INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES OF THE FUNDS

Heartland Mid Cap Value Fund

The Heartland Mid Cap Value Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation and modest current income. Heartland Advisors considers companies in the market capitalization range of the Russell Midcap^® Index as mid-capitalization companies. The median market capitalization of the Fund is expected to fluctuate over time depending on Heartland Advisors’ perceptions of relative valuations, future prospects and market conditions. The Fund generally invests a majority of its assets in dividend-paying common stocks.

As the Fund invests in a limited number of stocks (generally 40 to 60), a change in the value of any single holding may have a more pronounced effect on the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and performance than would be the case if it held more positions. This generally will increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price and investment return.

To pursue its objective, the Fund may also invest in debt securities, although under normal market conditions the Fund will not invest more than 10% of its assets in such securities. The Fund may invest in other securities, including preferred stocks, warrants, convertible securities, foreign securities, and cash equivalents. There are no credit quality limitations on the convertible or debt securities in which the Fund may invest. Although not a principal investment strategy, the Fund may utilize other investments and investment techniques from time to time which may impact Fund performance, including options, futures, and other derivatives transactions.

Under adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may temporarily invest, without limitation, in liquid reserves such as money market instruments, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, short-term corporate debt securities, variable rate demand notes, U.S. Government securities, and repurchase agreements. In addition, the Fund may invest in these temporary investments under conditions when Heartland Advisors is unable to identify attractive investment opportunities. Temporary investments in liquid reserves are not required and may not be possible because of market conditions. Such investments also might prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective, and from participating in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested.

In pursuing its objective, the Fund may, from time to time, use its ownership interest in a portfolio company to seek to change or influence control of the company’s management. The Fund also may employ the investment techniques described in its Prospectus and in the sections of this SAI titled “Types of Securities” and “Portfolio Management Strategies.” The Fund’s investment objective may be changed with the approval of the Board of Directors and notice to shareholders, but without shareholder approval.

Heartland Value Plus Fund

The Heartland Value Plus Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation and modest current income. The Fund invests primarily in a limited number of common stocks of smaller companies selected on a value basis. The Fund generally invests a majority of its assets in dividend-paying common stocks. The Fund primarily invests in companies with market capitalizations consistent with the capitalization range of the Russell 2000^® Value Index.

The Fund invests in a limited number of stocks (generally 40 to 70). Therefore, a change in the value of any single holding may have a more pronounced effect on the Fund’s NAV and performance than would be the case if it held more positions. This generally will increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price and investment return.

To pursue its objective, the Fund may also invest in debt securities, although under normal market conditions the Fund will not invest more than 10% of its assets in such securities. The Fund may invest in other securities, including preferred stock, warrants, convertible securities, foreign securities, and cash equivalents. There are no credit quality limitations on the convertible or debt securities in which the Fund may invest. Although not a principal investment strategy, the Fund may utilize other investments and investment techniques from time to time which may impact Fund performance, including options, futures, and other derivatives transactions.

Under adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may temporarily invest, without limitation, in liquid reserves such as money market instruments, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, short-term corporate debt securities, variable rate demand notes, U.S. Government securities, and repurchase agreements. In addition, the Fund may invest in these temporary investments under conditions when Heartland Advisors is unable to identify attractive investment opportunities. Temporary investments in liquid reserves are not required and may not be possible because of market conditions. Such investments also might prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective, and from participating in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested.

In pursuing its objective, the Fund may, from time to time, use its ownership interest in a portfolio company to seek to change or influence control of the company’s management. The Fund also may employ the investment techniques described in its Prospectus and in the sections of this SAI titled “Types of Securities” and “Portfolio Management Strategies.” The Fund’s investment objective may be changed with the approval of the Board of Directors and notice to shareholders, but without shareholder approval.

Heartland Value Fund

The Heartland Value Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation through investing in small companies. The Fund invests primarily in common stocks of small companies with market capitalizations less than the largest companies in the Russell 2000^® Value Index, and may invest a portion of its assets in micro-capitalization companies, generally those with market capitalizations of less than $500 million at the time of purchase.

Investing in equity securities of smaller companies involves a higher degree of risk than investing in the securities of larger companies. The prices of securities of smaller companies generally are more volatile than those of larger companies, they generally will have less market liquidity, and they may be more likely to be adversely affected by poor economic or market conditions. These risks generally increase as the size of the companies decrease.

To pursue its objective, the Fund may also invest in debt securities, although under normal market conditions the Fund will not invest more than 10% of its assets in such securities. It may invest in other securities, including equity securities of larger companies, preferred stocks, warrants, convertible securities, foreign securities, and cash equivalents. There are no credit quality limitations on the convertible or debt securities in which the Fund may invest. The Fund may utilize other investments and investment techniques from time to time which may impact Fund performance, including options, futures and other derivatives transactions.

Under adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may temporarily invest, without limitation, in liquid reserves such as money market instruments, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, short-term corporate debt securities, variable rate demand notes, U.S. Government securities, and repurchase agreements. In addition, the Fund may invest in these temporary investments under conditions when Heartland Advisors is unable to identify attractive investment opportunities. Temporary investments in liquid reserves are not required and may not be possible because of market conditions. Such investments also might prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective, and from participating in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested.

In pursuing its objective, the Fund may, from time to time, use its ownership interest in a portfolio company to seek to change or influence control of the company’s management. The Fund also may employ the investment techniques described in its Prospectus and in the sections of this SAI titled “Types of Securities” and “Portfolio Management Strategies.” The Fund’s investment objective may be changed with the approval of the Board of Directors and notice to shareholders, but without shareholder approval.

TYPES OF SECURITIES

The following information supplements the discussion of the Funds’ investments described in the Prospectus.

Illiquid Securities

The Funds have implemented a liquidity risk management program and related procedures to identify illiquid securities pursuant to Rule 22e-4 of the 1940 Act, and the Board of Directors has approved Heartland Advisors as the administrator of the liquidity risk management program. Each Fund may invest in illiquid securities; however, no Fund may acquire illiquid securities if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets would be invested in such securities. A determination of whether a security is illiquid is based upon guidelines contained in the Funds’ liquidity risk management program and depends upon relevant facts and circumstances. Under the Funds’ liquidity risk management program, the term “illiquid security” means 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. Illiquid securities generally include securities subject to restrictions on resale as a matter of contract or law, interest only and principal only mortgage backed securities issued by private issuers and repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days. The Board of Directors annually reviews a written report prepared by the administrator of the Funds’ liquidity risk management program that addresses the operation of the program and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation.

Certain securities exempt from registration or issued in transactions exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), such as securities that may be resold to institutional investors under Rule 144A under the Securities Act, may be considered to be liquid under the Funds’ liquidity risk management program. Rule 144A securities deemed to be liquid are not treated as being subject to the limitation on illiquid securities. Securities purchased by a Fund in private placement transactions are subject to resale restrictions under securities laws and typically are not publicly traded and may be difficult to sell. Because there is generally no public market for these securities, there may be less information publicly available and, thus, it may be difficult to determine their fair value. Accordingly, securities acquired in private placements are generally presumed to be illiquid.

Restricted securities 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 prevailed when it decided to seek registration of the security.

The Funds may invest in securities that are issued by privately held companies, which are not subject to reporting requirements of the SEC, are not required to maintain their accounting records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and are not required to maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting. The securities of privately held companies are generally considered illiquid.

To the extent it invests in illiquid or restricted securities, a Fund may encounter difficulty in determining a market value for such securities. Disposing of illiquid or restricted securities may involve time-consuming negotiations and legal expense, and it may be difficult or impossible for a Fund to sell such an investment promptly and at an acceptable price. In addition, if a Fund holds a material percentage of its assets in illiquid or restricted securities, it may experience difficulty meeting its redemption obligations.

