As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 10, 2017

File No. 002-16590

File No. 811-00945

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under the SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

  Pre-Effective Amendment No.   
  Post-Effective Amendment No. 110    x     

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under the INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

   ¨     
Amendment No. 111    x     

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

 

 

Virtus Equity Trust

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

Area Code and Telephone Number: (800) 243-1574

101 Munson Street

Greenfield, Massachusetts 01301

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Kevin J. Carr, Esq.

Counsel

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.

100 Pearl St.

Hartford, Connecticut 06103

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies of All Correspondence to:

David C. Mahaffey, Esq.

Sullivan & Worcester LLP

1666 K Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20006

 

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

  x immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

 

  ¨ on               pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485

 

  ¨ 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

 

  ¨ on                or at such later date as the Commission shall order pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

 

  ¨ 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

 

  ¨ on                pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

  ¨ this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 

 
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Prospectus
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TICKER SYMBOL BY CLASS
​
FUND
​ ​
A
​ ​
C
​ ​
I
​ ​
R6
​ ​
T
​
Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​
FMIVX
​ ​
FMICX
​ ​
PIMVX
​ ​
VMVRX
​ ​
VCVTX
​
Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​
PDIAX
​ ​
PGICX
​ ​
PXIIX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VTECX
​
Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​
PPTAX
​ ​
PPTCX
​ ​
PIPTX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VGQTX
​
Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​
VMACX
​ ​
VMCCX
​ ​
VIMCX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VTMCX
​
Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​
PHSKX
​ ​
PSKCX
​ ​
PICMX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VMGTX
​
Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​
PQSAX
​ ​
PQSCX
​ ​
PXQSX
​ ​
VQSRX
​ ​
VQSTX
​
Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​
PKSAX
​ ​
PKSCX
​ ​
PKSFX
​ ​
VSCRX
​ ​
VTSCX
​
Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​
PSGAX
​ ​
PSGCX
​ ​
PXSGX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VSGTX
​
Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​
PHBLX
​ ​
PSBCX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VSATX
​
Virtus Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​
PSTAX
​ ​
SSTFX
​ ​
PLXGX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VSTGX
​
Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​
NAINX
​ ​
POICX
​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VXTTX
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​ TRUST NAME ​ ​
APRIL 10, 2017​
​
​ VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST ​ ​ ​ ​
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​ Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. This prospectus contains important information that you should know before investing in Virtus Mutual Funds. Please read it carefully and retain it for future reference. ​ ​
Not FDIC Insured​
No Bank Guarantee​
May Lose Value​
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
Virtus Mutual Funds
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Table of Contents
​ FUND SUMMARIES ​ ​
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​ MORE INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES ​ ​ ​
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​ MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RISKS RELATED TO PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES ​ ​ ​
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​ RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES AND FUND OPERATIONS ​ ​ ​
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Contrarian Value Fund
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Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term growth of capital.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
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Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class R6
​ ​ ​
Class T
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​ ​ Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
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Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each
year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class R6
​ ​ ​
Class T
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​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.41 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.41 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.41 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.24 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.41 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $710 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $996 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,302 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,169 ​ ​ ​
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Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $319 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $676 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,159 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,493 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $219 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $676 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,159 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,493 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $118 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $368 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $638 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,409 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class R6 ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $101 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $315 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $547 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,213 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $390 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $685 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,002 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,899 ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 13% of the average value of its portfolio.
Virtus Contrarian Value Fund 1 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
Using a contrarian investment approach, the subadviser searches for successful business segments buried in distressed or restructuring companies. The subadviser targets established companies that, based on independent research, are believed to offer promising future growth prospects. Extensive valuation and security analysis provides the basis for construction of a concentrated portfolio designed to have low turnover.
The fund typically invests in the securities of medium to large capitalization companies, but it is not limited to investing in the securities of companies of any particular size.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
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Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
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Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
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Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in medium market capitalization companies will increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.
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Value Stocks Risk.  The risk that the fund will underperform when value investing is out of favor or that the fund’s investments will not appreciate in value as anticipated.
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Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund's performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
2 Virtus Contrarian Value Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
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Best Quarter:
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Q2/2009:
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24.10%
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Worst Quarter:​
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Q4/2008:
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-27.12%
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Year to date (3/31/17):​
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2.98%
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Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
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Since Inception
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​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​ ​
Class I
(3/10/2008)
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Class R6
(11/12/2014)
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​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
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Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.45 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.92 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
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Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.50 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.32 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
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Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.20 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.86 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.09 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
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Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.56 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.92 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.751 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
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Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.93 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class R6 Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
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Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.91 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -1.52 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Russell Midcap ® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees,
expenses or taxes) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.59 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.42 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.32 % ​ ​ ​
The Russell Midcap ® Value Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of medium-capitalization, value-oriented stocks of U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. ("VIA")
The fund’s subadviser is Sasco Capital Inc. (“Sasco”).
Portfolio Managers
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Bruce Bottomley,  Managing Director of Sasco. Mr. Bottomley has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 1997.
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Virtus Contrarian Value Fund 3 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​
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Mark Helderman,  Managing Director of Sasco. Mr. Helderman has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2004.
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Daniel Leary,  Managing Director of Sasco. Mr. Leary has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 1997.
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
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•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
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•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
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Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
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•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
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For Class I Shares, the minimum initial purchase is $100,000; there is no minimum for additional purchases.
For Class R6 Shares, there is no minimum initial investment and there is no minimum for additional purchases. Class R6 Shares are available only to certain employer-sponsored retirement plans, including Section 401(k), 403(b) and 457, profit-sharing, money purchase pension and defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, in each case provided that plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the fund.
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment.
No compensation, administrative payments, sub-transfer agency payments or service payments are paid to brokers or other entities from fund assets or the Distributor’s or an affiliate’s resources on sales of or investments in Class R6 Shares. Class R6 Shares do not carry sales commissions or pay Rule 12b-1 fees, or make payments to brokers or other entities to assist in, or in connection with, the sale of the fund’s shares.
Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
4 Virtus Contrarian Value Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and current income.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of
offering price) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.54 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.29 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.29 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.54 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Less: Expense Reimbursement (d) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13) % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement (c) (d)
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
(c)
The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
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(d)
The fund's investment adviser has contractually agreed to limit the fund's total operating expenses (excluding certain expenses, including dividend and interest expenses, taxes, brokerage commissions, unusual or infrequently occurring expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses) so that such expenses do not exceed 1.25% for Class A Shares, 2.00% for Class C Shares, 1.00% for Class I Shares and 1.25% for Class T Shares through April 30, 2018. Following the contractual period, the adviser may discontinue these expense reimbursement arrangements at any time. Under certain conditions, the adviser may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under these arrangements for a period of three years following the time such reimbursement occurred.
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Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund's operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement arrangement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund 5 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
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​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $710 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,021 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,355 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,294 ​ ​ ​
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Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $319 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $703 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,213 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,616 ​ ​ ​
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Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $219 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $703 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,213 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,616 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $118 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $396 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $695 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,545 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $390 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $712 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,056 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,028 ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 312% of the average value of its portfolio.
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in ETFs, and/or securities representing the S&P 500 ® Index and the primary sectors of the S&P 500 ® Index including consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, healthcare, industrials, materials, technology, and utilities. The fund will also invest in exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") representing market segments that include low volatility and high beta securities. Allocations are based on a proprietary rules-based momentum model that looks to overweight those sectors and market segments that experienced stronger recent relative-performance.
An options strategy is employed for the purpose of seeking to generate additional income. The strategy utilizes index-based, out-of-the-money put and call credit spreads. The strategy is driven by implied volatility, as measured by the CBOE Volatility Index ® (VIX ® ), and seeks to exploit pricing inefficiencies in the S&P 500 ® Index.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Derivatives Risk.  The risk that the fund will incur a loss greater than the fund’s investment in, or will experience greater share price volatility as a result of investing in, a derivative contract. Derivatives may include, among other things, futures, options, forwards and swap agreements and may be used in order to hedge portfolio risks, create leverage, or to attempt to increase yield.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
>
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) Risk.  The risk that the value of an ETF will be more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities the ETF is designed to track, or that the costs to the fund of owning shares of the ETF will exceed those the fund would incur by investing in such securities directly.
​
>
Fund of Funds Risk.  The risk that the fund’s performance will be adversely affected by the assets owned by the other mutual funds in which it invests, and that the layering of expenses associated with the fund’s investment in such other funds will cost shareholders more than direct investments would have cost.
​
​
6 Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
>
Portfolio Turnover Risk.  The risk that the fund’s principal investment strategies will result in a consistently high portfolio turnover rate. See the “Portfolio Turnover” section above for more information about the impact that portfolio turnover can have on your investment.
​
>
Sector Focused Investing Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting a particular market sector in which the fund focuses its investments will cause the value of the fund’s shares to decrease, perhaps significantly.
​
Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund's performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: CPH8UCR08IR6RH85HOTTPIT678DR.JPG]
​ ​
Best Quarter:
​ ​
Q2/2009:
​ ​
17.89%
​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q4/2008:
​ ​
-20.00%
​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
4.97%
​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16 includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​ ​
Since
Inception
Class I
(11/13/07)
​ ​
​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.47 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.56 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.46 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.40 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.98 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.18 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.64 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.08 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.11 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.06 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.29 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.20 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.17 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.96 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.66 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.95 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.93 % ​ ​ ​
The S&P 500 ® Index is a free-float adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of 500 of the largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund 7 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
The fund’s subadviser is Rampart Investment Management Company, LLC (“Rampart”), an affiliate of VIA (since December 2014).
Portfolio Managers
>
Michael Davis,  a Portfolio Manager at Rampart, is a manager of the fund. Mr. Davis has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since September 2016.
​
>
Brendan R. Finneran,  Portfolio Manager and Trader at Rampart, is a manager of the fund. Mr. Finneran has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since December 2014.
​
>
Robert F. Hofeman, Jr.,  Portfolio Manager and Trader at Rampart, is a manager of the fund. Mr. Hofeman has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since December 2014.
​
>
Warun Kumar,  Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at Rampart, is a manager of the fund. Mr. Kumar has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since September 2016.
​
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
For Class I Shares, the minimum initial purchase is $100,000; there is no minimum for additional purchases.
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
8 Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of total return, consisting of both capital appreciation and current income.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page
87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of
offering price) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.44 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.19 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.19 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.44 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Less: Expense Reimbursement (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09) % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
(c)
The fund's investment adviser has contractually agreed to limit the fund's total operating expenses (excluding certain expenses, including dividend and interest expenses, taxes, brokerage commissions, unusual or infrequently occurring expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses) so that such expenses do not exceed 1.35% for Class A Shares, 2.10% for Class C Shares, 1.10% for Class I Shares and 1.35% for Class T Shares through April 30, 2018. Following the contractual period, the adviser may discontinue these expense reimbursement arrangements at any time. Under certain conditions, the adviser may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under these arrangements for a period of three years following the time such reimbursement occurred.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund's operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement arrangement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $705 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $996 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,309 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,193 ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $313 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $677 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,166 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,517 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $213 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $677 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,166 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,517 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $112 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $369 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $646 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,435 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $384 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $686 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,009 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,924 ​ ​ ​
Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund 9 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 25% of the average value of its portfolio.
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund invests in a globally diversified portfolio of primarily high-quality, mature companies with high dividend yields. The investment strategy emphasizes companies the subadviser believes to have a sustainable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk and to be able to grow over market cycles. The fund invests in dividend paying equity securities of companies that are tied economically to a number of countries throughout the world, including American Depositary Receipts. The fund typically invests in the securities of medium to large capitalization companies, but it is not limited to investing in the securities of companies of any particular size. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in dividend paying equity securities.
Under normal conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of large market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers large market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations of greater than $7 billion. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 20 to 40 securities at any given time.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
>
Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
​
>
Large Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the value of investments in larger companies may not rise as much as smaller companies, or that larger companies may be unable to respond quickly to competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
​
>
Limited Number of Investments Risk.  The risk that the fund’s portfolio will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers of securities in the fund’s portfolio than would a fund holding a greater number of securities.
​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
>
Small and Medium Market Capitalization Risk.  The risk that the fund's investments in small and medium market capitalization companies will increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.
​
​
10 Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund's performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns compare to those of two broad-based securities market indexes and a composite benchmark that reflects the target allocation of the fund. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: F4D1J2PN8JBALU5PCO281V44TCM5.JPG]
