
|
|
Registered Investment
|
|
Pooled Investment Vehicle
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number of
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number of
|
|
Assets
|
|
Number
|
|
Total Assets
|
|
||||
Ms. Adelman |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Mr. Kaesberg |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Ms. Uhlir |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Mr. Vucenovic |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
0 |
|
Fund Ownership
As of the end of the last completed fiscal 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
|
Ms. Adelman |
|
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$100,001 to $500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Kaesberg |
|
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund |
|
$10,001 to $50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Uhlir |
|
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$50,001 to $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Vucenovic |
|
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund |
|
None. |
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 he or she manages or supports. The side-by-side management of the Funds along with other accounts may raise potential conflicts of interest by incenting a portfolio manager to direct a disproportionate amount of: (1) their attention; (2) limited investment opportunities, such as less liquid securities or initial public offering; and/or (3) desirable trade allocations, to such other accounts. In addition, certain trading practices, such as cross-trading between Funds or between a Fund and another account, raise conflict of interest issues. The Adviser has adopted numerous compliance policies and procedures, including a Code of Ethics, and brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which seek to address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, the Adviser 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 the Advisers investment franchises and employees in order to detect and address potential and actual conflicts of interest. However, there can be no assurance that the Advisers compliance program will achieve its intended result.
Compliance Services
Effective July 1, 2017, the Trust has entered into an Agreement to Provide Compliance Services (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 1940 Act. The funds in the Victory Fund Complex, in the aggregate, compensate the Adviser for these services. For the three most recent fiscal years ended October 31, the Funds paid the Adviser the following fees under the terms of the Compliance Agreement:
Fund |
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017*
|
|
|||
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$ |
5,227 |
|
$ |
7,413 |
|
$ |
1,910 |
|
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
$ |
1,493 |
|
$ |
1,217 |
|
$ |
187 |
|
*July 1, 2017 - October 31, 2017.
Administrator and Fund Accountant
Victory Capital serves as the 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 and sub-fund accountant to the Trust pursuant to an agreement with Victory Capital dated October 1, 2015, as amended (the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement). As administrator, Victory Capital supervises the Trusts operations, including the services that Citi provides to the Funds as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant, but excluding those that Victory Capital supervises as investment adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board.
Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, for the administration and fund accounting services that 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 in aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF net assets, plus 0.05% of aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF net assets in excess of $15 billion to $30 billion, plus 0.04% of aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF 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, including costs associated with implementing new reports required by the new RIC Modernization rules adopted by the SEC under the 1940 Act.
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 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 Independent Trustees. 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, among other things, 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, its dividend and capital gain distribution, if any, and its 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.
The following table reflects fees that each Fund paid to Victory Capital under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement for the last three fiscal years ended October 31:
Fund |
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
|||
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$ |
410,612 |
|
$ |
430,119 |
|
$ |
607,585 |
|
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
$ |
124,798 |
|
$ |
86,775 |
|
$ |
53,568 |
|
Sub-Administrator and Sub-Fund Accountant
Citi serves as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant to the Funds pursuant to the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement. Citi assists in supervising all operations of the Funds (other than those performed by 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 mutual funds, VVIF and USAA Mutual Funds Trust (the Victory Mutual Funds), Victory Capital pays Citi an annual fee, computed daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates: 0.0110% of the first $50 billion of aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds; plus 0.01% of the aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds in excess of $50 billion to $100 billion; plus 0.0085% of the aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds in excess of $100 billion to $125 billion; plus 0.0065% of the aggregate net assets of the
Victory Mutual Funds in excess of $125 billion. Victory Capital also pays Citi a per Fund annual fee for Citis services in connection with the preparation and filing of Form N-PORT and liquidity risk management services and certain other charges as agreed from time to time. 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 Victory Mutual Funds 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. 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 and N-PORT; 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; assists with liquidity risk management services; and assists in the annual audit of the Funds, among other services.
Transfer Agent
FIS Investor Services LLC (FIS), 4249 Easton Way, Suite 400, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Funds. Under its agreement with the 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 or Citibank), 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the assets of each Fund pursuant to the Global Custodial Services Agreement dated August 5, 2008, as amended (the Custody Agreement). 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 the 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 Custody Agreement. As Foreign Custody Manager, the Custodian must (a) determine that the assets of the 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.
Line of Credit. Effective July 1, 2019, each Fund participates, along with other funds of the Trust, VP II, VVIF and USAA Mutual Funds Trust, in a short-term, demand note line of credit agreement with Citibank. Under the agreement with Citibank, the Funds may borrow up to $600 million, of which $300 million is committed and $300 million is uncommitted. Of the committed 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. Citibank receives an annual commitment fee of 0.15%. Each Fund 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 whereby Citibank 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 of at least 102% of the value of U.S. securities loaned or at least 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 Citibank fees based on the investment income received from securities lending activities. In its role as securities lending agent, Citibank (1) arranges and administers the loan of securities when establishing a loan and the return of securities upon termination of a loan, (2) collects from borrowers cash, securities or other instruments to serve as collateral for the loans, (3) monitors the value of securities on loan and the value of the corresponding collateral, (4) 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, (5) collects or arranges for the collection of any interest, dividends or other distributions related to loaned securities, and (6) 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 October 31, 2019:
Fund |
|
Gross income
|
|
Fees paid to
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
Net income
|
|
||||
Victory INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$ |
1,797 |
|
$ |
46 |
|
$ |
1,340 |
|
$ |
411 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund |
|
$ |
162,440 |
|
$ |
4,390 |
|
$ |
127,331 |
|
$ |
30,719 |
|
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). Effective on or about June 30, 2020, the Distributors name will change to Victory Capital Services, Inc. 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 October 31:
Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2019
|
|
Total
|
|
Underwriting
|
|
||
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$ |
60,525 |
|
$ |
19,498 |
|
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
$ |
33,697 |
|
$ |
10,337 |
|
Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2018
|
|
Total
|
|
Underwriting
|
|
||
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$ |
41,604 |
|
$ |
12,047 |
|
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
$ |
26,890 |
|
$ |
8,070 |
|
Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2017
|
|
Total
|
|
Underwriting
|
|
||
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$ |
138,480 |
|
$ |
43,266 |
|
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
$ |
13,949 |
|
$ |
5,981 |
|
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 Advisers Code of Ethics applies to all of the Advisers directors and officers and employees with investment advisory duties (Access Personnel) and all of the Advisers directors, officers and employees (Supervised Personnel). Each Code of Ethics provides that Access Personnel must refrain from certain trading practices. Each Code also requires all Access Personnel (and, in the Advisers 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: (i) ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds with a view toward maximizing the value of their investments; (ii) address conflicts of interests between these shareholders, on the one hand, and affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser or the Distributor, on the other, that may arise regarding the voting of proxies; and (iii) provide for the disclosure of the Funds proxy voting records and the Proxy Voting Policy.
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.
A summary of the proxy voting policies and procedures for the Adviser is included in Appendix B.
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. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser may delegate these responsibilities to a sub-adviser.
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 commission rates. It is expected that equity securities will ordinarily be purchased in the primary markets for such securities, 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 generally 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.
Subject to its obligation to seek best execution, the Adviser may use brokerage commissions generated from client transactions to obtain services and/or research from broker-dealers to assist in the Advisers investment management decision-making process. These services and research 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 sole benefit of any employee or non-client entity.
It is the policy of the Adviser to seek 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.
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, ownership 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.
The Adviser will make a good faith determination that the commissions paid are reasonable in relationship to the value of the services received. The continuous review of stock commissions is the responsibility of the Advisers
Head of Capital Markets and client trading, brokerage and soft-dollar performance is performed by the Advisers Trade Oversight Committee. Quarterly, the Advisers research analysts and portfolio managers will participate in a broker vote. The Advisers Equity Trading Desk will utilize the vote results during the broker selection process. 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, bunching or blocking 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. However, no proprietary account may be favored over any other participating account and such practice must be consistent with the Advisers policies and procedures including its 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.
If the order is filled in its entirety, securities purchased in the aggregate transaction will be allocated among accounts participating in the trade in accordance with an Allocation Statement prepared at the time of order entry. If the order is partially filled, the securities will be allocated pro rata based on the Allocation Statement. Portfolio managers may allocate executed trades in a different manner than indicated on the Allocation Statement (e.g., non-pro rata) only if all client accounts receive fair and equitable treatment.
In some instances, such as trading in fixed income securities, it may not be practical to complete the Allocation Statement prior to the placement of the order. In that case, the trading desk will complete the Allocation Statement
as soon as practicable, but no later than the end of the same business day on which the securities have been allocated to the trading desk by the broker.
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 may be 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.
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 following table shows the dollar amount of brokerage commissions paid by each Fund for the last three fiscal years ended October 31, all of which were paid to entities that are not affiliated with the Funds, the Adviser or the Distributor:
Fund |
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017
|
|
|||
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
$ |
5,815 |
|
$ |
11,671 |
|
$ |
29,359 |
|
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 consistent with best execution and completed in accordance with procedures approved by the Board.
For the three fiscal years ended October 31, the Funds paid no commissions to affiliated broker-dealers.
Allocation of Brokerage in Connection with Research Services. During the most recent fiscal year ended October 31, the Adviser, through agreements or understandings with brokers, or otherwise through an internal allocation procedure, directed the brokerage transactions of certain Funds to certain 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 entire 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
|
|
Related Commissions |
|
||
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
$ |
19,949,186.71 |
|
$ |
5,793.98 |
|
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 the most recent fiscal year ended October 31:
Fund |
|
Broker-Dealer |
|
Type of Security
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
|
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
Wells Fargo |
|
Equity |
|
$ |
5,771 |
|
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 each 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, could be greater in periods of unusual market movement and volatility. Transaction costs associated with turnover are borne directly by the Fund and, ultimately, by its shareholders. A high rate of portfolio turnover (generally, over 100% annually) will generally involve correspondingly greater transaction costs. 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 two most recent fiscal years ended October 31:
|
|
2019 |
|
2018 |
|
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
29 |
% |
27 |
% |
INCORE Investment Grade Convertible |
|
35 |
% |
41 |
% |
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 dividends annually. The INCORE Fund for Income declares and pays dividends monthly. The INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly.
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 each Prospectus that relates to federal income taxation is only a summary of certain key federal income tax considerations generally affecting purchasers of shares of a Fund. 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.
If a Fund has a net capital loss (i.e., an excess of capital losses over capital gains), the amount thereof may be carried forward and treated as a short-term capital loss that can be used to offset capital gains in future years. There is no limitation on the number of years to which net capital losses may be carried. 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 not subject to expiration for the applicable Funds as of October 31, 2019.
Fund |
|
Short-Term Amount
|
|
Long-Term Amount
|
|
||
INCORE Fund for Income |
|
$ |
102,634 |
|
$ |
186,679 |
|
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), or 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: (x) prior inclusions of ordinary income items from the conversion transaction and (y) 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 the 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 this 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. 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.
Noncorporate taxpayers generally are eligible for a deduction of up to 20% of qualified publicly traded partnership income. A Fund will not be able to claim such a deduction in respect of income allocated to by any MLPs or other publicly traded partnerships in which it invests, and absent any additional guidance, the law does not allow noncorporate shareholders to be able to claim a deduction in respect of Fund dividends attributable to any such income.
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).
If a Fund receives a dividend (other than a capital gain dividend) in respect of any share of REIT stock with a tax holding period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend, then Fund dividends attributable to that REIT dividend income (as reduced by certain fund expenses) may be reported by the Fund as eligible for the 20% deduction for qualified REIT dividends generally available to noncorporate shareholders under the Code. In order to qualify for this deduction, noncorporate shareholders must hold their Fund shares for at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which such Fund shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend.
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 exceptions and 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 generally 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 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 these purposes, 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 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 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.
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 Second Amended and Restated Trust Instrument, dated as of February 26, 2019 (Trust Instrument), authorizes the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of shares, which are units of beneficial interest, with a par value of $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, Y and Member Class 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 (i) each class of shares may be subject to different (or no) sales loads; (ii) each class of shares may bear different (or no) distribution fees; (iii) each class of shares may have different shareholder features, such as minimum investment amounts; (iv) certain other class-specific expenses will be borne solely by the class to which such expenses are attributable, including transfer agent fees attributable to a specific class of shares, printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing materials to current shareholders of a specific class, registration fees paid by a specific class of shares, the expenses of administrative personnel and services required to support the shareholders of a specific class, litigation or other legal expenses relating to a class of shares, Trustees fees or expenses paid as a result of issues relating to a specific class of shares and accounting fees and expenses relating to a specific class of shares, and (v) each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters relating to its own distribution arrangements. The Board may classify and reclassify the shares of the Fund into additional classes of shares at a future date.
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 the 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, a Fund will be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of the 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 the 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 Trusts 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 Funds.
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 (October 31st and April 30th, respectively) and are available on the Funds website, VictoryFunds.com. The Funds file their complete portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters with the SEC on Form N-PORT (available for filings after March 31, 2019). 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 and Fund Accountant |
|
Victory Capital Management Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Distributor |
|
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Custodian |
|
Citibank, N.A. |
|
Daily. |
Sub-Fund Accountant |
|
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Financial Data Service |
|
FactSet Research Systems, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Liquidity Risk Management Service Provider |
|
MSCI, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
|
Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
|
Annual Reporting Period: within 15 business days of end of reporting period. |
Printer for Financial Reports |
|
Toppan Merrill LLC |
|
Up to 30 days before distribution to shareholders |
Legal Counsel, for EDGAR filings on Forms N-CSR and Form N-PORT |
|
Sidley Austin 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 May 31, 2020, there were no shareholders owning 5% or more of the Member Class of the Funds since the share class is new as of the date of this SAI. 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.
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.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Cohen & Company, Ltd. located at 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds.
Legal Counsel
Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, is the counsel to the Trust.
Financial Statements
The audited financial statements of the Funds for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019 are incorporated by reference herein. The financial highlights, however, do not include information related to the Funds Member Class share class since that share class is new as of the date of this SAI.
Miscellaneous
As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, references to a Funds assets mean the consideration received by the Trust upon the issuance or sale of the Funds shares, 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 Fund that are allocated to that Fund 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 multiple Funds will be the relative NAV of such Funds at the time of allocation. Assets belonging to a particular
Fund are charged with the direct liabilities and expenses in respect of that Fund, and with a share of the general liabilities and expenses of the Trust not readily identified as belonging to a particular Fund, which are allocated to each Fund in accordance with its proportionate share of the NAV 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 Fund 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 Fund are conclusive.
As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of a 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.
Each Prospectus 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 salesperson, dealer, or other person is authorized to give any information or make any representation other than those contained in a 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 a 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.
Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition.
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.
APPENDIX B
SUMMARY OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Victory Capital Management Inc. (Adviser)
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 to be 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 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.
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.
VICTORY FUNDS
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
June 10, 2020
FUND NAME |
|
Member Class |
RS Value |
|
|
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
RSPMX |
|
|
|
RS Growth |
|
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
RMOMX |
|
|
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
RSMMX |
|
|
|
Fixed Income |
|
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
RHMMX |
|
|
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
RSFMX |
(each a Fund and together, the Funds)
Each Fund is a series of Victory Portfolios (the Trust)
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with each Funds prospectus, dated June 10, 2020, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time (each, a Prospectus). The SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into each 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 December 31, 2019 contained in the Funds December 31, 2019 Annual Reports, including the Financial Highlights and the related reports of Cohen & Company, Ltd., 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. The Funds December 31, 2019 Annual Reports, including the Financial Highlights and the related reports of Cohen & Company, Ltd., however, do not include information related to the Funds Member Class share class since that share class is new as of the date of this SAI.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION |
3 |
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND LIMITATIONS |
3 |
INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS AND RISKS |
7 |
DETERMINING NET ASSET VALUE (NAV) AND VALUING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES |
42 |
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE, EXCHANGE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION |
45 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST |
48 |
INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS |
55 |
CODE OF ETHICS |
66 |
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |
66 |
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE |
66 |
DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS AND DISTRIBUTIONS |
70 |
TAXES |
70 |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
81 |
APPENDIX A |
A-1 |
APPENDIX B |
B-1 |
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory 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 or Victory Capital) is the Funds investment adviser. Each Funds investment objective(s), restrictions and policies are more fully described below and in the Funds Prospectus. The Trusts Board of Trustees (the Board or Trustees) may organize and offer shares of a new fund or a new share class of an existing Fund or liquidate a Fund or share class at any time.
This SAI relates to the shares of 5 series of the Trust (each a Fund, and collectively, the Funds) and their Member Class shares.
For purposes of this SAI, Victory RS Partners Fund, Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund and Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund are referred to as the Equity Funds, while the Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund and Victory Floating Rate Fund are referred to as the Fixed Income Funds.
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 each Funds Prospectus. No investment in shares of a Fund should be made without first reading the 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 diversified Fund is not subject to this limitation with respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets. In addition, each Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). To qualify as a regulated investment company, each Fund 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. Under the 1940 Act, the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities 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.
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 (the 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 segregates assets or covers the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC or staff guidance and procedures adopted by the Board. 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, futures contracts or other derivatives instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
7. Diversification
Each Fund is a diversified investment company.
Under the 1940 Act a funds sub-categorization as a diversified fund is a fundamental policy. Diversified under the 1940 Act is defined to mean that the fund may not (as to 75% of the funds total assets) purchase any security (other than obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and securities of other investment companies) if as a result (i) more than 5% of the funds total assets (taken at current value) would then be invested in securities of a single issuer or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer would be held by the fund.
8. 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. For purposes of the 1940 Act, concentration means investing more than 25% of a Funds net assets in a particular industry or a specified group of industries.
For purposes of the Funds fundamental policy on concentration, (1) loan participations will be considered investments in the industry of the underlying borrower, rather than that of the seller of the loan participation, (2) municipal obligations, excluding private activity municipal debt securities, are not considered a separate industry; private activity municipal debt securities whose principal and interest payments are derived principally
from the assets and revenues of a non-governmental entity will be assigned to the industry related to such non-governmental entity, and (3) for purposes of calculating concentration of investments in the utility and finance categories, each Fund will operate as follows: neither finance companies as a group nor utility companies as a group are considered a single industry for purposes of the Funds concentration policy (i.e., finance companies will be considered a part of the industry they finance and utilities will be divided according to the types of services they provide).
Additional Fundamental Policies for the Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund
As a matter of fundamental policy, under normal circumstances at least 80% of the value of the Victory High Income Municipal Bond Funds net assets will be invested in tax-exempt municipal obligations (which may include obligations that pay interest subject to the AMT).
Non-Fundamental Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds
The following investment restrictions are non-fundamental and may be changed by a vote of a majority of the Trustees.
1. Illiquid Securities
No Fund may invest more than 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.
Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act (the Liquidity Rule) requires the Funds to establish a liquidity risk management program. The Liquidity Rule defines illiquid security as a security that a 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 security. Such securities include, but are not limited to, time deposits and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. Securities that may be resold under the Liquidity Rule, securities offered pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, or securities otherwise subject to restrictions or limitations on resale under the Securities Act shall not be deemed illiquid solely by reason of being unregistered. Victory Capital, under oversight of the Board, determines whether a particular security is deemed to be liquid based on the trading markets for the specific security and other factors.
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.
2. Other Investment Companies
No Fund may purchase the securities of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act, which permits operation as a fund of funds.
Except as provided in the next paragraph with respect to money market funds and as described further below under Other Pooled Investment Vehicles for investments in certain exchange-traded funds, each Fund may not: (1) invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company; (2) own more than 3% of the securities of any one investment company; or (3) invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies.
Each Fund may purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, 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.
INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS AND RISKS
In addition to the principal investment strategies and the principal risks of the Funds described in each 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 every 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 Objectives, Policies and Limitations in this SAI, or by applicable law, a Fund may, but will not necessarily, engage in each of the practices described below.
Victory Capital serves as investment adviser to the Funds. Victory Capital and a Funds sub-adviser, if applicable, are each referred to in this section as an Adviser.
Contingent Capital Notes
Contingent capital notes are typically issued by banks or other financial institutions. They may be subordinated to claims of depositors and general creditors of the issuing bank or financial institution, and their principal amounts may be temporarily or permanently reduced (written down) in whole or in part if the issuer experiences financial difficulty or otherwise fails or ceases to meet specified financial standards. Because of this write-down feature and other aspects of their structure, contingent capital notes are subject to the risk of loss of principal, and investors may lose some or all of the value of their investments based on changes in the financial condition of the notes issuers.
Derivatives
A Fund may enter into derivatives transactions for a variety of purposes, including, but not limited to: hedging risks; 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 a Funds sensitivity to risk; replicating certain direct investments; and asset and sector allocation.
The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that can involve investment techniques and risks different from, and in some respects greater than, those associated with investing in more traditional investments such as stocks and bonds. Derivatives may have a return that is tied to a formula based upon an interest rate, index or other measurement, which may differ from the return of a simple security of the same maturity. A formula may have a cap or other limitation on the rate of interest to be paid. Derivatives may have varying degrees of volatility at different times, or under different market conditions, may perform in unanticipated ways, and may create leverage, which may amplify gains or losses.
A Fund may be required to earmark or otherwise segregate liquid assets in respect of its obligations under derivatives transactions that involve contractual obligations to pay in the future, or a Fund may engage in other measures to cover its obligations with respect to such transactions. The amounts that are earmarked or otherwise segregated may be based on the notional value of the derivative or on the daily mark-to-market obligation under the derivatives contract and may be reduced by amounts on deposit with the applicable broker or counterparty to the derivatives transaction. In certain circumstances, a Fund may enter into an offsetting position rather than earmarking or segregating liquid assets. A Fund may modify its asset segregation and coverage policies from time to time. Although earmarking or segregating may in certain cases have the effect of limiting a Funds ability to engage in derivatives transactions, the extent of any such limitation will depend on a variety of factors, including the method by which the Fund determines the nature and amount of assets to be earmarked or segregated.
The SEC has proposed new rules governing the use of derivatives by registered investment companies. If adopted as proposed, the new rules may restrict the Funds in their ability to use derivatives as part of their investment strategy, may make the use of derivatives more costly, or may otherwise adversely affect their liquidity, value or performance.
Options. A Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on its portfolio securities to enhance investment performance and to protect against changes in market prices. There is no assurance that a Funds use of put and call options will achieve its desired objective, and a Funds use of options may result in losses to the Fund.
Covered call options. A Fund may write covered call options (as defined below) on its securities to realize a greater current return through the receipt of premiums than it would realize on its securities alone. Such option transactions may also be used as a limited form of hedging against a decline in the price of securities owned by the Fund.
A call option gives the holder the right to purchase, and obligates the writer to sell, a security at the exercise price at any time before the expiration date. A call option is covered if the writer, at all times while obligated as a writer, either owns the underlying securities (or comparable securities satisfying the cover requirements of the securities exchanges), or has the right to acquire such securities through immediate conversion of securities.