Foreign Investments and Currencies

In considering whether to invest in the securities of a foreign company, Heartland Advisors considers such factors as the characteristics of the particular company, differences between economic trends and the performance of securities markets within the U.S. and those within other countries, and also factors relating to the general economic, governmental and social conditions of the country or countries where the company is located. The extent to which a Fund will be invested in foreign companies and countries and Depositary Receipts (“DRs”) will fluctuate from time to time within the limitations described in the Prospectus, depending on Heartland Advisors’ assessment of prevailing market, economic and other conditions.

Each Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets directly in foreign securities or securities of U.S. companies whose revenue or operating income is derived primarily from outside of the U.S. and may invest without limitations in foreign securities through American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Investments in DRs and foreign securities involve certain inherent risks, including the following:

Depositary Receipts. Each Fund may invest its assets in securities of foreign issuers in the form of DRs, including ADRs and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), which are securities representing securities of foreign issuers. A purchaser of unsponsored DRs may not have complete voting rights and may not receive as much information about the issuer of the underlying securities as with a sponsored DR. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are denominated in U.S. dollars and are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. Generally, GDRs, in registered form, are denominated in foreign currency and are designed for use in the foreign securities markets. GDRs are receipts typically issued by a foreign bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. The Funds are not subject to any limitations specific to ADRs and GDRs. For purposes of the Funds’ investment policies, ADRs and GDRs are deemed to have the same classification as the underlying securities they represent.

Political and Economic Factors. Individual foreign economies of certain countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, diversification and balance of payments position. Governments in certain foreign countries also continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could include restrictions on foreign investment, nationalization, expropriation of goods or imposition of taxes, and could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of interest. The economies of many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by the trade policies and economic conditions of their trading partners. Enactment by these trading partners of protectionist trade legislation could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of such countries.

Political developments impacting international trade, including trade disputes and increased tariffs, particularly between the U.S. and China and Canada and China, may negatively impact markets and cause weaker macroeconomic conditions. Markets may be materially adversely affected by political, economic or social instability or events, including war, continuing political tension and armed conflicts, acts of terrorism, the renegotiation or nullification of agreements and treaties, the imposition of onerous regulations, embargoes, sanctions, and fiscal policy, changes in laws governing existing operations, financial constraints, including currency restrictions and exchange rate fluctuations, joint venture partners or third-party representatives.

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

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

Legal and Regulatory Matters. Certain foreign countries may have less supervision of securities markets, brokers and issuers of securities, and less financial information available from issuers, than is available in the United States.

Taxes. The interest and dividends payable on certain of a Fund’s foreign portfolio securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thus reducing the net amount of income available for distribution to Fund shareholders. Furthermore, the United States imposes a 30% withholding tax under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) (generally non-refundable) on certain payments to certain foreign entities, which could affect a Fund’s return on a foreign portfolio security.

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

Emerging Markets Risk. The risks of foreign investments typically are greater in emerging and less developed markets. For example, political and economic structures in these less developed countries may be new and changing rapidly, which may cause instability and greater risk of loss. Their securities markets may be less developed and securities in those markets are generally more volatile and less liquid than those in the developed markets. Emerging market countries also are more likely to experience high levels of inflation, deflation, or currency devaluations, which could hurt their economies and securities markets. Certain emerging markets also may face other significant internal or external risks, including a heightened risk of war and ethnic, religious, and racial conflicts. In addition, governments in many emerging market countries participate to a significant degree in their economies and securities markets, which may impair investment and economic growth of companies in those markets. High levels of national debt tend to make such markets also heavily reliant on foreign capital and, therefore, vulnerable to capital flight.

Passive Foreign Investment Companies

Each Fund may invest in stocks of foreign companies that are classified under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), as passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”), if that stock is otherwise a permissible investment for the Fund. In general, a foreign company is classified as a PFIC if it meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income is passive; or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, passive income. Unless a Fund makes a “qualified electing fund” (QEF) election or a “mark-to-market” election as described below, the Fund generally will be subject to an interest charge in addition to federal income tax (at ordinary income rates) on (i) any “excess distribution” received on the stock of a PFIC; or (ii) any gain from disposition of PFIC stock that was acquired in an earlier taxable year. This interest charge and ordinary income tax treatment will apply even if the Fund distributes such income to its shareholders. Any portion of a PFIC distribution that is not an “excess distribution” will be included in the Fund’s investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to the Funds to the extent they distribute that income to their shareholders.

A Fund may avoid the imposition of the interest charge and other adverse tax consequences of PFIC status described above if the Fund makes an election to treat the particular PFIC as a QEF, if this election is made for the first taxable year in which the Fund owns stock of such PFIC. If a Fund invests in a PFIC and makes such a QEF election, the interest charge and other adverse tax consequences of PFIC status described above will not apply with respect to such PFIC. Instead, the Fund will be required to include in the Fund’s income each year the Fund’s pro rata share of the QEF’s annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain (which such Fund may have to distribute to satisfy the distribution requirement under Sections 851-855 of the Code to maintain its status as a regulated investment company (“Distribution Requirement”), even if the QEF does not distribute those earnings and net capital gain to the Fund). In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain of its requirements.

A Fund may also avoid the imposition of the interest charge and other adverse tax consequences of PFIC status described above if the Fund makes a “mark-to-market” election with respect to the stock of a particular PFIC, if this election is made for the first taxable year in which the Fund owns stock of such PFIC. “Marking-to-market,” in this context, means including in the Fund’s ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of a PFIC’s stock over such Fund’s adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, a Fund also would be allowed to deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock included by the Fund for prior taxable years under the election. A Fund’s adjusted basis in each PFIC’s stock with respect to which it has made this election will be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. The QEF election and the mark-to-market election may accelerate the recognition of income by a Fund (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed by a Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require a Fund to liquidate other investments to meet its Distribution Requirement (including when it may not be advantageous for a Fund to liquidate such investments), which may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect a Fund’s total return.

Custodial Receipts and Participation Interests

Each Fund may invest in custodial receipts which represent ownership in future interest or principal payments, or both, on certain securities that are underwritten by securities dealers or banks.

Each Fund may also invest in participation interests in securities. Participation interests give a Fund an undivided interest in a security in the proportion that the Fund’s participation interest bears to the principal amount of the security.

Derivative Instruments

Each Fund may invest in a broad array of financial instruments and securities, the value of which is “derived” from the performance of an underlying asset or a “benchmark” such as a security index, an interest rate, or a currency. In particular, each Fund may engage in transactions in options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and hybrid instruments to (a) hedge against anticipated declines in the market value of its portfolio securities or currencies and against increases in the market values of securities or currencies it intends to acquire, (b) manage exposure to changing interest rates (duration management), (c) enhance total return or (d) to invest in eligible asset classes with greater efficiency and lower cost than is possible through direct investment.

Some options and futures strategies, including selling futures, buying puts, and writing calls, tend to hedge a Fund’s investments against price fluctuations. Other strategies, including buying futures, writing puts, and buying calls, tend to increase market exposure. Options and futures may be combined with each other in order to adjust the risk and return characteristics of a Fund’s overall strategy. Futures, options, and options on futures have durations which, in general, are closely related to the duration of the underlying securities. Holding long futures or call option positions will lengthen the duration of a Fund’s portfolio by approximately the same amount of time that holding an equivalent amount of the underlying securities would.

Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits mutual funds such as the Funds to enter into derivatives transactions and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior securities” under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. As of the date of this SAI, each Fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user.” A Fund is considered a “limited derivatives user” if the Funds limits its derivatives exposure to no more than 10% of its net assets, calculated in accordance with Rule 18f-4, and adopts written policies and procedures reasonably designed to manage the Fund’s derivatives risks. If a Fund invests in derivatives and does not qualify as a “limited derivatives user,” the Fund must adopt a written derivatives risk management program, adhere to an outer limit on leverage based on value-at-risk (VaR) and designate a “derivatives risk manager” who would report directly to the Company’s Board of Directors.