​ ​
Best Quarter:
​ ​
Q3/2009:
​ ​
17.13%
​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q4/2008:
​ ​
-19.67%
​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
5.92%
​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Since
Inception
Class I
(6/6/08)
​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.17 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.73 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.86 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.95 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.54 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.23 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.97 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.71 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.63 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.22 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.29 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.79 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.34 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.65 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Russell Developed Large Cap Index (net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.68 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.06 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.24 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Russell 1000 ® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.34 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.72 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.69 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Global Quality Dividend Benchmark (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.34 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.72 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.69 % ​ ​ ​
Effective February 1, 2017, the funds' primary benchmark is The Russell Developed Large Cap Index (net). The index is a free-float market capitalization-weighted index constructed to provide a comprehensive and unbiased barometer for the large-cap segment in the developed world. The index is calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested. Also effective February 1, 2017, the fund added the Global Quality Dividend Linked Benchmark. Performance of the Global Quality Dividend Linked benchmark prior to February 1, 2017 is that of the Russell 1000 ®
Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund 11 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Value Index and beginning February 1, 2017 it is that of the Russell Developed Large Cap Index (net). Prior to February 1, 2017, the fund's primary benchmark was The Russell 1000 ® Value Index. The fund will no longer use the Russell 1000 ® Value Index as an index for performance comparisons. The indexes are unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
The fund’s subadviser is Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“KAR”), an affiliate of VIA.
Portfolio Manager
>
Richard Sherry, CFA,  Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Mr. Sherry has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2009.
​
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
For Class I Shares, the minimum initial purchase is $100,000; there is no minimum for additional purchases.
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
12 Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of
offering price) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.59 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.59 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.59 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.59 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.64 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.39 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.64 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Less: Expense Reimbursement (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.44) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.44) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.44) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.44) % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.95 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.95 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
(c)
The fund's investment adviser has contractually agreed to limit the fund's total operating expenses (excluding certain expenses, including dividend and interest expenses, taxes, brokerage commissions, unusual or infrequently occurring expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses) so that such expenses do not exceed 1.20% for Class A Shares, 1.95% for Class C Shares, 0.95% for Class I Shares and 1.20% for Class T Shares through April 30, 2018. Following the contractual period, the adviser may discontinue these expense reimbursement arrangements at any time. Under certain conditions, the adviser may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under these arrangements for a period of three years following the time such reimbursement occurred.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund's operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement arrangement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $705 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,036 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,390 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,384 ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $313 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $718 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,249 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,704 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $213 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $718 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,249 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,704 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $112 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $412 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $733 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,643 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $369 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $712 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,079 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,109 ​ ​ ​
Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund 13 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 21% of the average value of its portfolio.
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund pursues long-term capital appreciation in the medium capitalization sector while seeking to provide the risk characteristics of the less volatile large capitalization S&P 500 ® Index. The fund invests in a select group of medium market capitalization companies believed by the subadviser to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The investment strategy emphasizes companies believed by the subadviser to have a sustainable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk and to be able to grow over market cycles. Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of medium market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers medium market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index over the past three years was $159.2 million to $38.5 billion. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 25 to 35 securities at any given time.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
>
Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
​
>
Limited Number of Investments Risk.  The risk that the fund’s portfolio will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers of securities in the fund’s portfolio than would a fund holding a greater number of securities.
​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
>
Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in medium market capitalization companies will increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.
​
​
14 Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows the fund's performance from year to year over the life of the fund. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: AV0MGITL4PUI5TM5NDK0RPN699C8.JPG]
​ ​
Best Quarter:
​ ​
Q4/2010:
​ ​
12.09%
​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q3/2011:
​ ​
-15.18%
​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
5.58%
​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Year
​ ​ ​
Since
Inception
(6/22/2009)
​ ​
​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.60 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.57 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.66 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.60 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.07 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.23 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.61 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.20 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.20 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.06 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.70 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.29 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.186 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.83 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Russell Midcap ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.72 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.02 % ​ ​ ​
The Russell Midcap ® Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of medium-capitalization stocks of U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund 15 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
The fund’s subadviser is Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“KAR”), an affiliate of VIA.
Portfolio Managers
>
Jon Christensen, CFA,  Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Mr. Christensen has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2009.
​
>
Craig Stone,   Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Mr. Stone has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2009.
​
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
For Class I Shares, the minimum initial purchase is $100,000; there is no minimum for additional purchases.
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
16 Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of
offering price) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.44 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.49 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.24 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.24 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.49 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Less: Expense Reimbursement (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09) % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.40 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.15 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.15 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.40 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
(c)
The fund's investment adviser has contractually agreed to limit the fund's total operating expenses (excluding certain expenses, including dividend and interest expenses, taxes, brokerage commissions, unusual or infrequently occurring expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses) so that such expenses do not exceed 1.40% for Class A Shares, 2.15% for Class C Shares, 1.15% for Class I Shares and 1.40% for Class T Shares through April 30, 2018. Following the contractual period, the adviser may discontinue these expense reimbursement arrangements at any time. Under certain conditions, the adviser may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under these arrangements for a period of three years following the time such reimbursement occurred.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund's operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement arrangement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $709 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,011 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,333 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,245 ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $318 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $692 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,192 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,568 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $218 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $692 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,192 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,568 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $117 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $385 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $672 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,492 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $389 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $701 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,035 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,978 ​ ​ ​
Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund 17 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund invests in a select group of medium market capitalization growth companies believed by the subadviser to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The investment strategy emphasizes companies believed by the subadviser to have a sustainable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk, and to be able to grow over market cycles. Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of medium market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers medium market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index over the past three years was $159.2 million to $38.5 billion. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 25 to 50 securities at any given time.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
>
Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
​
>
Growth Stocks Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in growth stocks will be more volatile than investments in other types of stocks, or will perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks.
​
>
Limited Number of Investments Risk.  The risk that the fund’s portfolio will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers of securities in the fund’s portfolio than would a fund holding a greater number of securities.
​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
​
18 Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
>
Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in medium market capitalization companies will increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.
​
Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period.The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: AOAPH2SJ4R0IOLM8RV42ETNK7JII.JPG]
​ ​
Best Quarter:
​ ​
Q2/2009:
​ ​
21.06%
​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q4/2008:
​ ​
-27.72%
​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
11.59%
​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/15; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​ ​
Since
Inception
Class I
(9/13/2007)
​ ​
​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -3.96 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.97 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -4.31 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.82 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -1.94 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.31 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.33 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.48 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.81 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.17 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.57 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.60 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Russell Midcap ® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or
taxes) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.33 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.51 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.83 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.42 % ​ ​ ​
The Russell Midcap ® Growth Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of medium-capitalization, growth-oriented stocks of U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by
Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund 19 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
The fund’s subadviser is Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“KAR”), an affiliate of VIA.
Portfolio Managers
>
Doug Foreman, CFA,  Chief Investment Officer at KAR. Mr. Foreman has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2012.
​
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
For Class I Shares, the minimum initial purchase is $100,000; there is no minimum for additional purchases.
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
20 Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class R6
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each
year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class R6
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.24 % (b) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.35 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.05 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.94 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $700 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $963 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,247 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,053 ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $308 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $643 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,103 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,379 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $208 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $643 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,103 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,379 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $107 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $334 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $579 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,283 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class R6 ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $300 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $520 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,155 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $379 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $652 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $945 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,779 ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 15% of the average value of its portfolio.
Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund 21 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund pursues long-term capital appreciation in the small market capitalization sector while seeking to provide the risk characteristics of the less volatile large capitalization S&P 500 ® Index. The fund invests in a select group of small market capitalization value companies believed to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The investment strategy emphasizes companies the subadviser believes to have a sustainable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk and to be able to grow over market cycles. Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in common stocks of small market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers small market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index over the past three years was $5.5 million to $11.3 billion. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 20 to 35 securities at any given time.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
>
Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
​
>
Limited Number of Investments Risk.  The risk that the fund’s portfolio will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers of securities in the fund’s portfolio than would a fund holding a greater number of securities.
​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
>
Small Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in small market capitalization companies may be less liquid and more vulnerable to adverse business or economic developments, which may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.
​
>
Value Stocks Risk.  The risk that the fund will underperform when value investing is out of favor or that the fund’s investments will not appreciate in value as anticipated.
​
Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
22 Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund's performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: FKHEDVKSP4BJCIHQ2T58S2NRSNJR.JPG]
​ ​
Best Quarter:
​ ​
Q2/2009:
​ ​
21.71%
​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q4/2008:
​ ​
-19.75%
​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
4.57%
​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16 includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​ ​
Since
Inception
Class R6
(11/3/16)
​ ​
​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.07 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -- ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.59 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.60 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.30 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -- ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.33 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.41 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.63 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -- ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.19 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.49 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.91 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -- ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.48 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.63 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.98 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -- ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class R6 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Return Before Taxes ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -- ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -- ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -- ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.20 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Russell 2000 ® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 31.74 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.07 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.26 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.00 % ​ ​ ​
The Russell 2000 ® Value Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of value-oriented stocks of the smallest 2,000 companies in the Russell universe, which comprises the 3,000 largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund 23 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
The fund’s subadviser is Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“KAR”), an affiliate of VIA.
Portfolio Managers
>
Julie Kutasov,  Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Ms. Kutasov has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2008.
​
>
Craig Stone,   Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Mr. Stone has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2009.
​
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
For Class I Shares, the minimum initial purchase is $100,000; there is no minimum for additional purchases.
For Class R6 Shares, there is no minimum initial investment and there is no minimum for additional purchases. Class R6 Shares are available only to certain employer-sponsored retirement plans, including Section 401(k), 403(b) and 457, profit-sharing, money purchase pension and defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, in each case provided that plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the fund.
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
24 Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation, with dividend income a secondary consideration.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class R6
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each
year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class R6
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.24 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $706 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $984 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,282 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,127 ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $315 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $664 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,139 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,452 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $215 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $664 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,139 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,452 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $114 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $356 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $617 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,363 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class R6 ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $101 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $315 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $547 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,213 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $386 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $673 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $981 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,855 ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 33% of the average value of its portfolio.
Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund 25 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund pursues long-term capital appreciation in the small market capitalization sector while seeking to provide the risk characteristics of the less volatile large capitalization S&P 500 ® Index. The fund invests in a select group of small market capitalization companies believed to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The investment strategy emphasizes companies the subadviser believes to have a sustainable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk and to be able to grow over market cycles. Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in common stocks of small market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers small market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index over the past three years was $5.5 million to $11.3 billion. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 20 to 40 securities at any given time.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
>
Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
​
>
Limited Number of Investments Risk.  The risk that the fund’s portfolio will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers of securities in the fund’s portfolio than would a fund holding a greater number of securities.
​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
>