A Fund will receive a premium from writing a call option, which increases the Funds return on the underlying security in the event the option expires unexercised or is closed out at a profit. The amount of the premium reflects, among other things, the relationship between the exercise price and the current market value of the underlying security, the volatility of the underlying security, the amount of time remaining until expiration, current interest rates, and the effect of supply and demand in the options market and in the market for the underlying security.
In return for the premium received when it writes a covered call option, a Fund gives up some or all of the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the securities covering the call option during the life of the option. The Fund retains the risk of loss should the price of such securities decline. If the option expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a gain equal to the premium, which may be offset by a decline in price of the underlying security. If the option is exercised, the Fund realizes a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Funds cost for the underlying security and the proceeds of sale (exercise price minus commissions) plus the amount of the premium.
A Fund may terminate a call option that it has written before it expires by entering into a closing purchase transaction. A Fund may enter into closing purchase transactions in order to free itself to sell the underlying security or to write another call on the security, realize a profit on a previously written call option, or protect a security from being called in an unexpected market rise. Any profits from a closing purchase transaction may be offset by a decline in the value of the underlying security. Conversely, because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security, any loss resulting from a closing purchase transaction is likely to be offset in whole or in part by unrealized appreciation of the underlying security owned by the Fund.
Covered put options. A Fund may write covered put options in order to enhance its current return. Such options transactions may also be used as a limited form of hedging against an increase in the price of securities that the Fund plans to purchase. A put option gives the holder the right to sell, and obligates the writer to buy, a security at the exercise price at any time before the expiration date. A put option may be covered if the writer earmarks or otherwise segregates liquid assets equal to the price to be paid if the option is exercised minus margin on deposit.
In addition to the receipt of premiums and the potential gains from terminating such options in closing purchase transactions, a Fund also receives interest on the cash and debt securities maintained to cover the exercise price of the option. By writing a put option, the Fund assumes the risk that it may be required to purchase the underlying security for an exercise price higher than its then current market value, resulting in a potential capital loss unless the security later appreciates in value.
A Fund may terminate a put option that it has written before it expires by entering into a closing purchase transaction. Any loss from this transaction may be partially or entirely offset by the premium received on the terminated option.
Purchasing put and call options. A Fund may also purchase put options to protect portfolio holdings against a decline in market value. This protection lasts for the life of the put option because the Fund, as a holder of the option, may sell the underlying security at the exercise price regardless of any decline in its market price. In order for a put option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying security must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs that the Fund must pay. These costs will reduce any profit the Fund might have realized had it sold the underlying security instead of buying the put option.
A Fund may purchase call options to hedge against an increase in the price of securities that the Fund wants ultimately to buy. Such hedge protection is provided during the life of the call option since the Fund, as holder of the call option, is able to buy the underlying security at the exercise price regardless of any increase in the underlying securitys market price. In order for a call option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying security must rise sufficiently above the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs. These costs will reduce any profit the Fund might have realized had it bought the underlying security at the time it purchased the call option.
A Fund may also purchase put and call options to attempt to enhance its current return.
Options on foreign securities. It is expected that risks related to options on foreign securities will not differ materially from risks related to options on U.S. securities. However, position limits and other rules of foreign exchanges may differ from those in the United States. In addition, options markets in some countries, many of which are relatively new, may be less liquid than comparable markets in the United States.
Options on securities indices. Index options are similar to options on individual securities in that the purchaser of an index option acquires the right to buy (in the case of a call) or sell (in the case of a put), and the writer undertakes the obligation to sell or buy (as the case may be), units of an index at a stated exercise price during the term of the option. Instead of giving the right to take or make actual delivery of securities, the holder of an index option has the right to receive a cash exercise settlement amount. This amount is equal to the amount by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of the exercise, multiplied by a fixed index multiplier.
Price movements in securities which a Fund owns or intends to purchase probably will not correlate perfectly with movements in the level of a securities index and, therefore, a Fund bears the risk of a loss on a securities index option which is not completely offset by movements in the price of such securities. Because securities index options are settled in cash, a call writer cannot determine the amount of its settlement obligations in advance and, unlike call writing on a specific security, cannot provide in advance for, or cover, its potential settlement obligations by acquiring and holding underlying securities. A Fund may, however, cover call options written on a securities index by holding a mix of securities which substantially replicate the movement of the index or by holding a call option on the securities index with an exercise price no higher than the call option sold.
A Fund may purchase or sell options on stock indices in order to close out its outstanding positions in options on stock indices which it has purchased. A Fund may also allow such options to expire unexercised.
Compared to the purchase or sale of futures contracts, the purchase of call or put options on an index involves less potential risk to a Fund because the maximum amount at risk is the premium paid for the options plus transactions costs. The writing of a put or call option on an index involves risks similar to those risks relating to the purchase or sale of index futures contracts.
Risks involved in the sale of options. The successful use of a Funds options strategies depends on the ability of an Adviser to forecast correctly interest rate and market movements. For example, if a Fund were to write a call option based on an Advisers expectation that the price of the underlying security would fall, but the price were to rise instead, the Fund could be required to sell the security upon exercise at a price below the current market price. Similarly, if a Fund were to write a put option based on an Advisers expectation that the price of the underlying security would rise, but the price were to fall instead, the Fund could be required to purchase the security upon exercise at a price higher than the current market price.
When a Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction before the options expiration. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. This contrasts with an investment by a Fund in the underlying security, since the Fund will not realize a loss if the securitys price does not change.
The effective use of options also depends on a Funds ability to terminate option positions. There is no assurance that a Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price.
If a secondary market in options were to become unavailable, a Fund could no longer engage in closing transactions. Lack of investor interest might adversely affect the liquidity of the market for particular options or series of options. A market may discontinue trading of a particular option or options generally. In addition, a market could become temporarily unavailable if unusual events such as volume in excess of trading or clearing capability were to interrupt its normal operations.
A market may at times find it necessary to impose restrictions on particular types of options transactions, such as opening transactions. For example, if an underlying security ceases to meet qualifications imposed by the market or the Options Clearing Corporation, new series of options on that security will no longer be opened to replace expiring series, and opening transactions in existing series may be prohibited. If an options market were to become unavailable, a Fund as a holder of an option would be able to realize profits or limit losses only by exercising the option, and the Fund, as option writer, would remain obligated under the option until expiration or exercise.
Disruptions in the markets for the securities underlying options purchased or sold by a Fund could result in losses on the options. If trading is interrupted in an underlying security, the trading of options on that security is normally halted as well. As a result, a Fund as purchaser or writer of an option will be unable to close out its positions until options trading resumes, and it may be faced with considerable losses if trading in the security reopens at a substantially different price. In addition, the Options Clearing Corporation or other options markets may impose exercise restrictions. If a prohibition on exercise is imposed at the time when trading in the option has also been halted, a Fund as purchaser or writer of an option will be locked into its position until one of the two restrictions has been lifted. If the Options Clearing Corporation were to determine that the available supply of an underlying security appears insufficient to permit delivery by the writers of all outstanding calls in the event of exercise, it may prohibit indefinitely the exercise of put options. A Fund, as holder of such a put option, could lose its entire investment if the prohibition remained in effect until the put options expiration.
Foreign-traded options are subject to many of the same risks presented by internationally-traded securities. In addition, because of time differences between the United States and various foreign countries, and because different holidays are observed in different countries, foreign options markets may be open for trading during hours or on days when U.S. markets are closed. As a result, option premiums may not reflect the current prices of the underlying interest in the United States.
Over-the-counter (OTC) options purchased by a Fund and assets held to cover OTC options written by a Fund may, under certain circumstances, be considered illiquid securities for purposes of any limitation on the Funds ability to invest in illiquid securities.
Special Expiration Price Options. Certain of the Funds may purchase OTC puts and calls with respect to specified securities (special expiration price options) pursuant to which the Funds in effect may create a custom index relating to a particular industry or sector that an Adviser believes will increase or decrease in value generally as a group. In exchange for a premium, the counterparty, whose performance is guaranteed by a broker-dealer, agrees to purchase (or sell) a specified number of shares of a particular stock at a specified price and further agrees to cancel the option at a specified price that decreases straight line over the term of the option. Thus, the value of the special expiration price option is comprised of the market value of the applicable underlying security relative to the option exercise price and the value of the remaining premium. If the value of the underlying security increases (or decreases) by a prenegotiated amount, however, the special expiration price option is canceled and becomes worthless. A portion of the dividends during the term of the option are applied to reduce the exercise price if the options are exercised. Brokerage commissions and other transaction costs will reduce these Funds profits if the special expiration price options are exercised. A Fund will not purchase special expiration price options with respect to more than 25% of the value of its net assets, and will limit premiums paid for such options in accordance with state securities laws.
Swap Contracts
Credit Swaps. Certain of the Funds may invest in credit default swaps and credit default index investments. Credit derivatives allow a Fund to manage credit risk through buying and selling credit protection on specific issuers or a basket of issuers. In a credit default swap, one party pays, in effect, an insurance premium through a stream of
payments to another party in exchange for the right to receive a specified return in the event of default (or similar events) by one or more third parties, such as a U.S. or foreign issuer or basket of such issuers, on their obligations. For example, as a purchaser of protection in a credit default swap, a Fund may pay a premium in return for the right to put specified bonds or loans to the counterparty upon issuer default (or similar events) at their par (or other agreed-upon) value. As a purchaser in a credit default swap, a Fund would have the risk that the investment might expire worthless. It also would involve counterparty risk the risk that the counterparty may fail to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund in the event of a default (or similar event). In addition, as a purchaser in a credit default swap, the Funds investment would only generate income in the event of an actual default (or similar event) by the issuer of the underlying obligation. As a seller of protection in a credit default swap, a Fund would in effect take a long position in the underlying security, since it would be obligated to purchase the security from its counterparty upon issuer default or similar events.
In addition, certain of the Funds may enter into interest rate swaps. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange between two parties of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest. For example, the Fund may agree with a counterparty to pay a fixed rate (multiplied by a notional amount) and the counterparty pay a floating rate multiplied by the same notional amount. Interest rate swaps can take a variety of other forms, such as agreements to pay the net differences between two different interest indexes or rates, even if the parties do not own the underlying instruments. The function of interest rate swaps is generally to increase or decrease a Funds exposure to long or short-term interest rates. For example, a Fund may enter into an interest rate swap transaction to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or a portion of its portfolio or to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date.
Fixed Income Total Return Swaps. Certain of the Funds may enter into total return swaps. Generally, a total return swap is an agreement between two parties, pursuant to which one pays (and the other receives) an amount equal to the total return of an underlying reference asset in exchange for a regular payment, at a fixed or floating rate or the total rate of return of another financial instrument. The payment amount typically includes, among other things, income and capital gains distributions, principal repayment or credit losses. Underlying reference assets typically include, among other things, a note, bond or a securities index. A Fund may take either side in a total return swap. That is, a Fund may receive or pay the total return on the underlying reference asset. A fixed income total return swap may be written on many different kinds of underlying reference assets, and may include different indices for various kinds of debt securities (for example, U.S. investment grade bonds, high yield bonds or emerging market bonds). A fixed income total return swap is similar to other kinds of swaps, such as interest rate swaps involving payment streams that are exchanged between a fund and the counterparty.
Futures Contracts. A Fund may enter into interest rate futures contracts and securities index futures contracts (collectively referred to as financial futures contracts) for hedging or other purposes. Interest rate futures contracts obligate the long or short holder to take or make delivery of a specified quantity of a financial instrument during a specified future period at a specified price. Securities index futures contracts, which are contracts to buy or sell units of a securities index at a specified future date at a price agreed upon when the contract is made, are similar in economic effect, but they are based on a specific index of securities (rather than on specified securities) and are settled in cash.
The following example illustrates generally the manner in which index futures contracts operate. The Standard & Poors 100 Stock Index (the S&P 100 Index) is composed of 100 selected common stocks, most of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the NYSE). The S&P 100 Index assigns relative weightings to the common stocks included in the Index, and the Index fluctuates with changes in the market values of those common stocks. In the case of the S&P 100 Index, contracts are to buy or sell 100 units. Thus, if the value of the S&P 100 Index were $180, one contract would be worth $18,000 (100 units x $180). The stock index futures contract specifies that no delivery of the actual stocks making up the index will take place. Instead, settlement in cash must occur upon the termination of the contract, with the settlement being the difference between the contract price and the actual level of the stock index at the expiration of the contract. For example, if a Fund enters into a futures contract to buy 100 units of the S&P 100 Index at a specified future date at a contract price of $180 and the S&P 100 Index is at $184 on that future date, the Fund will gain $400 (100 units x gain of $4). If the Fund enters into a futures contract to sell 100 units of the stock index at a specified future date at a contract price of $180 and the S&P 100 Index is at $182 on that future date, the Fund will lose $200 (100 units x loss of $2).
Positions in index futures may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market for such futures.
There are special risks associated with entering into financial futures contracts. The skills needed to use financial futures contracts effectively are different from those needed to select a Funds investments. There may be an imperfect correlation between the price movements of financial futures contracts and the price movements of the securities in which a Fund invests. There is also a risk that a Fund will be unable to close a futures position when desired because there is no liquid secondary market for it.
The risk of loss in trading financial futures can be substantial due to the low margin deposits required and the extremely high degree of leverage involved in futures pricing. Relatively small price movements in a financial futures contract could have an immediate and substantial impact, which may be favorable or unfavorable to a Fund. It is possible for a price-related loss to exceed the amount of a Funds margin deposit.
Although some financial futures contracts by their terms call for the actual delivery or acquisition of securities at expiration, in most cases the contractual commitment is closed out before expiration. The offsetting of a contractual obligation is accomplished by purchasing (or selling as the case may be) on a commodities or futures exchange an identical financial futures contract calling for delivery in the same month. Such a transaction, if effected through a member of an exchange, cancels the obligation to make or take delivery of the securities. A Fund will incur brokerage fees when it purchases or sells financial futures contracts, and will be required to maintain margin deposits. If a liquid secondary market does not exist when a Fund wishes to close out a financial futures contract, it will not be able to do so and will continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin in the event of adverse price movements.
Margin Payments. When a Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, it is required to deposit with its futures commission merchant or other clearing broker an amount of cash, U.S. Treasury bills, or other permissible collateral equal to a small percentage of the amount of the futures contract. This amount is known as initial margin. The nature of initial margin is different from that of margin in security transactions in that it does not involve borrowing money to finance transactions. Rather, initial margin is similar to a performance bond or good faith deposit that is returned to a Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming the Fund satisfies its contractual obligations.
Subsequent payments are received or made by a Fund, depending on the daily fluctuations in the values of the contract, in a process known as marking to market. These payments are called variation margin. For example, when a Fund sells a futures contract and the price of the underlying index rises above the delivery price, the Funds position declines in value. The Fund then pays the broker a variation margin payment equal to the difference between the delivery price of the futures contract and the value of the index underlying the futures contract. Conversely, if the price of the underlying index falls below the delivery price of the contract, the Funds futures position increases in value. The broker then must make a variation margin payment equal to the difference between the delivery price of the futures contract and the value of the index underlying the futures contract.
When a Fund terminates a position in a futures contract, a final determination of variation margin is made, additional cash is paid by or to the Fund, and the Fund realizes a loss or a gain. Such closing transactions involve additional commission costs.
Options on Financial Futures Contracts. A Fund may purchase and write call and put options on financial futures contracts. An option on a financial futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in an index futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the holder would assume the underlying futures position and would receive a variation margin payment of cash or securities approximating the increase in the value of the holders option position. If an option is exercised on the last trading day prior to the expiration date of the option, the settlement will be made entirely in cash based on the difference between the exercise price of the option and the closing level of the index on which the futures contract is based on the expiration date. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.
Special Risks of Transactions in Futures Contracts and Related Options. Financial futures contracts entail risks. If an Advisers judgment about the general direction of interest rates or markets is wrong, the Funds overall performance may be poorer than if no financial futures contracts had been entered into. For example, in some cases, securities called for by a financial futures contract may not have been issued at the time the contract was written. In addition, the market prices of financial futures contracts may be affected by certain factors.
Liquidity Risks. Positions in futures contracts may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market for such futures. Although the Funds intend to purchase or sell futures only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. If there is not a liquid secondary market at a particular time, it may not be possible to close a futures position at such time and, in the event of adverse price movements, a Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin. However, in the event financial futures are used to hedge portfolio securities, such securities will not generally be sold until the financial futures can be terminated. In such circumstances, an increase in the price of the portfolio securities, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the financial futures.
The ability to establish and close out positions in options on futures contracts will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid secondary market. It is not certain that such a market will develop. Although a Fund generally will purchase only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time. In the event no such market exists for particular options, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in such options, with the result that a Fund would have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit.
Hedging Risks. There are several risks in connection with the use by a Fund of futures contracts and related options as a hedging device. One risk arises because of the imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contracts and options and movements in the underlying securities or index or movements in the prices of a Funds securities which are the subject of a hedge. This risk may be reduced by purchasing and selling, to the extent possible, futures contracts and related options on securities and indexes the movements of which will generally correlate closely with movements in the prices of the underlying securities or index and the Funds portfolio securities sought to be hedged.
Successful use of futures contracts and options by a Fund for hedging purposes is also subject to an Advisers ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the market. It is possible that, where a Fund has purchased puts on futures contracts to hedge its portfolio against a decline in the market, the securities or index on which the puts are purchased may increase in value and the value of securities held in the portfolio may decline. If this occurred, the Fund would lose money on the puts and also experience a decline in the value of its portfolio securities. In addition, the prices of futures, for a number of reasons, may not correlate perfectly with movements in the underlying securities or index due to certain market distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit requirements. Such requirements may cause investors to close futures contracts through offsetting transactions which could distort the normal relationship between the underlying security or index and futures markets. Second, the margin requirements in the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets in general, and as a result the futures markets may attract more speculators than the securities markets do. Increased participation by speculators in the futures markets may also cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortion, even a correct forecast of general market trends by an Adviser still may not result in a successful hedging transaction over a very short time period.
Other Risks. A Fund will incur brokerage fees in connection with its futures and options transactions. In addition, while futures contracts and options on futures will be purchased and sold to reduce certain risks, those transactions themselves entail certain other risks. Thus, while a Fund may benefit from the use of futures and related options, unanticipated changes in interest rates or stock price movements may result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into any futures contracts or options transactions. Moreover, in the event of an imperfect correlation between the futures position and the portfolio position that is intended to be protected, the desired protection may not be obtained and the Fund may be exposed to risk of loss.
The risks associated with purchasing and writing put and call options on financial futures contracts can be influenced by the market for financial futures contracts. An increase in the market value of a financial futures
contract on which the Fund has written an option may cause the option to be exercised. In this situation, the benefit to a Fund would be limited to the value of the exercise price of the option and, if a Fund closes out the option, the cost of entering into the offsetting transaction could exceed the premium the Fund initially received for writing the option. In addition, a Funds ability to enter into an offsetting transaction depends upon the markets demand for such financial futures contracts. If a purchased option expires unexercised, a Fund would realize a loss in the amount of the premium paid for the option.
Each Fund has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the CEA (the exclusion) promulgated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC). Accordingly, neither the Funds nor the Adviser (with respect to the Funds) is subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the CEA. Each Funds ability to invest in certain financial instruments regulated under the CEA (commodity interests) (including, but not limited to, futures and swaps on broad-based securities indexes and interest rates) is limited by the Advisers intention to operate the Fund in a manner that would permit the Fund to continue to claim the exclusion under Rule 4.5, which may adversely affect the Funds total return. In the event a Fund becomes unable to rely on the exclusion in Rule 4.5 and the Adviser is required to register with the CFTC as a commodity pool operator with respect to a Fund, the Funds expenses may increase, adversely affecting that Funds total return.
Congress, various exchanges and regulatory and self-regulatory authorities have undertaken reviews of options and futures trading in light of market volatility. Among the actions that have been taken or proposed to be taken are new limits and reporting requirements for speculative positions, particularly in the energy markets, new or more stringent daily price fluctuation limits for futures and options transactions, and increased margin requirements for various types of futures transactions. Additional measures are under active consideration and as a result there may be further actions that adversely affect the regulation of the instruments in which the Funds invest.
Foreign Currency Transactions. A Fund may engage in currency exchange transactions to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign currency exchange rates and to increase current return.
There can be no assurance that appropriate foreign currency transactions will be available for a Fund at any time or that a Fund will enter into such transactions at any time or under any circumstances even if appropriate transactions are available to it.
When a Fund engages in foreign currency transactions for hedging purposes, it may engage in both transaction hedging and position hedging. When it engages in transaction hedging, a Fund enters into foreign currency transactions with respect to specific receivables or payables of the Fund generally arising in connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities. A Fund may engage in transaction hedging when it desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price of a security it has agreed to purchase or sell, or the U.S. dollar equivalent of a dividend or interest payment in a foreign currency. By transaction hedging, a Fund may attempt to protect against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the applicable foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold or on which the dividend or interest payment is declared, and the date on which such payments are made or received.
A Fund may purchase or sell a foreign currency on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the prevailing spot rate in connection with transaction hedging. A Fund may also enter into contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies at a future date (forward contracts) and purchase and sell foreign currency futures contracts.
For transaction hedging purposes, a Fund may also purchase exchange-listed and over-the-counter call and put options on foreign currency futures contracts and on foreign currencies. A put option on a futures contract gives a Fund the right to assume a short position in the futures contract until expiration of the option. A put option on currency gives a Fund the right to sell a currency at a specified exercise price until the expiration of the option. A call option on a futures contract gives a Fund the right to assume a long position in the futures contract until the expiration of the option. A call option on currency gives a Fund the right to purchase a currency at the exercise price until the expiration of the option.
When it engages in position hedging, a Fund enters into foreign currency exchange transactions to protect against a decline in the values of the foreign currencies in which securities held by the Fund are denominated or are quoted in
their principle trading markets or an increase in the value of currency for securities which the Fund expects to purchase. In connection with position hedging, a Fund may purchase put or call options on foreign currency and foreign currency futures contracts and buy or sell forward contracts and foreign currency futures contracts. A Fund may also purchase or sell foreign currency on a spot basis.
The precise matching of the amounts of foreign currency exchange transactions and the value of the portfolio securities involved will not generally be possible since the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the values of those securities between the dates the currency exchange transactions are entered into and the dates they mature.
It is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of a Funds portfolio securities at the expiration or maturity of a forward or futures contract. Accordingly, it may be necessary for a Fund to purchase additional foreign currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such purchase) if the market value of the security or securities being hedged is less than the amount of foreign currency a Fund is obligated to deliver and if a decision is made to sell the security or securities 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 or securities of a Fund if the market value of such security or securities exceeds the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver. To offset some of the costs of hedging against fluctuations in currency exchange rates, a Fund may write covered call options on those currencies.
Transaction and position hedging do not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities that a Fund owns or intends to purchase or sell. They simply establish a rate of exchange that one can achieve at some future point in time. Additionally, although these techniques tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result from the increase in the value of such currency.
A Fund may also seek to increase its current return by purchasing and selling foreign currency on a spot basis, by purchasing and selling options on foreign currencies and on foreign currency futures contracts, and by purchasing and selling foreign currency forward contracts.