The Funds generally implement asset segregation, earmarking or “cover” procedures, such as holding an offsetting position in a security or holding cash or liquid assets to cover a potential future payment obligation, to mitigate the risk of derivatives transactions.

Writing Options. Each Fund may write put and call options on any securities or futures contracts in which it may invest, on any securities index based on or related to securities in which it may invest, or on any currency in which Fund investments may be denominated. A call option on an asset written by a Fund obligates the Fund to sell the specified asset to the holder (purchaser) at a stated price (the exercise price) if the option is exercised before a specified date (the expiration date). A put option on an asset written by a Fund obligates the Fund to buy the specified asset from the purchaser at the exercise price if the option is exercised before the expiration date.

Written options will generally be covered by a Fund. The term “covered” means that (a) a Fund will, in the case of a call option, own the asset subject to the option or have an unconditional right to purchase the same underlying asset at a price equal to or less than the exercise price of the “covered” option or, in the case of a put option, have an unconditional right to sell the same underlying asset at a price equal to or greater than the exercise price of the “covered” option, or (b) if it is not possible to cover as set forth above, the Fund will establish and maintain, for the term of the option, liquid assets on the Fund’s records having a value at least equal to the Fund’s obligation under the option, or (c) the Fund will purchase an offsetting option or any other option which, by virtue of its exercise price or otherwise, reduces the Fund’s net exposure on its written option position. A Fund may cover call options on a securities index by owning securities whose price changes are expected to be similar to those of the underlying index.

Writing put or call options can enable a Fund to enhance income by reason of the premiums paid by the purchaser of such options. Through receipt of the option premium, a call writer mitigates the effects of a price decline. At the same time, because a call writer must be prepared to deliver the underlying asset in return for the exercise price, even if its current value is greater, a call writer gives up some ability to participate in the price increases in the underlying asset. Conversely, if the price of the underlying asset rises, a put writer would generally expect to profit, although its gain would be limited to the amount of the premium it received for writing the put because it did not own the underlying asset and therefore would not benefit from the appreciation in price. If the price of the underlying asset falls, the put writer would expect to suffer a loss, which could be substantial, because a put writer must be prepared to pay the exercise price for the option’s underlying asset if the other party to the option chooses to exercise it. However, the loss should be less than the loss experienced if a Fund had purchased the underlying asset directly because the premium received for writing the option will mitigate the effects of the decline.

A Fund may enter into closing transactions with respect to options by purchasing an option identical to the one it has written (for exchange-listed options) or by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counterparty to such option (for over-the-counter, or “OTC” options). A Fund’s ability to establish and close out positions in exchange-listed options depends on the existence of a liquid market; however, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist at any particular time or that a Fund will be able to effect such closing transactions at a favorable price. In addition, although a Fund will enter into OTC options only with counterparties that are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Fund, there is no assurance that the Fund will in fact be able to close out an OTC option position at any time prior to its expiration or that the Fund will be able to effect such closing transactions at a favorable price.

Purchasing Options. Each Fund may purchase put and call options on any securities or futures contracts in which it may invest, on any securities index based on or related to securities in which it may invest, or on any currency in which Fund investments may be denominated. A Fund would normally purchase call options in anticipation of an increase, or put options in anticipation of a decrease, in the market value of securities or currencies of the type in which it may invest. A Fund may enter into closing transactions with respect to such options by writing an option identical to the one it has purchased (for exchange-listed options) or by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counterparty to such option (for OTC options). A Fund may also exercise such options or allow them to expire.

A Fund would normally purchase call options in anticipation of an increase in the market value of the underlying assets. As the holder of a call option, a Fund has the right to purchase the underlying asset at the exercise price at any time during the option period. A call buyer typically attempts to participate in potential price increases of the underlying asset with risk limited to the cost of the option, including the premium paid and transaction costs, if such asset prices fall. At the same time, the buyer can expect to suffer a loss if such asset prices do not rise sufficiently to offset the cost of the option.

A Fund would normally purchase put options in anticipation of a decrease in the market value of the underlying assets. As the holder of a put option, a Fund has the right to sell the underlying asset at any time during the option period. A Fund may also purchase put options on a security or currency related to its investments as a defensive technique in order to protect against an anticipated decline in the value of the underlying asset. Such hedge protection is provided only during the life of the put option when a Fund, as holder of the put option, is able to sell the underlying asset at the put exercise price regardless of any decline in the underlying asset’s market price. The premium paid for the put option and any transaction costs would reduce any gain otherwise available for distribution when the asset is eventually sold.

Futures Contracts. Each Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts, including, but not limited to, interest rate, index, or foreign currency futures contracts that are traded on a recognized U.S. exchange, board of trade or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system. A Fund may engage in transactions in futures contracts for “short” hedging or “long” strategies as described below.

When a Fund purchases a futures contract, it agrees to purchase a specified underlying instrument at a specified future date. When a Fund sells a futures contract, it agrees to sell the underlying instrument at a specified future date. The price at which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when a Fund enters into the contract. While a Fund may make or take delivery of the underlying instrument whenever it appears economically advantageous to do so, positions taken in the futures markets are not normally held to maturity but are instead liquidated through offsetting transactions which may result in a profit or loss as discussed below.

A Fund may take a “short” position in the futures market by selling futures contracts in an attempt to hedge against an anticipated rise in interest rates or a decline in market prices or foreign currency rates that would adversely affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. As part of its hedging strategy, a Fund may sell futures contracts on (i) securities held by the Fund or securities with characteristics similar to those of the Fund’s portfolio securities, (ii) currencies in which its portfolio securities are quoted or denominated or on one currency to hedge against fluctuations in the value of securities denominated in a different currency if there is an established historical pattern of correlation between the two currencies, or (iii) other financial instruments, securities indices or other indices, if, in the opinion of Heartland Advisors, there is a sufficient degree of correlation between price trends for the Fund’s portfolio securities and such futures contracts. A successful short hedging position would result in any depreciation in the value of portfolio securities being substantially offset by appreciation in the value of the futures position. Conversely, any unanticipated appreciation in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities would be substantially offset by a decline in the value of the futures position.

Each Fund may also take a “long” position in the futures market by purchasing futures contracts. This strategy would be employed, for example, when interest rates are falling or securities prices are rising and a Fund anticipates the subsequent purchase of particular securities when it has the necessary cash, but expects the prices or currency exchange rates then available in the applicable market to be less favorable than prices that are currently available. A Fund may also purchase futures contracts to alter the investment characteristics of or currency exposure associated with portfolio securities, as a substitute for transactions in securities or foreign currencies, or to gain or increase exposure to a particular securities market or currency.

The purchaser of a futures contract is not required to pay for and the seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver the underlying instrument unless the contract is held until the delivery date. However, upon entering into a futures contract, and to maintain an open position in futures contracts, a Fund would be required to deposit “initial margin” in a segregated account in the name of the executing futures commission merchant when the contract is entered into. The initial margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on initial margins that may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded. There may be certain circumstances, such as periods of high volatility, that cause an exchange to increase the level of a Fund’s initial margin payment. Unlike margin in securities transactions, initial margin on futures contracts does not represent a borrowing to a Fund, but rather is in the nature of a performance bond or good-faith deposit that is returned to the Fund upon termination of the transaction assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied.

Each day that a Fund has an open position in a futures contract or an option on a futures contract it will pay or receive cash, called “variation margin,” to or from the futures broker equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as “marking to market.” Variation margin paid or received by a Fund does not represent a borrowing or a loan, but rather represents settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract had expired at the close of the previous day. When a Fund purchases an option on a future, all that is at risk is the premium paid plus transaction costs. Alternatively, when a Fund purchases or sells a futures contract or writes a call or put option thereon, it is subject to daily variation margin calls that could be substantial in the event of adverse price movements. A Fund may be required to sell securities at a time when such sales are disadvantageous in the event a Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin requirements. In computing daily NAV, each Fund will mark to market the current value of any open futures contracts. The Funds expect to earn interest income on their margin deposits.