Small Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in small market capitalization companies may be less liquid and more vulnerable to adverse business or economic developments, which may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.
​
Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
26 Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
The bar chart shows changes in the fund's performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges applicable to other classes and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: UGRJC8RCT3REE0NJJIORH75LFSEM.JPG]
​ ​
Best Quarter:
​ ​
Q2/2009:
​ ​
19.87%
​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q4/2008:
​ ​
-17.66%
​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
5.66%
​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​ ​
Since
Inception
Class R6
(11/12/14)
​ ​
​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.78 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.59 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.97 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.04 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.50 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.68 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.22 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.48 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.99 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.37 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.59 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.07 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class R6 Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.54 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Russell 2000 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.31 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.46 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.07 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.07 % ​ ​ ​
The Russell 2000 ® Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of the smallest 2,000 companies in the Russell Universe, which comprises the 3,000 largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
The fund’s subadviser is Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“KAR”), an affiliate of VIA.
Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund 27 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Managers
>
Todd Beiley, CFA,  Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Mr. Beiley has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2009.
​
>
Jon Christensen, CFA,  Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Mr. Christensen has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2008.
​
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
For Class I Shares, the minimum initial purchase is $100,000; there is no minimum for additional purchases.
For Class R6 Shares, there is no minimum initial investment and there is no minimum for additional purchases. Class R6 Shares are available only to certain employer-sponsored retirement plans, including Section 401(k), 403(b) and 457, profit-sharing, money purchase pension and defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, in each case provided that plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the fund.
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment.
No compensation, administrative payments, sub-transfer agency payments or service payments are paid to brokers or other entities from fund assets or the Distributor’s or an affiliate’s resources on sales of or investments in Class R6 Shares. Class R6 Shares do not carry sales commissions or pay Rule 12b-1 fees, or make payments to brokers or other entities to assist in, or in connection with, the sale of the fund’s shares.
Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
28 Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of
offering price) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.90 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.90 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.90 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.90 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.54 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.29 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.29 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.54 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Less: Expense Reimbursement (d) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03) % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03) % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement (c) (d)
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.26 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.26 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
(c)
The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
​
(d)
The fund's investment adviser has contractually agreed to limit the fund's total operating expenses (excluding certain expenses, including dividend and interest expenses, taxes, brokerage commissions, unusual or infrequently occurring expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses) so that such expenses do not exceed 1.50% for Class A Shares, 2.25% for Class C Shares, 1.25% for Class I Shares and 1.50% for Class T Shares through April 30, 2018. Following the contractual period, the adviser may discontinue these expense reimbursement arrangements at any time. Under certain conditions, the adviser may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under these arrangements for a period of three years following the time such reimbursement occurred.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the fund's operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement arrangement remains in place for the contractual period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund 29 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $720 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,031 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,363 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,302 ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $329 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $712 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,222 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,623 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $229 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $712 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,222 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,623 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $128 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $406 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $705 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,554 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $400 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $721 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,066 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,036 ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 27% of the average value of its portfolio.
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund pursues long-term capital appreciation in the small market capitalization sector while seeking to incur less risk than the small-cap market. The fund invests in a select group of small market capitalization growth companies believed to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The investment strategy emphasizes companies assessed by the subadviser as having a sustainable competitive advantage and able to grow over an extended period of time. Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in common stocks of small market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers small market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index over the past three years was $5.5 million to $11.3 billion. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 20 to 35 securities at any given time.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
>
Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
​
>
Growth Stocks Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in growth stocks will be more volatile than investments in other types of stocks, or will perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks.
​
​
30 Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
>
Limited Number of Investments Risk.  The risk that the fund’s portfolio will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers of securities in the fund’s portfolio than would a fund holding a greater number of securities.
​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
>
Small Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in small market capitalization companies may be less liquid and more vulnerable to adverse business or economic developments, which may increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund, as compared with investments in larger, more established companies.
​
Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund's performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund's average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: NS6B4KD507RNJ3PE87J1G046KH06.JPG]
​ ​
Best Quarter:
​ ​
Q2/2009:
​ ​
22.90%
​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q4/2008:
​ ​
-28.17%
​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
5.93%
​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.86 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.93 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.18 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.02 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.91 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.68 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.09 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.59 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.09 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.03 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.00 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.58 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.00 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Russell 2000 ® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.32 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.74 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.76 % ​ ​ ​
The Russell 2000 ® Growth Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of growth-oriented stocks of the smallest 2,000 companies in the Russell Universe, which comprises the 3,000 largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund 31 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
The fund’s subadviser is Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“KAR”), an affiliate of VIA.
Portfolio Managers
>
Todd Beiley, CFA,  Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Mr. Beiley has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2008.
​
>
Jon Christensen, CFA,  Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Mr. Christensen has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2009.
​
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
For Class I Shares, the minimum initial purchase is $100,000; there is no minimum for additional purchases.
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
32 Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund
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Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has investment objectives of reasonable income, long-term capital growth and conservation of capital.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price
or redemption proceeds) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value
of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.55 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.55 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.55 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.33 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.33 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.33 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.89 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
(c)
The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $685 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $916 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,167 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,881 ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $292 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $594 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,021 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,212 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $192 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $594 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,021 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,212 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $363 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $603 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $862 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,601 ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 75% of the average value of its portfolio.
Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund 33 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund targets an asset allocation consisting of approximately 45% in U.S. equity securities, 15% in non-U.S. equity securities and 40% in fixed income securities. For the fund’s U.S equity allocation, the subadviser invests in a select group of large market capitalization growth companies believed to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The investment strategy emphasizes companies the subadviser believes to have a sustainable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk, and to be able to grow over market cycles. For the fund's non-U.S. equity exposure, which may be implemented through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), the subadviser's process is driven by bottom-up fundamental research and informed by top-down macro views. For the fixed income allocation, the subadviser employs a time-tested approach of active sector rotation, extensive credit research, and disciplined risk management designed to capitalize on opportunities across the fixed income markets. Allocation percentages are measured at time of purchase.
Under normal market circumstances, the fund invests at least 65% of its assets in common stocks and fixed income securities of both U.S. and foreign issuers, including issuers in emerging market countries, and may invest in issuers of any size. The fund invests the fixed income portion of its portfolio in all sectors of fixed income securities, primarily in investment grade bonds; however, it may invest in high-yield/high-risk fixed income securities ("junk bonds"), including bank loans (which are generally floating rate). These sectors include, but are not limited to mortgage- and asset-backed, government, corporate, and municipal debt obligations. Normally, the fund’s fixed income allocation has a dollar-weighted average duration of between two and eight years.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadvisers expect. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund’s transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Credit Risk.   The risk that the issuer of a security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or that negative perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of the security to decline.
​
>
Currency Rate Risk.  The risk that fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of the fund’s shares.
​
>
Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.
​
>
Emerging Market Investing Risk.  The risk that prices of emerging markets securities will be more volatile, or will be more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
>
Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
​
>
Growth Stocks Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in growth stocks will be more volatile than investments in other types of stocks, or will perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks.
​
​
34 Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
>
High-Yield/High-Risk Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds) Risk.  The risk that the issuers of high-yield/​high-risk securities in the fund’s portfolio will default, that the prices of such securities will be volatile, and that the securities will not be liquid.
​
>
Interest Rate Risk.  The risk that when interest rates rise, the values of the fund’s debt securities, especially those with longer maturities, will fall.
​
>
Large Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the value of investments in larger companies may not rise as much as smaller companies, or that larger companies may be unable to respond quickly to competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
​
>
Loan Risk.  The risks that, in addition to the risks typically associated with high-yield/high-risk fixed income securities, loans in which the fund invests may be unsecured or not fully collateralized, may be subject to restrictions on resale, and/or some loans may trade infrequently on the secondary market. Loans settle on a delayed basis, potentially leading to the sale proceeds of loans not being available to meet redemptions for a substantial period of time after the sale of the loans.
​
>
Long-Term Maturities/Durations Risk.  The risk of greater price fluctuations than would be associated with securities having shorter maturities or durations.
​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
>
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk.  The risk that changes in interest rates will cause both extension and prepayment risks for mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities in which the fund invests, or that an impairment of the value of collateral underlying such securities will cause the value of the securities to decrease.
​
>
U.S. Government Securities Risk.  The risk that U.S. Government securities in the fund’s portfolio will be subject to price fluctuations, or that an agency or instrumentality will default on an obligation not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
​
Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of two broad-based securities market indexes and a composite benchmark that reflects the target allocation of the fund. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: K42ERIAQD0QILP421L7ATKLUUI46.JPG]
​ ​
Best Quarter:
​ ​
Q2/2009:
​ ​
13.92%
​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q4/2008:
​ ​
-14.51%
​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
6.19%
​ ​
Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund 35 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -5.33 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.07 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -7.71 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.77 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -1.54 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.12 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -0.28 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.91 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.55 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.52 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.96 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.66 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.95 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Balanced Benchmark (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.65 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.23 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.35 % ​ ​ ​
The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index measures the U.S. investment grade fixed rate bond market. The index is calculated on a total-return basis. The S&P 500 ® Index is a free-float adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of 500 of the largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The Balanced Linked Benchmark consists of 45% Russell 1000 ® Growth Index (a market capitalization-weighted index of growth-oriented stocks of the 1,000 largest companies in the Russell Universe, which comprises the 3,000 largest U.S. companies, calculated on a total return basis with dividends reinvested), 15% MSCI EAFE ® Index (a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures developed foreign market equity performance, excluding the U.S. and Canada, calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested), and 40% Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (an index that measures the U.S. investment grade fixed rate bond market, calculated on a total return basis). Performance of the Balanced Fund Linked Benchmark prior to September 7, 2016 represents an allocation consisting of 60% S&P 500 ® Index and 50% Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The indexes are unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
The fund’s subadvisers are Duff  & Phelps Investment Management Co. (“Duff  & Phelps”) (international equity portion), Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“KAR”) (domestic equity portion) and Newfleet Asset Management, LLC (“Newfleet”) (fixed income portion), each an affiliate of VIA.
Portfolio Managers
>
David L. Albrycht, CFA,  President and Chief Investment Officer at Newfleet. Mr. Albrycht has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2012.
​
>
Frederick A. Brimberg,  Senior Managing Director and International Equity Portfolio Manager at Duff  & Phelps, is the manager of the fund. Mr. Brimberg has served as the Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2012.
​
>
Doug Foreman, CFA,  Chief Investment Officer at KAR. Mr. Foreman has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since September 2016.
​
>
Christoper J. Kelleher, CFA, CPA,  Senior Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager at Newfleet. Mr. Kelleher has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2012.
​
​
36 Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund 37 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Strategic Growth Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital growth.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of
offering price) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption proceeds) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.35 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.05 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicatd. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $700 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $963 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,247 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,053 ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $308 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $643 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,103 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,379 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $208 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $643 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,103 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,379 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $107 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $334 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $579 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,283 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $379 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $652 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $945 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,779 ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio.
38 Virtus Strategic Growth Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund invests in a select group of large market capitalization growth companies believed to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The investment strategy emphasizes companies the subadvisers believe to have a sustainable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk, and to be able to grow over market cycles. Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. countries, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 65% of its assets in equity securities of large market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers large market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell 1000 ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell 1000 ® Index over the past three years was $171 million to $748.5 billion. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 30 to 50 securities at any given time.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund's transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
>
Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
​
>
Growth Stocks Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in growth stocks will be more volatile than investments in other types of stocks, or will perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks.
​
>
Large Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the value of investments in larger companies may not rise as much as smaller companies, or that larger companies may be unable to respond quickly to competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
​
>
Limited Number of Investments Risk.  The risk that the fund’s portfolio will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers of securities in the fund’s portfolio than would a fund holding a greater number of securities.
​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Virtus Strategic Growth Fund 39 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: IEFRV7G98MB7AOVP1GE32URR4Q8I.JPG]
​ ​
Best Quarter:
​ ​
Q2/2009:
​ ​
16.61%
​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q4/2008:
​ ​
-25.38%
​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
10.59%
​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -6.91 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.60 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.58 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -8.71 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.72 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.06 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -2.39 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.43 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.60 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -2.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.07 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.41 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class I Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.19 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.47 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Russell 1000 ® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.08 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.50 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.33 % ​ ​ ​
The Russell 1000 ® Growth Index is a market capitalization-weighted index of growth-oriented stocks of the 1,000 largest companies in the Russell Universe, which comprises the 3,000 largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
The fund’s subadviser is Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“KAR”), an affiliate of VIA.
Portfolio Managers
>
Doug Foreman, CFA,  Chief Investment Officer at KAR. Mr. Foreman has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2011.
​
​
40 Virtus Strategic Growth Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
For Class I Shares, the minimum initial purchase is $100,000; there is no minimum for additional purchases.
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
Virtus Strategic Growth Fund 41 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund
​
Investment Objective
The fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and income.
Fees and Expenses
The tables below illustrate all fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Virtus Funds. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in the fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial advisor or other financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” on page 81 of the fund’s prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” on page 87 of the fund’s statement of additional information (“SAI”).
​ ​
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​
Maximum Sales Charge (load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (load) (as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price
or redemption proceeds) 		​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % (a) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Non e ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value
of your investment)
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Management Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Fees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Other Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 % (b) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (c) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 % ​ ​ ​
(a)
The deferred sales charge is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed during the first year only.
​
(b)
Estimated for current fiscal year, as annualized.
​
(c)
The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
​
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes an investment of  $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. It shows your costs if you sold your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Share Status
​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
3 Years
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $704 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $975 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,267 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,095 ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Sold
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $312 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $655 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,124 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,421 ​ ​ ​
​
Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $212 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $655 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,124 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $2,421 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class T ​ ​ ​
Sold or Held
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $383 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $664 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $966 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ $1,822 ​ ​ ​
Portfolio Turnover
The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 81% of the average value of its portfolio.
42 Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​
Investments, Risks and Performance
Principal Investment Strategies
Diversified across equity and fixed income securities, the fund’s tactical allocation approach seeks to generate a combination of capital appreciation and income. For the fund’s U.S. equity allocation, the subadviser invests in a select group of large market capitalization growth companies believed to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The investment strategy emphasizes companies the subadviser believes to have a sustainable competitive advantage, strong management and low financial risk, and to be able to grow over market cycles. For the fund’s non-U.S. equity exposure, which may be implemented through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), the subadviser’s process is driven by bottom-up fundamental research and informed by top-down macro views. For the fixed income allocation, the subadviser employs a time-tested approach of active sector rotation, extensive credit research, and disciplined risk management designed to capitalize on opportunities across the fixed income markets.
The fund invests in U.S. equity, non-U.S. equity and fixed income securities using a tactical allocation approach. Generally, the following percentages apply: 25% to 60% invested in U.S. equity securities, 5% to 30% invested in non-U.S. equity securities and 35% to 60% invested in fixed income securities. The equity allocation is invested in common, preferred, and ADR securities. The fixed income allocation may be invested in all sectors of fixed income securities, including high-yield/high-risk (“junk bonds”), bank loans (which are generally floating rate), mortgage-backed and asset-backed, government, corporate, and municipal debt obligations. Normally, the fund’s fixed income allocation has a dollar-weighted average duration of between two and eight years. The fund may invest in both U.S. and foreign (non-U.S.) securities, including those of issuers in emerging market countries, and may invest in issuers of any size. Allocation percentages are measured at time of purchase.
Generally, the fund’s U.S. equity investments are in large market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers large market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000 ® Index. Because large market capitalization companies are defined by reference to an index, the market capitalization of companies in which the fund invests may vary with market conditions. As of June 30, 2016, the market capitalization of companies included in the Russell 1000 ® Index was $1.14 billion to $524 billion.
Principal Risks
The fund may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadvisers expect. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by fund shareholders may impact the management of the fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large shareholders or groups of shareholders of their holdings in the fund could have an adverse impact on the remaining shareholders in the fund including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the fund’s transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
>
Credit Risk.   The risk that the issuer of a security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or that negative perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of the security to decline.
​
>
Currency Rate Risk.  The risk that fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of the fund’s shares.
​
>
Depositary Receipts Risk.  The risk that investments in foreign companies through depositary receipts will expose the fund to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers.
​
>
Emerging Market Investing Risk.  The risk that prices of emerging markets securities will be more volatile, or will be more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.
​
>
Equity Securities Risk.  The risk that events negatively affecting issuers, industries or financial markets in which the fund invests will impact the value of the stocks held by the fund and, thus, the value of the fund’s shares over short or extended periods. Investments in a particular style or in small or medium-sized companies may enhance that risk.
​
​
Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund 43 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
>
Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the fund’s portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.
​
>
Growth Stocks Risk.  The risk that the fund’s investments in growth stocks will be more volatile than investments in other types of stocks, or will perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks.
​
>
High-Yield/High-Risk Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds) Risk.  The risk that the issuers of high-yield/​high-risk securities in the fund’s portfolio will default, that the prices of such securities will be volatile, and that the securities will not be liquid.
​
>
Interest Rate Risk.  The risk that when interest rates rise, the values of the fund’s debt securities, especially those with longer maturities, will fall.
​
>
Large Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The risk that the value of investments in larger companies may not rise as much as smaller companies, or that larger companies may be unable to respond quickly to competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
​
>
Loan Risk.  The risks that, in addition to the risks typically associated with high-yield/high-risk fixed income securities, loans in which the fund invests may be unsecured or not fully collateralized, may be subject to restrictions on resale, and/or some loans may trade infrequently on the secondary market. Loans settle on a delayed basis, potentially leading to the sale proceeds of loans not being available to meet redemptions for a substantial period of time after the sale of the loans.
​
>
Long-Term Maturities/Durations Risk.  The risk of greater price fluctuations than would be associated with securities having shorter maturities or durations.
​
>
Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
​
>
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk.  The risk that changes in interest rates will cause both extension and prepayment risks for mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities in which the fund invests, or that an impairment of the value of collateral underlying such securities will cause the value of the securities to decrease.
​
>
Municipal Bond Market Risk.  The risk that events negatively impacting a particular municipal security, or the municipal bond market in general, will cause the value of the fund’s shares to decrease, perhaps significantly.
​
>
Preferred Stock Risk.  The risk that a preferred stock will decline in price, fail to pay dividends when expected, or be illiquid.
​
>
U.S. Government Securities Risk.  The risk that U.S. Government securities in the fund’s portfolio will be subject to price fluctuations, or that an agency or instrumentality will default on an obligation not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
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Performance Information
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the potential risks of investing in the fund. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.
Performance for Class T Shares is not shown here as Class T Shares were not available prior to the date of this prospectus.
The bar chart shows changes in the fund’s performance from year to year over a 10-year period.The table shows how the fund’s average annual returns compare to those of two broad-based securities market indexes and a composite benchmark that reflects the target allocation of the fund. Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-243-1574.
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Calendar year total returns for Class A Shares (includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns do not reflect sales charges and would be lower if they did.
[MISSING IMAGE: M6RK84F6FB5BF5O038OFU1QTAI00.JPG]
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Best Quarter:
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Q2/2009:
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12.69%
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Worst Quarter:​
​ ​
Q4/2008:
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-13.01%
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Year to date (3/31/17):​
​ ​
6.43%
​ ​
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16; includes returns of a predecessor fund)
Returns reflect deduction of maximum sales charges and full redemption at end of periods shown.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 Year
​ ​ ​
5 Years
​ ​ ​
10 Years
​ ​
​ ​ Class A Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -3.95 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.72 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.40 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -6.53 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.62 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.93 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ -0.72 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.44 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.47 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Class C Shares ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Return Before Taxes
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.18 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.24 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.96 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.66 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.95 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.65 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.23 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.35 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Tactical Allocation Fund Linked Benchmark (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.98 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.82 % ​ ​ ​
The S&P 500 ® Index is a free-float adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of 500 of the largest U.S. companies. The index is calculated on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index measures the U.S. investment grade fixed rate bond market. The index is calculated on a total-return basis. The Tactical Allocation Fund Linked Benchmark consists of 45% Russell 1000 ® Growth Index (a market capitalization-weighted index of growth-oriented stocks of the 1,000 largest companies in the Russell Universe, which comprises the 3,000 largest U.S. companies, calculated on a total return basis with dividends reinvested), 15% MSCI EAFE ® Index (a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index that measures developed foreign market equity performance, excluding the U.S. and Canada, calculated on a total return basis with net dividends reinvested), and 40% Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (an index that measures the U.S. investment grade fixed rate bond market, calculated on a total return basis). Performance of the Tactical Allocation Fund Linked Benchmark prior to September 7, 2016 represents an allocation consisting of 50% S&P 500 ® Index and 50% Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The indexes are unmanaged and not available for direct investment.
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A Shares; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares in tax-deferred accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities. In certain cases, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares for a period may be higher than other return figures for the same period. This will occur when a capital loss is realized upon the sale of fund shares and provides an assumed tax benefit that increases the return.
Management
The fund’s investment adviser is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (“VIA”).
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The fund’s subadvisers are Duff  & Phelps Investment Management Co. (“Duff  & Phelps”) (international equity portion), Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“KAR”) (domestic equity portion) and Newfleet Asset Management, LLC (“Newfleet”) (fixed income portion), each an affiliate of VIA.
Portfolio Managers
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David L. Albrycht, CFA,  President and Chief Investment Officer at Newfleet. Mr. Albrycht has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2012.
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Frederick A. Brimberg,  Senior Managing Director and International Equity Portfolio Manager at Duff  & Phelps, is the manager of the fund. Mr. Brimberg has served as the Portfolio Manager of the fund since 2012.
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>
Doug Foreman, CFA,  Chief Investment Officer at KAR. Mr. Foreman has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since September 2016.
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$2,500, generally
​
•
$100 for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), systematic purchase or exchange accounts
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A, Class C and Class T Shares:
•
$100, generally
​
•
No minimum for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans or employee benefit plans.
​
In general, you may buy or sell shares of the fund by mail or telephone on any business day. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial advisor, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
Taxes
The fund’s distributions are taxable to you as either ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial advisor to recommend the fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s Web site for more information.
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More Information About Fund Expenses
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VIA has contractually agreed to limit the total operating expenses (excluding certain expenses, including dividend and interest expenses, leverage expenses, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and acquired fund fees and expenses, if any) through April 30, 2018 of certain of the funds so that such expenses do not exceed, on an annualized basis, the amounts indicated in the following table.
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class R6
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund (1) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.48 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.23 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.23 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.06 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.48 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund (1) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund (2) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.95 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.95 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.40 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.15 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.15 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.40 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund (1) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.17 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.06 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund (1) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.47 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.22 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.22 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.47 % ​ ​ ​
(1)
Fund expenses currently below the capped level.
​
(2)
Amounts shown are effective July 29, 2016.
​
Following the contractual period, VIA may discontinue these reimbursement arrangements at any time. Under certain conditions, VIA may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under these arrangements for a period of three years following the end of the fiscal year in which such reimbursements occurred.
For those funds operating under an expense reimbursement arrangement for the prior fiscal year, total (net) fund operating expenses, including acquired fund fees and expenses, if any, after effect of any expense reimbursement or recoupment were:
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class R6
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.40 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.15 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.15 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.05 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.94 % (5) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.26 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.26 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.05 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​
(3)
Fund expenses currently below capped level.
​
(4)
Amounts shown are based on prior expense limitation agreements.
​
(5)
Estimated based on then-existing shares.
​
​
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More Information About Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies
​
The investment objectives and principal strategies of each fund are described in this section. Each of the funds has a non-fundamental investment objective. A non-fundamental investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval. If a fund’s investment objective is changed, the prospectus will be supplemented to reflect the new investment objective. To the extent that there is a material change in a fund’s investment objective, shareholders will be provided with reasonable notice. There is no guarantee that a fund will achieve its objective.
Please see the statement of additional information (“SAI”) for additional information about the securities and investment strategies described in this prospectus and about additional securities and investment strategies that may be used by the funds.
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Virtus Contrarian Value Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term growth of capital.
Principal Investment Strategies
Extensive valuation and security analysis provides the basis for construction of a concentrated portfolio designed to have low turnover. The fund typically invests in the securities of medium to large capitalization companies, but it is not limited to investing in the securities of companies of any particular size.
The subadviser utilizes a “bottom-up” investment approach. The subadviser looks for companies that are both selling at a substantial discount to their private market value and are believed to have restructuring and turnaround potential. The subadviser also looks for companies where there is believed to be potential for significant increase in earnings over a three-year period and for significant price appreciation over a three-year period.
The subadviser employs a sell discipline pursuant to which it will sell a position when the price of the stock reaches the subadviser’s target price, when it has diminished confidence that management can execute the turnaround strategy, or when key management departs.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and current income.
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in ETFs, and/or securities representing the S&P 500 ® and the primary sectors of the S&P 500 ® Index, including the consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, healthcare, industrials, materials, technology, and utilities sectors. The fund will also invest in ETFs and/or securities representing market segments that include low volatility and high beta securities (the prices of low volatility securities have historically moved less than the broader market, while those of high beta securities have been more volatile than the broader market). Allocations are based on a proprietary rules-based momentum model that looks to overweight those sectors and market segments that experienced stronger recent relative-performance.
An options strategy is employed for the purpose of seeking to generate additional income. The strategy utilizes index-based, out-of-the-money put and call credit spreads. (A call option is out of the money if the current price of the underlying stock is below the strike price of the option, while a put option is out of the money if the current price of the underlying stock is above the strike price of the option.) The strategy is driven by implied volatility, as measured by the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE ® ) Volatility Index (VIX ® ), and seeks to exploit pricing inefficiencies in S&P 500 ® Index options.
To the extent the fund invests primarily in ETFs it will be considered a “fund of funds.” The term “fund of funds” is typically used to describe mutual funds, such as the fund, whose primary investment strategy involves investing in other investment companies, such as ETFs and other mutual funds. Investments in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, are subject to statutory limitations prescribed in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Absent an available exemption, a fund may not: (i) acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any other investment company, (ii) invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities of any one investment company, or (iii) invest more than 10% of its assets in securities of all investment companies. The fund has obtained exemptive relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to permit it to invest in affiliated and unaffiliated funds, including ETFs, beyond these statutory limitations, subject to certain conditions. Many ETFs also have obtained exemptive relief from the SEC to permit unaffiliated funds to invest in the ETF’s shares beyond these statutory limitations, subject to certain conditions. The fund may rely on the various exemptive orders to invest in ETFs.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund .
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Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of total return, consisting of both capital appreciation and current income.
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund invests in dividend paying equity securities of companies that are tied economically to a number of countries throughout the world, including American Depositary Receipts. The fund intends to diversify its investments among countries and normally to have represented in the portfolio business activities of a number of different countries. The fund typically invests in the securities of medium to large capitalization companies, but it is not limited to investing in the securities of companies of any particular size.
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in dividend paying equity securities.The fund’s policy of investing 80% of its assets in dividend paying equity securities may be changed only upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.
The subadviser uses a strategy emphasizing companies that exhibit financial strength and durable earnings growth, which the subadviser deems to be of high quality. If a company meets these criteria, the subadviser researches and analyzes that company’s strength of management, relative competitive position in the industry and its financial structure. A proprietary model is used to determine relative value. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 25 to 40 securities at any given time.
The subadviser’s sell discipline seeks to dispose of holdings that, among other things, achieve a target price, or are the subject of negative developments individually or as an industry, or as necessary to provide funding to upgrade and improve portfolio holdings or meet diversification requirements.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of medium market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers medium market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index over the past three years was $159.2 million to $38.5 billion. The fund’s policy of investing at least 80% of its assets in medium market capitalization companies may be changed only upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.
The subadviser uses a strategy emphasizing highly profitable, consistently growing companies with low debt and rising cash flows. If a company meets these criteria, the subadviser researches and analyzes that company’s strength of management, its relative competitive position in the industry and its financial structure. A proprietary model is used to determine relative value. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 25 to 35 securities at any given time.
Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
The subadviser’s sell discipline seeks to dispose of holdings that, among other things, achieve a target price, or are the subject of negative developments individually or as an industry, or as necessary to provide funding to upgrade and improve portfolio holdings or meet diversification requirements.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of medium market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers medium market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell Midcap ® Index over the past three years was $159.2 million to $38.5 billion. The fund’s policy of investing 80% of its assets in medium market capitalization companies may be changed only upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
The subadviser uses a strategy emphasizing consistently growing, highly profitable, low-debt companies with rising cash flows, which the subadviser deems to be of high quality. If a company meets these criteria, the subadviser researches and analyzes that company’s strength of management, relative competitive position in the industry, and its financial structure. A proprietary model is used to determine relative value. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 25 to 50 securities at any given time.
Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
The subadviser’s sell discipline seeks to dispose of holdings that, among other things, are the subject of negative developments individually or as an industry; or as necessary to provide funding to upgrade and improve portfolio holdings or meet diversification requirements; or for valuation reasons.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in common stocks of small market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers small market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index over the past three years was $5.5 million to $11.3 billion. The fund’s policy of investing 80% of its assets in small market capitalization companies may be changed only upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
The subadviser uses a strategy emphasizing consistently growing, highly profitable, low-debt companies in mature industries with rising cash flows which the subadviser deems to be of high quality. If a company meets these criteria, the subadviser researches and analyzes that company’s strength of management, relative competitive position in the industry and its financial structure. A proprietary model is used to determine relative value. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 20 to 35 securities at any given time.
Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
The subadviser’s sell discipline seeks to dispose of holdings that, among other things, achieve a target price, or are the subject of negative developments individually or as an industry, or as necessary to provide funding to upgrade and improve portfolio holdings or meet diversification requirements.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation, with dividend income a secondary consideration.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in common stocks of small market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers small market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index over the past three years was $5.5 million to $11.3 billion. The fund’s policy of investing 80% of its assets in small market capitalization companies may be changed only upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
The subadviser uses a blended growth and value strategy when selecting securities for investment. The subadviser uses a strategy emphasizing consistently growing, highly profitable, low-debt companies with rising cash flows which the subadviser deems to be of high quality. If a company meets these criteria, the subadviser researches and analyzes that company’s strength of management, relative competitive position in the industry and its financial structure.The subadviser uses proprietary models to assist in its analysis. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 20 to 40 securities at any given time.
Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
The subadviser's sell discipline seeks to dispose of holdings that, among other things, achieve a target price, or are the subject of negative developments individually or as an industry, or as necessary to provide funding to upgrade and improve portfolio holdings or meet diversification requirements.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in common stocks of small market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers small market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell 2000 ® Index over the past three years was $5.5 million to $11.3 billion. The fund’s policy of investing 80% of its assets in small market capitalization companies may be changed only upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
The subadviser uses a strategy emphasizing consistently growing, highly profitable, low-debt companies with rising cash flows which the subadviser deems to be of high quality. If a company meets these criteria, the subadviser researches and analyzes that company’s strength of management, relative competitive position in the industry and its financial structure. A proprietary model is used to determine relative value. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 20 to 35 securities at any given time.
Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
The subadviser’s sell discipline seeks to dispose of holdings that, among other things, achieve a target price, or are the subject of negative developments individually or as an industry, or as necessary to provide funding to upgrade and improve portfolio holdings or meet diversification requirements.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has investment objectives of reasonable income, long-term capital growth and conservation of capital.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 65% of its assets in common stocks and fixed income securities of both U.S. and foreign issuers, including issuers in emerging market countries, and may invest in issuers of any size. The fund targets an asset allocation consisting of approximately 45% in U.S. equity securities, 15% in non-U.S. equity securities and 40% in fixed income securities. Allocation percentages are measured at time of purchase.
For the fund’s U.S. equity allocation, the fund invests in equity securities of large market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers large market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000 ® Index. Because large market capitalization companies are defined by reference to an index, the market capitalization of companies in which the fund invests may vary with market conditions. As of June 30, 2016, the market capitalization of companies included in the Russell 1000 ® Index was $1.14 billion to $524 billion.
The subadviser uses a strategy emphasizing consistently growing, highly profitable, low-debt companies with rising cash flows, which the subadviser deems to be of high quality. If a company meets these criteria, the subadviser researches and analyzes that company’s strength of management, relative competitive position in the industry, and its financial structure. A proprietary model is used to determine relative value.
The subadviser’s sell discipline seeks to dispose of holdings that, among other things, achieve a target price, or are the subject of negative developments individually or as an industry, or as necessary to provide funding to upgrade and improve portfolio holdings or meet diversification requirements.
For the fund’s non-U.S. equity allocation, which may be implemented through ADRs, the subadviser's process is driven by bottom-up fundamental research and informed by top-down macro views. Generally, the fund invests in non-U.S. issuers having capitalizations that fall within the range of companies included in the MSCI EAFE ® Index; however, the fund may invest in medium and small capitalization issuers as well. Top-down research is utilized to make global and regional decisions, country selection, and sector selection. As part of the process, the subadviser takes into account, among other things, monetary policy, geo-political factors, direction of interest rate movements, economic growth and outlook, and valuation. In evaluating non-U.S. securities for inclusion in the fund, the subadviser applies a Cash Flow Return on Capital approach to valuation as well as fundamental analysis to assess the financial strength, franchise quality, and management capabilities of individual securities. As of March 31, 2016, the market capitalization of companies included in the MSCI EAFE ® Index was $822 million to $239 billion.
In determining which equity securities to sell, the subadviser considers several factors. Among those factors are: whether a security has become fully valued, if there has been a material change in the assessment of the company’s fundamentals or original thesis, changes in the macro-economic environment, whether there is a better alternative available, and/or a portfolio rebalancing.
Under normal circumstances, the fixed income portion of the fund is invested in the following sectors of fixed income securities:
•
Securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, authorities or instrumentalities, including collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”) and other pass-through securities;
​
•
Debt securities issued by foreign issuers, including foreign governments and their political subdivisions and issuers located in emerging market countries;
​
•
Investment grade securities (primarily of U.S. issuers, secondarily of non-U.S. issuers), which are securities with credit ratings within the four highest rating categories of a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or if unrated, those that the subadviser determines, pursuant to procedures reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees, are of comparable quality, including short-term securities; and
​
•
High yield debt instruments, including bank loans (which are generally floating rate), of U.S. issuers.
​
The fund may invest in all or some of these sectors. If after the time of investment the rating declines, the fund is not obligated to sell the security.
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The fixed income portion of the fund employs active sector rotation and disciplined risk management to portfolio construction. The fund’s fixed income assets are typically allocated among various sectors of the fixed income market using a top-down, relative value approach that looks at factors such as yield and spreads, supply and demand, investment environment, and sector fundamentals. The subadviser then selects particular investments using a bottom-up, fundamental research-driven analysis that includes assessment of credit risk, company management, issue structure, technical market conditions, and valuations. Securities selected for investment are those that the subadviser believes offer the best potential to achieve the fund’s investment objective of providing a high level of total return, including a competitive level of current income. The subadviser seeks to adjust the proportion of fixed income investments primarily in the sectors described above and the selections within sectors to obtain higher relative returns. The subadviser regularly reviews the fund’s portfolio construction, endeavoring to minimize risk exposure by closely monitoring portfolio characteristics such as sector concentration and portfolio duration and by investing no more than 5% of the fixed income portion of the fund’s total assets in securities of any single issuer (excluding the U.S.government, its agencies, authorities or instrumentalities).
The fixed income portion of the fund utilizes a duration neutral strategy. Duration measures the interest rate sensitivity of a fixed income security by assessing and weighting the present value of the security’s payment pattern. Generally, the longer the maturity the greater the duration and, therefore, the greater effect interest rate changes have on the price of the security. Under normal circumstances, the fund’s fixed income portion will have an average duration maintained at a level similar to that of its benchmark, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. As of March 31, 2016, the modified adjusted duration of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index was 6.71 years; the modified adjusted duration of the fund is expected to be similar in duration to the benchmark. Typically, for a fund maintaining a modified adjusted duration of 6.71 years, a one percent increase in interest rates would cause a 6.71% decrease in the value of the fund’s fixed income assets. Similarly, a one percent decrease in interest rates typically would cause the value of the fund’s fixed income assets to increase by 6.71%.
Fixed income securities generally will be sold if, in the opinion of the subadviser, they become overvalued, fundamentals change, or portfolio management considerations warrant.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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Virtus Strategic Growth Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital growth.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 65% of its assets in equity securities of large market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers large market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations generally within the range of companies included in the Russell 1000 ® Index on a rolling three-year basis. On this basis, as of June 27, 2016, the market capitalization range of companies included in the Russell 1000 ® Index over the past three years was $171 million to $748.5 billion. The fund’s policy of investing 65% of its assets in large market capitalization companies may be changed only upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
The subadviser uses a strategy emphasizing consistently growing, highly profitable, low-debt companies with rising cash flows, which the subadviser deems to be of high quality. If a company meets these criteria, the subadviser researches and analyzes that company’s strength of management, relative competitive position in the industry, and its financial structure. A proprietary model is used to determine relative value. Generally, the fund invests in approximately 30 to 50 securities at any given time.
Although the fund invests primarily in U.S. companies, it may invest in foreign securities and American Depositary Receipts.
The subadviser’s sell discipline seeks to dispose of holdings that, among other things, achieve a target price, or are the subject of negative developments individually or as an industry, or as necessary to provide funding to upgrade and improve portfolio holdings or meet diversification requirements.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund
​
Non-Fundamental Investment Objective
The fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and income.
Principal Investment Strategies
The fund invests in U.S. equity, non-U.S. equity and fixed income securities using a tactical allocation approach. Generally, the following percentages apply: 25% to 60% invested in U.S. equity securities, 5% to 30% invested in non-U.S. equity securities and 35% to 60% invested in fixed income securities. The equity allocation is invested in common, preferred, and ADR securities. The fixed income allocation may be invested in all sectors of fixed income securities, including high-yield, high-risk (“junk bonds”), mortgage-backed and asset-backed, government, corporate, and municipal debt obligations. The fund may invest in both U.S. and foreign (non-U.S.) securities, including those of issuers in emerging market countries, and may invest in issuers of any size. Allocation percentages are measured at time of purchase.
For the fund’s U.S. equity allocation, the fund invests in equity securities of large market capitalization companies. As of the date of this Prospectus, the fund’s subadviser considers large market capitalization companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of initial purchase, have market capitalizations within the range of the Russell 1000 ® Index. Because large market capitalization companies are defined by reference to an index, the market capitalization of companies in which the fund invests may vary with market conditions. As of June 30, 2016, the market capitalization of companies included in the Russell 1000 ® Index was $1.14 billion to $524 billion. The fund’s policy of investing 65% of its assets in large market capitalization companies may be changed only upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.
The subadviser uses a strategy emphasizing consistently growing, highly profitable, low-debt companies with rising cash flows, which the subadviser deems to be of high quality. If a company meets these criteria, the subadviser researches and analyzes that company’s strength of management, relative competitive position in the industry, and its financial structure. A proprietary model is used to determine relative value.
The subadviser’s sell discipline seeks to dispose of holdings that, among other things, achieve a target price, or are the subject of negative developments individually or as an industry, or as necessary to provide funding to upgrade and improve portfolio holdings or meet diversification requirements.
For the fund’s non-U.S. equity allocation, which may be implemented through ADRs, the subadviser's process is driven by bottom-up fundamental research and informed by top-down macro views. Generally, the fund invests in non-U.S. issuers having capitalizations that fall within the range of companies included in the MSCI EAFE ® Index; however, the fund may invest in medium and small capitalization issuers as well. Top-down research is utilized to make global and regional decisions, country selection, and sector selection. As part of the process, the subadviser takes into account, among other things, monetary policy, geo-political factors, direction of interest rate movements, economic growth and outlook, and valuation. In evaluating non-U.S. securities for inclusion in the fund, the subadviser applies a Cash Flow Return on Capital approach to valuation as well as fundamental analysis to assess the financial strength, franchise quality, and management capabilities of individual securities. As of March 31, 2016, the market capitalization of companies included in the MSCI EAFE ® Index was $822 million to $239 billion.
In determining which equity securities to sell, the subadviser considers several factors. Among those factors are: whether a security has become fully valued, if there has been a material change in the assessment of the company’s fundamentals or original thesis, changes in the macro-economic environment, whether there is a better alternative available, and/or a portfolio rebalancing.
Under normal circumstances, the fixed income portion of the fund is invested in the following sectors of fixed income securities:
•
Securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, authorities or instrumentalities, including collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”) and other pass-through securities;
​
•
Debt securities issued by foreign issuers, including foreign governments and their political subdivisions and issuers located in emerging market countries;
​
​
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•
Investment grade securities, which are securities with credit ratings within the four highest rating categories of a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or if unrated, those that the subadviser determines, pursuant to procedures reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees, are of comparable quality, including short-term securities; and
​
•
High yield debt instruments, including bank loans (which are generally floating rate), of U.S. issuers.
​
The fund may invest in all or some of these sectors. If after the time of investment the rating declines, the fund is not obligated to sell the security.
Securities are selected using a sector rotation approach. The fixed income subadviser seeks to adjust the proportion of the fund’s fixed income investments in the sectors described above and the selections within sectors to obtain higher relative returns. Sectors are analyzed by the subadviser for attractive values. Securities within sectors are selected based on general economic and financial conditions, and the issuer’s business, management, cash, assets, earnings and stability. Securities selected for investment are those that the subadviser believes offer the best potential for total return based on risk-reward tradeoff.
The fixed income portion of the fund utilizes a duration neutral strategy. Duration measures the interest rate sensitivity of a fixed income security by assessing and weighting the present value of the security’s payment pattern. Generally, the longer the maturity the greater the duration and, therefore, the greater effect interest rate changes have on the price of the security. Under normal circumstances, the average duration of the fixed income portion of the fund is maintained at a level similar to that of its fixed income benchmark, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. As of March 31, 2016, the modified adjusted duration of the Bloomberg Barclay’s U.S. Aggregate Bond Index was 6.71 years. Typically, for a fund maintaining a modified adjusted duration of 6.71 years, a one percent increase in interest rates would cause a 6.71% decrease in the value of the fund’s fixed income assets. Similarly, a one percent decrease in interest rates typically would cause the value of the fund’s fixed income assets to increase by 6.71%.
Fixed income securities generally will be sold if, in the opinion of the subadviser, they become overvalued, fundamentals change, or portfolio management considerations warrant.
Temporary Defensive Strategy: During periods of adverse market conditions, the fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies by holding all or part of its assets in cash or short-term money market instruments including obligations of the U.S. Government, high-quality commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, bank interest-bearing demand accounts, and repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Government securities. When this allocation happens, the fund may not achieve its objective.
Please see “More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies” for information about the risks of investing in the fund. Please refer to “Additional Investment Techniques” for other investment techniques of the fund.
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More Information About Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies
​
Each fund may not achieve its objective, and each fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Generally, the value of a fund’s investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of such fund’s investments decreases, you will lose money.
Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the fund invests can be worse than expected and investments may fail to perform as the adviser or a subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease.
Specific risks of investing in each fund are identified in the below table and described in detail following the table. For certain funds, the indicated risks apply indirectly through the fund’s investments in other funds.
​ ​
Risks
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Contrarian
Value Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Enhanced
Core Equity
Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus Global
Quality
Dividend
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Mid-Cap Core
Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Mid-Cap
Growth Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus Quality
Small-Cap
Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Small-Cap
Core Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Small-Cap
Sustainable
Growth Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Strategic
Allocation
Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Strategic
Growth Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Tactical
Allocation
Fund
​ ​
​ ​ Debt Securities ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​
Credit
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​
Interest Rate
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​
Long-Term Maturities/Durations
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Depositary Receipts ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Derivatives ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Equity Securities ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​
Growth Stocks
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​
Large Market Capitalization Companies
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​
Medium Market Capitalization Companies
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Small Market Capitalization Companies
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​
Value Stocks
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Foreign Currency Transactions ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Foreign Investing ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​
Currency Rate
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​
Emerging Market Investing
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Fund of Funds ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ High-Yield/High-Risk Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds) ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Limited Number of Investments ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Loans ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Market Volatility ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Municipal Securities ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Portfolio Turnover ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Preferred Stocks ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Sector Focused Investing ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Short-Term Investments ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ U.S. Government Securities ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
Debt Securities
Debt securities are subject to various risks, the most prominent of which are credit risk and interest rate risk. These risks can affect a security’s price volatility to varying degrees, depending upon the nature of the instrument. Risks associated with investing in debt securities include the following:
•
Credit Risk.  There is a risk that the issuer of a security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or that negative perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of the security to decline. Debt securities rated below investment-grade are especially susceptible to this risk.
​
​
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•
Interest Rate Risk.  The values of debt securities usually rise and fall in response to changes in interest rates. Declining interest rates generally increase the value of existing debt instruments, and rising interest rates generally decrease the value of existing debt instruments. Changes in a debt instrument’s value usually will not affect the amount of interest income paid to a fund, but will affect the value of the fund’s shares. Interest rate risk is generally greater for investments with longer maturities.
​