The value of any currency, including U.S. dollars and foreign currencies, may be affected by complex political and economic factors applicable to the issuing country. In addition, the exchange rates of foreign currencies (and therefore the values of foreign currency options, forward contracts, and futures contracts) may be affected significantly, fixed, or supported directly or indirectly by U.S. and foreign government actions. Government intervention may increase risks involved in purchasing or selling foreign currency options, forward contracts, and futures contracts, since exchange rates may not be free to fluctuate in response to other market forces. Foreign governmental restrictions or taxes could result in adverse changes in the cost of acquiring or disposing of foreign currencies.
Currency Forward and Futures Contracts. A forward foreign currency exchange contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract as agreed by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. In the case of a cancelable forward contract, the holder has the unilateral right to cancel the contract at maturity by paying a specified fee. The contracts are traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades. A foreign currency futures contract is a standardized contract for the future delivery of a specified amount of a foreign currency at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract. Foreign currency futures contracts traded in the United States are designed by and traded on exchanges regulated by the CFTC, such as the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Forward foreign currency exchange contracts differ from foreign currency futures contracts in certain respects. For example, the maturity date of a forward contract may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, rather than a predetermined date in a given month. Forward contracts may be in any amounts agreed upon by the parties rather than predetermined amounts. Also, forward foreign exchange contracts are traded directly between currency traders so that no intermediary is required. A forward contract generally requires no margin or other deposit.
At the maturity of a forward or futures contract, a Fund may either accept or make delivery of the currency specified in the contract, or at or prior to maturity enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Closing transactions with respect to forward contracts are usually effected with the currency trader who is a party to the original forward contract. Closing transactions with respect to futures contracts are effected on a commodities exchange; a clearing corporation associated with the exchange assumes responsibility for closing out such contracts.
Positions in foreign currency futures contracts and related options may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market in such contracts or options. Although a Fund will normally purchase or sell foreign currency futures contracts and related options only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a secondary market on an exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or option or at any particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures or related option position and, in the event of adverse price movements, a Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin on its futures positions.
Foreign Currency Options. Options on foreign currencies operate similarly to options on securities, and are traded primarily in the over-the-counter market, although options on foreign currencies have been listed on several exchanges. There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular option at any specific time. Options on foreign currencies are affected by all of those factors which influence exchange rates and investments generally.
The value of a foreign currency option is dependent upon the value of the foreign currency and the U.S. dollar, and may have no relationship to the investment merits of a foreign security. Because foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market involve substantially larger amounts than those that may be involved in the use of foreign currency options, investors may be disadvantaged by having to deal in an odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots.
There is no systematic reporting of last-sale information for foreign currencies and there is no regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Available quotation information is generally representative of very large transactions in the interbank market and thus may not reflect relatively smaller transactions (less than $1 million) where rates may be less favorable. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global, around-the-clock market. To the extent that the U.S. options markets are closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open, significant price and rate movements may take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the U.S. options markets.
Foreign Currency Conversion. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for currency conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the spread) between prices at which they buy and sell various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to a Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should a Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.
Convertible Securities
Convertible securities include bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks, and other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for, at a specific price or formula within a particular period of time, a prescribed amount of common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or dividends paid or accrued on preferred stock until the security matures or is redeemed, converted, or exchanged.
The market value of a convertible security is a function of its investment value and its conversion value. A securitys investment value represents the value of the security without its conversion feature (i.e., a nonconvertible fixed income security). The investment value may be determined by reference to its credit quality and the current value of its yield to maturity or probable call date. At any given time, investment value is dependent upon such factors as the general level of interest rates, the yield of similar nonconvertible securities, the financial strength of the issuer and the seniority of the security in the issuers capital structure. A securitys conversion
value is determined by multiplying the number of shares the holder is entitled to receive upon conversion or exchange by the current price of the underlying security.
If the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly below its investment value, the convertible security will trade like nonconvertible debt or preferred stock and its market value will not be influenced greatly by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. Conversely, if the conversion value of a convertible security is near or above its investment value, the market value of the convertible security will be more heavily influenced by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security.
A Funds investments in convertible securities may at times include securities that have a mandatory conversion feature, pursuant to which the securities convert automatically into common stock or other equity securities at a specified date and a specified conversion ratio, or that are convertible at the option of the issuer. Because conversion of the security is not at the option of the holder, a Fund may be required to convert the security into the underlying common stock even at times when the value of the underlying common stock or other equity security has declined substantially.
A Funds investments in convertible securities, particularly securities that are convertible into securities of an issuer other than the issuer of the convertible security, may be illiquid. A Fund may not be able to dispose of such securities in a timely fashion or for a fair price, which could result in losses to the Fund.
Debt Securities
Corporate Obligations. Corporate debt obligations include bonds, debentures and notes. Debentures represent unsecured promises to pay, while notes and bonds may be secured by mortgages on real property or security interests in personal property. Bonds include, but are not limited to, debt instruments with maturities of approximately one year or more, debentures, mortgage-related securities, stripped government securities and zero coupon obligations. Bonds, notes and debentures in which the Funds may invest may differ in interest rates, maturities and times of issuance. The market value of a Funds fixed income investments will change in response to interest rate changes and other factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the values of outstanding fixed income securities generally rise. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the values of such securities generally decline. Moreover, while securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields, the price of longer maturity securities also are subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates.
Changes by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) in the rating of any fixed income security and in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal also affect the value of these investments. Except under conditions of default, changes in the value of a Funds securities will not affect cash income derived from these securities but may affect the Funds net asset value per share (NAV). Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition. See Appendix A to this SAI for a more detailed discussion of securities ratings.
Investment Grade and High Quality Securities. The Funds may invest in investment grade obligations, which are those that are rated at the time of purchase within the four highest rating categories assigned by an NRSRO or, if unrated, are obligations that the Adviser determines to be of comparable quality. The applicable securities ratings are described in Appendix A to this SAI. High-quality short-term obligations are those obligations that, at the time of purchase, (1) possess a rating in one of the two highest ratings categories from at least one NRSRO (for example, commercial paper rated A-1 or A-2 by Standard & Poors (S&P) or P-1 or P-2 by Moodys Investors Service (Moodys)) or (2) are unrated by an NRSRO but are determined by the Adviser to present minimal credit risks and to be of comparable quality to rated instruments eligible for purchase by the Funds under guidelines adopted by the Board.
Lower-Rated Debt Securities. A Fund may purchase lower-rated debt securities, sometimes referred to as junk bonds. For all of the Funds, a security will be considered to be below investment grade if it is rated Ba1 or lower by Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys) and BB+ or lower by Standard & Poors Ratings Group (S&P), or if
unrated, has been determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. See Appendix A for a description of these ratings.
The lower ratings of certain securities held by a Fund reflect a greater possibility that adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, or in general economic conditions, or both, or an unanticipated rise in interest rates, may impair the ability of the issuer to make payments of interest and principal. The inability (or perceived inability) of issuers to make timely payment of interest and principal would likely make the values of securities held by the Fund more volatile and could limit the Funds ability to sell its securities at prices approximating the values a Fund had placed on such securities. In the absence of a liquid trading market for securities held by it, the Fund may be unable at times to establish the fair market value of such securities. The rating assigned to a security by Moodys or S&P does not reflect an assessment of the volatility of the securitys market value or of the liquidity of an investment in the security.
Like those of other fixed-income securities, the values of lower-rated securities fluctuate in response to changes in interest rates. Thus, a decrease in interest rates generally will result in an increase in the value of a Funds fixed-income securities. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the value of a Funds fixed-income securities generally will decline. Securities with floating interest rates (which are typically lower-rated securities) generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much as interest rates in general. However, extreme increases in prevailing interest rates may cause an increase in floating rate security issuer defaults, which may cause a further decline in a Funds value. A decrease in interest rates could adversely affect the income earned by a Fund from its floating rate securities. In addition, the values of lower-rated securities are also affected by changes in general economic conditions and business conditions affecting the specific industries of their issuers. Changes by recognized rating services in their ratings of any fixed-income security and in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal may also affect the value of these investments.
Changes in the values of portfolio securities generally will not affect cash income derived from such securities, but will affect the Funds NAV.
Issuers of lower-rated securities are often highly leveraged, so that their ability to service their debt obligations during an economic downturn or during sustained periods of rising interest rates may be impaired. In addition, such issuers may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them, and may be unable to repay debt at maturity by refinancing. The risk of loss due to default in payment of interest or principal by such issuers is significantly greater because such securities frequently are unsecured and subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. Certain of the lower-rated securities in which a Fund may invest are issued to raise funds in connection with the acquisition of a company, in so-called leveraged buy-out transactions. The highly leveraged capital structure of such issuers may make them especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions.
Under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, a Fund could find it more difficult to sell lower-rated securities or may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than might otherwise be available. In many cases, lower-rated securities may be purchased in private placements and, accordingly, will be subject to restrictions on resale as a matter of contract or under securities laws. Under such circumstances, it may also be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing a Funds NAV. In order to enforce its rights in the event of a default under lower-rated securities, a Fund may be required to take possession of and manage assets securing the issuers obligations on such securities, which may increase the Funds operating expenses and adversely affect the Funds NAV. A Fund may also be limited in its ability to enforce its rights and may incur greater costs in enforcing its rights in the event an issuer becomes the subject of bankruptcy proceedings. In addition, the Funds intention to qualify as regulated investment companies under the Code may limit the extent to which a Fund may exercise its rights by taking possession of such assets.
Certain securities held by a Fund may permit the issuer at its option to call, or redeem, its securities. If an issuer were to redeem securities held by a Fund during a time of declining interest rates, the Fund may not be able to reinvest the proceeds in securities providing the same investment return as the securities redeemed.
Lower rated securities may be subject to certain risks not typically associated with investment grade securities, such as the following: (1) reliable and objective information about the value of lower rated obligations may be difficult to obtain because the market for such securities may be thinner and less active than that for investment
grade obligations; (2) adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of lower than investment grade obligations, and, in turn, adversely affect their market; (3) companies that issue lower rated obligations may be in the growth stage of their development, or may be financially troubled or highly leveraged, so they may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them; (4) when other institutional investors dispose of their holdings of lower rated debt securities, the general market and the prices for such securities could be adversely affected; and (5) the market for lower rated securities could be impaired if legislative proposals to limit their use in connection with corporate reorganizations or to limit their tax and other advantages are enacted.
Convertible and Exchangeable Debt Obligations. A convertible debt obligation is typically a bond or preferred stock that may be converted at a stated price within a specified period of time into a specified number of shares of common stock of the same or a different issuer. Convertible debt obligations are usually senior to common stock in a corporations capital structure, but usually are subordinate to similar non-convertible debt obligations. While providing a fixed income stream (generally higher in yield than the income derivable from a common stock but lower than that afforded by a similar non-convertible debt obligation), a convertible debt obligation also affords an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the common stock into which it is convertible.
An exchangeable debt obligation is debt that is redeemable in either cash or a specified number of common shares of a company different from the issuing company. Exchangeable debt obligations have characteristics and risks similar to those of convertible debt obligations and behave in the market place the same way as convertible debt obligations.
In general, the market value of a convertible debt obligation is at least the higher of its investment value (i.e., its value as a fixed income security) or its conversion value (i.e., the value of the underlying share of common stock if the security is converted). As a fixed-income security, a convertible debt obligation tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and tends to decrease in value when interest rates rise. However, the price of a convertible debt obligation also is influenced by the market value of the securitys underlying common stock. Thus, the price of a convertible debt obligation tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock increases, and tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying stock declines. While no securities investment is without some risk, investments in convertible debt obligations generally entail less risk than investments in the common stock of the same issuer.
Securities received upon conversion of convertible debt obligations or upon exercise of call options or warrants forming elements of synthetic convertibles (described below) may be retained temporarily to permit orderly disposition or to defer realization of gain or loss for federal tax purposes, and will be included in calculating the amount of the Funds total assets invested in true and synthetic convertibles.
The Funds may invest in securities convertible into common stock, such as convertible bonds, convertible notes, and convertible preferred stocks. In making investment decisions involving convertible securities, the Adviser considers the attractiveness of the underlying common stock, the financial condition of the issuer, the effect on portfolio diversification, equity sensitivity or delta, current income or yield, upside/downside analysis (how the Adviser expects the convertible security to perform over a given time period given a change in the underlying common stock), convertible valuation (convertible price relative to its theoretical value), and the liquidity of the security.
Short-Term Corporate Obligations. Corporations and other business organizations may issue short-term obligations in order to finance their short-term credit needs. Corporate bonds in which a Fund may invest generally consist of those rated in the two highest rating categories of an NRSRO that possess many favorable investment attributes. In the lower end of this category, credit quality may be more susceptible to potential future changes in circumstances.
Demand Features. A Fund may acquire securities that are subject to puts and standby commitments (demand features) to purchase the securities at their principal amount (usually with accrued interest) within a fixed period (usually seven days) following a demand by the Fund. The demand feature may be issued by the issuer of the underlying securities, a dealer in the securities or by another third party, and may not be transferred separately from the underlying security. A Fund uses these arrangements to obtain liquidity and not to protect against changes in the market value of the underlying securities. The bankruptcy, receivership or default by the issuer of the demand
feature, or a default on the underlying security or other event that terminates the demand feature before its exercise, will adversely affect the liquidity of the underlying security. Demand features that are exercisable even after a payment default on the underlying security may be treated as a form of credit enhancement.
Bankers Acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, typically drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are accepted by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Bankers acceptances will be those guaranteed by domestic and foreign banks, if at the time of purchase such banks have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (as of the date of their most recently published financial statements).
Certificates of Deposit (CDs) are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank or a savings and loan association for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. A Fund may invest in CDs and demand and time deposits of domestic and foreign banks and savings and loan associations, if (a) at the time of purchase such financial institutions have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (as of the date of their most recently published financial statements) or (b) the principal amount of the instrument is insured in full by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the FDIC) or the Savings Association Insurance Fund.
Eurodollar CDs are U.S. dollar-denominated CDs issued by branches of foreign and domestic banks located outside the United States. Eurodollar time deposits are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in a foreign branch of a U.S. bank or a foreign bank.
Yankee CDs are issued by a U.S. branch of a foreign bank denominated in U.S. dollars and held in the U.S.
Canadian Time Deposits are U.S. dollar-denominated CDs issued by Canadian offices of major Canadian banks.
Commercial Paper is comprised of unsecured promissory notes, usually issued by corporations. Except as noted below with respect to variable amount master demand notes, issues of commercial paper normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return. In addition to corporate issuers, borrowers that issue municipal securities also may issue tax-exempt commercial paper. The Funds will purchase only commercial paper that is rated, at the time of purchase, in one of the two highest rating categories by at least one 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.
Short-Term Funding Agreements. Short-term funding agreements (sometimes referred to as guaranteed investment contracts or GICs) are issued by insurance companies. Pursuant to such agreements, a Fund makes cash contributions to a deposit fund of the insurance companys general account. The insurance company then credits the Fund, on a monthly basis, guaranteed interest that is based on an index. The short-term funding agreement provides that this guaranteed interest will not be less than a certain minimum rate. Because the principal amount of a short-term funding agreement may not be received from the insurance company on seven days notice or less, the agreement is considered to be an illiquid investment and subject to the restrictions on investing in illiquid securities. In determining dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity, a short-term funding agreement will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period of time remaining until the next readjustment of the guaranteed interest rate.
Extendible Debt Securities are securities that can be retired at the option of a Fund at various dates prior to maturity. In calculating average portfolio maturity, a Fund may treat extendible debt securities as maturing on the next optional retirement date.
The London Interbank Offer Rate (LIBOR). Many financial instruments may be tied to LIBOR to determine payment obligations, financing terms, hedging strategies, or investment value. LIBOR is the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. On July 27, 2017, the head of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority announced a desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. Regulators and industry working groups have suggested alternative reference rates, but global consensus is lacking and the process for amending existing contracts or instruments to transition away from LIBOR remains unclear. There also remains uncertainty and risk regarding the willingness and ability of issuers to include enhanced provisions in new and existing contracts or instruments. As such, the transition away from LIBOR may lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that are tied to LIBOR, reduced values of LIBOR-related investments, and reduced effectiveness of hedging strategies, adversely affecting a Funds performance or net asset value. In addition, the alternative reference rate may be an ineffective substitute resulting in prolonged adverse market conditions for a Fund.
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities
Mortgage-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) and certain stripped mortgage-backed securities, represent a participation in, or are secured by, mortgage loans. Asset-backed securities are structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements. The cash flow generated by the underlying assets is applied to make required payments on the securities and to pay related administrative expenses. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a particular issue of asset-backed or mortgage-backed securities depends on, among other things, the characteristics of the underlying assets, the coupon rates on the securities, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the actual prepayment experience on the underlying assets. In general, the collateral supporting asset-backed securities is of a shorter maturity than mortgage loans and is likely to experience substantial prepayments.
Mortgage-backed securities have yield and maturity characteristics corresponding to the underlying assets. Unlike traditional debt securities, which may pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount comes due, payments on certain mortgage-backed securities include both interest and a partial repayment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, repayments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing, or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans. If property owners make unscheduled prepayments of their mortgage loans, these prepayments will result in early payment of the applicable mortgage-backed securities. In that event, a Fund may be unable to invest the proceeds from the early payment of the mortgage-backed securities in an investment that provides as high a yield as the mortgage-backed securities. Consequently, early payment associated with mortgage-backed securities may cause these securities to experience significantly greater price and yield volatility than that experienced by traditional fixed-income securities. The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by factors including the level of interest rates, general economic conditions, the location and age of the mortgage, and other social and demographic conditions. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments tends to increase, thereby tending to decrease the life of mortgage-backed securities. During periods of rising interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments usually decreases, thereby tending to increase the life of mortgage-backed securities. If the life of a mortgage-backed security is inaccurately predicted, a Fund may not be able to realize the rate of return it expected.
Adjustable rate mortgage securities (ARMs), like traditional mortgage-backed securities, are interests in pools of mortgage loans that provide investors with payments consisting of both principal and interest as mortgage loans in the underlying mortgage pool are paid off by the borrowers. Unlike fixed-rate mortgage-backed securities, ARMs are collateralized by or represent interests in mortgage loans with variable rates of interest. These interest rates are reset at periodic intervals, usually by reference to an interest rate index or market interest rate. Although the rate adjustment feature may act as a buffer to reduce sharp changes in the value of adjustable rate securities, these securities are still subject to changes in value based on, among other things, changes in market interest rates or changes in the issuers creditworthiness. Because the interest rates are reset only periodically, changes in the interest rate on ARMs may lag changes in prevailing market interest rates. Also, some ARMs (or the underlying mortgages) are subject to caps or floors that limit the maximum change in the interest rate during a specified period or over the life of the security. As a result, changes in the interest rate on an ARM may not fully reflect changes in prevailing market interest rates during certain periods.
The Fund may also invest in hybrid ARMs, whose underlying mortgages combine fixed-rate and adjustable rate features.
Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities are less effective than other types of securities as a means of locking in attractive long-term interest rates. One reason is the need to reinvest prepayments of principal; another is the possibility of significant unscheduled prepayments resulting from declines in interest rates. These prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. The automatic interest rate adjustment feature of mortgages underlying ARMs likewise reduces the ability to lock in attractive rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of the Funds.
At times, some mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities will have higher than market interest rates and therefore will be purchased at a premium above their par value. Prepayments may cause losses on securities purchased at a premium.
The risks associated with other asset-backed securities (including in particular the risks of issuer default and of early prepayment) are generally similar to those described above for mortgage-backed securities. In addition, because certain asset-backed securities do not have the benefit of a security interest in the underlying assets, these asset-backed securities present certain additional risks that are not present with asset-backed securities that do have the benefit of a security interest, such as mortgage-backed securities. The risks of investing in asset-backed securities are ultimately dependent upon payment of the underlying instruments by the obligors, and a Fund would generally have no recourse against the obligee of the instruments in the event of default by an obligor.
Asset-backed securities may be collateralized by the fees earned by service providers. The values of asset-backed securities may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset and are therefore subject to risks associated with the negligence or malfeasance by their servicers and to the credit risk of their servicers. In certain circumstances, the mishandling of related documentation may also affect the rights of the security holders in and to the underlying collateral. The insolvency of entities that generate receivables or that utilize the assets may result in added costs and delays in addition to losses associated with a decline in the value of the underlying assets.
CMOs may be issued by a U.S. Government agency or instrumentality or by a private issuer. Although payment of the principal of, and interest on, the underlying collateral securing privately issued CMOs may be guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities, these CMOs represent obligations solely of the private issuer and are not insured or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or any other person or entity.
Prepayments could cause early retirement of CMOs. CMOs are designed to reduce the risk of prepayment for certain investors by issuing multiple classes of securities, each having different maturities, interest rates and payment schedules, and with the principal and interest on the underlying mortgages allocated among the several classes in various ways. Payment of interest or principal on some classes or series of CMOs may be subject to contingencies or some classes or series may bear some or all of the risk of default on the underlying mortgages. CMOs of different classes or series are generally retired in sequence as the underlying mortgage loans in the mortgage pool are repaid. If enough mortgages are repaid ahead of schedule, the classes or series of a CMO with the earliest maturities generally will be retired prior to their maturities. Thus, the early retirement of particular classes or series of a CMO would have the same effect as the prepayment of mortgages underlying other mortgage-backed securities. Conversely, slower than anticipated prepayments can extend the effective maturities of CMOs, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing their volatility.
Prepayments could result in losses on stripped mortgage-backed securities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities are usually structured with two classes that receive different portions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool
of mortgage loans. The yield to maturity on an interest only (IO) class of stripped mortgage-backed securities is extremely sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying assets. A rapid rate of principal prepayments may have a measurable adverse effect on a Funds yield to maturity to the extent it invests in IOs. If the assets underlying the IO experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup fully, or at all, its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, principal only (PO) securities tend to increase in value if prepayments are greater than anticipated and decline if prepayments are slower than anticipated. The secondary market for stripped mortgage-backed securities may be more volatile and less liquid than that for other mortgage-backed securities, potentially limiting a Funds ability to buy or sell those securities at any particular time.
Subprime mortgage loans, which typically are made to less creditworthy borrowers, have a higher risk of default than conventional mortgage loans. Therefore, mortgage-backed securities backed by subprime mortgage loans may suffer significantly greater declines in value due to defaults or the increased risk of default.