Futures contracts can be held until their delivery dates, or can be closed out before then if a liquid secondary market is available; however, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist at any particular time or that a Fund will be able to effect such closing transactions at a favorable price. Closing out an open futures contract purchase or sale is effected by entering into an offsetting futures contract sale or purchase, respectively, for the same aggregate amount of the identical securities and the same delivery date. If a Fund closes out an open futures contract by entering into an offsetting futures contract, and the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a Fund realizes a gain; if it is more, a Fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is less, a Fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that a Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If a Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits on the futures contract.

The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of its underlying instrument. Therefore, purchasing futures contracts will tend to increase a Fund’s exposure to positive and negative price fluctuations in the underlying instrument, much as if it had purchased the underlying instrument directly. When a Fund sells a futures contract, by contrast, the value of its futures position will tend to move in a direction contrary to the market. Selling futures contracts, therefore, will tend to offset both positive and negative market price changes, much as if the underlying instrument had been sold. Movements in the prices of futures contracts or options on futures contracts may not correlate perfectly with movements in the prices of the underlying instruments due to certain characteristics of the futures markets. In particular, daily variation margin calls may cause certain participants in futures markets to liquidate futures or options on futures contracts positions to avoid being subject to further calls. These liquidations could distort the normal price relationship between the futures or options and the underlying instruments by increasing price volatility. Temporary price distortion may also be caused by increased participation by speculators in the futures markets as a result of initial margin deposit requirements being less onerous than in the securities markets.

Limitations on Transactions in Futures and Options on Futures and Other Commodity Interests. The Funds will engage in transactions in futures contracts and options thereon either for bona fide hedging purposes or to seek to increase total return, in each case in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). To the extent a Fund engages in transactions in futures contracts and options thereon and other commodity interests such as certain swap contracts, it will do so only in accordance with certain CFTC exemptive provisions under which Heartland Advisors, on behalf of the Funds, has claimed an exclusion from the definition of a “commodity pool operator” under Rule 4.5 of the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (the “CEA”), and therefore, Heartland Advisors is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the CEA. A Fund may hold positions in futures contracts and related options and other commodity interests that do not qualify as bona fide hedging positions only in accordance with the thresholds set forth under Rule 4.5 of the CEA, which generally limit the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the Funds’ commodity interests to 5% of a Fund’s net asset value or the aggregate or notional value of such positions to 10% of a Fund’s net asset value.

Combined Positions. Each Fund may purchase and write options in combination with another, or in combination with futures or forward contracts, to adjust the risk and return characteristics of the overall position. For example, a Fund may purchase a put option and write a call option on the same underlying instrument in order to construct a combined position whose risk and return characteristics are similar to selling a futures contract. Another possible combined position would involve writing a call option at one exercise price and buying a call option at a lower price, in order to reduce the risks of the written call option in the event of a substantial price increase. Because combined positions involve multiple trades, they may result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.

Risks in Options and Futures Transactions. Options and futures can be highly volatile investments and involve certain risks. A decision about whether, when, and how to use options and futures involves skill and judgment, and even a hedge may be unsuccessful because of unexpected market behavior, or market or interest rate trends. Successful options and futures strategies require the ability to predict future movements in securities prices, interest rates, and other economic factors. There are significant differences between the securities markets, the currency markets, and the options and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. Options and futures prices are affected by such factors as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument and the time remaining until expiration of the contract, which may not affect prices of the underlying instruments the same way. Imperfect correlation may also result from different levels of demand in the options and futures markets and the markets for the underlying instruments, from structural differences in how options and futures, on the one hand, and securities, on the other hand, are traded or from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or trading halts or suspensions by an exchange. If price changes in a Fund’s options or futures positions are poorly correlated with its other investments, the positions may fail to produce anticipated gains or result in losses that are not offset by gains in other investments.

Because there are a limited number of types of exchange-traded options and futures contracts, it is likely that the standardized contracts available will not match a Fund’s current or anticipated investments exactly. A Fund may invest in options and futures contracts based on securities with different issuers, maturities, or other characteristics from the securities in which it typically invests, which involves a risk that the options or futures positions will not track the performance of the Fund’s other investments. For example, even the use of an option or a futures contract on a securities index may result in an imperfect correlation since the index generally will be composed of a much broader range of securities than the securities in which a Fund likely is to be invested. To the extent that a Fund’s options or futures positions do not match its current or anticipated investments, there is an increased risk that the options or futures positions will not track performance of the Fund’s other investments. Moreover, a Fund may purchase or sell options and futures contracts with a greater or lesser value than the securities it wishes to hedge or intends to purchase in order to attempt to compensate for differences in volatility between the contract and the securities, although this may not be successful in all cases.

Because of the low margin deposits required, futures trading involves a high degree of leverage. A relatively small price movement in futures contracts could result in an immediate and substantial gain or loss to a Fund. Therefore, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the futures contract by a Fund.

There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular options or futures contracts at any particular time. On volatile trading days when the price fluctuation limit is reached or a trading halt or suspension is imposed, it may be impossible for the Fund to enter into new positions, close out existing positions, or dispose of assets held in a segregated account. These events may also make an option or futures contract difficult to price. If the secondary market for a futures contract is not liquid because of price fluctuation limits or otherwise, it could prevent prompt liquidation of unfavorable positions and potentially require a Fund to continue to hold the position until delivery or expiration regardless of changes in its value. As a result, a Fund’s access to other assets held to cover its options or futures positions could also be impaired. Similarly, if a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it would have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities or currencies.

Federal Tax Treatment of Options and Futures Contracts. The Funds may enter into certain options and futures contracts which may or may not be treated as Section 1256 contracts or straddles under the Code. Transactions which are considered Section 1256 contracts will be considered to have been closed at the end of a Fund’s fiscal year and any gains or losses will be recognized for federal income tax purposes at that time. Generally, such gains or losses from the normal closing or settlement of such transactions will be characterized as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss regardless of the holding period of the instrument. A Fund will be required to recognize net gains or losses on such transactions when determining the Fund’s Distribution Requirement even though it may not have closed the transaction and received cash to pay such distribution.

An options or futures contract may be considered a position in a straddle for tax purposes, in which case a loss on any position in the straddle may be subject to deferral to the extent of unrecognized gain in an offsetting position.

In order for a Fund to continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a regulated investment company, at least 90% of its gross income for a taxable year must be derived from qualifying income (which includes dividends, interest, income derived from loans of securities, and gains from the sale of securities or foreign currencies). Gains from options, futures, and forward foreign exchange contracts derived with respect to a fund’s business of investing in stock, securities or foreign currencies are qualifying income. See “Portfolio Management Strategies – Foreign Currency Transactions” for a discussion of forward foreign exchange contracts.

The Code imposes constructive sale treatment for federal income tax purposes on certain hedging strategies with respect to appreciated securities. Under these rules, taxpayers will recognize gain, but not loss, with respect to securities if they enter into short sales, “offsetting notional principal contracts” (as defined by the Code), futures contracts, or “forward contracts” (as defined by the Code) with respect to the same or substantially identical property, or if they enter into such transactions and then acquire the same or substantially identical property. Furthermore, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to promulgate regulations that will treat as constructive sales certain transactions that have substantially the same effect as short sales, offsetting notional principal contracts, and futures or forward contracts to deliver the same or substantially identical property.