Certain securities pay interest at variable or floating rates. Variable rate securities reset at specified intervals, while floating rate securities reset whenever there is a change in a specified index rate. In most cases, these reset provisions reduce the effect of changes in market interest rates on the value of the security. However, some securities do not track the underlying index directly, but reset based on formulas that can produce an effect similar to leveraging; others may also provide for interest payments that vary inversely with market rates. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate significantly when interest rates change.
Some investments give the issuer the option to call or redeem an investment before its maturity date. If an issuer calls or redeems an investment during a time of declining interest rates, a fund might have to reinvest the proceeds in an investment offering a lower yield, and therefore it might not benefit from any increase in value as a result of declining interest rates.
•
Long-Term Maturities/Durations Risk.  Fixed income securities with longer maturities or durations may be subject to greater price fluctuations due to interest rate, tax law, and general market changes than securities with shorter maturities or durations.
​
Depositary Receipts
Certain funds may invest in American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) sponsored by U.S. banks, European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), ADRs not sponsored by U.S. banks, other types of depositary receipts (including non-voting depositary receipts), and other similar instruments representing securities of foreign companies.
Although certain depositary receipts may reduce or eliminate some of the risks associated with foreign investing, these types of securities generally are subject to many of the same risks as direct investment in securities of foreign issuers.
Derivatives
Derivative transactions are contracts whose value is derived from the value of an underlying asset, index or rate, including futures, options, non-deliverable forwards, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and swap agreements. A fund may use derivatives to hedge against factors that affect the value of its investments, such as interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. A fund may also utilize derivatives as part of its overall investment technique to gain or lessen exposure to various securities, markets, volatility, dividend payments and currencies.
Derivatives typically involve greater risks than traditional investments. It is generally more difficult to ascertain the risk of, and to properly value, derivative contracts. Many derivatives, and particularly those that are privately negotiated, are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the fund. The prices of derivatives may move in unexpected ways, especially in abnormal market conditions. Derivatives are usually less liquid than traditional securities and are subject to counterparty risk (the risk that the other party to the contract will default or otherwise not be able to perform its contractual obligations). In addition, some derivatives transactions may involve potentially unlimited losses.
Derivative contracts entered into for hedging purposes may also subject a fund to losses if the contracts do not correlate with the assets, indexes or rates they were designed to hedge. Gains and losses derived from hedging transactions are, therefore, more dependent upon the subadviser’s ability to correctly predict the movement of the underlying asset prices, indexes or rates.
As an investment company registered with the SEC, each fund is required to identify on its books (often referred to as “asset segregation”) liquid assets, or engage in other SEC-approved measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of derivative instruments. If a fund investing in such instruments has insufficient cash to meet such requirements, it may have to sell other investments, including at disadvantageous times.
Governments, agencies and/or other regulatory bodies may adopt or change laws or regulations that could adversely affect a fund’s ability to invest in derivatives as the fund’s subadviser intends. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), among other things, grants the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and SEC broad rulemaking authority to implement various provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act
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including comprehensive regulation of the over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives market. The implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act could adversely affect a fund by placing limits on derivative transactions, and/or increasing transaction and/or regulatory compliance costs. For example, the CFTC has recently adopted new rules that will apply a new aggregation standard for position limit purposes, which may further limit a fund’s ability to trade futures contracts and swaps.
There are also special tax rules applicable to certain types of derivatives, which could affect the amount, timing and character of a fund’s income or loss and hence of its distributions to shareholders by causing holding period adjustments, converting short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses, and accelerating a fund’s income or deferring its losses. A fund’s use of derivatives may also increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders or the resources required by the fund or its adviser and/or subadviser(s) to comply with particular regulatory requirements.
Equity Securities
Generally, prices of equity securities are more volatile than those of fixed income securities. The prices of equity securities will rise and fall in response to a number of different factors. In particular, equity securities will respond to events that affect entire financial markets or industries (such as changes in inflation or consumer demand) and to events that affect particular issuers (such as news about the success or failure of a new product). Equity securities also are subject to “stock market risk,” meaning that stock prices in general may decline over short or extended periods of time. When the value of the stocks held by the fund goes down, the value of the fund’s shares will be affected.
•
Growth Stocks Risk.  Growth stocks can react differently to issuer, political, market, and economic developments than the market as a whole and other types of stocks. Growth stocks also tend to be more expensive relative to their earnings or assets compared to other types of stocks, and as a result they tend to be sensitive to changes in their earnings and more volatile than other types of stocks.
​
•
Large Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  The value of investments in larger companies may not rise as much as smaller companies, or larger companies may be unable to respond quickly to competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.
​
•
Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  Medium-sized companies often have narrower markets, fewer products or services to offer, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. As a result, the performance of medium-sized companies may be more volatile, and they may face a greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund.
​
•
Small Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  Small companies often have narrower markets, fewer products or services to offer, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. As a result, the performance of small companies may be more volatile, and they may face a greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund.
​
•
Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies Risk.  Small and medium-sized companies often have narrower markets, fewer products or services to offer, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. As a result, the performance of small and medium-sized companies may be more volatile, and they may face a greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility and risk of loss to the fund.
​
•
Value Stocks Risk.  A company may be undervalued due to market or economic conditions, temporary earnings declines, unfavorable developments affecting the company and other factors, or because it is associated with a market sector that generally is out of favor with investors. Undervalued stocks tend to be inexpensive relative to their earnings or assets compared to other types of stock. However, these stocks can continue to be inexpensive for long periods of time and may not realize their full economic value.
​
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
ETFs invest in a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market segment or index. The risks associated with investing in ETFs generally reflect the risks of owning shares of the underlying securities the ETF is designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities. Assets invested in ETFs incur a layering of expenses, including operating costs and advisory fees that fund shareholders indirectly bear; such expenses may exceed the expenses the fund would incur if it invested directly in the underlying portfolio of securities the ETF is designed to track. Shares of ETFs trade on a securities exchange and may trade at, above, or below their net asset value.
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Foreign Currency Transactions
A fund may engage in foreign currency transactions, including foreign currency forward contracts, options, swaps and other similar strategic transactions. These transactions may be for the purposes of hedging or efficient portfolio management, or may be for investment purposes, and they may be exchange traded or traded directly with market counterparties. Such transactions may not prove successful or may have the effect of limiting gains from favorable markets movements.
A fund may use derivatives to acquire positions in various currencies, which presents the risk that the fund could lose money on its exposure to a particular currency and also lose money on the derivative. A fund also may take positions in currencies that do not correlate to the currency exposure presented by the fund’s other investments. As a result, the fund’s currency exposure may differ, in some cases significantly, from the currency exposure of its other investments and/or its benchmarks.
Foreign Investing
Investing in securities of non-U.S. companies involves special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. companies, and the values of non-U.S. securities may be more volatile than those of U.S. securities. The values of non-U.S. securities are subject to economic and political developments in countries and regions where the issuers operate or are domiciled, or where the securities are traded, such as changes in economic or monetary policies, and to changes in currency exchange rates. Values may also be affected by restrictions on receiving the investment proceeds from a non-U.S. country.
In general, less information is publicly available about non-U.S. companies than about U.S. companies. Non-U.S. companies are generally not subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards as are U.S. companies. Certain foreign issuers classified as passive foreign investment companies may be subject to additional taxation risk.
•
Currency Rate Risk.  Because the foreign securities in which a fund invests generally trade in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in currency exchange rates will affect the fund’s net asset value, the value of dividends and interest earned, and gains and losses realized on the sale of securities. Because the value of each fund’s shares is calculated in U.S. dollars, it is possible for a fund to lose money by investing in a foreign security if the local currency of a foreign market depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency value of the fund’s holdings goes up. Generally, a strong U.S. dollar relative to such other currencies will adversely affect the value of the fund’s holdings in foreign securities.
​
•
Emerging Market Investing Risk.  The risks of foreign investments are generally greater in countries whose markets are still developing than they are in more developed markets. Emerging market countries typically have economic and political systems that are less fully developed, and can be expected to be less stable than those of more developed countries. For example, the economies of such countries can be subject to rapid and unpredictable rates of inflation or deflation. Since these markets are often small, they may be more likely to suffer sharp and frequent price changes or long-term price depression because of adverse publicity, investor perceptions or the actions of a few large investors. They may also have policies that restrict investment by foreigners, or that prevent foreign investors from withdrawing their money at will. Certain emerging markets may also face other significant internal or external risks, including the risk of war and civil unrest. For all of these reasons, investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. To the extent that a fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular emerging market, the fund will be more vulnerable to financial, economic, political and other developments in that country, and conditions that negatively impact that country will have a greater impact on the fund as compared with a fund that does not have its holdings concentrated in a particular country.
​
Fund of Funds
Achieving the fund’s objective will depend on the performance of the underlying mutual funds, which depends on the particular securities in which the underlying mutual funds invest. Indirectly, the fund is subject to all risks associated with the underlying mutual funds. Since the fund’s performance depends on that of each underlying mutual fund, it may be subject to increased volatility.
Assets invested in other mutual funds incur a layering of expenses, including operating costs, advisory fees and administrative fees that you, as a shareholder in the fund, indirectly bear. Such fees and expenses may exceed the fees and expenses the fund would have incurred if it invested in the underlying fund’s assets directly. As the underlying funds or the fund’s allocations among the underlying funds change from time to time, or to the extent that the expense ratio of the underlying funds changes, the weighted average operating expenses borne by the fund may increase or
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decrease. If the fund invests in closed-end funds, it may incur added expenses such as additional management fees and trading costs and additional risks associated with trading at a discount to NAV and use of leverage.
The underlying funds may change their investment objective or policies without the approval of the fund, and the fund might be forced to withdraw its investment from the underlying fund at a time that is unfavorable to the fund.
Each underlying fund may be subject to risks other than those described because the types of investments made by an underlying fund can change over time. For further description of the risks associated with the underlying funds, please consult the underlying funds’ prospectus.
High-Yield/High-Risk Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds)
Securities rated “BB” or below by S&P or Fitch, or “Ba” or below by Moody’s, may be known as “high-yield” securities and commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” The highest of the ratings among S&P, Fitch and Moody's is used to determine the security's classification. Such securities entail greater price volatility and credit and interest rate risk than investment-grade securities. Analysis of the creditworthiness of high-yield/high-risk issuers is more complex than for higher-rated securities, making it more difficult for a fund's subadviser to accurately predict risk. There is a greater risk with high-yield/high-risk fixed income securities that an issuer will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. If the fund pursues missed payments, there is a risk that fund expenses could increase. In addition, lower-rated securities may not trade as often and may be less liquid than higher-rated securities, especially during periods of economic uncertainty or change. As a result of all of these factors, these bonds are generally considered to be speculative.
Limited Number of Investments
The risk that the fund’s portfolio will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers of securities in the fund’s portfolio than would a fund holding a greater number of securities.
Loans
Investing in loans (including loan assignments, loan participations and other loan instruments) carries certain risks in addition to the risks typically associated with high-yield/high-risk fixed income securities. Loans may be unsecured or not fully collateralized, may be subject to restrictions on resale and sometimes trade infrequently on the secondary market. In the event a borrower defaults, a fund’s access to the collateral may be limited or delayed by bankruptcy or other insolvency laws. There is a risk that the value of the collateral securing the loan may decline after a fund invests and that the collateral may not be sufficient to cover the amount owed to the fund. If the loan is unsecured, there is no specific collateral on which the fund can foreclose. In addition, if a secured loan is foreclosed, a fund may bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral, including the risk that collateral may be difficult to sell.
Transactions in many loans settle on a delayed basis. As a result, sale proceeds related to the sale of loans may not be available to make additional investments or to meet the Fund’s redemption obligations until potentially a substantial period of time after the sale of the loans. No active trading market may exist for some loans, which may impact the ability of the Fund to realize full value in the event of the need to liquidate such assets. Adverse market conditions may impair the liquidity of some actively traded loans. Loans also may be subject to restrictions on resale, which can delay the sale and adversely impact the sale price. Difficulty in selling a loan can result in a loss. Loans made to finance highly leveraged corporate acquisitions may be especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic or market conditions. Certain loans may not be considered “securities,” and purchasers, such as a fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the strong anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. With loan participations, a fund may not be able to control the exercise of any remedies that the lender would have under the loan and likely would not have any rights against the borrower directly, so that delays and expense may be greater than those that would be involved if a fund could enforce its rights directly against the borrower.
Market Volatility
The value of the securities in which a fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.
Instability in the financial markets has exposed each fund to greater market and liquidity risk and potential difficulty in valuing portfolio instruments that it holds. In response to financial markets that experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity, the U.S. Government and other governments have taken a number of unprecedented actions, including acquiring distressed assets from financial institutions and acquiring ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear. Additional
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legislation or government regulation may also change the way in which funds themselves are regulated, which could limit or preclude a fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities
Mortgage-backed securities represent interests in pools of residential mortgage loans purchased from individual lenders by a federal agency or originated and issued by private lenders. Asset-backed securities represent interests in pools of underlying assets such as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements. These two types of securities share many of the same risks.
The impairment of the value of collateral or other assets underlying a mortgage-backed or asset-backed security, such as that resulting from non-payment of loans, may result in a reduction in the value of such security and losses to a fund.
Early payoffs in the loans underlying such securities may result in a fund receiving less income than originally anticipated. The variability in prepayments will tend to limit price gains when interest rates drop and exaggerate price declines when interest rates rise. In the event of high prepayments, a fund may be required to invest proceeds at lower interest rates, causing the fund to earn less than if the prepayments had not occurred. Conversely, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, which may effectively change a security that was considered short- or intermediate-term into a long-term security. Long-term securities tend to fluctuate in value more widely in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities.
Municipal Securities
The amount of public information available about municipal bonds is generally less than that for corporate equities or bonds, and the investment performance of a fund may be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the investment adviser than would be the case for a fund that does not invest in municipal bonds. The secondary market for municipal bonds also tends to be less well-developed and less liquid than many other securities markets, which may adversely affect the fund’s ability to sell its bonds at attractive prices. In addition, municipal obligations can experience downturns in trading activity, and the supply of municipal obligations may exceed the demand in the market. During such periods, the spread can widen between the price at which an obligation can be purchased and the price at which it can be sold. Less liquid obligations can become more difficult to value and be subject to erratic price movements. Economic and other events (whether real or perceived) can reduce the demand for certain investments or for investments generally, which may reduce market prices and cause the value of the fund’s shares to fall. The frequency and magnitude of such changes cannot be predicted. A fund may invest in municipal obligations that do not appear to be related, but in fact depend on the financial rating or support of a single government unit, in which case, events that affect one of the obligations will also affect the others and will impact the fund’s portfolio to a greater degree than if the fund’s investments were not so related. The increased presence of non-traditional participants in the municipal markets may lead to greater volatility in the markets.
Portfolio Turnover
A fund’s investment strategy may result in consistently frequently high turnover rate. A high portfolio turnover rate may result in correspondingly greater brokerage commission expenses and the distribution to shareholders of additional capital gains for tax purposes, some of which may be taxable at ordinary income rates. These factors may negatively affect the fund’s performance.
Preferred Stocks
Preferred stocks may provide a higher dividend rate than the interest yield on debt securities of the same issuer, but are subject to greater risk of fluctuation in market value and greater risk of non-receipt of income. Unlike interest on debt securities, dividends on preferred stocks must be declared by the issuer’s board of directors before becoming payable. Preferred stocks are in many ways like perpetual debt securities, providing a stream of income but without stated maturity date. Because they often lack a fixed maturity or redemption date, preferred stocks are likely to fluctuate substantially in price when interest rates change. Such fluctuations generally are comparable to or exceed those of long-term government or corporate bonds (those with maturities of fifteen to thirty years). Preferred stocks have claims on assets and earnings of the issuer which are subordinate to the claims of all creditors but senior to the claims of common stockholders. A preferred stock rating differs from a bond rating because it applies to an equity issue which is intrinsically different from, and subordinated to, a debt issue. Preferred stock ratings generally represent an assessment of the capacity and willingness of an issuer to pay preferred stock dividends and any applicable sinking fund obligations. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions, and may be significantly less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. Government securities, corporate debt or common stock.
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Sector Focused Investing
The value of the investments of a fund that focuses its investments in a particular market sector will be highly sensitive to financial, economic, political and other developments affecting that market sector, and conditions that negatively impact that market sector will have a greater impact on the fund as compared with a fund that does not have its holdings similarly focused. Events negatively affecting the market sectors in which a fund has invested are therefore likely to cause the value of the fund’s shares to decrease, perhaps significantly.
Short-Term Investments
Short-term investments include money market instruments, repurchase agreements, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances and other short-term instruments that are not U.S. Government securities. These securities generally present less risk than many other investments, but they are generally subject to credit risk and may be subject to other risks as well.
U.S. Government Securities
Obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies, authorities and instrumentalities and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States only guarantee principal and interest will be timely paid to holders of the securities. The entities do not guarantee that the value of fund shares will increase, and in fact, the market values of such obligations may fluctuate. In addition, not all U.S. Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States; some are the obligation solely of the entity through which they are issued. There is no guarantee that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to its agencies and instrumentalities if not required to do so by law.
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Management of the Funds
​
The Adviser
VIA is the investment adviser to the funds and is located at 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103. VIA acts as the investment adviser for over 50 mutual funds and as adviser to institutional clients. As of March 31, 2016, VIA had approximately $26.6 billion in assets under management. VIA has acted as an investment adviser for over 80 years and is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., a publicly traded multi-manager asset management business.
Subject to the direction of the funds' Board of Trustees, VIA is responsible for managing the funds’ investment programs and for the general operations of the funds, including oversight of the funds’ subadvisers, and recommending their hiring, termination and replacement.
VIA has appointed and oversees the activities of each of the subadvisers for the funds as shown in the table below. Each subadviser manages the investments of that fund to conform with its investment policies as described in this prospectus.