Federal, state, and local government officials and representatives as well as certain private parties have proposed actions to assist homeowners who own or occupy property subject to mortgages. Certain of those proposals involve actions that would likely affect the mortgages that underlie or relate to certain mortgage-backed securities, including securities or other instruments which a Fund may hold or in which it may invest. Some of those proposals include, among other things, lowering or forgiving principal balances; forbearing, lowering or eliminating interest payments; or utilizing eminent domain powers to seize mortgages, potentially for below market compensation. The prospective or actual implementation of one or more of these proposals may significantly and adversely affect the value and liquidity of securities held by a Fund and could cause a Funds NAV to decline, potentially significantly. Significant uncertainty remains in the market concerning the resolution of these issues; the range of proposals and the potential implications of any implemented solution are impossible to predict.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs) and Multiclass Pass-Through Securities
CMOs are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities. CMOs may be collateralized by Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) certificates, but also may be collateralized by whole loans or private mortgage pass-through securities (such collateral is collectively hereinafter referred to as Mortgage Assets). Mortgage Assets may be collateralized by commercial or residential uses. Multiclass pass-through securities are equity interests in a trust composed of Mortgage Assets. Payments of principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets, and any reinvestment income thereon, may require a Fund to pay debt service on the CMOs or make scheduled distributions on the multiclass pass-through securities. CMOs may be issued by federal agencies, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. The issuer of a series of mortgage pass-through securities may elect to be treated as a Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit (REMIC). REMICs include governmental and/or private entities that issue a fixed pool of mortgages secured by an interest in real property. REMICs are similar to CMOs in that they issue multiple classes of securities, but unlike CMOs, which are required to be structured as debt securities, REMICs may be structured as indirect ownership interests in the underlying assets of the REMICs themselves. Although CMOs and REMICs differ in certain respects, the characteristics of CMOs described below apply in most cases to REMICs, as well.
In a CMO, a series of bonds or certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a tranche, is issued at a specific fixed or floating coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on the Mortgage Assets may cause the CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their stated maturities or final distribution dates. Interest is paid or accrues on all classes of the CMOs on a monthly, quarterly, or semiannual basis. Certain CMOs may have variable or floating interest rates and others may be stripped mortgage securities.
The principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the several classes of a CMO series in a number of different ways. Generally, the purpose of the allocation of the cash flow of a CMO to the various classes is to obtain a more predictable cash flow to certain of the individual tranches than exists with the underlying collateral of the CMO. As a general rule, the more predictable the cash flow is on a CMO tranche, the lower the
anticipated yield will be on that tranche at the time of issuance relative to prevailing market yields on other mortgage-backed securities. As part of the process of creating more predictable cash flows on most of the tranches in a series of CMOs, one or more tranches generally must be created that absorb most of the volatility in the cash flows on the underlying mortgage loans. The yields on these tranches are generally higher than prevailing market yields on mortgage-backed securities with similar maturities. As a result of the uncertainty of the cash flows of these tranches, the market prices of and yield on these tranches generally are more volatile.
Government Mortgage Pass-Through Securities
A Fund may invest in mortgage pass-through securities representing participation interests in pools of residential mortgage loans purchased from individual lenders by an agency, instrumentality, or sponsored corporation of the U.S. Government (Federal Agency) or originated by private lenders and guaranteed, to the extent provided in such securities, by a Federal Agency. Although a Fund may hold securities that carry Federal Agency guarantees, these guarantees do not extend to shares of the Fund itself and do not guarantee the market prices of the securities. Such securities, which are ownership interests in the underlying mortgage loans, differ from conventional debt securities, which provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts (usually semiannually) and principal payments at payments (not necessarily in fixed amounts) that are a pass-through of the monthly interest and principal payments (including any prepayments) made by the individual borrowers on the pooled mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the guarantor of such securities and the servicer of the underlying mortgage loans.
The government mortgage pass-through securities in which a Fund may invest include those issued or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac. Ginnie Mae certificates are direct obligations of the U.S. Government and, as such, are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Fannie Mae is a federally chartered, privately owned corporation and Freddie Mac is a corporate instrumentality of the United States. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac certificates are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States but the issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from an existing line of credit with the U.S. Treasury. The U.S. Treasury has no legal obligation to provide such line of credit and may choose not to do so.
Certificates for these types of mortgage-backed securities evidence an interest in a specific pool of mortgages. These certificates are, in most cases, modified pass-through instruments, wherein the issuing agency guarantees the payment of principal and interest on mortgages underlying the certificates, whether or not such amounts are collected by the issuer on the underlying mortgages.
The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to support Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) (collectively, the GSEs) by purchasing obligations and other securities from those government-sponsored enterprises. HERA gave the Secretary of the Treasury broad authority to determine the conditions and amounts of such purchases.
On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship. As the conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers, and privileges of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and of any stockholder, officer or director of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with respect to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the assets of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. There may be proposals from the U.S. Congress or other branches of the U.S. Government regarding the conservatorship, including regarding reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or other GSEs or winding down their operations, which may or may not come to fruition. There can be no assurance that such proposals, even those that are not adopted, will not adversely affect the values of a Funds assets.
In connection with the conservatorship, the U.S. Treasury, exercising powers granted to it under HERA, entered into senior preferred stock purchase agreements (SPSPA) with each of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pursuant to which the U.S. Treasury will purchase up to an aggregate of $100 billion of each of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to maintain a positive net worth in each enterprise. Each 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. On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced further amendments to the SPSPAs which included additional financial support for each GSE through the end of 2012 and changes to the limits on their retained mortgage portfolios. Although legislation has been enacted to support certain GSEs, including the FHLBs, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae, there is no assurance that GSE obligations will be satisfied in full, or that such obligations will not decrease in value or default. It is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the future political, regulatory, or economic changes that could impact the GSEs and the values of their related securities or obligations.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remain liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. The SPSPAs are intended to enhance each of Fannie Maes and Freddie Macs ability to meet its obligations.
Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (the Reform Act), which was included as part of HERA, FHFA, as conservator or receiver, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac 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 Fannie Maes or Freddie Macs 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 Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac 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 Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, 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 Fannie Maes or Freddie Macs available assets. 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 Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac 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 Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac 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 Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac 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 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac 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 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac 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 Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, 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 Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac as trustee if the requisite percentage of mortgage-backed security 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 Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac is a party, or obtain possession of or exercise control over any property of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, or affect any contractual rights of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, 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.
Trust-Preferred Securities
Trust-preferred (or capital) securities, which are issued by entities such as special purpose bank subsidiaries, currently are permitted to treat the interest payments as a tax-deductible cost. Capital securities, which have no voting rights, have a final stated maturity date and a fixed schedule for periodic payments. In addition, capital securities have provisions which afford preference over common and preferred stock upon liquidation, although the securities are subordinated to other, more senior debt securities of the same issuer. The issuers of these securities retain the right to defer interest payments for a period of up to five years, although interest continues to accrue cumulatively. The deferral of payments may not exceed the stated maturity date of the securities themselves. The non-payment of deferred interest at the end of the permissible period will be treated as an incidence of default. At the present time, the Internal Revenue Service (the IRS) treats capital securities as debt. In the event that the tax treatment of interest payments of these types of securities is modified, a Fund will reconsider the appropriateness of continued investment in these securities.
Some of a Funds investments may have variable interest rates. When an instrument provides for periodic adjustments to its interest rate, fluctuations in principal value may be minimized. However, changes in the coupon rate can lag behind changes in market rates, which may adversely affect a Funds performance.
Income Deposit Securities
Each income deposit security (IDS) represents two separate securities, shares of common stock and subordinated notes issued by the same company, that are combined into one unit that trades like a stock on an exchange. Holders of IDSs receive dividends on the common shares and interest at a fixed rate on the subordinated notes to produce a blended yield. An IDS is typically listed on a stock exchange, but the underlying securities typically are not listed on the exchange until a period of time after the listing of the IDS or upon the occurrence of certain events (e.g., a change of control of the issuer of the IDS). When the underlying securities are listed, the holders of IDSs generally have the right to separate the components of the IDSs and trade them separately.
There may be a thinner and less active market for IDSs than that available for other securities. The value of an IDS will be affected by factors generally affecting common stock and subordinated debt securities, including the issuers actual or perceived ability to pay interest and principal on the notes and pay dividends on the stock.
The U.S. federal income tax treatment of IDSs is not entirely clear and there is no authority that directly addresses the tax treatment of securities with terms substantially similar to IDSs. Among other things, although it is expected that the subordinated notes portion of an IDS will be treated as debt, if it is characterized as equity rather than debt, then interest paid on the notes could be treated as dividends (to the extent paid out of the issuers earnings and profits). Such dividends would not likely qualify for favorable long-term capital gains rates currently available to dividends on other types of equity.
Indexed Securities
Certain of the Funds may purchase securities whose prices are indexed to the prices of other securities, securities indices, currencies, precious metals or other commodities, or other financial indicators. Indexed securities typically, but not always, are debt securities or deposits whose value at maturity or coupon rate is determined by reference to a specific instrument or statistic. Gold-indexed securities, for example, typically provide for a maturity value that depends on the price of gold, resulting in a security whose price tends to rise and fall together with gold prices. Currency-indexed securities typically are short-term to intermediate-term debt securities whose maturity values or interest rates are determined by reference to the values of one or more specified foreign currencies, and may offer higher yields than U.S. dollar-denominated securities of equivalent issuers. Currency-indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed; that is, their maturity value may increase when the specified currency value increases, resulting in a security whose price characteristics are similar to a put option on the underlying currency. Currency-indexed securities also may have prices that depend on the values of a number of different foreign currencies relative to each other.
The performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on the performance of the security, currency, commodity or other instrument to which they are indexed, and also may be influenced by interest rate changes in the
U.S. and abroad. At the same time, indexed securities are subject to the credit risks associated with the issuer of the security, and their values may decline substantially if the issuers creditworthiness deteriorates. Issuers of indexed securities include, among others, banks, corporations, and certain U.S. Government agencies.
Dollar Roll and Reverse Repurchase Transactions
In a dollar roll transaction, a Fund sells mortgage-backed securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to purchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date from the same party. In a dollar roll, the securities that are to be purchased will be of the same type and have the same interest rate as the sold securities, but will be supported by different pools of mortgages. A Fund that engages in a dollar roll forgoes principal and interest paid on the sold securities during the roll period, but is compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the lower forward price for the future purchase. In addition, a Fund earns interest by investing the transaction proceeds during the roll period.
Certain of the Funds may enter into mortgage-dollar-roll transactions in which a Fund buys mortgage-backed securities from a dealer pursuant to a to-be-announced (TBA) transaction and simultaneously agrees to sell similar securities in the future at a predetermined price. A TBA transaction is an agreement to buy or sell mortgage-backed securities with agreed-upon characteristics (face amount, coupon, maturity) for settlement at a future date. The securities bought in mortgage-dollar-roll transactions are used to cover an open TBA sell position. A Fund that engages in such a transaction continues to earn interest on mortgage-backed security pools already held and receives a lower price on the securities to be sold in the future. A Fund may enter into TBA sells to reduce its exposure to the mortgage-backed securities market or in order to dispose of mortgage-backed securities it owns under delayed-delivery arrangements.
In a reverse repurchase agreement transaction, a Fund sells securities to a bank or securities dealer and agrees to repurchase them at an agreed time and price. During the period between the sale and the forward purchase, the Fund will continue to receive principal and interest payments on the securities sold. A Fund may also receive interest income similar to that received in the case of dollar rolls.
A Fund will normally use the proceeds of dollar roll and reverse repurchase agreement transactions to maintain offsetting positions in securities or repurchase agreements that mature on or before the settlement date for the related dollar roll or reverse repurchase agreement. The market value of securities sold under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll is typically greater than the amount to be paid for the related forward commitment. Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls involve the risk that the buyer of the sold securities might be unable to deliver them when a Fund seeks to repurchase the securities. If the buyer files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its representative may ask for and receive an extension of time to decide whether to enforce the Funds repurchase obligation. A Funds use of the transaction proceeds may be restricted pending such decision.
Whenever a Fund enters into a dollar roll or reverse repurchase agreement transaction, it will earmark or otherwise segregate liquid assets equal to the forward commitment or repurchase obligation (principal plus accrued interest), as applicable. Earmarking or otherwise segregating assets may limit a Funds ability to pursue other investment opportunities. Since a Fund will receive interest on the securities or repurchase agreements in which it invests the transaction proceeds, dollar rolls and reverse repurchase agreements will involve leverage.
When-Issued or Delayed-Delivery Transactions
In when-issued or delayed-delivery transactions, a Fund commits to purchase or sell particular securities, with payment and delivery to take place at a future date. Although a Fund does not pay for the securities or start earning interest on them until they are delivered, it immediately assumes the risks of ownership, including the risk of price fluctuation. If a Funds counterparty fails to deliver a security purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, there may be a loss, and the Fund may have missed an opportunity to make an alternative investment.
Prior to settlement of these transactions, the value of the subject securities will fluctuate, reflecting interest rate changes. In addition, because the Fund is not required to pay for when-issued or delayed-delivery securities until the delivery date, they may result in a form of leverage to the extent the Fund does not maintain liquid assets equal to the face amount of the contract.
Loans
Certain of the Funds may invest in loans including, for example, corporate loans, loan participations, direct debt, bank debt and bridge debt. A Fund may invest in a loan by lending money to a borrower directly as part of a syndicate of lenders. Alternatively, a Fund may invest in loans through novations, assignments and participating interests. In a novation, a Fund typically assumes all of the rights of a lending institution in a loan, including the right to receive payments of principal and interest and other amounts directly from the borrower and to enforce its rights as a lender directly against the borrower. When a Fund takes an assignment of a loan or acquires a participation interest in a loan, the Fund acquires some or all of the interest of another lender (or assignee) in the loan. In such cases, the Fund may be required generally to rely upon the assignor or participating institution to demand payment and enforce rights under the loan. (There may be one or more assignors or participating institutions prior in time to the Fund.)
Loans in which a Fund may invest are subject generally to the same risks as debt securities in which the Fund may invest. In addition, loans in which a Fund may invest, including bridge loans, are generally made to finance internal growth, mergers, acquisitions, stock repurchases, leveraged buy-outs and other corporate activities, including bridge loans. A significant portion of the loans purchased by a Fund may represent interests in loans made to finance highly leveraged corporate acquisitions, known as leveraged buy-out transactions, leveraged recapitalization loans and other types of acquisition financing. The highly leveraged capital structure of the borrowers in such transactions may make such loans especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic or market conditions. Further, loans and other forms of direct indebtedness may not be considered securities for certain purposes under the federal securities laws, and purchasers, such as the Fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud and misrepresentation protections of the federal securities laws.
Loans generally are subject to restrictions on transfer, and only limited opportunities may exist to sell loans in secondary markets. As a result, a Fund may be unable to sell loans at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or may be able to sell them only at a price that is less than their fair market value.
If a Fund only acquires a participation in the loan made by a third party, the Fund may not be able to control the exercise of any remedies that the lender would have under the loan. In addition, a Fund may have to rely on the lender that sold the participation to demand and receive payments in respect of the loans, and to pay those amounts on to the Fund; the Fund will be subject to the risk that the lender that sold the participation may be unwilling or unable to do so. In such a case, the Fund would not likely have any rights over against the borrower directly.
Certain of the loans acquired by a Fund may involve revolving credit facilities under which a borrower may from time to time borrow and repay amounts up to the maximum amount of the facility. In such cases, the Fund would have an obligation to advance its portion of such additional borrowings upon the terms specified in the loan participation. A Fund may be required to fund such advances at times and in circumstances where the Fund might not otherwise choose to make a loan to the borrower.
The value of collateral, if any, securing a loan can decline, or may be insufficient to meet the borrowers obligations or difficult to liquidate. In addition, a Funds access to collateral may be limited by bankruptcy or other insolvency laws. If a secured loan is foreclosed, a Fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, under legal theories of lender liability, a Fund potentially might be held liable as a co-lender.
Repurchase Agreements
A repurchase agreement is a contract under which the Fund acquires a security for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week) subject to the obligation of the seller to repurchase and the Fund to resell such security at a fixed time and price (representing the Funds cost plus interest). Repurchase agreements may also be viewed as loans made by a Fund which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. The value of the underlying securities in such transactions will be at least equal at all times to the total amount of the repurchase obligation, including the interest factor. If the seller defaults, a Fund could realize a loss on the sale of the underlying security to the extent that the proceeds of sale including accrued interest are less than the resale price provided in the agreement including interest. In addition, if the seller should be involved in bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, a Fund may
incur delay and costs in selling the underlying security or may suffer a loss of principal and interest if the Fund is treated as an unsecured creditor and required to return the underlying collateral to the sellers estate.
To the extent that a Fund has invested a substantial portion of its assets in repurchase agreements, the Funds investment return on such assets, and potentially the Funds ability to achieve its investment objectives, will depend on the counterparties willingness and ability to perform their obligations under the repurchase agreements.
U.S. Government Agency and Instrumentality Securities
U.S. government agency securities are debt obligations issued by agencies or authorities controlled by and acting as instrumentalities of the U.S. government established under authority granted by Congress. U.S. government agency obligations include, but are not limited to, those issued by the Bank for Co-operatives, FHLBs, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, and Fannie Mae. U.S. government instrumentality obligations include, but are not limited to, those issued by the Export-Import Bank and Farmers Home Administration. Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; others, by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; others, by discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and others, only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to such U.S. government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities in the future, since it is not obligated to do so by law. To the extent a Fund invests in U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such investments may involve a greater risk of loss of principal and interest since the Fund must look principally or solely to the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality for repayment.
U.S. Treasury Bills. U.S. Treasury Bills are issued with maturities of up to one year. Three month bills are currently offered by the Treasury on a 13-week cycle and are auctioned each week by the Treasury. Bills are issued in bearer form only and are sold only on a discount basis, and the difference between the purchase price and the maturity value (or the resale price if they are sold before maturity) constitutes the interest income for the investor. Although a Fund may hold securities that carry U.S. government guarantees, these guarantees do not extend to shares of the Fund itself and do not guarantee the market prices of the securities.
Interfund Borrowing and Lending
Certain funds in the Victory Funds Complex 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 will 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 its 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 restrictions or non-fundamental policies.
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.
Securities Lending
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 equal to 102% of the market value of the loaned securities, plus any interest due in the form of cash or U.S. government obligations. This collateral must be valued daily and, should the market value of the loaned securities increase, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to a Fund sufficient to maintain the value of the collateral equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. The lending agent receives a pre-negotiated percentage of the net earnings on the investment of the collateral. A Fund will not lend portfolio securities to: (a) any affiliated person (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of any Fund; (b) any affiliated person of the Adviser; or (c) any affiliated person of such an affiliated person. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay 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.
Short Sales
Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security it does not own. To complete such a transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund then is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at or prior to the time of replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is required to repay the lender any dividends or interest that accrue during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, the Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The net proceeds of the short sale will typically be retained by the broker until the short position is closed out. The Fund also will incur transaction costs in effecting short sales, including the cost of making the lender whole for any dividends or interest paid on the securities during the period of the loan.
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 generally realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the premium, dividends, interest, or expenses the Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. An increase in the value of a security sold short by a Fund over the price at which it was sold short will result in a loss to the Fund. There can be no assurance that a Fund will be able to close out the position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. There is no limit on the amount of money a Fund may lose on a short sale.
A Funds ability to engage in short sales may from time to time be limited or prohibited because of the inability to borrow certain securities in the market, legal restrictions on short sales, or other reasons.
Foreign Investments
Investments in foreign securities may involve considerations different from investments in domestic securities due to limited publicly available information, non-uniform accounting standards, lower trading volume and possible consequent illiquidity, greater volatility in price, the possible imposition of withholding or confiscatory taxes, the possible adoption of foreign governmental restrictions affecting the payment of principal and interest, expropriation of assets, nationalization, or other adverse political or economic developments. Foreign companies may not be subject to auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those which apply to U.S. companies. Foreign brokerage commissions and other fees are generally higher than in the United States. It may be more difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment against a foreign issuer. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations may involve certain risks (such as delay in payment or delivery of securities or in the recovery of a Funds assets held abroad) and expenses not present in the settlement of domestic investments. Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be more limited than those available with respect to investments in the United States or in other foreign countries. The laws of some foreign countries may limit a Funds ability to invest in securities of certain issuers located in those foreign countries.
In addition, to the extent that a Funds foreign investments are not U.S. dollar-denominated, the Fund may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency exchange rates or exchange control regulations and may incur costs in connection with conversion between currencies.
Several foreign governments permit investments by non-residents only through participation in certain specifically organized investment companies. Subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act, a Fund may invest in the shares of such other investment companies.
In addition, certain of the Funds may also invest a portion of their assets in unit trusts organized in the United Kingdom (which are analogous to United States mutual funds) and which invest in smaller foreign markets than those in which a Fund would ordinarily invest directly.
Developing Countries. The considerations noted above for foreign investments generally are intensified for investments in developing countries. These risks include (i) volatile social, political, and economic conditions; (ii) 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; (iii) the existence of national policies which may restrict a Funds investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; (iv) foreign taxation; (v) the absence of developed structures governing private or foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property; (vi) the absence, until recently in certain developing countries, of a capital market structure or market-oriented economy; (vii) economies based on only a few industries; (viii) the possibility that recent favorable economic developments, as applicable, in certain developing countries may be slowed or reversed by unanticipated political or social events in such countries; and (ix) in certain emerging markets, systems of share registration and custody that create certain risks of loss (including the risk of total loss) that are not normally associated with investments in other securities markets.
Depositary Receipts. A Fund may invest in sponsored or unsponsored ADRs, European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), GDRs, International Depositary Receipts (IDRs) and other types of depositary receipts (which, together with ADRs, EDRs, GDRs and IDRs are hereinafter referred to as Depositary Receipts). Depositary
Receipts provide indirect investment in securities of foreign issuers. Prices of unsponsored Depositary Receipts may be more volatile than if they were sponsored by the issuer of the underlying securities. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. In addition, the issuers of the stock of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the U.S. and, therefore, there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.
ADRs are depositary receipts which are bought and sold in the U.S. and are typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company which evidences ownership of underlying securities by a foreign corporation. GDRs, IDRs and other types of Depositary Receipts are typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies, although they may also be issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or a United States corporation. Generally, Depositary Receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets and Depositary Receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States.
For purposes of a Funds investment policies, a Funds investments in ADRs, GDRs, IDRs and other types of Depositary Receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities. Depositary Receipts, including those denominated in U.S. dollars will be subject to foreign currency exchange rate risk. However, by investing in U.S. dollar-denominated ADRs rather than directly in foreign issuers stock, a Fund avoids currency risks during the settlement period. In general, there is a large, liquid market in the United States for most ADRs. However, certain Depositary Receipts may not be listed on an exchange and therefore may be illiquid securities.
Investing through Stock Connect. Certain Funds may invest in developing markets through trading structures or protocols that subject them to certain risks (such as risks associated with illiquidity, custody of assets, different settlement and clearance procedures, asserting legal title under developing legal and regulatory regimes and other risks) to a greater degree than in developed markets or even other developing markets. For example, a Fund may invest in certain eligible Chinese securities (China A-Shares) listed and traded on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) through the Hong KongShanghai Stock Connect (Stock Connect) program. Stock Connect is a securities trading and clearing program developed by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK), SSE, Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited and China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited for the establishment of mutual market access between SEHK and SSE. Stock Connect is subject to regulations promulgated by regulatory authorities for both SSE and SEHK. Further regulations or restrictions, such as limitations on redemptions or suspension of trading, may adversely affect Stock Connect and the value of the China A-Shares held by a Fund. There is no guarantee that the systems required to operate Stock Connect will function properly or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in both markets or that both exchanges will continue to support Stock Connect in the future. In the event that the relevant systems do not function properly, trading through Stock Connect could be disrupted.