Convertible Securities

Convertible securities in which the Funds may invest include any bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks, or other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. By investing in convertible securities, a Fund obtains the right to benefit from the capital appreciation potential in the underlying common stock upon exercise of the conversion right, while generally earning higher current income than would be available if the common stock were purchased directly. In determining whether to purchase a convertible security, Heartland Advisors will look to the conversion feature and consider substantially the same investment criteria it would consider if purchasing the underlying common stock. However, these securities will nevertheless be subject to the same quality and investment limitations applicable to the Funds’ investments in debt securities.

The value of a convertible security is a function of its “investment value,” which is determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable quality and maturity that do not have the conversion privilege, and its “conversion value,” which is the security’s worth if converted into the underlying common stock. Investment value is typically influenced by interest rates and the credit standing of the issuer. Conversion value is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock and generally decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity.

Investment Companies

Each Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies, including unit investment trusts, closed-end management companies, or exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) (as discussed below), as permitted under the 1940 Act. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act limits a Fund’s investments in other investment companies so that, immediately after purchase or acquisition, (a) no more than 10% of its total assets may be invested in securities of other investment companies, (b) it may not own securities of any one investment company having a value in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets, and (c) it may not own more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any one investment company, subject to certain exceptions. As a shareholder of another investment company, a Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees. These expenses would be in addition to the advisory and other expenses of the Fund.

Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act also allows funds to invest in other registered funds, including exchange traded funds, in excess of the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) if a fund satisfies certain conditions specified in the Rule. Among other conditions, a fund and its advisory group may not control (individually or in the aggregate) an acquired fund (namely, hold more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired fund that is a registered open-end management investment company).

Exchange-Traded Funds

Each Fund may invest in securities of ETFs. ETFs are similar to traditional mutual funds, except that their shares trade throughout the trading day in the secondary brokerage market, much like stocks of public companies.

ETFs have their own operating expenses that are deducted from their assets and, thus, are borne by the shareholders of the ETF. Accordingly, a Fund that invests in an ETF will bear its share of the operating expenses of the ETF in which it invests. As a result, shareholders of the Fund will bear two layers of operating expenses to the extent the Fund invests in ETFs. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a traditional mutual fund such as the risk that the prices of the securities owned by the ETF will go down.

In addition to the risks described above, an investment in an ETF is also subject to the following risks that do not apply to an investment in a traditional mutual fund: (1) the market price of the ETF may trade at a discount to its NAV; (2) an active trading market for an ETF’s securities may not develop or be maintained, which may result in issues with liquidity of the ETF shares; or (3) trading of an ETF’s securities may be halted if the listing exchange’s officials deem such action appropriate, the shares or interests are de-listed from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halt trading in general.

The market prices of shares of ETFs fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for such shares and include a bid-ask spread charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants and trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that shares of an ETF may trade at a discount to NAV. In particular, the following circumstances may impact the market price of the shares of ETFs: (1) in times of market stress, market makers may step away from their role of market making in the shares of ETFs and in executing trades, which can lead to differences between the market value of the shares and an ETF’s NAV; (2) to the extent authorized participants (“APs”) exit the business or are unable to process creations or redemptions and no other AP can step in to do so, there may be a significantly reduced trading market in the shares, which can lead to differences between the market price of the shares and an ETF’s NAV; (3) the market price for the shares may deviate from an ETF’s NAV, particularly during times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay significantly more or significantly less for the shares than an ETF’s NAV, which is reflected in the bid and ask price for shares or in the closing price; (4) when all or a portion of an ETF’s underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the market for the shares is open, there may be changes from the last quote of the closed market and the quote from an ETF’s domestic trading day, which could lead to differences between the market value of the shares and an ETF’s NAV; and (5) in stressed market conditions, the market for the shares may become less liquid in response to the deteriorating liquidity of an ETF’s portfolio.

Trading in shares of ETFs on the stock exchange where they are listed for trading (the “Exchange”) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. If the shares are traded outside a collateralized settlement system, the number of financial institutions that can act as APs that can post collateral on an agency basis is limited, which may limit the market for the shares.

Each Fund may invest in ETFs that Heartland Advisors determines are appropriate to help achieve the Fund’s investment objective or otherwise are consistent with its investment program and restrictions. On occasion, the underlying investments of an ETF in which a Fund invests may not comply with some of the investment restrictions described in the section of this SAI titled “Types of Securities.” However, in all cases, the underlying investments of the ETF will comply with the Fund’s fundamental investment restrictions.

Swap Agreements

Each Fund may enter into swap agreements and may purchase or sell related caps, floors, and collars. The Funds would enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a desired return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio, as a duration management technique or to protect against any increase in the price of, or the currency exchange rate applicable to, securities it anticipates purchasing at a later date. The Funds intend to use these techniques for hedging purposes and not for speculation.

Swap agreements are generally individually negotiated agreements, primarily entered into by institutional investors, in which the parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount” (that is, the return on, or increase in value of, a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate) in a particular foreign currency or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. A Fund’s successful use of these instruments will depend, in part, on Heartland Advisors’ ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments.

Depending on its structure, a swap agreement may increase or decrease the exposure to changes in the value of an index of securities, the value of a particular security or group of securities, or foreign currency values. Depending on how it is used, a swap agreement may increase or decrease the overall volatility of a Fund’s investments and its NAV. The performance of a swap agreement is determined by the change in the specific currency, market index or security, or other factors that determine the amounts of payments due to and from a Fund. A Fund’s obligation under a swap agreement, which is generally equal 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, will be accrued daily (offset against amounts owed to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by the maintenance of the segregated account consisting of cash and/or other appropriate liquid assets having a value at least as great as the commitment underlying the obligations.

Swap agreements may include interest rate caps, which entitle the purchaser to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling the cap to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate or amount; interest rate floors, which entitle the purchaser to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling such floor to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate or amount; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor, or vice versa, in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.

If a swap agreement calls for payments by a Fund, it must be prepared to make such payments when due. If the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, or in the event of a default of the counterparty, the value of the swap agreement would likely decline, potentially resulting in a loss of the amount expected to receive under a swap agreement. A Fund will enter into swap agreements only with counterparties that Heartland Advisors reasonably believes are capable of performing under the swap agreements. The swap market is largely unregulated and swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid. Certain swaps are considered “commodity interests” and are subject to the limitations set forth above under “Limitations on Futures and Options on Futures Transactions.”

Hybrid Instruments

Each Fund may invest in hybrid instruments, a type of potentially high-risk derivative which combines the characteristics of futures contracts or options with those of debt, preferred equity, or a depositary instrument. Generally, a hybrid instrument will be a debt security or other evidence of indebtedness on which a portion of or all interest payments, and/or the principal or stated amount payable at maturity, redemption, or retirement, is determined by reference to prices, securities, currencies, intangibles, goods, articles, or commodities, or by another objective index, economic factor, or other measure, such as interest rates, currency exchange rates, commodity indices, and securities indices. Thus, hybrid instruments may take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, debt instruments with interest or principal payments or redemption terms determined by reference to the value of a currency, or commodity or securities index at a future point in time, preferred stock with dividend rates determined by reference to the value of a currency, or convertible securities with the conversion terms related to a particular commodity.

Since hybrid instruments reflect a combination of the characteristics of futures or options with those of securities, hybrid instruments may entail significant risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional debt instrument that has a fixed principal amount, is denominated in U.S. dollars, or bears interest either at a fixed rate or a floating rate determined by reference to a common, nationally published benchmark. Although the risks of a particular hybrid instrument will depend upon the terms of the instrument, such risks may include, without limitation, the possibility of significant changes in the benchmarks or underlying assets to which the instrument is linked. Such risks generally depend upon factors that are unrelated to the operations or credit quality of the issuer (although credit risk of the issuer is a consideration) of the hybrid instrument and that may not be readily foreseen by the purchaser, such as economic and political events, the supply and demand for the underlying assets, and interest rate movements. The benchmarks and underlying assets to which hybrid instruments are linked may also result in greater volatility and market risk, including leverage risk which may occur when the hybrid instrument is structured so that a given change in a benchmark or underlying asset is multiplied to produce greater change in the value of the hybrid instrument, thereby magnifying the risk of loss as well as the potential for gain. In addition, hybrid instruments may also carry liquidity risk since the instruments are often “customized” to meet the needs of the particular investor. See the section of this SAI titled “Types of Securities – Derivative Instruments – Risks in Options and Futures Transactions” above.