​ ​ Fund ​ ​ ​ Subadviser ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ Sasco ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ Rampart ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ KAR ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ KAR ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ KAR ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ KAR ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ KAR ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ KAR ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​
Duff  & Phelps (international equity portion)
KAR (domestic equity portion)
Newfleet (fixed income portion)
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ KAR ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​
Duff  & Phelps (international equity portion)
KAR (domestic equity portion)
Newfleet (fixed income portion)
​ ​
Management Fees
Each fund pays VIA an investment management fee that is accrued daily against the value of the fund’s net assets at the following annual rates:
​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
First $400
million
​ ​ ​
$400+ million
through
$1billion
​ ​ ​
$1+ billion
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.90 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.85 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
First $500
million
​ ​ ​
Over $500
million
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
First $1 billion
​ ​ ​
Over $1 billion
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
First $1 billion
​ ​ ​
$1+ billion
through $2
billion
​ ​ ​
$2+ billion
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.65 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.65 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
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​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
First $1 billion
​ ​ ​
$1+ billion
through $2
billion
​ ​ ​
$2+ billion
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.55 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.50 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.45 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.65 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.60 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.65 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.60 % ​ ​ ​
In its last fiscal year, each fund paid fees to the adviser at the following percentage of average net assets:
​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.75 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.90 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.55 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % ​ ​ ​
The Subadvisers
Duff  & Phelps, an affiliate of VIA, is located at 200 South Wacker Drive, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60606. Duff  & Phelps acts as subadviser to mutual funds and as adviser or subadviser to closed-end mutual funds and to institutional clients. Duff  & Phelps (together with its predecessor) has been in the investment advisory business for more than 70 years. As of June 30, 2016, Duff  & Phelps had approximately $10 billion in assets under management on a discretionary basis.
KAR, an affiliate of VIA, is located at 1800 Avenue of the Stars, 2 nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90067. KAR acts as subadviser to mutual funds and as investment adviser to institutions and individuals. As of March 31, 2016, KAR had approximately $9.9 billion in assets under management.
Newfleet, an affiliate of VIA, is located at 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103. Newfleet acts as subadviser to mutual funds and as adviser to institutions and individuals. As of March 31, 2016, Newfleet had approximately $11.3 billion in assets under management.
Rampart, an affiliate of VIA, is located at One International Place, 14th Floor, Boston, MA 02110. Rampart has been an investment adviser since 1983 and provides investment management services to mutual funds, institutional and high net worth investors. As of March 31, 2016, Rampart had approximately $508 million in assets under management.
Sasco is located at 10 Sasco Hill Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. Sasco is an independent, employee-owned investment adviser. As of March 31, 2016, Sasco had approximately $4.2 billion in assets under management.
VIA pays each respective subadviser a subadvisory fee which is calculated on the fund’s average daily net assets at the following annual rates:
​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ 47.50% of Net Advisory Fee ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ 50% of Net Advisory Fee ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ 50% of Net Advisory Fee ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ 50% of Net Advisory Fee ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ 50% of Net Advisory Fee ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ 50% of Net Advisory Fee ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ 50% of Net Advisory Fee ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ 50% of Net Advisory Fee ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​
50% of Net Advisory fee to Duff  & Phelps (international equity portion)
50% of Net Advisory fee to KAR (domestic equity portion)
50% of Net Advisory Fee to Newfleet (fixed income portion)
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ 50% of Net Advisory Fee ​ ​
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​ ​ Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​
50% of Net Advisory fee to Duff  & Phelps (international equity portion)
50% of Net Advisory fee to KAR (domestic equity portion)
50% of Net Advisory Fee to Newfleet (fixed income portion)
​ ​
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the investment advisory and subadvisory agreements of the funds is available in the funds’ annual report covering the period April 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016.
The funds and VIA have received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that permits VIA, subject to certain conditions, and without the approval of shareholders, to:(a) select both unaffiliated subadvisers and certain wholly-owned affiliated subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the assets of a fund, and enter into subadvisory agreements with such subadvisers, and (b) materially amend subadvisory agreements with such subadvisers. In such circumstances, shareholders would receive notice of such action.
Portfolio Management
The following individuals are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the funds’ portfolios.
Duff  & Phelps
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund (international equity portion only) ​ ​ ​ Frederick A. Brimberg (since 2012) ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund (international equity portion only) ​ ​ ​ Frederick A. Brimberg (since 2012) ​ ​
Frederick A. Brimberg. Mr.Brimberg is Senior Managing Director and International Equity Portfolio Manager at Duff  & Phelps (since August 2016) and Euclid Advisors LLC (“Euclid”) (since 2012), an affiliate of Duff  & Phelps and VIA. Prior to joining Euclid, he was senior vice president and international portfolio manager at Avatar Associates (2006 to 2012), where he started the international strategy in 2006. Earlier, he was vice president and portfolio manager at ING Investment Management and its predecessor Lexington Management, with a focus on global equity investing. Mr. Brimberg’s career spans 30-plus years in investment management, trading, and capital markets, with positions at Brimberg & Co., and Lehman Brothers.
KAR
​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ Richard Sherry, CFA (since 2009) ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​
Jon Christensen, CFA (since 2009)
Craig Stone (since 2009)
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ Doug Foreman, CFA (since 2012) ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​
Julie Kutasov (since 2008)
Craig Stone (since 2009)
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​
Todd Beiley, CFA (since 2009)
Jon Christensen, CFA (since 2008)
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​
Todd Beiley, CFA (since 2008)
Jon Christensen, CFA (since 2009)
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ Doug Foreman, CFA (since September 2016) ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund (domestic equity portion only) ​ ​ ​ Doug Foreman, CFA (since November 2011) ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund (domestic equity portion only) ​ ​ ​ Doug Foreman, CFA (since September 2016) ​ ​
Todd Beiley, CFA. Mr. Beiley is a Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR, with primary research responsibilities for the small- and mid-capitalization consumer discretionary sector. Before joining KAR in 2002, Mr. Beiley was an associate analyst in equity research at Prudential Securities. He has approximately 16 years of investment industry experience.
Jon Christensen, CFA. Mr. Christensen is a Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR, with primary research responsibilities for the small- and mid-capitalization materials and processing sectors. Before joining KAR in 2001, he was a portfolio manager and senior research analyst for Doheny Asset Management. Mr. Christensen has approximately 20 years of investment industry experience.
Doug Foreman, CFA. Mr. Foreman is Chief Investment Officer (since January 2014), (Co-chief Investment Officer, 2013), playing a leadership role in KAR's equity investment operations and is a member of the Executive Management Committee. Before joining KAR in 2011, he was director of equities at HighMark Capital Management (2009 to 2011).
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Prior to HighMark, Mr. Foreman was retired for two years (2007 to 2008) and was group managing director and chief investment officer of U.S. equities at Trust Company of the West (TCW) (1994 - 2006).
Julie Kutasov. Ms. Kutasov is a Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR, with primary research responsibilities for the small- and mid-capitalization producer durables sector. Before joining KAR in 2001, Ms. Kutasov worked in the investment management group at Goldman Sachs. She has approximately 14 years of investment industry experience.
Richard Sherry, CFA. Mr. Sherry is a Portfolio Manager for large-capitalization portfolios and a Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Before joining KAR in 1995, Mr. Sherry was an operations/marketing supervisor at Pilgrim Asset Management. He has approximately 22 years of investment industry experience.
Craig Stone. Mr. Stone is a Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst at KAR. Before joining KAR in 2000, Mr. Stone was a Portfolio Manager at Doheny Asset Management. He has approximately 26 years of investment industry experience.
Newfleet
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund (fixed income portion only) ​ ​ ​
David L. Albrycht, CFA (since 2012)
Christopher J. Kelleher, CFA, CPA (since 2012)
​ ​
​ ​
Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund
(fixed income portion only)
​ ​ ​ David L. Albrycht, CFA (since 2011) ​ ​
David L. Albrycht, CFA. Mr. Albrycht is President and Chief Investment Officer at Newfleet (since June 2011). Until June 2011, he was executive managing director (2008 to 2011) and vice president (2005 to 2008), fixed income, of Goodwin Capital Advisers, Inc. (“Goodwin”). Previously, he was associated with VIA, at which time it was an affiliate of Goodwin. He managed fixed income portfolios for Goodwin affiliates beginning in 1991.
Christopher J. Kelleher, CFA, CPA. Mr. Kelleher is Senior Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager at Newfleet (since January 2012). Prior to joining Newfleet, Mr. Kelleher was retired for two years from Goodwin, where he was Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager (1997 to January 2010). Previously, he was an investment officer with Phoenix Life Insurance Company (1983 to 1997), at which time it was an affiliate of Goodwin and VIA. He has more than 26 years of investment experience in all bond market sectors, including both publicly traded and private placements.
Rampart
​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​
Michael Davis (since September 2016)
Brendan R. Finneran (since December 2014)
Robert F. Hofeman, Jr. (since December 2014)
Warun Kumar (since September 2016)
​ ​
Michael Davis. Mr. Davis is a Portfolio Manager at Rampart (since September 2016) and at VIA (since 2014) and has over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, including investment management and capital markets. Prior to joining Virtus in 2014, he was a founding partner of Varick Asset Management, an independent alternative manager focused on the development of innovative portfolio solutions and investment strategies. Before forming Varick, Mr. Davis worked in the institutional asset management division of Barclays Capital, focused on quantitative and derivative-based investment strategies. Prior to Barclays, he worked in the derivative structuring group at Lehman Brothers. Mr. Davis started his career at Merrill Lynch in the asset-backed finance business.
Brendan R. Finneran. Mr. Finneran serves as Portfolio Manager and Trader at Rampart. Mr. Finneran joined Rampart in July of 2008 and has 14 years of investment experience. Prior to Rampart, he was trader and operations manager at Andover Capital Advisors (2003 to 2008), where he was responsible for operational account management (processing and settlement) for all equity, option, bond, bank debt, CDS and swap trades. Prior to Andover Capital Advisors, Brendan held various positions at Cone Jacquards and Robert Fleming as Account Manager.
Robert F. Hofeman, Jr. Mr. Hofeman serves as Portfolio Manager and Trader at Rampart. Mr. Hofeman joined Rampart in May of 2012 with more than 14 years of investment experience. Prior to Rampart, he was an equity trading consultant for Linedata (2010 to 2012) where he translated buy-side business processes to the technology staff. Previously, Mr. Hofeman was a vice president of Evergreen Investments (2007 to 2009), where he traded stocks, options and futures, and was the primary trader at Ironwood Investment Management, LLC (2002 to 2007), focusing on small cap stocks and assisting with the research processes.
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Warun Kumar. Mr. Kumar is Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at Rampart (since October 2015), and Portfolio Manager at Virtus Alternative Investment Advisers, Inc., an affiliate of VIA (since May 2014). Before joining Virtus, Mr. Kumar was founder and managing partner of Varick Asset Management, an independent alternative manager focused on the development of innovative portfolio solutions and investment strategies for high net worth investors and institutional clients (2010 to 2014). Prior to forming Varick, Mr. Kumar was the U.S. head of Barclays Capital Fund Solutions, where he led the investment committee and managed business expansion throughout the Americas (2007 to 2010). Mr. Kumar’s investment management career began at Volaris Advisors, where he was a partner and headed the derivative advisory business. In addition to these roles, Mr. Kumar has held senior positions in the capital markets divisions of Lehman Brothers and Robertson Stephens, and was a founding partner of Sigma Advisors, an alternative investment advisory firm. Mr. Kumar began his financial services career in 1993 as a member of JP Morgan’s equity derivatives business.
Sasco
​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​
Bruce Bottomley (since 1997)
Mark Helderman (since 2004)
Daniel Leary (since 1997)
​ ​
Bruce Bottomley. Mr. Bottomley has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since its inception in 2004 and previously served as portfolio manager of the Predecessor Fund since its inception in 1997. He is Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Sasco. Mr. Bottomley has 43 years of investment experience and was a founding partner of Sasco in 1986.
Mark Helderman. Mr. Helderman has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since its inception in 2004. He is Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Sasco. Mr. Helderman has 31 years of investment experience and joined Sasco in 1997.
Daniel Leary. Mr. Leary has served as a Portfolio Manager of the fund since its inception in 2004 and previously served as portfolio manager of the Predecessor Fund since its inception in 1997. He is Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Sasco. Mr. Leary has 44 years of investment experience and was a founding partner of Sasco in 1986.
Please refer to the SAI for additional information about the funds' portfolio managers, including the structure of and method of computing compensation, other accounts they manage and their ownership of shares of the funds.
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Risks Associated with Additional Investment Techniques and Fund Operations
​
In addition to the Principal Investment Strategies and Risks Related to Principal Investment Strategies, each of the funds listed in the chart below may engage in additional investment techniques that present additional risks to a fund. Those additional investment techniques in which a fund is expected to engage as of the date of this prospectus are indicated in the chart below, although other techniques may be utilized from time to time. The information below the chart describes the additional investment techniques and their risks. Many of the additional investment techniques that a fund may use, as well as other investment techniques that are relied upon to a lesser degree, are more fully described in the SAI.
​ ​
Investment Techniques and Risks
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Contrarian
Value Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Enhanced
Core Equity
Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus Global
Quality
Dividend
Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus Mid-
Cap Core
Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Mid-Cap
Growth Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus Quality
Small-Cap
Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Small-Cap
Core Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Small-Cap
Sustainable
Growth Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Strategic
Allocation
Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Strategic
Growth Fund
​ ​ ​
Virtus
Tactical
Allocation
Fund
​ ​
​ ​ Cybersecurity Risk ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Debt Securities ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Credit
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
Interest Rate
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Derivatives ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ High-Yield/High-Risk Securities (Junk Bonds) ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Illiquid and Restricted Securities ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Leverage ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Mutual Fund Investing ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Operational Risk ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Preferred Stocks ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Repurchase Agreements ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Securities Lending ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Short-Term Investments ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ U.S. and Foreign Government Obligations ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Unrated Fixed Income Securities ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
​ ​ Zero Coupon, Step Coupon, Deferred Coupon and PIK Bonds ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
x
​ ​
Cybersecurity
With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, the funds have become potentially more susceptible to operational and information security risks through breaches in cybersecurity. In general, a breach in cybersecurity can result from either a deliberate attack or an unintentional event. Cybersecurity breaches may involve, among other things, infection by computer viruses or other malicious software code or unauthorized access to the digital information systems, networks or devices of the funds or their service providers (including, but not limited to, the funds’ investment adviser, transfer agent, custodian, administrators and other financial intermediaries) through “hacking” or other means, in each case for the purpose of misappropriating assets or sensitive information (including, for example, personal shareholder information), corrupting data or causing operational disruption or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the funds. Any such cybersecurity breaches or losses of service may cause the funds to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity, which, in turn, could cause the funds to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures, and/or financial loss. While the funds and their service providers have established business continuity plans and risk management systems designed to prevent or reduce the impact of cybersecurity attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems due in part to the ever-changing nature of technology and cybersecurity attack tactics, and there is a possibility that certain risks have not been adequately identified or prepared for. Cybersecurity risks may also impact issuers of securities in which the funds invest, which may cause the funds’ investments in such issuers to lose value.
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Debt Securities
Debt securities are subject to various risks, the most prominent of which are credit risk and interest rate risk. These risks can affect a security’s price volatility to varying degrees, depending upon the nature of the instrument. Risks associated with investing in debt securities include the following:
•
Credit Risk.  There is a risk that the issuer of a security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or that negative perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of the security to decline. Debt securities rated below investment-grade are especially susceptible to this risk.
​
•
Interest Rate Risk.  The values of debt securities usually rise and fall in response to changes in interest rates. Declining interest rates generally increase the value of existing debt instruments, and rising interest rates generally decrease the value of existing debt instruments. Changes in a debt instrument’s value usually will not affect the amount of interest income paid to a fund, but will affect the value of the fund’s shares. Interest rate risk is generally greater for investments with longer maturities.
​
Certain securities pay interest at variable or floating rates. Variable rate securities reset at specified intervals, while floating rate securities reset whenever there is a change in a specified index rate. In most cases, these reset provisions reduce the effect of changes in market interest rates on the value of the security. However, some securities do not track the underlying index directly, but reset based on formulas that can produce an effect similar to leveraging; others may also provide for interest payments that vary inversely with market rates. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate significantly when interest rates change.
Some investments give the issuer the option to call or redeem an investment before its maturity date. If an issuer calls or redeems an investment during a time of declining interest rates, a fund might have to reinvest the proceeds in an investment offering a lower yield, and therefore it might not benefit from any increase in value as a result of declining interest rates.
Derivatives
Derivative transactions are contracts whose value is derived from the value of an underlying asset, index or rate, including futures, options, non-deliverable forwards, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and swap agreements. A fund may use derivatives to hedge against factors that affect the value of its investments, such as interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. A fund may also utilize derivatives as part of its overall investment technique to gain or lessen exposure to various securities, markets, volatility, dividend payments and currencies.
Derivatives typically involve greater risks than traditional investments. It is generally more difficult to ascertain the risk of, and to properly value, derivative contracts. Many derivatives, and particularly those that are privately negotiated, are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the fund. The prices of derivatives may move in unexpected ways, especially in abnormal market conditions. Derivatives are usually less liquid than traditional securities and are subject to counterparty risk (the risk that the other party to the contract will default or otherwise not be able to perform its contractual obligations). In addition, some derivatives transactions may involve potentially unlimited losses.
Derivative contracts entered into for hedging purposes may also subject a fund to losses if the contracts do not correlate with the assets, indexes or rates they were designed to hedge. Gains and losses derived from hedging transactions are, therefore, more dependent upon the subadviser’s ability to correctly predict the movement of the underlying asset prices, indexes or rates.
As an investment company registered with the SEC, each fund is required to identify on its books (often referred to as “asset segregation”) liquid assets, or engage in other SEC-approved measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of derivative instruments. If a fund investing in such instruments has insufficient cash to meet such requirements, it may have to sell other investments, including at disadvantageous times.
Governments, agencies and/or other regulatory bodies may adopt or change laws or regulations that could adversely affect a fund’s ability to invest in derivatives as the fund’s subadviser intends. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), among other things, grants the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and SEC broad rulemaking authority to implement various provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act including comprehensive regulation of the over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives market. The implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act could adversely affect a fund by placing limits on derivative transactions, and/or increasing transaction and/or regulatory compliance costs. For example, the CFTC has recently adopted new rules that will apply a new aggregation standard for position limit purposes, which may further limit a fund’s ability to trade futures contracts and swaps.
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There are also special tax rules applicable to certain types of derivatives, which could affect the amount, timing and character of a fund’s income or loss and hence of its distributions to shareholders by causing holding period adjustments, converting short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses, and accelerating a fund’s income or deferring its losses. A fund’s use of derivatives may also increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders or the resources required by the fund or its adviser and/or subadviser(s) to comply with particular regulatory requirements.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