Although trading through Stock Connect is not subject to individual investment quotas, daily and aggregate investment quotas apply to the aggregate volume of trading on Stock Connect, which may restrict or preclude a Funds ability to invest in Stock Connect securities or to enter into or exit trades on a timely basis. In addition, Stock Connect securities generally may not be sold, purchased or otherwise transferred other than through Stock Connect pursuant to the programs rules, which may further subject a Fund to liquidity risk in respect of China A-Shares. Stock Connect can only operate when both Chinese and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As a result, if either or both of these markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, a Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Funds performance. Because of the way in which China A-Shares are held through Stock Connect, a Fund may not be able to exercise the rights of a shareholder and may be limited in its ability to pursue claims against the issuer of a security, and may suffer losses in the event the depository of the SSE becomes insolvent. Only certain China A-shares are eligible to be accessed through Stock Connect. Such securities may lose their eligibility at any time, in which case they presumably could be sold but could no longer be purchased through Stock Connect. Investments in China A-shares may not be covered by the securities investor protection programs of either exchange and, without the protection of such programs, will be subject to the risk of default by the broker.
Brexit. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (Brexit). In March 2017, the UK formally began the process to withdraw from the European Union (EU) by triggering a two-year period for negotiation of the terms of the withdrawal. After several extensions to this period, the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020 (the Exit Day). EU laws continue to apply in the UK for a transitional period following Exit Day until December 31, 2020 under the withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU. In any event, the UK has undertaken a process of on-shoring all EU legislation, pursuant to which there appears, at this stage, to be no policy changes to EU law. 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.
A central issue for the UK will be its relationship with the EU going-forward after the transitional period. The ongoing negotiations have yet to provide clarity on what the outcome will be for the UK or Europe. The resulting uncertainty may adversely affect business activity and economic conditions across the eurozone and the EU. This uncertainty may increase if one or more EU countries also come under pressure to leave the EU. The exit of other countries from the EU, or the perception that other countries may leave, could have material adverse effect on economic growth or business activity in the eurozone and the EU.
International and Foreign Debt Securities
International Bonds include Yankee and Euro obligations, which are U.S. dollar-denominated international bonds for which the primary trading market is in the United States (Yankee Bonds), or for which the primary trading market is abroad (Eurodollar Bonds). International bonds also include Canadian and supranational agency bonds (e.g., those issued by the International Monetary Fund). (See Foreign Debt Securities for a description of risks associated with investments in foreign securities.)
Foreign Debt Securities. Investments in securities of foreign companies generally involve greater risks than are present in U.S. investments. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies.
Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those prevalent in the U.S. Securities of some foreign companies are less liquid, and their prices more volatile, than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Settlement of transactions in some foreign markets may be delayed or may be less frequent than in the U.S., which could affect the liquidity of a Funds investment.
In addition, with respect to some foreign countries, there is the possibility of nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; limitations on the removal of securities, property, or other assets of a Fund; political or social instability; increased difficulty in obtaining legal judgments; or diplomatic developments that could affect U.S. investments in those countries. The Adviser will take such factors into consideration in managing a Funds investments.
Since most foreign debt securities are not rated, a Fund will invest in those foreign debt securities based on the Advisers analysis without relying on published ratings. Achievement of a Funds goals, therefore, may depend more upon the abilities of the Adviser than would otherwise be the case. The value of the foreign debt securities held by a Fund, and thus the NAV of a Funds shares, generally will fluctuate with (a) changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the issuers of those securities, (b) movements in interest rates, and (c) changes in the relative values of the currencies in which a Funds investments in debt securities are denominated with respect to the U.S. dollar. The extent of the fluctuation will depend on various factors, such as the average maturity of a Funds investments in foreign debt securities, and the extent to which a Fund hedges its interest rate, credit and currency exchange rate risks. A longer average maturity generally is associated with a higher level of volatility in the market value of such securities in response to changes in market conditions. In the event of default, there may be limited or no legal recourse in that, generally, remedies for defaults must be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party.
Foreign Currency Considerations. Because investments in foreign securities usually involve currencies of foreign countries, and because a Fund may hold foreign currencies and forward contracts, futures contracts, options on
foreign currencies and foreign currency futures contracts and other currency related instruments, the value of the assets of a Fund as measured in U.S. dollars may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations, and a Fund may incur costs and experience conversion difficulties and uncertainties in connection with conversions between various currencies. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing the security.
The value of securities denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies and of dividends and interest from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. The strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar against these currencies is responsible for part of a Funds investment performance. If the dollar falls in value relative to the Japanese yen, for example, the dollar value of a Japanese stock held in the portfolio will rise even though the price of the stock remains unchanged. Conversely, if the dollar rises in value relative to the yen, the dollar value of the Japanese stock will fall. Many foreign currencies have experienced significant devaluation relative to the dollar.
Although a Fund values its assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it does not intend to convert its holdings of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. It will do so from time to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the spread) between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to a Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should a Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer. A Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange transactions either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market, or through entering into options or forward or futures contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies.
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
A Fund may invest in securities of other pooled investment vehicles, including shares of open- or closed-end investment companies and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Provisions of the 1940 Act may limit the ability of a Fund to invest in certain investment companies or may limit the amount of its assets that a Fund may invest in any investment company or investment companies in general.
As an investor in a pooled investment vehicle, a Fund will bear its ratable share of that investment companys expenses, in addition to the fees and expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations. These securities represent interests in professionally managed portfolios that may invest in various types of instruments pursuant to a wide range of investment styles. A Fund would also bear the risk of all of the underlying investments held by the other investment company. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective.
Except for investments in money market funds, a Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company, but may not own more than 3% of the securities of any one investment company or invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies.
Each Fund may purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, provided that either: (1) the Fund pays no sales charge or service fee (as each of those terms is defined in the FINRA Conduct Rules); or (2) the Adviser waives its advisory fee in an amount necessary to offset any such sales charge or service fee. For purposes of 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.
Pursuant to orders 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 limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), provided that the Fund has disclosed ETF investments in its Prospectus and otherwise complies with the conditions of the relevant SEC Order, as it may be amended, and any other applicable investment limitations.
ETFs are investment companies whose shares trade throughout the day on an exchange. ETF shares are sold directly only to authorized participates in large units (e.g. 50,000 shares or more) (creation units). A creation unit generally represents a bundle of securities or commodities that replicates, or is a representative sample of, a particular index or commodity and that is deposited with the ETF. Once owned, the individual shares comprising each creation unit are traded on an exchange in secondary market transactions for cash. The secondary market for ETF shares allows them to be readily converted into cash, like commonly traded stocks. The combination of primary and secondary markets permits ETF shares to be traded throughout the day close to the value of the ETFs underlying portfolio securities. A Fund would purchase and sell individual shares of ETFs in the secondary market. These secondary market transactions require the payment of commissions. Some ETFs seek is to achieve the same rate of return as a particular market index or commodity. ETFs that use a passive investment strategy will not attempt to take defensive positions in volatile or declining markets. Other ETFs are actively managed portfolios rather than being based upon an underlying index.
Pursuant to orders 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 such ETFs in excess of the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), provided that the Fund has disclosed ETF investments in its Prospectus and otherwise complies with the conditions of the relevant SEC Order, as it may be amended, and any other applicable investment limitations.
Unit investment trusts (UITs) are investment companies that hold a fixed portfolio of securities until the fixed maturity date of the UIT. The Funds would generally only purchase UITs in the secondary market for cash, which would result in the payment of commissions.
ETF and UIT shares are subject to the same risk of price fluctuation due to supply and demand as any other stock traded on an exchange, which means that a Fund could receive less from the sale of shares of an ETF or UIT it holds than it paid at the time it purchased those shares. Furthermore, there may be times when the exchange halts trading, in which case a Fund owning ETF or UIT shares would be unable to sell them until trading is resumed. There can be no assurance that an ETF or UIT will continue to meet the listing requirements of the exchange or that an active secondary market will develop for shares. In addition, because ETFs and UITs invest in a portfolio of common stocks or other instruments or commodities, the value of an ETF or UIT could decline if prices of those instruments or commodities decline. An overall decline of those instruments or commodities comprising an ETFs or UITs benchmark index could have a greater impact on the ETF or UIT and investors than might be the case in an investment company with a more widely diversified portfolio. Losses could also occur if the ETF or UIT is unable to replicate the performance of the chosen benchmark index. There may be times when the market price for an ETF or UIT and its NAV vary significantly and a Fund may pay more than (premium) or less than (discount) NAV when buying shares on the secondary market. The market price of an ETFs or UITs shares includes a bid-ask spread charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that the shares may trade at a discount to NAV and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of shares is falling fastest.
Other risks associated with ETFs and UITs include the possibility that: (i) an ETFs or UITs distributions may decline if the issuers of the ETFs or UITs portfolio securities fail to continue to pay dividends; and (ii) under certain circumstances, an ETF or UIT could be terminated. Should termination occur, the ETF or UIT could have to liquidate its portfolio securities when the prices for those securities are falling. In addition, inadequate or irregularly provided information about an ETF or UIT or its investments, because ETFs and UITs are generally passively managed, could expose investors in ETFs and UITs to unknown risks. Actively managed ETFs are also subject to the risk of underperformance relative to their chosen benchmark.
Precious Metals
The value of the investments of certain Funds may be affected by changes in the prices of gold and other precious metals. Gold and similar assets have been subject to substantial price fluctuations over short periods of time and may be affected by unpredictable international monetary and other governmental policies, such as currency devaluations or revaluations; economic and social conditions within a country; trade imbalances; or trade or currency restrictions between countries. Because much of the worlds known gold reserves are located in South Africa, political and social conditions there may pose special risks to investments in gold. For instance, social upheaval and related
economic difficulties in South Africa could cause a decrease in the share values of South African issuers. The manner and extent of a Funds investments in precious metals may be limited by provisions of the 1940 Act and the Funds intention to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, and any such investments by the Fund may adversely affect the ability of the Fund to qualify as a regulated investment company.
Master Limited Partnerships
Master limited partnerships (MLPs) are limited partnerships in which ownership units are publicly traded. MLPs often own or own interests in properties or businesses that are related to oil and gas industries, including pipelines, although MLPs may invest in other types of investments, including credit-related investments. Generally, an MLP is operated under the supervision of one or more managing general partners. Limited partners (like a Fund when it invests in an MLP) are not involved in the day-to-day management of the partnership. Certain of the Funds also may invest in companies who serve (or whose affiliates serve) as the general partner of an MLP.
Investments in MLPs are generally subject to many of the risks that apply to partnerships. For example, holders of the units of MLPs may have limited control and limited voting rights on matters affecting the partnership. Fewer corporate protections may be afforded to investors in an MLP than investors in a corporation. Conflicts of interest may exist among unit holders, subordinated unit holders and the general partner of an MLP, including those arising from incentive distribution payments. MLPs that concentrate in a particular industry or region are subject to risks associated with such industry or region. MLPs holding credit-related investments are subject to interest rate risk and the risk of default on payment obligations by debt issuers. Investments held by MLPs may be illiquid. MLP units may trade infrequently and in limited volume, and they may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than securities of larger or more broadly based companies.
Certain of the Funds may also hold investments in limited liability companies that have many of the same characteristics and are subject to many of the same risks as master limited partnerships.
The manner and extent of a Funds investments in MLPs and limited liability companies may be limited by its intention to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code, and any such investments by the Fund may adversely affect the ability of the Fund to so qualify.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in income-producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests (such as mortgages). The real estate properties in which REITs invest typically include properties such as office buildings, retail and industrial facilities, hotels, apartment buildings and healthcare facilities. The yields available from equity investments in REITs depend on the amount of income and capital appreciation generated by the related properties. Investments in REITs are subject to the risks associated with real estate investments generally, including economic downturns that have an adverse effect on real estate markets, general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, and variations in rental income. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REIT, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Like regulated investment companies, REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with several requirements of the Code. The affairs of REITs are managed by the REITs sponsor and, as such, the performance of the REIT is dependent on the management skills of the REITs sponsor. REITs are not diversified (except to the extent the Code requires). REITs are also subject to interest rate risks. If a Fund makes an equity investment in a REIT, the Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses paid by the REIT in addition to the expenses of the Fund. REITs are subject to the risk of default by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibility that the REIT may fail to qualify for the exemption from tax for distributed income under the Code. Investments in REITs present certain further risks that are unique and in addition to the risks associated with investing directly in the real estate industry in general. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property may decline due to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhoods and in demographics, increases in market interest rates, or other factors. Factors such as these may adversely affect
companies, which own and operate real estate directly, companies which lend to such companies, and companies which service the real estate industry.
Zero-Coupon Debt Securities and Payment-in-Kind Securities
Certain of the Funds may purchase zero-coupon debt securities and payment-in-kind securities (PIKs). The value of both zero-coupon bonds and PIK bonds may be more sensitive to fluctuations in interest rates than other bonds.
Zero-coupon securities are debt obligations which are generally issued at a discount and payable in full at maturity, and which do not provide for current payments of interest prior to maturity. Zero-coupon securities usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par value and are subject to greater market value fluctuations from changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities that make current distributions of interest. As a result, the NAV of shares of a Fund investing in zero-coupon securities may fluctuate over a greater range than shares of other mutual funds investing in securities making current distributions of interest and having similar maturities. When interest rates rise, the values of zero-coupon securities fall more rapidly than securities paying interest on a current basis, because the zero-coupon securities are locked into rates of reinvestment that become less attractive the farther rates rise. The converse is true when interest rates fall.
When debt obligations have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons by the holder, the stripped coupons are sold separately. The principal or corpus is sold at a deep discount because the buyer receives only the right to receive a future fixed payment on the security and does not receive any rights to periodic cash interest payments. Once stripped or separated, the corpus and coupons may be sold separately. Typically, the coupons are sold separately or grouped with other coupons with like maturity dates and sold in such bundled form. Purchasers of stripped obligations acquire, in effect, discount obligations that are economically identical to the zero-coupon securities issued directly by the obligor.
Zero-coupon securities allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments. Even though zero-coupon securities do not pay current interest in cash, a Fund is nonetheless required to accrue interest income on them and to distribute the amount of that interest at least annually to shareholders. Thus, a Fund could be required at times to liquidate other investments in order to satisfy its distribution requirement.
Certain of the Funds also may purchase PIKs. PIKs pay all or a portion of their interest or dividends in the form of additional securities. Federal tax law requires that the interest on zero-coupon bonds and PIK bonds be accrued as income to the Fund regardless of the fact that the Fund will not receive cash until such securities mature. Since the income must be distributed to shareholders, the Fund may be forced to liquidate other securities in order to make the required distribution.
Municipal Obligations
Certain of the Funds may invest without limit in municipal obligations which pay interest from similar revenue sources or securities which are offered within a single state. When municipal obligations are related in these ways, an economic, business or political development which affects one security could also affect the other related securities. This investment practice may subject a Fund to greater risks than a fund which does not concentrate its assets in this manner.
Subsequent to its purchase by a Fund, an issue of rated municipal obligations may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum required for purchase by the Fund. Neither event will require the sale of such municipal obligations by the Fund. To the extent that the ratings given by Moodys or S&P for municipal obligations may change as a result of changes in such organizations or their rating systems, the Fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for its investments in accordance with the investment policies contained in the Prospectus and this SAI. See Appendix A to this SAI for a more detailed discussion of securities ratings.
Municipal bonds are generally considered riskier investments than U.S. Treasury securities. Contrary to historical trends, in recent years, the market has encountered downgrades, increased rates of default and lower yields on municipal bonds. This is a product of significant reductions in revenues for many states and municipalities as well as residual effects of a generally weakened economy.
Municipal Lease/Purchase Agreements
Certain of the Funds may invest in Municipal Lease/Purchase Agreements which are similar to installment purchase contracts for property or equipment. These obligations typically are not fully backed by the issuing municipalitys credit and their interest may become taxable if the lease is assigned. If the governmental issuer does not appropriate sufficient funds for the following years lease payments, the lease will terminate, with the possibility of default on the lease obligation, which may result in loss to the Fund.
Variable Rate Demand Notes
Certain of the Funds may purchase tax-exempt floating and variable rate demand notes and bonds. Variable rate demand notes include master demand notes. Master demand notes are frequently secured by letters of credit or other credit supports, which are not expected to adversely affect the tax-exempt status of these obligations. Master demand notes are redeemable at face value, but there is no established secondary market for them. Accordingly, when these obligations are not secured, a Funds ability to redeem (through exercise of its demand right) depends on the borrowers ability to pay principal and interest on demand. Master demand notes with a demand feature extending for more than seven days are treated as illiquid securities.
Stand-by Commitments
Certain of the Funds may acquire stand-by commitments from brokers, dealers or banks to facilitate its portfolio liquidity. Under a stand-by commitment, the obligor must repurchase, at the Funds option, specified securities held in the Funds portfolio at a specified price. Thus, stand-by commitments are comparable to put options. The exercise of a stand-by commitment is subject to the ability of the seller to make payment on demand. If it is necessary or appropriate to cause the Fund to pay for stand-by commitments, the cost of entering into the stand-by commitment will have the effect of increasing the cost of the underlying municipal obligation and similarly decreasing such securitys yield. Gains realized in connection with stand-by commitments will be taxable.
Restricted Securities
Restricted securities are securities that generally can be sold in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, or in a registered public offering. Where registration is required, a Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse between the time it decides to seek registration and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, a Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to seek registration of the shares.
Subject to limitations on illiquid securities, the Funds may invest in restricted securities without limit.
Tobacco Settlement Revenue Bonds
Tobacco settlement revenue bonds are secured by an issuing states proportionate share in the Master Settlement Agreement entered into between 48 states and certain U.S. tobacco manufacturers, which together represent approximately 99% of the current combined market share of tobacco manufacturers (the MSA). The MSA provides for payments annually by the manufacturers to the states and jurisdictions in perpetuity, in exchange for releasing all claims against the manufacturers and a pledge of no further litigation. Tobacco manufacturers pay into a master escrow trust based on their market share, and each state receives a fixed percentage of the payment as set forth in the MSA.
A number of states have securitized the future flow of those payments by selling bonds pursuant to indentures, some through distinct governmental entities created for such purpose. The bonds are backed by the future revenue flow that is used for principal and interest payments on the bonds. Annual payments on the bonds, and thus risk to the Fund, are highly dependent on the receipt of future settlement payments to the state or its governmental entity, as well as several other factors. The actual amount of future settlement payments, therefore, is dependent on many factors, including, but not limited to, annual domestic cigarette shipments, cigarette consumption, inflation and the
financial capability of participating tobacco companies. Ongoing legal challenges to the MSA, a decrease in tobacco consumption, market share loss by participating tobacco companies and bankruptcy could negatively impact the ability of the tobacco companies to make payments.
Yankee Securities
Yankee securities are debt securities issued by non-U.S. corporate or government entities, but are denominated in U.S. dollars. Yankee securities trade and may be settled in U.S. markets.
Additional Risk Factors and Special Considerations
Asset Segregation and Coverage. A Fund may be required to earmark or otherwise segregate liquid assets in respect of its obligations under derivatives transactions that involve contractual obligations to pay in the future, or a Fund may engage in other measures to cover its obligations with respect to such transactions. The amounts that are earmarked or otherwise segregated may be based on the notional value of the derivative or on the daily mark-to-market obligation under the derivatives contract and may be reduced by amounts on deposit with the applicable broker or counterparty to the derivatives transaction. In certain circumstances, a Fund may enter into an offsetting position rather than earmarking or segregating liquid assets. A Fund may modify its asset segregation and coverage policies from time to time. Although earmarking or segregating may in certain cases have the effect of limiting a Funds ability to engage in derivatives transactions, the extent of any such limitation will depend on a variety of factors, including the method by which the Fund determines the nature and amount of assets to be earmarked or segregated.
Portfolio Turnover. Many of the Funds have experienced high rates of portfolio turnover in recent years and may experience high rates of portfolio turnover in the future. 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 have the effect of reducing a Funds investment return. A higher portfolio turnover rate can cause a Fund to realize increased capital gains including short-term capital gains, taxable to shareholders as ordinary income when distributed to them.
Temporary Defensive Strategies. At times, an Adviser may judge that market conditions make pursuing a Funds basic investment strategy inconsistent with the best interests of its shareholders. At such times, an Adviser may (but will not necessarily), without notice, temporarily use alternative strategies, primarily designed to reduce fluctuations in the values of the Funds assets. In implementing these defensive strategies, a Fund may hold assets in cash and cash equivalents and in other investments an Adviser believes to be consistent with the Funds best interests. If any such a temporary defensive strategy is implemented, a Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
New or Smaller Funds. Funds with limited operating history and/or small asset base 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 may determine to liquidate 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, the timing of any possible liquidation might not be favorable to certain individual shareholders.
Impact of Large Redemptions and Purchases of Fund Shares. Occasionally, shareholders may make large redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, which may cause the Fund to have to sell securities or invest additional cash. These transactions may adversely affect the Funds performance and increase transaction costs. In addition, large redemption requests may exceed the cash balance of the Fund and result in credit line borrowing fees and/or overdraft charges to the Fund until the sales of portfolio securities necessary to cover the redemption request settle.
Risks Related to Cybersecurity. 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. Cybersecurity 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 cybersecurity 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.
Recent Market Events. Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely affect issuers in another country or region. Geopolitical and other risks, including war, terrorism, trade disputes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes fire and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in trade policies and international trade agreements could affect the economies of many countries in unpredictable ways. Likewise, systemic market dislocations of the kind that occurred during the financial crisis that began in 2008, if repeated, would be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely affecting individual companies and industries, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a Funds investments. Some countries, including the United States, are adopting more protectionist trade policies and moving away from the tighter financial industry regulations that followed the 2008 financial crisis, which may also affect the value of a Funds investments.
Political events within the United States at times have resulted, and may in the future result, in a shutdown of government services, which could negatively affect the U.S. economy, decrease the value of a Funds investments, increase uncertainty in or impair the operation of the U.S. or other securities markets and degrade investor and consumer confidence, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree.
Certain illnesses spread rapidly and have the potential to significantly and adversely affect the global economy and the value of a Funds investments. An outbreak of respiratory disease called COVID-19 was first detected in China in December 2019 and subsequently spread internationally. As of the date of this SAI, the impact of the outbreak has been rapidly evolving, and cases of COVID-19 have continued to be identified in most developed and emerging countries throughout the world. The transmission of COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread have resulted in international, national and local border closings and other significant travel restrictions and disruptions, significant disruptions to business operations, supply chains and customer activity, significant challenges to healthcare service preparation and delivery, and quarantines, as well as general concern and uncertainty that has negatively affected the economic environment. These impacts have caused significant volatility and declines in global financial markets, which have caused losses for investors. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may be short-term or may last for an extended period of time, and in either case could result in a substantial economic downturn or recession.