Debt Securities

From time to time, the Advisor may conclude that a security other than an equity security presents an attractive risk/reward profile. As a result, each Fund may invest in corporate debt securities and U.S. Governmental obligations. There are no credit quality or maturity limitations on a Fund’s investments in debt securities.

The risks inherent in short-, intermediate- and long-term debt securities depend on a variety of factors, including the term of the obligations, the size of a particular offering and the credit quality and rating of the issuer, in addition to general market conditions. In general, the longer the maturity of a debt obligation, the higher its yield and the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Conversely, the shorter the maturity, the lower the yield but the greater the price stability. A decline in the prevailing levels of interest rates will generally increase the value of the securities held by a Fund, and an increase in rates will generally have the opposite effect.

Foreign debt securities may be subject to additional risk as foreign securities markets may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. markets. In addition, foreign debt securities may not provide debt holders with the same rights domestic debt holders receive.

Yields on debt securities depend on a variety of factors, including the financial condition of the issuer or other obligor thereon or the revenue source from which debt service is payable, the general economic and monetary environment, conditions in the relevant market, the size of a particular issue, maturity of the obligation, and the rating of the issue.

Debt obligations rated high and some debt obligations rated medium quality are commonly referred to as “investment-grade” debt obligations. Investment-grade debt obligations are generally believed to have relatively low degrees of credit risk. However, medium-quality debt obligations, while considered investment grade, may have some speculative characteristics, since their issuers’ capacity for repayment may be more vulnerable to adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances than that of higher-rated issuers. The principal value of lower-rated securities generally will fluctuate more widely than higher-quality securities. Lower-quality securities entail a higher degree of risk as to the payment of interest and return of principal. Such securities are also subject to special risks, discussed below. To compensate investors for taking on such increased risk, issuers deemed to be less creditworthy generally must offer their investors higher interest rates than do issuers with better credit ratings.

In conducting its credit research and analysis, Heartland Advisors considers both qualitative and quantitative factors to evaluate the creditworthiness of individual issuers. Heartland Advisors also relies, in part, on credit ratings compiled by a number of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSROs”).

All ratings considerations are made at the time of purchase. Subsequent to purchase, a debt security may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced. Neither event will require the sale of such a security, but it will be a factor in considering whether to continue to hold the security. To the extent that ratings change as a result of changes in a rating organization or their rating systems, the Funds will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for selecting investments.

“High-Yield” Risk. Each Fund’s investment program permits it to invest in non-investment grade debt obligations, sometimes referred to as “junk bonds” (hereinafter referred to as “lower-quality securities”). Lower-quality securities are those securities that are rated lower than investment grade and unrated securities believed by Heartland Advisors to be of comparable quality. Although these securities generally offer higher yields than investment grade securities with similar maturities, lower-quality securities involve greater risks, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy. In general, they are regarded to be more speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Other potential risks associated with investing in high-yield securities include:

All interest-bearing securities typically experience price appreciation when interest rates decline and price depreciation when interest rates rise. The market values of lower-quality and comparable unrated securities tend to reflect individual issuer developments to a greater extent than do higher-rated securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Lower-quality and comparable unrated securities also tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher-rated securities. As a result, they generally involve more credit risk than securities in the higher-rated categories. During an economic downturn or a sustained period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of lower-quality and comparable unrated securities may experience financial stress and may not have sufficient revenues to meet their payment obligations. The issuer’s ability to service its debt obligations may also be adversely affected by specific corporate developments, the issuer’s inability to meet specific projected business forecasts or the unavailability of additional financing. The risk of loss due to default by an issuer of the securities is significantly greater than issues of higher-rated securities because such securities are generally unsecured and are often subordinated to their creditors. Further, if the issuer of a lower-quality or comparable unrated security defaulted, a Fund might incur additional expense to seek recovery. Periods of economic uncertainty and changes would also generally result in increased volatility in the market prices of these securities and thus in a Fund’s NAV.

As previously noted, the value of a lower-quality or comparable unrated security generally will decrease in a rising interest rate market, and a Fund’s NAV will decline correspondingly. If a Fund experiences unexpected net redemptions in such a market, it may be forced to liquidate a portion of its portfolio securities without regard to their investment merits. Due to the limited liquidity of lower-quality and comparable unrated securities (discussed below), a Fund may be forced to liquidate these securities at a substantial discount. Any such liquidation could force the Fund to sell the more liquid portion of its portfolio.

From time to time, legislation designed to limit the use of certain lower-quality and comparable unrated securities by certain issuers may be adopted. It is anticipated that if legislation is enacted or proposed, it could have a material effect on the value of these securities and the existence of a secondary trading market for such securities.

U.S. Government Obligations. Each Fund may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities. These securities include a variety of Treasury securities, which differ in their interest rates, maturities, and times of issuance. Treasury Bills generally have maturities of one year or less; Treasury Notes generally have maturities of one to ten years; and Treasury Bonds generally have maturities of greater than ten years. Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities, such as Government National Mortgage Association pass-through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; other obligations, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are secured by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; other obligations, such as those issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and other obligations, such as those issued by the Student Loan Marketing Association, are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality itself. Although the U.S. Government provides financial support to such U.S. Government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it will always do so, since it is not so obligated by law.

Floating and Variable Rate Securities. Each Fund may invest in securities which offer a variable or floating rate of interest. Floating rate securities generally provide for automatic adjustment of the interest rate whenever some specified interest rate index changes. Variable rate securities, on the other hand, provide for automatic establishment of a new interest rate at fixed intervals. Interest rates on floating and variable rate securities are based on a designated rate or a specified percentage thereof, such as a bank’s prime rate.

Floating or variable rate securities typically include a demand feature entitling the holder to demand payment of the obligation on short notice at par plus accrued interest. Some securities which do not have floating or variable interest rates may be accompanied by puts producing similar results and price characteristics. The issuer of these securities normally has a corresponding right, after a given period, to prepay in its discretion the outstanding principal amount of the note plus accrued interest upon a specified number of days’ notice to the noteholders. When considering the maturity of any instrument which may be sold or put to the issuer or a third party, a Fund may consider the instrument’s maturity to be shorter than its stated maturity.

Deferrable Subordinated Securities. Certain securities may be issued which have long maturities and are deeply subordinated in the issuer’s capital structure. They generally have 30-year maturities and permit the issuer to defer distributions for up to five years. These characteristics give the issuer more financial flexibility than is typically the case with traditional bonds. As a result, the securities may be viewed by rating agencies and bank regulators as possessing certain “equity-like” features. However, the securities are treated as debt securities by market participants, and each Fund intends to treat them as such as well. These securities may offer a mandatory put or remarketing option that creates an effective maturity date significantly shorter than the stated one. Each Fund may invest in these securities to the extent their yield, credit and maturity characteristics are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and strategies.

Inflation-Indexed Bonds. Each Fund may invest in inflation-indexed bonds issued by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed income securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The interest rate on these bonds is generally fixed at issuance at a rate lower than typical bonds. Over the life of an inflation-indexed bond, however, interest will be paid based on a principal value that is adjusted for inflation.

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward and, as a result, the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. If any such downward adjustment in the principal value of an inflation-indexed bond exceeds the interest otherwise includable in a Fund’s gross income for the relevant tax year, the excess will be treated as an ordinary loss to the extent of prior year net interest inclusions from such bond.