Public health crises may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social, economic, market and financial risks. The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could result in a general decline in the global economy, and negatively affect the performance of individual countries, industries, or sectors in significant and unforeseen ways. Deteriorating economic fundamentals may in turn increase the risk of default or insolvency of particular companies, negatively impact market value, increase market volatility, cause credit spreads to widen, and reduce liquidity. There can be no assurance that market conditions will not worsen in the future. All of these risks may have a material adverse effect on the performance and financial condition of the securities in which a Fund invests, and on the overall performance of a Fund.
The U.S. federal government and certain foreign central banks have taken a variety of unprecedented actions to stimulate the economy and calm the financial markets. For example, in March 2020, the U.S. federal government adopted the largest economic stimulus package in recent history, estimated at $2 trillion, which is aimed at
supporting American workers and businesses adversely affected by the economic upheaval stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The law provides for loans and other disbursements to a wide swath of the economy, including direct payments to Americans and loans to large and small companies, as well as expanding unemployment insurance. The ultimate effect of these efforts is not yet known, and they may not be successful.
In the future, the U.S. federal government or other governments may take actions that could affect the overall economy as well as the securities in which a Fund invests, the markets in which they trade, or the issuers of such securities, in ways that are unforeseen. Governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve (the Fed), have in the past responded to major economic disruptions with a variety of significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and dramatically lower interest rates. Certain of those policy changes have been or are being implemented or considered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fed has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to keep credit flowing through short-term money markets since mid-September 2019 when a shortage of liquidity caused a spike in overnight borrowing rates, and again in 2020 with large stimulus initiatives intended to respond to economic stresses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fed has signaled that it plans to maintain its interventions at an elevated level.
In the past, instability in the global capital markets resulted in disruptions in liquidity in the debt capital markets, significant write-offs in the financial services sector, the repricing of credit risk in credit markets and the failure of major domestic and international financial institutions. Precise interest rate predictions are difficult to make, and interest rates may change unexpectedly and dramatically in response to extreme changes in market or economic conditions. As a result, the value of fixed income securities may vary widely under certain market conditions and may result in heightened market volatility and a decline in the value of a Funds portfolio. Changes in government policies or central banks could negatively affect the value and liquidity of a Funds investments and cause it to lose money. The markets could react strongly to expectations for changes in government policies, which could increase volatility, especially if the markets expectations are not borne out. There can be no assurance that the initiatives undertaken by governments and central banks will be successful.
The COVID-19 outbreak, and future epidemics or pandemics, could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which a Funds service providers rely, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of a Funds service providers to perform essential tasks. Such impacts could impair a Funds ability to maintain operational standards (such as with respect to satisfying redemption requests), disrupt the operations of a Funds service providers, and negatively impact a Funds performance. In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in a Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or accurately value its investments.
Markets generally and the energy sector specifically, including MLPs and energy companies in which a Fund invests, have also been adversely impacted by reduced demand for oil and other energy commodities as a result of the slowdown in economic activity resulting from the spread of COVID-19 and by price competition among key oil producing countries. Recently, global oil prices have declined significantly and experienced significant volatility, including a period where an oil-price futures contract fell into negative territory for the first time in history, as demand for oil has slowed and oil storage facilities reach their storage capacities. Although the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other oil-producing countries have agreed to reduce production by approximately 10 million barrels per day, such production cuts do not take effect until May and June of 2020. Reduced production and continued oil price volatility may adversely impact MLPs and energy infrastructure companies. Such companies growth prospects and ability to pay dividends may be negatively impacted, which could adversely impact a Funds performance. Additionally, an extended period of reduced oil prices may significantly lengthen the time the energy sector would need to recover after a stabilization of prices.
Some market participants have expressed concern that passively-managed index funds and other indexed products inflate the value of their component securities. If the component securities in such indices decline in value for this and other reasons, the value of a Funds investments in these securities will also decline.
Some countries, including the United States, are adopting more protectionist trade policies and are moving away from the tighter financial industry regulations that followed the 2008 financial crisis. The United States may also be
considering significant new investments in infrastructure and national defense which, coupled with potentially lower federal taxes, could lead to sharply increased government borrowing and higher interest rates. The exact shape of these policies is still being worked out through the political process, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations, which could increase volatility, especially if the markets expectations for changes in government policies are not borne out.
High public debt in the United States and other countries creates ongoing systemic and market risks and policymaking uncertainty. Interest rates have been unusually low in recent years in the United States and abroad, and central banks have reduced rates further in an effort to combat the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because there is little precedent for this situation, it is difficult to predict the impact on various markets of a significant rate increase or other significant policy changes, whether brought about by U.S. policy makers or by dislocations in world markets. Extremely low or negative interest rates may become more prevalent. To the extent a Fund has a bank deposit or holds a debt instrument with a negative interest rate to maturity, a Fund would generate a negative return on that investment. Similarly, negative rates on investments by a fund that is a money market fund would make it difficult, if not impossible, for the fund to maintain a stable $1 net asset value per share without financial support from the funds sponsor or other persons. There is no assurance that such support would be provided, which could lead to losses on investments in the fund, including on investments by a Fund that uses the fund as an investment option for a Funds uninvested cash. While negative yields may reduce the demand, liquidity and valuation of fixed income investments, investors may be willing to continue to purchase such investments for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, price insensitivity, arbitrage opportunities across fixed income markets or rules-based investment strategies. If negative interest rates become more prevalent, investors may over time seek to reallocate assets to other income-producing assets or equity investments that pay a dividend, which may cause the price of such instruments to rise while triggering a corresponding decrease in yield and the value of debt instruments over time. Over the longer term, rising interest rates may present a greater risk than has historically been the case due to the current period of low rates and the effect of government fiscal policy initiatives and potential market reaction to those initiatives.
Some countries where economic conditions are still recovering from the 2008 crisis are perceived as still fragile. The crisis caused strains among countries in the euro-zone that have not been fully resolved, and it is not yet clear what measures, if any, EU or individual country officials may take in response. Withdrawal of government support, failure of efforts in response to the strains, or investor perception that such efforts are not succeeding could adversely impact the value and liquidity of certain securities and currencies.
In addition, global climate change may have an adverse effect on property and security values. A rise in sea levels, an increase in powerful windstorms and/or a storm-driven increase in flooding could cause coastal properties to lose value or become unmarketable altogether. Large wildfires driven by high winds and prolonged drought may devastate entire communities and may be very costly to any business found to be responsible for the fire or conducting operations in affected areas. These losses could adversely affect corporate borrowers and mortgage lenders, the value of mortgage-backed securities, the bonds of municipalities that depend on tax revenues and tourist dollars generated by such properties, and insurers of the property and/or of corporate, municipal or mortgage-backed securities. Since property and security values are driven largely by buyers perceptions, it is difficult to know the time period over which these effects might unfold. Economists warn that, unlike previous declines in the real estate market, properties in affected coastal zones may never recover their value.
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 Prospectus on each Business Day. A Business Day is a day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the NYSE) is open. In the case of the Fixed Income Funds, a Business Day is a day on which the NYSE and the bond market are open. The Fixed Income Funds are 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 a Fixed Income 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 any ETFs held by a Fund are valued in the manner described below under Equity Securities.
Fixed-Income Securities
Fixed-income securities held by a Fund 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.
Convertible Securities
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 a Funds NAV, futures and options contracts generally will be valued 15 minutes after the close of trading of the NYSE.
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.
Funds that Invest a Significant Amount of their Assets in Foreign Securities
Time zone arbitrage. Certain Funds may invest a significant amount of its 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 Fund calculates its NAV. If successful, time zone arbitrage might dilute the interests of other shareholders.
Fair Value Pricing
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 a Fund is traded and before the time as of which the 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 Advisers Pricing and Liquidity 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 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 a Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a foreign security if it were to sell the security at approximately the same time at which the Fund determines its NAV 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
Each Fund 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 Prospectus. 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. Performance information regarding Member Class Shares is available by calling toll-free 800-235-8396 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 Victory Fund.
Purchasing Shares
Only certain investors are eligible to buy Member Class shares, as set forth in a Funds Prospectus, and your financial adviser or other financial intermediary can help you determine whether you are eligible to invest.
Each Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums related to each class of shares. Each 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 its 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.
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). 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 be 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. 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 December 31, 2019, the Adviser and its affiliates had arrangements in place with respect to the Funds with the following intermediaries:
ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc. |
Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation |
AIG Advisor Group, Inc. |
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney |
Ameriprise Financial, Inc. |
MSCS Financial Services |
Ascensus Trust Company |
National Financial Services Corp. |
Benefit Plans Administrators |
Nationwide Investment Services Corp. |
Charles Schwab |
PNC Bank, N.A. |
Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Co., Inc. |
Principal Life Insurance Co. |
Financial Data Services, Inc. |
Raymond James Associates |
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC |
RBC Wealth Management |
GWFS Equities Inc |
T.Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services |
Lincoln Financial Advisors |
The Vanguard Group |
Lincoln Financial Securities |
TIAA - CREF |
Lincoln Retirement Services Co. |
UBS Financial Services, Inc. |
LPL Financial Corporation |
VALIC Retirement Services Company |
MassMutual Financial Group |
Vanguard Brokerage Services |
MassMutual Life Insurance Company |
Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC |
Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith |
|
Member Class Shares
Member Class shares of each Fund are sold at NAV without any initial sales charges or CDSCs.
Redemptions in Kind. Subject to its election under Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, 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 price used in calculating the Funds NAV on the day of redemption. A shareholder may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities to cash.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Board Leadership Structure
The Trust is governed by the Board, which is comprised of nine Trustees, eight of whom are not interested persons of the Trust within the meaning of 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, the Adviser and other service providers. The Chair is actively involved in setting the Board meeting agenda, and participates on certain Board 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, among other things, the Funds investment portfolios, trading practices, operational matters, financial and accounting controls, and legal and regulatory compliance. The Board has delegated to each of the Compliance Committee and Audit and Risk Oversight Committee certain responsibilities for reviewing reports relating to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk, liquidity and personnel. The Board relies on the Investment Committee to review reports relating to investment risks, that is, risks to the Funds resulting from pursuing the Funds investment strategies (e.g., credit risk 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, or who file reports under that Act. Each Trustee currently oversees 42 portfolios in the Trust, 24 portfolios in Victory Portfolios II and 9 portfolios in Victory Variable Insurance Funds, each of which is a registered investment company that, together with the Trust, comprise the Victory Fund Complex. Dave Brown also oversees 47 portfolios in USAA Mutual Funds Trust. 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, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.
Independent Trustees
Name and Age |
|
Position
|
|
Date
|
|
Principal Occupation
|
|
Other Directorships
|
David Brooks
|
|
Trustee |
|
May 2005 |
|
Consultant (since 2006). |
|
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Turner Funds (December 2016 -December 2017). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nigel D.T. Andrews,
|
|
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). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Lee Beard,
|
|
Trustee |
|
May 2005 |
|
Retired (since 2015). |
|
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dennis M. Bushe,
|
|
Trustee |
|
July 2016 |
|
Retired. |
|
Trustee, RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust (November 2011 - July 2016). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John L. Kelly
|
|
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. |
|
Director, Caledonia Mining Corporation (since May 2012). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David L. Meyer,
|
|
Trustee |
|
December 2008 |
|
Retired. |
|
None. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gloria S. Nelund,
|
|
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,
|
|
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), the Adviser; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. |
|
Trustee, USAA Mutual Funds Trust. |
*The Board has designated Ms. Beard and Mr. Meyer 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 U.S. 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. The Board believes that Mr. Bushes experience qualifies him 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 boards 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. The Board believes that this experience qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.
· Leigh A. Wilson. Mr. Wilson served for many years as Chief Executive Officer of Paribas North America and as such has extensive experience in the financial sector. He serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Caledonia Mining Corporation, a Canadian mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. As a former director of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum (MFDF), he is familiar with the operation and regulation of registered investment companies. He served on a MFDF steering committee created at the request of then-SEC Chairman William Donaldson to recommend best practices to independent mutual fund directors. He received the Small Fund Trustee of the Year award from Institutional Investor Magazine in 2006. The Board believes that this experience and his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.
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. In addition, a Committee may form a Sub-Committee to address particular areas of concern to that Committee.
· The members of the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee, all of whom are Independent Trustees, are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Ms. Beard, Ms. Nelund 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. Meyer and Ms. Nelund. 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) and Ms. Beard. 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 Mr. Kelly (Chair), Mr. Andrews, Mr. Bushe 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. Meyer and Ms. Nelund. 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 December 31, 2019, the Board held six meetings; the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee held four meetings; the Investment Committee held four meetings; the Service Provider Committee held four meetings; the Compliance Committee held four meetings; and the Board Governance and Nominating Committee held four 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, 58* |
|
President |
|
February 2006* |
|
Director of Mutual Fund Administration, the Adviser. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scott A. Stahorsky, 50 |
|
Vice President |
|
December 2014 |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2015); Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2015). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Erin G. Wagner, 46 |
|
Secretary |
|
December 2014 |
|
Associate General Counsel, the Adviser (since 2013). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allan Shaer, 55 |
|
Treasurer |
|
May 2017 |
|
Senior Vice President, Financial Administration, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (since 2016); Vice President, Mutual Fund Administration, JP Morgan Chase Bank (2011-2016). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher Ponte, 36 |
|
Assistant Treasurer |
|
December 2017 |
|
Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2017); Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2017); Chief Financial Officer, Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (since 2018). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colin Kinney, 46 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer |
|
July 2017 |
|
Chief Compliance Officer (since 2013) and Chief Risk Officer (2009-2017), the Adviser. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles Booth, 60 |
|
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, 66 |
|
Assistant Secretary |
|
December 1997 |
|
Partner, Sidley Austin LLP (since April 2020); Partner, Shearman and Sterling LLP (January 2018-April 2020); 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 of the Trust.
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 each Trustee as of December 31, 2019. 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, 2019, 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 |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Beard |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund: $10,001 - $50,000 |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund: Over $100,000 |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Dungan* |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund: $50,001 - $100,000 |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Kelly |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Meyer |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ms. Nelund |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
Mr. Wilson |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
*Sally M. Dungan is a former Trustee.
Interested Trustee
Trustee |
|
Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership of Fund Shares |
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of Ownership
|
Mr. Brown* |
|
None. |
|
Over $100,000 |
*Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.
Trustee Compensation
Effective January 1, 2020, the Victory Fund Complex pays each Independent Trustee $330,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex. The Board Chair is paid an additional retainer of $150,000 per year. Prior to that date, the Victory Fund Complex paid each Independent Trustee $312,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex, and the Board Chair was 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 covered in this SAI and from the Victory Fund Complex for the year ended December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2019, there were 75 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 |
|
$ |
13,447 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
$ |
13,447 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Ms. Beard |
|
$ |
13,447 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
$ |
13,447 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Ms. Dungan* |
|
$ |
13,447 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Kelly |
|
$ |
13,447 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Meyer |
|
$ |
13,447 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Ms. Nelund |
|
$ |
13,447 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
Mr. Wilson |
|
$ |
20,171 |
|
$ |
468,000 |
|
*Former Trustee.
Interested Trustee
Trustee |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds |
|
Total Compensation from
|
|
Mr. Brown* |
|
None |
|
None |
|
*Mr. Brown is an Interested Person by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.
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.
As of the last completed fiscal year, the following current Trustees have elected to defer a portion of his or her compensation from the Victory Fund Complex.
Trustee |
|
Aggregate Compensation from the Funds |
|
Total Compensation from
|
|
||
Mr. Adcock |
|
$ |
2,017 |
|
$ |
46,800 |
|
Mr. Andrews |
|
$ |
8,741 |
|
$ |
202,800 |
|
Mr. Bushe |
|
$ |
13,447 |
|
$ |
312,000 |
|
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 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256. Subject to the authority of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management and administration of the Funds business affairs. Each of the Advisers multiple investment teams, referred to separately as investment franchises utilizes its own independent approach to investing. 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 March 31, 2020 the Adviser managed assets totaling in excess of $123.7 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 following schedule lists the advisory fees for each Fund, as an annual percentage of its average daily net assets.
Equity Funds
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
1.00 |
% |
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
0.85 |
% |
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
0.75 |
% |
Fixed Income Funds
Fund |
|
Advisory Fee |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
0.50 |
% |
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
0.65 |
% |
Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements
Where the Adviser has contractually and/or voluntarily agreed to waive its investment advisory fees, and reimburse expenses when necessary, so that the net operating expenses of a Fund do not exceed certain limits, those limits do not apply to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, other expenditures capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business. There is no guarantee that the limits will remain in place or at the same level in the future.
The Advisory and Sub-Advisory Agreements
The Adviser serves as the Funds investment adviser pursuant to an advisory agreement dated as of July 29, 2016 (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 below) 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.
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC (Park Avenue) currently serves as the sub-adviser for the Victory Floating Rate Fund. Park Avenue is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Guardian Investor Services LLC (GIS), which served as sub-adviser for the predecessor fund to the Victory Floating Rate Fund prior to May 1, 2015. Park Avenue and the Adviser have entered into a written Sub-Advisory Agreement dated as of July 29, 2016, pursuant to which Park Avenue provides sub-advisory services with respect to the Victory Floating Rate Fund, subject to the general oversight of the Adviser and the Board.
GIS, a Delaware limited liability company, and its predecessor, Guardian Investor Services Corporation, a New York corporation, served as investment sub-adviser for certain Predecessor Funds from 1968 through April 30, 2015. GIS is a subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, a New York mutual insurance company (Guardian Life). Any employee of Guardian Life who participates in the management of a Fund is also a supervised person of Park Avenue and is subject to Park Avenues oversight. Park Avenue is located at 7 Hanover Square, New York, New York 10004. Park Avenue Securities LLC is the underwriter and the distributor of variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (GIAC).
Unless sooner terminated, the Sub-Advisory Agreement continues in effect from year to year so long as continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (a) either (i) a majority of the outstanding securities of the Park Avenue Sub-Advised Fund or (ii) the Board, and (b) a vote of the majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons of the Adviser or Park Avenue, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such continuance.
With respect to its provision of sub-advisory services, Park Avenue shall not, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties or obligations, be liable to a Park Avenue Sub-Advised Fund, the Trust, or to any shareholder of a Park Avenue Sub-Advised Fund for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding, or sale of any security by the Park Avenue Sub-Advised Fund.
For its services under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Adviser pays Park Avenue monthly fees for the Victory Floating Rate Fund in an amount equal to 28% of all fees due to the Adviser for such month prior to any reductions as a result of any voluntary or contractual fee waiver observed or expense reimbursement borne by the Adviser for such period; provided that the monthly fee due thereunder to Park Avenue in respect shall be reduced in the same proportion as the fee due to the Adviser from the Fund for such period as a result of any voluntary or contractual fee waiver observed or expense reimbursement borne by the Adviser in respect of the Fund to which Park Avenue has agreed.
Management fees paid to the Adviser for the last three fiscal years ended December 31.
Fund |
|
2019 Fees Paid |
|
2018 Fees Paid |
|
2017 Fees Paid |
|
|||
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
$ |
4,317,967 |
|
$ |
5,527,471 |
|
$ |
6,802,445 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
3,983,958 |
|
$ |
3,176,341 |
|
$ |
3,698,597 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
$ |
508,486 |
|
$ |
552,798 |
|
$ |
491,300 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
$ |
226,231 |
|
$ |
290,871 |
|
$ |
438,313 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
$ |
3,909,540 |
|
$ |
4,325,545 |
|
$ |
5,255,064 |
|
For the last three fiscal years ended December 31, the Adviser paid Park Avenue the following sub-advisory fees with respect to the following Funds:
Fund |
|
2019 Fees Paid |
|
2018 Fees Paid |
|
2017 Fees Paid |
|
|||
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
$ |
26,268 |
|
$ |
47,406 |
|
$ |
83,696 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
$ |
859,063 |
|
$ |
996,815 |
|
$ |
1,270,163 |
|
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, after giving effect to the
recoupment amount. This agreement may only be terminated by the Board. 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.
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. For each Fund, the portfolio managers listed in the following table manage all of the other investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts shown below as a team.
The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by each individual and assets under management in those accounts as of the most recent fiscal year ended December 31:
|
|
Registered
|
|
Other Pooled
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
Total |
|
||||||||||
Name |
|
Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Assets
|
|
||||
RS Value |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Mr. Harris |
|
6 |
|
$ |
3,007.32 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
134.73 |
|
12 |
|
$ |
76.88 |
|
$ |
3,218.93 |
|
Mr. Mainelli |
|
2 |
|
$ |
1,523.54 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
1,523.54 |
|
RS Investments - Growth |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Mr. Bishop |
|
17 |
|
$ |
12,291.50 |
|
7 |
|
$ |
601,90 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
252.15 |
|
$ |
13,145.55 |
|
Ms. Chadwick-Dunn |
|
15 |
|
$ |
10,903.18 |
|
7 |
|
$ |
601,90 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
252.15 |
|
$ |
11,757.23 |
|
Mr. Clark |
|
17 |
|
$ |
12,291.50 |
|
8 |
|
$ |
673.78 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
252.15 |
|
$ |
13,217.43 |
|
Mr. Leung |
|
17 |
|
$ |
12,291.50 |
|
7 |
|
$ |
601,90 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
252.15 |
|
$ |
13,145.55 |
|
Mr. Tracy |
|
15 |
|
$ |
10,903.18 |
|
7 |
|
$ |
601,90 |
|
5 |
|
$ |
270.55 |
|
$ |
11,775.23 |
|
Park Avenue |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Mr. Blaney |
|
3 |
|
$ |
769.66 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
2,055.10 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
1,639.80 |
|
$ |
4,464.56 |
|
Mr. Booth |
|
5 |
|
$ |
1,125.97 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
2,055.10 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
1,639.80 |
|
$ |
4,820.87 |
|
Mr. Gillin |
|
3 |
|
$ |
769.66 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
2,055.10 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
1,639.80 |
|
$ |
4,464.56 |
|
USAA Investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Mr. Bonnell |
|
7 |
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
Ms. Conklin |
|
7 |
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
Mr. Hattman |
|
7 |
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
The following table lists the number and types of Performance-Based accounts managed by each individual and assets under management in those accounts as of the last completed fiscal year.
|
|
Registered
|
|
Other Pooled
|
|
Other Accounts |
|
Total |
|
||||||||||
Name |
|
Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Number
|
|
Total
|
|
Assets
|
|
||||
RS Value |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Mr. Harris |
|
1 |
|
$ |
620.78 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
620.78 |
|
Mr. Mainelli |
|
1 |
|
$ |
620.78 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
620.78 |
|
RS Investments - Growth |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Mr. Bishop |
|
5 |
|
$ |
6,106.81 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
26.99 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
122.17 |
|
$ |
6,255.97 |
|
Ms. Chadwick-Dunn |
|
4 |
|
$ |
5,011.46 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
26.99 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
122.17 |
|
$ |
5,160.62 |
|
Mr. Clark |
|
5 |
|
$ |
6,106.81 |
|
2 |
|
$ |
98.87 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
122.17 |
|
$ |
6,327.85 |
|
Mr. Leung |
|
5 |
|
$ |
6,106.81 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
26.99 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
122.17 |
|
$ |
6,255.97 |
|
Mr. Tracy |
|
4 |
|
$ |
5,011.46 |
|
1 |
|
$ |
26.99 |
|
3 |
|
$ |
140.57 |
|
$ |
5,179.02 |
|
Park Avenue |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Mr. Blaney |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
|
|
Mr. Booth |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
|
|
Mr. Gillin |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
|
|
USAA Investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Mr. Bonnell |
|
7 |
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
Ms. Conklin |
|
7 |
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
Mr. Hattman |
|
7 |
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
0 |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
11,281.01 |
|
Fund Ownership
As of the end of the last completed fiscal year, the portfolio managers of the Funds owned equity securities of the Funds in the amount indicated in the table below:
Portfolio
|
|
Fund |
|
Dollar Range of Shares
|
|
RS Investments - Value |
|
|
|
|
|
Robert J. Harris |
|
RS Partners Fund
|
|
$50,001 - $100,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joseph Mainelli |
|
RS Partners Fund
|
|
$100,001 - $500,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RS Investments - Growth |
|
|
|
|
|
Stephen J. Bishop |
|
RS Mid Cap Growth Fund
|
|
$500,001 - $1,000,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Melissa Chadwick-Dunn |
|
RS Mid Cap Growth Fund
|
|
$500,001 - $1,000,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christopher W. Clark |
|
RS Mid Cap Growth Fund
|
|
$10,001 - $50,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul Leung |
|
RS Mid Cap Growth Fund
|
|
$100,001-500,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Scott Tracy |
|
RS Mid Cap Growth Fund
|
|
$500,001 - $1,000,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Park Avenue |
|
|
|
|
|
John Blaney |
|
Floating Rate Fund |
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin Booth |
|
Floating Rate Fund |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paul Gillin |
|
Floating Rate Fund |
|
$100,001 - $500,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
USAA Investments |
|
|
|
|
|
John Bonnell* |
|
High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Regina Conklin* |
|
High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
None |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew Hattman* |
|
High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
None |
|
*Portfolio manager as of April 1, 2020.
Portfolio Manager Compensation
The Adviser
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.
Park Avenue
The compensation paid to portfolio managers is comprised of both base salary and incentive compensation. The base salary is generally a fixed amount based on the individuals experience and expertise and is reviewed annually. The purpose of the incentive compensation plan is to provide portfolio managers with incentive awards that are tied directly to the performance of the mutual funds and portfolios for which they are responsible. The incentive component can be a significant portion of their total compensation. For the mutual funds, the incentive compensation rewards favorable performance of the mutual funds relative to peers and positive excess return versus appropriate benchmark indices.
The mutual fund performance criteria are generally tied to both a peer component and index component. The peer component is based on a Funds performance relative to the appropriate peer group in the universe of mutual funds as determined by Lipper, Inc., an independent mutual fund rating and ranking organization. The index component is based on whether the Funds performance exceeds the performance of its public benchmark index. The incentive
compensation calculation for a given portfolio manager is based on weightings that generally reflect that portfolio managers roles and responsibilities with respect to management of the mutual funds and other portfolios with similar asset class strategies. In determining the actual incentive compensation awarded to an individual portfolio manager, senior management may increase or decrease the award at its discretion based on the managers contribution to performance and other factors.
Conflicts of Interest
The Adviser
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 he or she manages or supports. The side-by-side management of the Funds along with other accounts may raise potential conflicts of interest by incenting a portfolio manager to direct a disproportionate amount of: (1) their attention; (2) limited investment opportunities, such as less liquid securities or initial public offering; and/or (3) desirable trade allocations, to such other accounts. In addition, certain trading practices, such as cross-trading between Funds or between a Fund and another account, raise conflict of interest issues. The Adviser has adopted numerous compliance policies and procedures, including a Code of Ethics, and brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which seek to address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, the Adviser 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 the Advisers investment franchises and employees in order to detect and address potential and actual conflicts of interest. However, there can be no assurance that the Advisers compliance program will achieve its intended result.
Park Avenue
Portfolio managers for the Victory Floating Rate Fund typically manage other portfolios with investment objectives and strategies that are similar to those of the Victory Floating Rate Fund; however, specific security selection typically differs among portfolios based on investment objectives and duration requirements. In general, the other portfolios are managed using the same investment tools and resources that are used in connection with the management of the Victory Floating Rate Fund. Accordingly, portfolio managers often make investment decisions and place trades for other accounts, such as the Guardian Assets, that are similar to those made for the Victory Floating Rate Fund due to the similarities in their investment objectives and strategies. On the other hand, portfolio managers may purchase or sell securities for one portfolio and not another, as appropriate, or may place transactions on behalf of the Guardian Assets that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of a Victory Floating Rate Fund. These decisions can be driven by differences in investment objectives or in the duration of benchmarks used for the Guardian Assets and the Victory Floating Rate Fund. Depending on market conditions, any of these actions could have a positive or adverse impact on the Victory Floating Rate Fund.
Because the Victory Floating Rate Funds portfolio managers manage assets for other accounts, the potential exists that a portfolio manager could have an incentive to devote an unequal amount of time and attention to the management of the Victory Floating Rate Fund as compared to the time and attention the manager spends on other accounts. Park Avenue could also be perceived as having a conflict of interest if Park Avenue or any of its affiliates has an investment in an account that is materially larger than its investment in the Victory Floating Rate Fund. To address these and other potential conflicts of interest, Park Avenue has adopted trade allocation policies and procedures, which provide for fair treatment including procedures for allocation of initial public offerings, and has monitoring procedures for compliance with the Victory Floating Rate Funds investment policies and with the Code of Ethics of the Funds and Park Avenue. In addition, Park Avenue periodically reviews each portfolio managers overall responsibilities to evaluate whether the manager has adequate resources to effectively manage multiple portfolios in a manner that treats all clients fairly.
Compliance Services
Effective July 1, 2017, the Trust entered into an Agreement to Provide Compliance Services (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 1940 Act. The funds in the Victory Fund Complex, in the aggregate, compensate the Adviser for these services. For the three most recent fiscal years ended December 31, the Funds paid the Adviser the following fees under the terms of the Compliance Agreement.
Fund |
|
2019
|
|
2018
|
|
2017*
|
|
|||
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
$ |
3,488 |
|
$ |
4,220 |
|
$ |
2,120 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
3,647 |
|
$ |
2,849 |
|
$ |
1,394 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
$ |
540 |
|
$ |
557 |
|
$ |
217 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
$ |
363 |
|
$ |
454 |
|
$ |
277 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
$ |
4,848 |
|
$ |
5,029 |
|
$ |
2,501 |
|
*July 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017
Administrator and Fund Accountant
Victory Capital serves as the 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 and sub-fund accountant to the Trust pursuant to an agreement with Victory Capital dated October 1, 2015, as amended (the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement). As administrator, Victory Capital supervises the Trusts operations, including the services that Citi provides to the Funds as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant, but excluding those that Victory Capital supervises as investment adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board.
Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, for the administration and fund accounting services that 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 in aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF net assets, plus 0.05% of aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF net assets in excess of $15 billion to $30 billion, plus 0.04% of aggregate Trust, VP II and VVIF 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, including costs associated with implementing new reports required by the new RIC Modernization rules adopted by the SEC under the 1940 Act.
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 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 Independent Trustees. 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, among other things, 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, its dividend and capital gain distribution, if any, and its 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.
The following table reflects fees that each Fund paid to Victory Capital under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement for the last three fiscal years ended December 31:
Fund |
|
2019 Fees Paid |
|
2018 Fees Paid |
|
2017 Fees Paid |
|
|||
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
$ |
264,271 |
|
$ |
331,935 |
|
$ |
407,548 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
285,533 |
|
$ |
224,490 |
|
$ |
260,936 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
$ |
41,431 |
|
$ |
44,786 |
|
$ |
39,193 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
$ |
27,678 |
|
$ |
35,081 |
|
$ |
52,634 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
$ |
368,035 |
|
$ |
399,970 |
|
$ |
484,589 |
|
Sub-Administrator and Sub-Fund Accountant
Citi serves as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant to the Funds pursuant to the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement. Citi assists in supervising all operations of the Funds (other than those performed by 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 mutual funds, VVIF and USAA Mutual Funds Trust (the Victory Mutual Funds), Victory Capital pays Citi an annual fee, computed daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates: 0.0110% of the first $50 billion of aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds; plus 0.01% of the aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds in excess of $50 billion to $100 billion; plus 0.0085% of the aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds in excess of $100 billion to $125 billion; plus 0.0065% of the aggregate net assets of the Victory Mutual Funds in excess of $125 billion. Victory Capital also pays Citi a per Fund annual fee for Citis services in connection with the preparation and filing of Form N-PORT and liquidity risk management services and certain other charges as agreed from time to time. 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 Victory Mutual Funds 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. 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 and N-PORT; 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; assists with liquidity risk management services; and assists in the annual audit of the Funds, among other services.
Transfer Agent
FIS Investor Services LLC (FIS), 4249 Easton Way, Suite 400, Columbus, Ohio 43219, serves as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Funds. Under its agreement with the 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 or Citibank), 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013, serves as the custodian of the assets of each Fund pursuant to the Global Custodial Services Agreement dated August 5, 2008, as amended (the Custody Agreement). 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 the 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 Custody Agreement. As Foreign Custody Manager, the Custodian must (a) determine that the assets of the 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.
Line of Credit. Effective July 1, 2019, each Fund participates, along with other funds of the Trust, VP II, VVIF and USAA Mutual Funds Trust, in a short-term, demand note line of credit agreement with Citibank. Under the agreement with Citibank, the Funds may borrow up to $600 million, of which $300 million is committed and $300 million is uncommitted. Of the committed amount, $40 million of the line of credit is reserved for use by the Victory Floating Rate Fund, 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. Citibank receives an annual commitment fee of 0.15%. Each Fund 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 whereby Citibank 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 of at least
102% of the value of U.S. securities loaned or at least 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 Citibank fees based on the investment income received from securities lending activities. In its role as securities lending agent, Citibank (1) arranges and administers the loan of securities when establishing a loan and the return of securities upon termination of a loan, (2) collects from borrowers cash, securities or other instruments to serve as collateral for the loans, (3) monitors the value of securities on loan and the value of the corresponding collateral, (4) 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, (5) collects or arranges for the collection of any interest, dividends or other distributions related to loaned securities, and (6) 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 December 31, 2019:
Fund |
|
Gross income from
|
|
Fees paid to securities
|
|
Rebate
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
Net income from
|
|
|||||
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
$ |
707,394 |
|
$ |
6,576 |
|
$ |
658,928 |
|
$ |
665,504 |
|
$ |
41,890 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
971,288 |
|
$ |
7,216 |
|
$ |
915,580 |
|
$ |
922,796 |
|
$ |
48,492 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
$ |
244,589 |
|
$ |
2,513 |
|
$ |
224,773 |
|
$ |
227,286 |
|
$ |
17,303 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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). Effective on or about June 30, 2020, the Distributors name will change to Victory Capital Services, Inc. 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 table reflects the total underwriting commissions 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 ending December 31:
|
|
2019 |
|
2018 |
|
2017 |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
Total
|
|
Underwriting
|
|
Total
|
|
Underwriting
|
|
Total
|
|
Underwriting
|
|
||||||
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
$ |
10,815 |
|
$ |
1,439 |
|
$ |
6,297 |
|
$ |
796 |
|
$ |
11,783 |
|
$ |
1,552 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
11,840 |
|
$ |
1,574 |
|
$ |
17,283 |
|
$ |
2,295 |
|
$ |
16,390 |
|
$ |
2,129 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
$ |
7,386 |
|
$ |
981 |
|
$ |
10,531 |
|
$ |
1,448 |
|
$ |
20,042 |
|
$ |
2,726 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
$ |
1,817 |
|
$ |
472 |
|
$ |
3,670 |
|
$ |
1,099 |
|
$ |
2,392 |
|
$ |
723 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
$ |
32,723 |
|
$ |
10,578 |
|
$ |
70,710 |
|
$ |
24,040 |
|
$ |
76,519 |
|
$ |
24,267 |
|
CODE OF ETHICS
Each of the Trust, the Adviser, Park Avenue, SailingStone and the Distributor has adopted a Code of Ethics in accordance with Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. The Advisers Code of Ethics applies to all of the Advisers directors and officers and employees with investment advisory duties (Access Personnel) and all of the Advisers directors, officers and employees (Supervised Personnel). Each Code of Ethics provides that Access Personnel must refrain from certain trading practices. Each Code also requires all Access Personnel (and, in the Advisers 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 a Fund. 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 held by the Funds (the Proxy Voting Policy). The Trusts Proxy Voting Policy is designed to: (i) ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds with a view toward maximizing the value of their investments; (ii) address conflicts of interests between these shareholders, on the one hand, and affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser or the Distributor, on the other, that may arise regarding the voting of proxies; and (iii) provide for the disclosure of the Funds proxy voting records and the Proxy Voting Policy.
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.
The Board has authorized Victory Capital to delegate proxy voting authority with respect to the Victory Floating Rate Fund to Park Avenue. Pursuant to such delegation, Park Avenue is authorized to vote proxies on behalf of the Victory Floating Rate Fund, in accordance with the proxy voting policies and procedures of each such sub-adviser.
Summaries of the proxy voting policies and procedures for each of the Adviser and Park Avenue are included in Appendix B.
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. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser may delegate these responsibilities to a sub-adviser.
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 commission rates. It is expected that equity securities will ordinarily be purchased in the primary markets for such securities, 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 generally 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.
Subject to its obligation to seek best execution, the Adviser may use brokerage commissions generated from client transactions to obtain services and/or research from broker-dealers to assist in the Advisers investment management decision-making process. These services and research 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 sole benefit of any employee or non-client entity.
It is the policy of the Adviser to seek 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.
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, ownership 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.
The Adviser will make a good faith determination that the commissions paid are reasonable in relationship to the value of the services received. The continuous review of stock commissions is the responsibility of the Advisers Head of Capital Markets and client trading, brokerage and soft-dollar performance is performed by the Advisers Trade Oversight Committee. Quarterly, the Advisers research analysts and portfolio managers will participate in a broker vote. The Advisers Equity Trading Desk will utilize the vote results during the broker selection process. 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, bunching or blocking 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. However, no proprietary account may be favored over any other participating account and such practice must be consistent with the Advisers policies and procedures including its 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.
If the order is filled in its entirety, securities purchased in the aggregate transaction will be allocated among accounts participating in the trade in accordance with an Allocation Statement prepared at the time of order entry. If the order is partially filled, the securities will be allocated pro rata based on the Allocation Statement. Portfolio managers may allocate executed trades in a different manner than indicated on the Allocation Statement (e.g., non-pro rata) only if all client accounts receive fair and equitable treatment.
In some instances, such as trading in fixed income securities, it may not be practical to complete the Allocation Statement prior to the placement of the order. In that case, the trading desk will complete the Allocation Statement as soon as practicable, but no later than the end of the same business day on which the securities have been allocated to the trading desk by the broker.
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 may be 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.
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 following table shows the dollar amount of brokerage commissions paid by each Fund during the last three fiscal years ended December 31, all of which were paid to entities that are not affiliated with the Funds, the Adviser or the Distributor.
Fund |
|
2019 |
|
2018 |
|
2017 |
|
|||
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
$ |
590,419 |
|
$ |
907,243 |
|
$ |
772,227 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
284,482 |
|
$ |
377,122 |
|
$ |
480,995 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
$ |
79,579 |
|
$ |
85,143 |
|
$ |
81,342 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
|
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
$ |
|
|
$ |
3,500 |
|
$ |
|
|
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 or Sub-Adviser to be advantageous to the Funds, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may execute portfolio transactions through affiliated broker-dealers. All such transactions must be consistent with best execution and completed in accordance with procedures approved by the Board.
For the last three fiscal years ended December 31, the Funds paid no commissions to affiliated broker-dealers.
Allocation of Brokerage in Connection with Research Services. During the most recent fiscal year ended December 31, the Adviser, through agreements or understandings with brokers, or otherwise through an internal allocation procedure, directed the brokerage transactions of certain Funds to certain 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 entire 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 |
|
Brokerage
|
|
Total Dollar
|
|
||
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
$ |
820,031 |
|
$ |
677,267,896 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
282,571 |
|
$ |
579,168,857 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
$ |
73,308 |
|
$ |
97,874,914 |
|
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 parent companies) during the most recent fiscal year.
As of the last fiscal year ended December 31, the Funds held no securities of regular broker dealers.
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 each 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, could be greater in periods of unusual market movement and volatility. Transaction costs associated with turnover are borne directly by the Fund and, ultimately, by its shareholders. A high rate of portfolio turnover (generally, over 100% annually) will generally involve correspondingly greater transaction costs. 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 two most recent fiscal years ended December 31:
Fund |
|
2019 |
|
2018 |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund |
|
57 |
% |
62 |
% |
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
86 |
% |
126 |
% |
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund |
|
89 |
% |
77 |
% |
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund |
|
49 |
% |
48 |
% |
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
35 |
% |
48 |
% |
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 Equity Fund declares and pays capital gains dividends annually. The Fixed Income Funds declare and pay dividends monthly.
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 each Funds Prospectus that relates to federal income taxation is only a summary of certain key federal income tax considerations generally affecting purchasers of shares of a Fund. 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 Prospectus. 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 the 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 Prospectus 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
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.
If a Fund has a net capital loss (i.e., an excess of capital losses over capital gains), the amount thereof may be carried forward and treated as a short-term capital loss that can be used to offset capital gains in future years. There is no limitation on the number of years to which net capital losses may be carried. 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 capital loss carryforwards, as of December 31, 2019.
Fund |
|
Short-
|
|
Long-Term
|
|
||
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund |
|
$ |
2,653,428 |
|
$ |
|
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund |
|
$ |
26,576,093 |
|
$ |
144,595,846 |
|
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: (x) prior inclusions of ordinary income items from the conversion transaction and (y) 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 the 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 such 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. 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).
If a Fund receives a dividend (other than a capital gain dividend) in respect of any share of REIT stock with a tax holding period of at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend as to that dividend, then Fund dividends attributable to that REIT dividend income (as reduced by certain fund expenses) may be reported by the Fund as eligible for the 20% deduction for qualified REIT dividends generally available to noncorporate shareholders under the Code. In order to qualify for this deduction, noncorporate shareholders must hold their Fund shares for at least 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which such Fund shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend.
Noncorporate taxpayers generally are eligible for a deduction of up to 20% of qualified publicly traded partnership income. A Fund will not be able to claim such a deduction in respect of income allocated to by any MLPs or other publicly traded partnerships in which it invests, and absent any additional guidance, the law does not allow noncorporate shareholders to be able to claim a deduction in respect of Fund dividends attributable to any such income.
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 generally 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 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 these purposes, 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 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 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.
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 Funds.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Description of Shares
The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust. The Trusts Second Amended and Restated Trust Instrument, dated as of February 26, 2019 (Trust Instrument), authorizes the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of shares, which are units of beneficial interest, with a par value of $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, Y and Member Class 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 (i) each class of shares may be subject to different (or no) sales loads; (ii) each class of shares may bear different (or no) distribution fees; (iii) each class of shares may have different shareholder features, such as minimum investment amounts; (iv) certain other class-specific expenses will be borne solely by the class to which such expenses are attributable, including transfer agent fees attributable to a specific class of shares, printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing materials to current shareholders of a specific class, registration fees paid by a specific class of shares, the expenses of administrative personnel and services required to support the shareholders of a specific class, litigation or other legal expenses relating to a class of shares, Trustees fees or expenses paid as a result of issues relating to a specific class of shares and accounting fees and expenses relating to a specific class of shares; and (v) each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters
relating to its own distribution arrangements. The Board may classify and reclassify the shares of the Fund into additional classes of shares at a future date.
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 a Fund with another investment company or another series of the Trust; (b) liquidating a Fund; (c) restructuring a Fund into a master/feeder structure, in which a 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 the 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, a Fund will be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of the 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 the 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 Funds (accounting agent, print vendors, etc.), rating and ranking organizations (Lipper, Morningstar, etc.) and affiliated persons of the Funds.
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 (December 31st and June 30th, respectively) and are available on the Funds website, www.VictoryFunds.com. The Funds file their complete portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters on Form N-PORT (available for filings after March 31, 2019). 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 and Fund Accountant |
|
Victory Capital Management Inc. |
|
Daily. |
|
|
|
|
|
Distributor |
|
Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
|
|
|
|
|
Custodian |
|
Citibank, N.A. |
|
Daily. |
|
|
|
|
|
Sub-Fund Accountant |
|
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
|
|
|
|
|
Financial Data Service |
|
FactSet Research Systems, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
|
|
|
|
|
Liquidity Risk Management Service Provider |
|
MSCI, Inc. |
|
Daily. |
|
|
|
|
|
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
|
Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
|
Annual Reporting Period: within 15 business days of end of reporting period. |
|
|
|
|
|
Printer for Financial Reports |
|
Toppan Merrill LLC |
|
Up to 30 days before distribution to shareholders. |
|
|
|
|
|
Legal Counsel, for EDGAR filings on Forms N-CSR and Form N-PORT |
|
Sidley Austin 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 May 31, 2020, there were no shareholders owning 5% or more of the Member Class of the Funds since the share class is new as of the date of this SAI. 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.
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; 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.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Cohen & Company, Ltd. located at 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds.
Legal Counsel
Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, is the counsel to the Trust.
Financial Statements
The audited financial statements of the Funds for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 are incorporated by reference herein. The financial highlights, however, do not include information related to the Funds Member Class share class since that share class is new as of the date of this SAI.
Miscellaneous
As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, references to a Funds assets mean the consideration received by the Trust upon the issuance or sale of the Funds shares, 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 Fund that are allocated to that Fund 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 multiple Funds will be the relative NAV of such Funds at the time of allocation. Assets belonging to a particular Fund are charged with the direct liabilities and expenses in respect of that Fund, and with a share of the general liabilities and expenses of the Trust not readily identified as belonging to a particular Fund, which are allocated to each Fund in accordance with its proportionate share of the NAV 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 Fund 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 Fund are conclusive.
As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of a 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.
Each Prospectus 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 salesperson, dealer, or other person is authorized to give any information or make any representation other than those contained in a 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 a Fund and any shareholder.
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
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.
Ratings represent a rating agencys opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuers financial condition.
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.
APPENDIX B
SUMMARY OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Victory Capital Management Inc. (Adviser)
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 to be 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 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.
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.