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation increases, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted upward and, as a result, the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a larger principal amount) will be increased. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income and will be includable in a Fund’s gross income in the period in which it accrues, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity, subject to offset against any tax loss carryforwards from earlier tax years. There can be no assurance that the applicable inflation index for the security will accurately measure the real rate of inflation (or deflation) in the prices of goods and services.

Mortgage-Related and Asset-Backed Securities. Mortgage-related securities in which the Funds may invest include mortgage pass-through securities and derivative mortgage securities, such as collateralized mortgage obligations and stripped mortgage-backed securities. These securities are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or by private issuers, generally originators and investors in mortgage loans, including savings associations, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, investment bankers, and special purpose entities (collectively, “private lenders”). Mortgage-backed securities issued by private lenders may be supported by pools of mortgage loans or other mortgage-backed securities that are guaranteed, directly or indirectly, by the U.S. Government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities, or they may be issued without any governmental guarantee of the underlying mortgage assets but with some form of non-governmental credit enhancement.

Asset-backed securities have structural characteristics similar to mortgage-backed securities. Asset-backed debt obligations represent direct or indirect participation in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as motor vehicle installment sales contracts, other installment loan contracts, home equity loans, leases of various types of property, and receivables from credit card or other revolving credit arrangements. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the assets underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the security is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement of the securities. Payments or distributions of principal and interest on asset-backed debt obligations may be supported by non-governmental credit enhancements including letters of credit, reserve funds, overcollateralization, and guarantees by third parties. The market for privately issued asset-backed debt obligations is smaller and less liquid than the market for government sponsored mortgage-backed securities.

In general, mortgage-related and asset-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 the entire principal amount comes due at maturity, payments on certain mortgage-related and asset-backed securities include both interest and a partial repayment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, repayments of principal on mortgage-related and asset-backed securities may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing, or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans or other assets. Prepayments may result in early payment of the applicable mortgage-related or asset-backed securities. In that event, a Fund may be unable to invest the proceeds from the early payment of the mortgage-related or asset-backed securities in an investment that provides as high a yield as the mortgage-related or asset-backed securities that were repaid early. Consequently, early payment associated with mortgage-related and asset-backed securities may cause these securities to experience significantly greater price and yield volatility than that experienced by traditional fixed-income securities. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments generally tends to increase, thereby tending to decrease the life of mortgage-related and asset-backed securities. During periods of rising interest rates, the rate of prepayments generally decreases, thereby tending to increase the life of mortgage-related and asset-backed securities. If the life of a mortgage-related or asset-backed security is inaccurately predicted, a Fund may not be able to realize the rate of return it expected.

Mortgage-related 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. During periods of declining interest rates, prepayments likely would have to be reinvested at lower rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates.

Prepayments may cause losses in securities purchased at a premium. At times, some of the mortgage-related and asset-backed securities in which a Fund may invest may have higher than market yields and, therefore, will be purchased at a premium above their par value. Unscheduled prepayments, which are made at par, will cause the Fund to experience a loss equal to any unamortized premium. In addition, the value of mortgage-related and asset-backed securities may change due to changes in the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer, and the mortgage-related and asset-backed securities markets in general may be adversely affected by changes in governmental regulation or tax policies.

Certain characteristics of adjustable rate mortgage securities (“ARMs”) may make them more susceptible to prepayments than other mortgage-related securities. Unlike fixed rate mortgages, the interest rates on adjustable rate mortgages are adjusted at regular intervals, generally based on a specified, published interest rate index. Investments in ARMs allow a Fund to participate in changing interest rate levels through regular adjustments in the coupons of the underlying mortgages, resulting in more variable current income and potentially shorter duration characteristics than longer-term fixed rate mortgage securities. The extent to which the values of ARMs fluctuate with changes in interest rates will depend on the frequency of the interest resets on the underlying mortgages, and the specific indices underlying the ARMs, as certain indices closely mirror market interest rate levels and others tend to lag changes in market rates.

ARMs will frequently have caps and floors which limit the maximum amount by which the interest rate on the underlying mortgage loans may move up or down during each adjustment period and over the life of the loan. Interest rate caps on ARMs may cause them to decrease in value in an increasing interest rate environment and may also prevent their income from increasing to levels commensurate with prevailing interest rates. Conversely, interest rate floors on ARMs may cause their income to remain higher than prevailing interest rate levels and result in an increase in the value of such securities. However, this increase may be tempered by an acceleration of prepayments. In general, ARMs tend to experience higher levels of prepayment than other mortgage-related securities. During periods of favorable interest rate environments, holders of adjustable rate mortgages have greater incentives to refinance with fixed-rate mortgages in order to avoid interest-rate risk. In addition, significant increases in the index rates used for adjustment of the mortgages may result in increased delinquency, default and foreclosure rates, which in turn would increase the rate of prepayment on the ARMs.

Collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) are designed to reduce the risk of prepayment for 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 held by a Fund would have the same effect as the prepayment of mortgages underlying other mortgage-related securities. The prices of certain CMOs, depending on their structure and the rate of prepayments, can be volatile and the market for certain CMOs may not be as liquid as the market for other securities in general.

Similarly, prepayments could also result in losses on stripped mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. Stripped mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities are commonly structured with two classes that receive different portions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of loans. A Fund may invest in both the interest-only or “IO” class and the principal-only or “PO” class. The yield to maturity on an IO class of stripped mortgage-backed or asset-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 Fund’s yield to maturity to the extent it invests in IOs. If the assets underlying the IO experience greater-than-anticipated prepayments of principal, a Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, POs tend to increase in value if prepayments are greater than anticipated and decline if prepayments are slower than anticipated. Complex instruments such as CMOs and stripped mortgage-backed securities may have a structure that makes their reaction to interest rates and other factors difficult to predict, potentially making their price highly volatile.

The secondary market for stripped mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may be more volatile and less liquid than that for other securities, potentially limiting the Funds’ ability to obtain market quotations for those securities or to buy or sell those securities at any particular time.

It is anticipated that certain entities may create loan pools offering pass-through investments in addition to the types discussed above, including securities with underlying pools of derivative mortgage-related and asset-backed securities. As new types of mortgage-related and asset-backed securities are developed and offered to investors, Heartland Advisors will, consistent with each Fund’s objective and investment policies, consider making investments in such new types of securities.

Zero-Coupon, Step-Coupon, and Pay-in-Kind Securities. Each Fund may invest in zero-coupon, step-coupon and pay-in-kind securities. These securities are debt securities that do not make regular cash interest payments. Zero-coupon and step-coupon securities are sold at a deep discount to their face value. Pay-in-kind securities pay interest through the issuance of additional securities. Because such securities do not pay current cash income, the price of these securities can be volatile when interest rates fluctuate. While these securities do not pay current cash income, federal income tax law requires the holders of the zero-coupon, step-coupon and pay-in-kind securities to include in income each year the portion of the original issue discount (or deemed discount) and other non-cash income on such securities accrued during that year. In order to satisfy the Distribution Requirement and avoid a federal excise tax, a Fund may be required to distribute a portion of such discount and income and may be required to dispose of other portfolio securities, which could occur in periods of adverse market conditions, in order to generate cash to meet these distribution requirements.

Indexed Securities

Each Fund may purchase securities whose prices are indexed to the prices of other securities, securities indices, or other financial indicators. Indexed securities typically are debt securities or deposits whose value at maturity or coupon rate is determined by reference to a specific instrument or statistic. For example, certain debt securities in which a Fund may invest may include securities whose interest rates are determined by reference to one or more specific financial indicators, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), resulting in a security whose interest payments tend to rise and fall together with the financial indicator. Indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed; that is, their maturity value may increase when the specified underlying instrument’s value increases, resulting in a security that performs similarly to the underlying instrument, or their maturity value may decline when the underlying instrument increases, resulting in a security whose price characteristics are similar to a put on the underlying instrument.

The performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on the performance of the security or other instrument to which they are indexed, and may also 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 issuer’s creditworthiness deteriorates. Recent issuers of indexed securities have included banks, corporations, and certain U.S. government agencies.

The market for indexed securities may be thinner and less active than the market for securities in general, which can adversely affect the prices at which indexed securities are sold. Judgment plays a greater role in valuing certain indexed 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 to value accurately indexed securities and a Fund’s ability to dispose of these securities.

LIBOR Transition Risk

A Fund may invest in securities or derivatives that historically used LIBOR as a benchmark or reference rate for interest rate calculations. The administrator of LIBOR ceased publishing all LIBOR settings on a representative basis after June 30, 2023. It is possible that a subset of LIBOR settings could continue to be published on a “synthetic” basis, but any such publications would be considered non-representative of the underlying market.

There remains uncertainty regarding the impact of the transition from LIBOR on the Funds’ transactions and the financial markets generally. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York publishes the Secured Overnight Funding Rate (“SOFR”), which is intended to be a broad measure of secured overnight U.S. Treasury repo rates and an appropriate replacement for LIBOR. However, SOFR is materially different from LIBOR. Although the transition process away from LIBOR has become increasingly well-defined since the discontinuation date, the impact on certain debt securities, derivatives and other financial instruments remains uncertain.

The effects of the transition process might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that historically relied on the LIBOR to determine interest rates. It could also lead to a reduction in the value of some LIBOR-based investments and reduce the effectiveness of new hedges placed against existing LIBOR-based instruments.

Sector Risk

To the extent a Fund invests more heavily in securities of companies in one sector of the market, the more susceptible the Fund is to economic, political and regulatory developments that significantly affect that sector. Therefore, the value of Fund shares may change at different rates compared to the value of shares of a fund with investments in a more diversified mix of sectors. An individual sector of the market may have above-average performance during particular periods, but may also move up and down more than the broader market. A Fund’s performance could also be affected if the sectors do not perform as expected. Although Heartland Advisors selects stocks based on their individual merits, some economic sectors will represent a larger portion of the Fund’s overall investment portfolio than other sectors.

Industrials Sector Risk. Each Fund may invest in companies in the industrials sector. The value of securities of issuers in the industrials sector can be affected by changes in the supply and demand for products and services, depletion of resources, increased competition, imposition of import controls, commodity price volatility and changes in exchange rates. In addition, these companies may be adversely affected by environmental damages and product liability claims. Changes to government regulations, worldwide economic growth and business cycle fluctuations may also affect the performance of these issuers. Companies in the industrials sector are subject to an increased risk of obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and the continual introduction of new and innovative products.

Financials Sector Risk. Each Fund may invest in companies in the financials sector. The value of securities of issuers in the financials sector can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad. In addition to changes in government regulation and economic conditions, the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by many factors affecting the financials sector, including, among others, changes in interest rates, credit rating downgrades, decreased liquidity in credit markets, the rate of defaults on corporate, consumer and government debt and the availability and cost of capital, among other factors. With particular respect to banking companies in which a Fund may invest, extensive governmental regulation may limit the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments banking companies can make, the interest rates and fees they can charge, the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they must maintain. Further, the profitability of banking companies is heavily dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change or due to increased competition and credit losses resulting from financial difficulties of borrowers can negatively impact banking companies. The financials sector has experienced significant losses in the recent past, and the impact of more stringent capital requirements and of recent or future regulation on any individual financial company or on the sector as a whole cannot be predicted. In recent years, cyber attacks and technology malfunctions and failures have become increasingly frequent in this sector and have caused significant losses, which may negatively impact a Fund.

Loan Interests

Each Fund may invest in loan interests, which are interests in amounts owed by a municipality or other borrower to lenders or lending syndicates. Loan interests purchased by a Fund will vary in maturity, may be subject to restrictions on resale, are not readily marketable and may be secured or unsecured. They involve the risk of loss in case of default or bankruptcy of the borrower or, if in the form of a participation interest, the insolvency of the financial intermediary. If a Fund acquires a loan interest under which the Fund derives its rights directly from the borrower, such loan interests are separately enforceable by the Fund against the borrower and all payments of interest and principal are typically made directly to the Fund from the borrower. In the event that a Fund and other lenders become entitled to take possession of shared collateral being held in connection with a loan interest as a result of default or insolvency, it is anticipated that such collateral would be held in the custody of an institution for their mutual benefit.

Typically, the U.S. or foreign commercial bank, insurance company, finance company, or other financial institution that originates, negotiates and structures the loan interest (the “Agent”) administers the terms of the loan agreement. As a result, a Fund will generally rely on the Agent to receive and forward to the Fund its portion of the principal and interest payments on the loan. A Fund may also rely on the Agent and the other members of the lending syndicate to use appropriate credit remedies against the borrower, if necessary. However, a Fund may be required to perform certain tasks on its own behalf in the event the Agent does not perform certain administrative or enforcement functions.

A Fund may incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan interest, or suffer a loss of principal and/or interest, in the event the Agent becomes insolvent or enters into receivership or bankruptcy proceedings. Indebtedness of borrowers whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks, and may be highly speculative. In addition, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the borrower’s obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

Real Estate Investment Trusts

Each Fund may purchase real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), which may own real estate properties (“equity REITs”) or may make or purchase mortgages on real estate (“mortgage REITs”). REITs are subject to volatility from risks associated with investments in real estate and investments dependent on income from real estate, such as fluctuating demand for real estate and sensitivity to adverse economic conditions. Equity REITs may be adversely affected by rising interest rates, which may increase the costs of obtaining financing for real estate projects or cause investors to demand a high annual yield from future distributions. Mortgage REITs may experience diminished yields during periods of declining interest rates if they hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay during such periods. In addition, the failure of a REIT in which a Fund has invested to continue to qualify as a REIT for tax purposes would have an adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investment.

Some REITs have relatively small market capitalizations, which could increase their market volatility. REITs tend to depend upon specialized management skills and may have limited diversification causing them to be subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of properties.

In general, qualified REIT dividends that an investor receives directly from a REIT are automatically eligible for the 20% qualified business income deduction. The IRS has issued final Treasury Regulations that permit a dividend or part of a dividend paid by a regulated investment company and reported as a “section 199A dividend” to be treated by the recipient as a qualified REIT dividend for purposes of the 20% qualified business income deduction, if certain holding period and other requirements have been satisfied by the recipient with respect to its Fund shares.

Rights and Warrants

Each Fund may purchase rights and warrants, which are securities giving the holder the right, but not the obligation, to purchase the underlying securities at a predetermined price during a specified period or perpetually. Rights and warrants are considered more speculative than certain other types of investments because they generally have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. In addition, the prices of rights and warrants do not necessarily move parallel to the prices of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or prior to their expiration dates.

When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities; Forward Commitments

Each Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, and may purchase forward commitments. Payment and interest terms of these securities are set out at the time a Fund enters into the commitment to purchase, but normally the securities are not issued, and delivery and payment for such obligations normally does not take place, for a month or more after the purchase date. In a forward commitment transaction, a Fund contracts to purchase securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time. Obligations purchased on a when-issued or forward commitment basis involve a risk of loss if the value of the security purchased declines prior to the settlement date, and may increase fluctuation in a Fund’s NAV.

On the date a Fund enters into an agreement to purchase securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, it will record the transaction and reflect the value of the obligation in determining its NAV. Each Fund will only make commitments to purchase securities on a when-issued basis with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, but may sell them before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable. Under the SEC’s derivatives rule, Rule 18f-4, each Fund may invest in when-issued and delayed-delivery securities, subject to certain conditions, including that the Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date.