Park Avenue Institutional Advisers LLC
In its capacity as investment sub-adviser to certain Funds which may from time to time hold equity securities, Park Avenue has a fiduciary duty to the shareholders of the Funds to evaluate each company in which the Funds invest, in order to satisfy itself that the company meets certain management, financial and corporate governance standards. Park Avenue believes that each investment should reflect a sound economic decision that benefits the shareholders of the Funds; thus, as a guiding principle, in voting proxies Park Avenue seeks to maximize the shareholders economic interests. Accordingly, these policies and procedures are designed to ensure that Park Avenue votes proxies in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds, regardless of any relationship between Park Avenue, or any affiliate of Park Avenue, with the company soliciting the proxy. With limited exceptions, Park Avenue intends to vote all proxies solicited by issuers.
Proxy Voting Service
Park Avenue has retained the services of a proxy voting service provider (the Proxy Voting Service Provider), an independent proxy voting service, to act as its agent in voting proxies. The Proxy Voting Service Provider performs independent research on the management, financial condition and corporate governance policies of numerous companies, and makes voting recommendations. The Proxy Voting Service Provider votes proxies on Park Avenues behalf at shareholder meetings and is responsible for retaining copies of each proxy statement and maintaining records of how each proposal was voted.
In making its voting determinations, the Proxy Voting Service Provider has developed policies that involve an analysis of various factors relevant to the issuer and/or the proxy matter presented. After conducting its own evaluation of the Proxy Voting Service Providers factors and policies, Park Avenue has instructed the Proxy Voting Service Provider to make a voting determination based upon the Proxy Voting Service Providers factors and policies. The policies and the factors the Proxy Voting Service Provider considers in its voting determinations are further detailed in the guidelines. Park Avenue has instructed the Proxy Voting Service Provider to vote for, against, or on a case-by-case basis, along with the Proxy Voting Service Providers recommendations. In cases where the Proxy Voting Service Provider may not vote a proxy, a proposal may be referred to Park Avenue for consideration.
Conflicts of Interest
Sometimes a conflict of interest may arise in connection with the proxy voting process. For example, Park Avenue may have a material conflict of interest due to a significant business relationship with the company or a business relationship with a third party that has a material interest in the outcome of the vote, or a Park Avenue employee may have a personal conflict of interest due to a personal or familial relationship with someone at the company soliciting the proxy. Central to these proxy voting policies is Park Avenues philosophy that proxies should be voted only in the best interests of the shareholders of the Funds. Accordingly, these proxy voting policies are applied uniformly to avoid material conflicts of interest.
Guardian has taken certain measures to prevent economic or political incentives on the part of fund management or other Guardian business units to influence the outcome of a vote. Park Avenue has created an information barrier between fund management and those other business units that may have inside or other information about a
company, to prevent fund management from obtaining information that could have the potential to influence proxy voting decisions.
If an occasion arises in which the Proxy Voting Service Provider is unable to vote a proxy due to its own conflict of interest, the Proxy Voting Service Provider will ask Park Avenue to provide specific voting instructions. In such situations, Park Avenue shall vote the proxy in accordance with these policies and procedures. In all other cases, the Proxy Voting Service Provider votes proxies on behalf of Park Avenue and the Funds applying uniform policies.
If the Proxy Voting Service Provider is unable to vote a proxy due to a conflict and has referred it to Park Avenue for voting instructions, and there is a potential material conflict of interest between the issuer and Guardian or a Guardian affiliate or employee, the proxy proposal will be referred to Park Avenues Oversight Committee. The Oversight Committee will provide voting instructions on the proposal after consulting with the fund manager and taking into account all factors it deems relevant. If the Oversight Committee believes a material conflict exists that cannot be resolved by the committee, it will refer the proposal to the Board of Trustees for guidance.
Registration Statement
of
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS
on
Form N-1A
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits
(i)(l)(b) |
|
|
|
|
|
(i)(l)(c) |
|
|
|
|
|
(i)(1)(d) |
|
|
|
|
|
(i)(1)(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
(i)(1)(f) |
|
|
|
|
|
(i)(1)(g) |
|
|
|
|
|
(i)(2)(a) |
|
|
|
|
|
(i)(2)(b) |
|
|
|
|
|
(i)(2)(c) |
|
|
|
|
|
(i)(2)(d) |
|
|
|
|
|
(j)(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
(j)(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
(k) |
|
Not applicable. |
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, incorporated herein as Exhibit (a)(2) 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. The advancement of any expenses pursuant to this Section 10.02(d) shall under no circumstances be considered a loan under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or for any other reason.
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 March 31, 2020, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess $123.7 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Advisers principal offices are located at 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, Texas 78256, with additional offices in Birmingham, Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Des Moines, New York, Rocky River and San Francisco.
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.
Effective March 1, 2019 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 |
|
President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer 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. (d/b/a/ Victory Capital Services, Inc.) (VCA) acts as principal underwriter for the shares of Registrant, Victory Portfolios II, Victory Variable Insurance Funds and USAA Mutual Funds Trust.
(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 |
|
None |
Susan Woodard |
|
Director, Chief Compliance Officer and AML Officer |
|
None |
Nina Gupta |
|
Director, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary |
|
None |
Donald Inks |
|
Principal Operations Officer and President |
|
None |
Christopher Dyer |
|
Chief Operations Officer |
|
President |
Christopher Ponte |
|
Chief Financial Officer |
|
Assistant Treasurer |
(c) Not applicable.
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
(1) Victory Capital Management Inc., 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, Texas 78256 (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. (d/b/a Victory Capital Services, 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 Floating Rate Fund and Victory Strategic Income Fund).
(7) SailingStone Capital Partners LLC, 125 E. Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Suite 301, Larkspur, California 94939 (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 10th day of June, 2020.
|
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 10th day of June, 2020.
/s/ Christopher K. Dyer |
|
President (Principal Executive Officer) |
Christopher K. Dyer |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Allan Shaer |
|
Treasurer (Principal Accounting Officer and |
Allan Shaer |
|
Principal Financial Officer) |
* |
|
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 |
John L. Kelly |
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
David L. Meyer |
|
|
* |
|
Trustee |
Gloria S. Nelund |
|
|
*By: |
/s/ Jay G. Baris |
|
|
Jay G. Baris |
|
|
Attorney-in-Fact |
|
AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE
INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 dated as of April 1, 2020, to the Sub-Advisory Agreement dated as of July 29, 2016, as amended (Agreement), is made by and among Victory Capital Management Inc., a New York corporation (Adviser), and Park Avenue Institutional Advisers, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Sub-Adviser).
WHEREAS, the Parties entered into the Agreement pursuant to which the Sub-Adviser provides investment management services to Funds listed on Annex A (each Fund), a separate series of Victory Portfolios; and
WHEREAS, the Parties desire to revise Annex A of the Agreement to reflect a removal of certain listing of Funds to be paid to Sub-Adviser under the Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, it is agreed as follow:
1. Annex A of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the attached new Annex A, effective as of April 1, 2020.
2. All other terms of the Agreement, as amended, shall remain in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have duly executed this Amendment No. 1 as of the date first written above.
VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Michael D. Policarpo |
|
Name: |
Michael D. Policarpo |
|
Title: |
Chief Financial Officer |
|
PARK AVENUE INSTITUTIONAL ADVISERS LLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Douglas Dupont |
|
Name: |
Douglas Dupont |
|
Title: |
President |
|
SCHEDULE A
TO THE EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT DATED AUGUST 1, 2013
BETWEEN
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS AND VICTORY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC.
OPERATING EXPENSE LIMITS AS OF JUNE 8, 2020
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory Diversified Stock Class C |
|
2.02 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Diversified Stock Class I |
|
0.83 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Diversified Stock Class R6 |
|
0.78 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Diversified Stock Class Y |
|
0.86 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Class A |
|
0.91 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Class C |
|
1.71 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Class I |
|
0.64 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Class R |
|
0.91 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Class R6 |
|
0.63 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Class Y |
|
0.71 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Member Shares |
|
0.75 |
% |
28-Feb-22 |
|
8-Jun-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Class A |
|
1.39 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Member Shares |
|
1.10 |
% |
28-Feb-22 |
|
8-Jun-20 |
|
Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Class A |
|
1.36 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Class C |
|
2.10 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Class I |
|
0.95 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory NewBridge Large Cap Growth Class Y |
|
1.02 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Special Value Class C |
|
2.20 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Special Value Class I |
|
1.15 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Special Value Class Y |
|
1.10 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Sycamore Established Value Class C |
|
1.84 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Sycamore Small Company Opportunity Class Y |
|
1.15 |
% |
28-Feb-21 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class A |
|
0.85 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class C |
|
1.60 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
(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 R6 |
|
0.58 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory INCORE Total Return Bond Fund Class Y |
|
0.60 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class C |
|
2.45 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Class R |
|
2.08 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund Member Shares |
|
1.40 |
% |
31-Oct-21 |
|
8-Jun-20 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
0.60 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
1.00 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class C |
|
1.75 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
22-Apr-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
0.75 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund Member Shares |
|
0.85 |
% |
31-Oct-21 |
|
8-June-20 |
|
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
1.13 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Class R6 |
|
0.83 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Class Y |
|
0.88 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund Member Shares |
|
0.95 |
% |
31-Oct-21 |
|
8-Jun-20 |
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class A |
|
1.50 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Integrity Small-Cap Value Fund Class R |
|
1.75 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.32 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.57 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Munder Multi-Cap Fund Class C |
|
2.16 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Mar-20 |
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Class A |
|
1.40 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Class I |
|
1.15 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Munder Small Cap Growth Class Y |
|
1.25 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund Class A |
|
1.73 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
1.48 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class A |
|
0.95 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class C |
|
1.70 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Jun-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class I |
|
0.60 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class R6 |
|
0.55 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory Trivalent International FundCore Equity Class Y |
|
0.70 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class A |
|
1.35 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class C |
|
2.10 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class I |
|
0.95 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class R6 |
|
1.10 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Victory Trivalent International Small-Cap Fund Class Y |
|
1.10 |
% |
31-Oct-20 |
|
1-Nov-19 |
|
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund Class A |
|
1.00 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund Class C |
|
1.80 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund Class R |
|
1.56 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund Class Y |
|
0.78 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Floating Rate Fund Member Shares |
|
0.85 |
% |
30-Apr-22 |
|
8-Jun-20 |
|
Victory Global Natural Resources Fund Class A |
|
1.48 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Global Natural Resources Fund Class C |
|
2.28 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Global Natural Resources Fund Class R |
|
1.86 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Global Natural Resources Fund Class Y |
|
1.15 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund Class A |
|
0.80 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund Class C |
|
1.57 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund Class Y |
|
0.57 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund Member Shares |
|
0.65 |
% |
30-Apr-22 |
|
8-Jun-20 |
|
Victory High Yield Fund Class A |
|
1.00 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory High Yield Fund Class C |
|
1.70 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory High Yield Fund Class R |
|
1.35 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory High Yield Fund Class Y |
|
0.76 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Quality Bond Fund Class A |
|
0.90 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Quality Bond Fund Class C |
|
1.77 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Investment Quality Bond Fund Class R |
|
1.30 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory INCORE Investment Quality Bond Fund Class Y |
|
0.66 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Low Duration Bond Fund Class A |
|
0.85 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Low Duration Bond Fund Class C |
|
1.62 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Low Duration Bond Fund Class R |
|
1.27 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory INCORE Low Duration Bond Fund Class Y |
|
0.62 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class A |
|
1.34 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class C |
|
2.14 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class R |
|
1.58 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class Y |
|
0.99 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Fund Class R6 |
|
0.89 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund Class A |
|
1.75 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund Class C |
|
2.50 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Sophus Emerging Markets Small Cap Fund Class Y |
|
1.50 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Global Fund Class A |
|
0.85 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Global Fund Class C |
|
1.60 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Global Fund Class R |
|
1.10 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Global Fund Class Y |
|
0.60 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Global Fund Class R6 |
|
0.55 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.10 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Growth Fund Class C |
|
1.93 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.71 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Growth Fund Class Y |
|
0.83 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS International Fund Class A |
|
1.13 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS International Fund Class C |
|
1.88 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS International Fund Class R |
|
1.38 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS International Fund Class Y |
|
0.88 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS International Fund Class R6 |
|
0.83 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Investors Fund Class A |
|
1.33 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Investors Fund Class C |
|
2.07 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Investors Fund Class R |
|
1.95 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Investors Fund Class Y |
|
1.05 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Large Cap Alpha Fund Class A |
|
0.89 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Large Cap Alpha Fund Class C |
|
1.69 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Large Cap Alpha Fund Class R |
|
1.26 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Large Cap Alpha Fund Class Y |
|
0.68 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.20 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class C |
|
2.11 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Fund/Class
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Date of
|
|
Effective Date
|
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.80 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class Y |
|
0.95 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
0.94 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund Member Shares |
|
1.05 |
% |
30-Apr-22 |
|
8-Jun-20 |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund Class A |
|
1.45 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund Class R |
|
1.81 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund Class Y |
|
1.12 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Partners Fund Member Shares |
|
1.25 |
% |
30-Apr-22 |
|
8-Jun-20 |
|
Victory RS Science and Technology Fund Class A |
|
1.49 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Science and Technology Fund Class C |
|
2.28 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Science and Technology Fund Class R |
|
1.93 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Science and Technology Fund Class Y |
|
1.24 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.40 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class C |
|
2.18 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.91 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class Y |
|
1.14 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Select Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
1.06 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund Class A |
|
1.35 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund Class C |
|
2.10 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund Class R |
|
1.75 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund Class Y |
|
1.10 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund Member Shares |
|
1.15 |
% |
30-Apr-22 |
|
8-Jun-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class A |
|
1.40 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class C |
|
2.16 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class R |
|
1.86 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class Y |
|
1.13 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Small Cap Growth Fund Class R6 |
|
1.06 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Value Fund Class A |
|
1.30 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Value Fund Class C |
|
2.07 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Value Fund Class R |
|
1.69 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory RS Value Fund Class Y |
|
1.06 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Strategic Income Fund Class A |
|
0.95 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Strategic Income Fund Class C |
|
1.74 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Strategic Income Fund Class R |
|
1.34 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Strategic Income Fund Class Y |
|
0.74 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Tax-Exempt Fund Class A |
|
0.80 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Tax-Exempt Fund Class C |
|
1.60 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
Victory Tax-Exempt Fund Class Y |
|
0.69 |
% |
30-Apr-21 |
|
1-May-20 |
|
MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT & TUNNELL LLP
1201 NORTH MARKET STREET
P.O. BOX 1347
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE 19899-1347
(302) 658-9200
(302) 658-3989 FAX
June 10, 2020
Victory Portfolios
4900 Tiedeman Road
Brooklyn, Ohio 44144
Re: Victory Portfolios (Member Class)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Delaware counsel to Victory Portfolios, a Delaware statutory trust (the Trust), in connection with certain matters relating to the formation of the Trust and the issuance of Shares of Member Class (the Class) of:
Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund,
Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund,
Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund,
Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund,
Victory Integrity Discovery Fund,
Victory RS Partners Fund,
Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund,
Victory INCORE Fund for Income Fund,
Victory Floating Rate Fund, and
Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund,
each a Series of the Trust (each, a Fund and collectively, the Funds). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise herein defined are used as defined in the Second Amended and Restated Trust Instrument of the Trust dated as of February 26, 2019 (the Governing Instrument).
In rendering this opinion, we have examined and relied on copies of the following documents, each in the form provided to us: the Certificate of Trust of the Trust as filed in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the State Office) on December 21, 1995 (under the name The Victory Portfolios), as amended by the Certificate of Amendment thereto as filed in the State Office on September 16, 2015 (reflecting a change in its name to Victory Portfolios) (as so amended, the Certificate); the Governing Instrument; the Amended and Restated Trust Instrument of the Trust dated as of March 27, 2000, as amended by the Amendment thereto dated as of August 19, 2015 (as so amended, the A/R Governing Instrument); the Trust Instrument of the Trust dated as of December 6, 1995, as amended February 19, 1997 and October 23, 1997 (as amended, the Original Governing Instrument); the Bylaws of the Trust; certain resolutions and consents of the Trustees of the Trust including
resolutions dated December 6, 1995 relating to the organization of the Trust, resolutions adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust at meetings held on October 8, 1998, February 26, 2002, February 7, 2007, May 22, 2014, August 19, 2015, January 26, 2016 and February 26-27, 2019 relating to, inter alia, the change in name of The Victory Portfolios to Victory Portfolios and the establishment of each Fund and the Class thereof (collectively, the Resolutions and, together with the Governing Instrument and Bylaws of the Trust, the Governing Documents); Post-Effective Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of The Victory Portfolios, a Massachusetts business trust and the predecessor to the Trust (the Predecessor Trust) by which the Trust adopted such Registration Statement and the Predecessor Trusts Notification of Registration and Registration Statement under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) on December 28, 1995; and a certification of good standing of the Trust obtained as of a recent date from the State Office. In such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies or drafts of documents to be executed, and the legal capacity of natural persons to complete the execution of documents. We have further assumed for purposes of this opinion: (i) the due adoption, authorization, execution and delivery, as applicable, by or on behalf of each of the parties thereto of the above-referenced agreements, instruments, certificates and other documents (including the Resolutions), and of all documents contemplated by the Governing Documents to be executed by investors desiring to become Shareholders; (ii) the payment of consideration for Shares, and the application of such consideration, as provided in the Governing Documents and compliance with all other terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in the Governing Documents in connection with the issuance of Shares; (iii) that appropriate notation of the names and addresses of, the number of Shares held by, and the consideration paid by, Shareholders will be maintained in the appropriate registers and other books and records of the Trust in connection with the issuance or transfer of Shares; (iv) that no event has occurred that would cause a termination or dissolution of the Trust under Sections 11.04 or 11.05 of the Original Governing Instrument, the A/R Governing Instrument, or the Governing Instrument, as applicable; (v) that no event has occurred that would cause a termination or dissolution of any Fund or the Class thereof under Sections 2.06 or 11.04 of the Original Governing Instrument, the A/R Governing Instrument, or the Governing Instrument, as applicable; (vi) that the activities of the Trust have been and will be conducted in accordance with the terms of the Governing Instrument and the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. §§ 3801 et seq.; (vii) that Victory Integrity Discovery Fund was formerly known as Integrity Micro-Cap Equity Fund, Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund was formerly known as Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund was formerly known as Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund, Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund was formerly known as Investment Grade Convertible Fund, and Victory INCORE Fund for Income was formerly known as Fund for Income; and (viii) that each of the documents examined by us is in full force and effect and has not been amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, except as herein referenced. No opinion is expressed herein with respect to the requirements of, or compliance with, federal or state securities or blue sky laws. Further, we express no opinion on the sufficiency or accuracy of any registration or offering documentation relating to the Trust or the Shares. As to any facts material to our opinion, other than those assumed, we have relied without independent investigation on the above-referenced documents and on the accuracy, as of the date hereof, of the matters therein contained.
Based on and subject to the foregoing, and limited in all respects to matters of Delaware law, it is our opinion that:
1. The Trust is a duly formed and validly existing statutory trust in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. Each Fund is a validly existing Series of the Trust and the Class thereof is a validly existing Class of such Fund.
2. Shares of the Class of each Fund, when issued to Shareholders in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements and procedures set forth in the Governing Documents and all applicable resolutions of the Trustees, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable Shares of beneficial interest in the Trust.
With respect to our opinion in paragraph 2 above, we note that under Article V of the Governing Instrument, the Trustees shall have the power to cause each Shareholder, or each Shareholder of any particular Series or Class, to pay directly, in advance or arrears, expenses of the Trust as described in Article V of the Governing Instrument (Expenses), in an amount fixed from time to time by the Trustees, by setting off such Expenses due from such Shareholder from declared but unpaid dividends owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the number of Shares in the account of such Shareholder by that number of full and/or fractional Shares which represents the outstanding amount of such Expenses due from such Shareholder, provided that the direct payment of such Expenses by Shareholders is permitted under applicable law.
We hereby consent to the filing of a copy of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Trusts Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. This opinion speaks only as of the date hereof and is based on our understandings and assumptions as to present facts, and on the application of Delaware law as the same exist on the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update or supplement this opinion after the date hereof for the benefit of any person or entity (including any Shareholder) with respect to any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in facts or law that may hereafter occur or take effect. This opinion is intended solely for the benefit of the Trust and the Shareholders in connection with the matters contemplated hereby and may not be relied upon by any other person or entity, or for any other purpose, without our prior written consent.
|
Sincerely, |
|
|
|
MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT & TUNNELL LLP |
|
|
|
/s/ David A. Harris |
|
|
|
David A. Harris |
|
SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP |
|
787 SEVENTH AVENUE |
|
|
NEW YORK, NY 10019 |
|
|
+1 212 839 5300 |
|
|
|
+1 212 839 5599 FAX |
|
|
|
|
|
AMERICA · ASIA PACIFIC · EUROPE |
|
|
|
|
VIA EDGAR
June 10, 2020
Victory Portfolios
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, OH 44144
Post-Effective Amendment No. 179 File Nos.: 033-08982; 811-04852
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We hereby consent to the reference to our firm as counsel in Post-Effective Amendment No. 179 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Victory Portfolios (File No. 033-08982).
Very truly yours, |
|
|
|
/s/ Sidley Austin LLP |
|
Sidley Austin LLP |
|
Sidley Austin (NY) LLP is a Delaware limited liability partnership doing business as Sidley Austin LLP and practicing in affiliation with other Sidley Austin partnerships.
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated August 26, 2019, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of Victory Integrity Discovery Fund, Victory Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund and Victory Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund, each a series of Victory Portfolios, for the year ended June 30, 2019, and to the references to our firm under the headings Financial Highlights in the Prospectus and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Ongoing Arrangements to Disclose Portfolio Holdings in the Statement of Additional Information.
/s/ Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
|
|
|
Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
|
Cleveland, Ohio |
|
June 10, 2020 |
|
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated February 25, 2020, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of Victory RS Partners Fund, Victory RS Mid Cap Growth Fund, Victory RS Small Cap Equity Fund, Victory High Income Municipal Bond Fund and Victory Floating Rate Fund, each a series of Victory Portfolios, for the year ended December 31, 2019, and to the references to our firm under the headings Financial Highlights in the Prospectus and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Ongoing Arrangements to Disclose Portfolio Holdings in the Statement of Additional Information.
/s/ Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
|
|
|
Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
|
Cleveland, Ohio |
|
June 10, 2020 |
|
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated December 30, 2019, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of Victory INCORE Fund for Income and Victory INCORE Investment Grade Convertible Fund (the Funds), each a series of Victory Portfolios, for the year ended October 31, 2019 and the adjustments that were applied to restate the financial highlights of Victory INCORE Fund for Income for the year ended October 31, 2018 to correct an error, and to the references to our firm under the headings Financial Highlights in the Prospectus and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Ongoing Arrangements to Disclose Portfolio Holdings in the Statement of Additional Information.
/s/ Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
|
|
|
Cohen & Company, Ltd. |
|
Cleveland, Ohio |
|
June 10, 2020 |
|