ETFs invest in a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market segment or index. The risks associated with investing in ETFs generally reflect the risks of owning shares of the underlying securities the ETF is designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities. Assets invested in ETFs incur a layering of expenses, including operating costs and advisory fees that fund shareholders indirectly bear; such expenses may exceed the expenses the fund would incur if it invested directly in the underlying portfolio of securities the ETF is designed to track. Shares of ETFs trade on a securities exchange and may trade at, above, or below their net asset value.
High-Yield/High-Risk Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds)
Securities rated “BB” or below by S&P or Fitch, or “Ba” or below by Moody’s, may be known as “high-yield” securities and commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” The highest of the ratings among S&P, Fitch and Moody's is used to determine the security's classification. Such securities entail greater price volatility and credit and interest rate risk than investment-grade securities. Analysis of the creditworthiness of high-yield/high-risk issuers is more complex than for higher-rated securities, making it more difficult for a fund's subadviser to accurately predict risk. There is a greater risk with high-yield/high-risk fixed income securities that an issuer will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. If the fund pursues missed payments, there is a risk that fund expenses could increase. In addition, lower-rated securities may not trade as often and may be less liquid than higher-rated securities, especially during periods of economic uncertainty or change. As a result of all of these factors, these bonds are generally considered to be speculative.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities
Certain securities in which a fund invests may be difficult to sell at the time and price beneficial to the fund, for example due to low trading volumes or legal restrictions. When there is no willing buyer or a security cannot be readily sold, the fund may have to sell at a lower price or may be unable to sell the security at all. The sale of such securities may also require the fund to incur expenses in addition to those normally associated with the sale of a security.
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)
A fund may acquire common and preferred stock of issuers in an IPO. Investment returns from IPOs may be highly volatile and subject to varying patterns of trading volume, and these securities may at times be difficult to sell. In addition, information about the issuers of IPO securities is often difficult to obtain since they are new to the market and may not have lengthy operating histories. From time to time, a fund may purchase IPOs and then immediately sell them. This practice will increase portfolio turnover rates and increase costs to the fund, affect fund performance, and may increase capital gain distributions, resulting in greater tax liability to the fund’s shareholders.
Leverage
When a fund makes investments in futures contracts, forward contracts, swaps and other derivative instruments, the futures contracts, forward contracts, swaps and certain other derivatives provide the economic effect of financial leverage by creating additional investment exposure, as well as the potential for greater loss. When a fund uses leverage through activities such as borrowing, entering into short sales, purchasing securities on margin or on a when-issued basis, or purchasing derivative instruments in an effort to increase its returns, the fund has the risk of magnified capital losses that occur when losses affect an asset base, enlarged by borrowings or the creation of liabilities, that exceeds the net assets of the fund. The value of the shares of a fund employing leverage will be more volatile and sensitive to market movements. Leverage may also involve the creation of a liability that requires the fund to pay interest.
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Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities
Mortgage-backed securities represent interests in pools of residential mortgage loans purchased from individual lenders by a federal agency or originated and issued by private lenders. Asset-backed securities represent interests in pools of underlying assets such as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements. These two types of securities share many of the same risks.
The impairment of the value of collateral or other assets underlying a mortgage-backed or asset-backed security, such as that resulting from non-payment of loans, may result in a reduction in the value of such security and losses to a fund.
Early payoffs in the loans underlying such securities may result in a fund receiving less income than originally anticipated. The variability in prepayments will tend to limit price gains when interest rates drop and exaggerate price declines when interest rates rise. In the event of high prepayments, a fund may be required to invest proceeds at lower interest rates, causing the fund to earn less than if the prepayments had not occurred. Conversely, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, which may effectively change a security that was considered short- or intermediate-term into a long-term security. Long-term securities tend to fluctuate in value more widely in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities.
Mutual Fund Investing
Through its investments in other mutual funds, a fund is exposed not only to the risks of the underlying funds’ investments but also to certain additional risks. Assets invested in other mutual funds incur a layering of expenses, including operating costs, advisory fees and administrative fees that you, as a shareholder in the fund, indirectly bear. Such fees and expenses may exceed the fees and expenses the fund would have incurred if it invested in the underlying fund’s assets directly. To the extent that the expense ratio of an underlying fund changes, the weighted average operating expenses borne by the fund may increase or decrease. An underlying fund may change its investment objective or policies without the approval of the fund, and the fund might be forced to withdraw its investment from the underlying fund at a time that is unfavorable to the fund. If a fund invests in closed-end funds, it may incur added expenses such as additional management fees and trading costs and additional risks associated with trading at a discount to NAV and use of leverage.
Operational
An investment in a fund, like any mutual fund, can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel and errors caused by third-party service providers. The occurrence of any of these failures, errors or breaches could result in a loss of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on a fund. While the funds seek to minimize such events through controls and oversight, there may still be failures that could cause losses to a fund.
Preferred Stocks
Preferred stocks may provide a higher dividend rate than the interest yield on debt securities of the same issuer, but are subject to greater risk of fluctuation in market value and greater risk of non-receipt of income. Unlike interest on debt securities, dividends on preferred stocks must be declared by the issuer’s board of directors before becoming payable. Preferred stocks are in many ways like perpetual debt securities, providing a stream of income but without stated maturity date. Because they often lack a fixed maturity or redemption date, preferred stocks are likely to fluctuate substantially in price when interest rates change. Such fluctuations generally are comparable to or exceed those of long-term government or corporate bonds (those with maturities of fifteen to thirty years). Preferred stocks have claims on assets and earnings of the issuer which are subordinate to the claims of all creditors but senior to the claims of common stockholders. A preferred stock rating differs from a bond rating because it applies to an equity issue which is intrinsically different from, and subordinated to, a debt issue. Preferred stock ratings generally represent an assessment of the capacity and willingness of an issuer to pay preferred stock dividends and any applicable sinking fund obligations. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions, and may be significantly less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. Government securities, corporate debt or common stock.
Repurchase Agreements
A fund may invest in repurchase agreements with commercial banks, brokers and dealers considered by the fund’s subadviser to be creditworthy. Such agreements subject the fund to the risk of default or insolvency of the counterparty.
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Securities Lending
A fund may loan portfolio securities with a value up to one-third of its total assets to increase its investment returns. If the borrower is unwilling or unable to return the borrowed securities when due, the lending fund can suffer losses. In addition, there is a risk of delay in receiving additional collateral or in the recovery of the securities, and a risk of loss of rights in the collateral, in the event that the borrower fails financially. There is also a risk that the value of the investment of the collateral could decline, causing a loss to the lending fund.
Short-Term Investments
Short-term investments include money market instruments, repurchase agreements, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances and other short-term instruments that are not U.S. Government securities. These securities generally present less risk than many other investments, but they are generally subject to credit risk and may be subject to other risks as well.
U.S. and Foreign Government Obligations
Obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies, authorities and instrumentalities and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States only guarantee principal and interest will be timely paid to holders of the securities. The entities do not guarantee that the value of fund shares will increase, and in fact, the market values of such obligations may fluctuate. In addition, not all U.S. Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States; some are the obligation solely of the entity through which they are issued. There is no guarantee that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to its agencies and instrumentalities if not required to do so by law. Foreign obligations may not be backed by the government of the issuing country, and are subject to foreign investing risks.
Unrated Fixed Income Securities
A fund’s subadviser has the authority to make determinations regarding the quality of unrated fixed-income securities for the purposes of assessing whether they meet the fund’s investment restrictions. However, analysis of unrated securities is more complex than that of rated securities, making it more difficult for the subadviser to accurately predict risk. Unrated fixed income securities may not be lower in quality than rated securities, but due to their perceived risk they may not have as broad a market as rated securities, making it more difficult to sell unrated securities.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities
A fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis. The value of the security on settlement date may be more or less than the price paid as a result of changes in interest rates and market conditions. If the value of such a security on its settlement date is less than the price paid by the fund, the value of the fund's shares may decline.
Zero Coupon, Step Coupon, Deferred Coupon and PIK Bonds
A fund may invest in any combination of zero coupon and step coupon bonds and bonds on which interest is payable in kind (“PIK”). The market prices of these bonds generally are more volatile than the market prices of securities that pay interest on a regular basis. Since the fund will not receive cash payments earned on these securities on a current basis, the fund may be required to make distributions from other sources. This may result in higher portfolio turnover rates and the sale of securities at a time that is less favorable.
The funds may buy other types of securities or employ other portfolio management techniques. Please refer to the SAI for more detailed information about these and other investment techniques of the funds.
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Pricing of Fund Shares
​
How is the share price determined?
Each fund calculates a share price for each class of its shares. The share price for each class is based on the net assets of the fund and the number of outstanding shares of that class. In general, each fund calculates a share price for each class by:
•
adding the values of all securities and other assets of the fund;
​
•
subtracting liabilities; and
​
•
dividing the result by the total number of outstanding shares of that class.
​
Assets: Equity securities are valued at the official closing price (typically last sale) on the exchange on which the securities are primarily traded, or, if no closing price is available, at the last bid price. Shares of other investment companies are valued at such companies’ net asset values (“NAVs”). Debt securities (other than short-term investments) are valued on the basis of broker quotations or valuations provided by a pricing service, which in determining value utilizes information with respect to recent sales, market transactions in comparable securities, quotations from dealers, and various relationships between securities. Other assets, such as accrued interest, accrued dividends and cash are also included in determining a fund’s NAV. As required, some securities and assets are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by, or under the direction of, the Board of Trustees.
Liabilities: Accrued liabilities for class-specific expenses (if any), distribution fees, service fees and other liabilities are deducted from the assets of each class. Accrued expenses and liabilities that are not class-specific (such as management fees) are allocated to each class in proportion to each class’s net assets except where an alternative allocation can be more appropriately made.
Net Asset Value: The liabilities allocated to a class are deducted from the proportionate interest of such class in the assets of the applicable fund. The resulting amount for each class is then divided by the number of shares outstanding of that class to produce each class’s NAV per share.
The NAV per share of each class of each fund is determined as of the close of regular trading (normally 4:00 PM eastern time) on days when the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for trading. A fund will not calculate its NAV per share class on days when the NYSE is closed for trading. If a fund (or underlying fund, as applicable) holds securities that are traded on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other holidays when the funds do not price their shares, the NAV of the fund’s shares may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem the fund’s shares.
How are securities fair valued?
If market quotations are not readily available or available prices are not reliable, the funds determine a “fair value” for an investment according to policies and procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The types of assets for which such pricing might be required include: (i) securities whose trading has been suspended; (ii) securities where the trading market is unusually thin or trades have been infrequent; (iii) debt securities that have recently gone into default and for which there is no current market quotation; (iv) a security whose market price is not available from an independent pricing source and for which otherwise reliable quotes are not available; (v) securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring; (vi) a security whose price as provided by any pricing source does not, in the opinion of the adviser/subadviser, reflect the security’s market value; (vii) foreign securities subject to trading collars for which no or limited trading takes place; (viii) securities where the market quotations are not readily available as a result of “significant” events; and (ix) securities whose principal exchange or trading market is closed for an entire business day on which a fund needs to determine its NAV. This list is not inclusive of all situations that may require a security to be fair valued, nor is it intended to be conclusive in determining whether a specific event requires fair valuation.
The value of any portfolio security held by a fund for which market quotations are not readily available shall be determined in good faith and in a manner that honestly assesses the security’s “fair value” on the valuation date (i.e., the amount that the fund might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale), based on a consideration of all available facts and all available information, including, but not limited to, the following: (i) the fundamental analytical data relating to the investment; (ii) the value of other relevant financial instruments, including derivative securities, traded on other markets or among dealers; (iii) an evaluation of the forces which influence the market in which these securities are purchased and sold (e.g., the existence of merger proposals or tender offers that might affect the value of the security); (iv) the type of the security; (v) the size of the holding; (vi) the initial cost of the
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security; (vii) trading volumes on markets, exchanges or among broker-dealers; (viii) price quotes from dealers and/or pricing services; (ix) values of baskets of securities traded on other markets, exchanges, or among dealers; (x) changes in interest rates; (xi) information obtained from the issuer, analysts, other financial institutions and/or the appropriate stock exchange (for exchange traded securities); (xii) an analysis of the company’s financial statements; (xiii) government (domestic or foreign) actions or pronouncements; (xiv) recent news about the security or issuer; (xv) whether two or more dealers with whom the adviser/subadviser regularly effects trades are willing to purchase or sell the security at comparable prices; and (xvi) other news events or relevant matters.
Certain foreign common stocks may be fair valued in cases where closing prices are not readily available or are deemed not reflective of readily available market prices. For example, events (such as movement in the U.S. securities market, or other regional and local developments) may occur between the time that foreign markets close (where the security is principally traded) and the time that the fund calculates its NAV (generally, the close of regular trading on the NYSE) that may impact the value of securities traded in these foreign markets. In such cases, information from an external vendor may be utilized to adjust closing market prices of certain foreign common stocks to reflect their fair value. Because the frequency of significant events is not predictable, fair valuation of certain foreign common stocks may occur on a frequent basis.
The value of a security, as determined using the funds’ fair valuation procedures, may not reflect such security’s market value.
At what price are shares purchased?
All investments received by the funds’ authorized agents in good order prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally 4:00 PM eastern time) will be executed based on that day’s NAV; investments received by the funds’ authorized agent in good order after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will be executed based on the next business day’s NAV. Shares credited to your account from the reinvestment of a fund’s distributions will be in full and fractional shares that are purchased at the closing NAV on the next business day on which the fund’s NAV is calculated following the dividend record date.
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Sales Charges
​
What are the classes and how do they differ?
Currently, each fund offers from three to five classes of shares. Each class of shares has different sales and distribution charges. (See “Fund Fees and Expenses” in each fund’s “Fund Summary” previously in this prospectus.) For certain classes of shares, the funds have adopted distribution and service plans allowed under Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that authorize the funds to pay distribution and service fees (“Rule 12b-1 Fees”) for the sale of their shares and for services provided to shareholders. The Rule 12b-1 Fees for each class of each fund are as follows:
​ ​
Fund
​ ​ ​
Class A
​ ​ ​
Class C
​ ​ ​
Class I
​ ​ ​
Class R6
​ ​ ​
Class T
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ N/A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 % ​ ​ ​
What arrangement is best for you?
The different classes of shares permit you to choose the method of purchasing shares that is most beneficial to you. In choosing a class of shares, consider the amount of your investment, the length of time you expect to hold the shares, whether you decide to receive distributions in cash or to reinvest them in additional shares, and any other personal circumstances. Depending upon these considerations, the accumulated distribution and service fees and contingent deferred sales charges of one class of shares may be more or less than the initial sales charge and accumulated distribution and service fees of another class of shares bought at the same time. Because distribution and service fees are paid out of a fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Your financial representative should recommend only those arrangements that are suitable for you based on known information. In certain instances, you may be entitled to a reduction or waiver of sales charges. For instance, you may be entitled to a sales charge discount on Class A Shares and Class T Shares if you purchase more than certain breakpoints.
To determine your eligibility for a sales charge discount on Class A Shares, you may aggregate all of your accounts (including joint accounts, retirement accounts such as individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), non-IRAs, etc.) and those of your spouse, domestic partner, children and minor grandchildren.
The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts may depend on whether you purchase your shares directly from the fund or through a financial intermediary. Different intermediaries may impose different sales charges (including partial reduction in or waivers of sales charges) other than those listed in this section. Such intermediary-specific sales charge variations are described in Appendix A to this prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charges Discounts and Waivers.” Appendix A is incorporated herein by reference and is legally part of this prospectus.
Your financial representative may request that you provide an account statement or other holdings information to determine your eligibility for a breakpoint and/or waiver and to make certain all involved parties have the necessary data. In all instances, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to notify the fund or the purchaser’s financial representative at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, in order to receive these waivers or discounts shareholders will have to purchase fund shares through another intermediary offering such waivers or discounts or directly from the fund if the fund offers such waivers or discounts.
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Additional information about the classes of shares offered, sales charges, breakpoints and discounts follows in this section and also may be found in the SAI in the section entitled “How to Buy Shares.” Intermediary-specific sales charge variations are described in Appendix A to this prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charges Discounts and Waivers.” This information is available free of charge, and in a clear and prominent format, at the Individual Investors section of virtus.com. Please be sure that you fully understand these choices before investing. If you or your financial representative requires additional assistance, you may also contact Virtus Fund Services by calling toll-free 800-243-1574.
Class A Shares. If you purchase Class A Shares, you will pay a sales charge at the time of purchase equal to 5.75% of the offering price (6.10% of the amount invested). The sales charge may be reduced or waived under certain conditions. (See Initial Sales Charge Alternative – Class A Shares below.) Generally, Class A Shares are not subject to any charges by the fund when redeemed; however, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) may be imposed on certain redemptions within 18 months of a finder’s fee being paid. For all Virtus fixed income funds and Virtus Sector Trend Fund, the CDSC is 0.50%; for all other Virtus funds, the CDSC is 1.00%. The 18 month period begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made, and shares not subject to a finder’s fee will be deemed to be redeemed first. Class A Shares have lower distribution and service fees (0.25%) and as a result pay higher dividends than Class C Shares.
Class C Shares. If you purchase Class C Shares, you will not pay a sales charge at the time of purchase. If you sell your Class C Shares within the first year after they are purchased, you will pay a deferred sales charge of 1%. (See “Deferred Sales Charge Alternative – Class C Shares” below.) Class C Shares do not convert to any other class of shares of the funds, so the higher distribution and service fees paid by Class C Shares continue for the life of the account.
Class I Shares (Virtus Contrarian Value Fund, Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund, Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund, Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund, Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund, Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund, Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund and Virtus Strategic Growth Fund only). Class I Shares are offered primarily to clients of financial intermediaries that (i) charge such clients an ongoing fee for advisory, investment, consulting, or similar services; or (ii) have entered into an agreement with the distributor to offer Class I Shares through a no-load network or platform. Such clients may include pension and profit sharing plans, other employee benefit trusts, endowments, foundations and corporations. Class I Shares are also offered to private and institutional clients of, or referred by, the adviser, the subadvisers or their affiliates, and to Trustees of the funds and trustees/directors of affiliated open- and closed-end funds, and directors, officers and employees of Virtus and its affiliates. If you are eligible to purchase and do purchase Class I Shares, you will pay no sales charge at any time. There are no distribution and service fees applicable to Class I Shares.
Class R6 Shares (Virtus Contrarian Value Fund, Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund and Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund only). Class R6 Shares are available only to employer sponsored retirement plans, including profit-sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, and plans described in Section 401(k), 403(b) and 457 of the Internal Revenue Code, where the employer, administrator, sponsor or related person has entered into an agreement with the fund’s Transfer Agent to make Class R6 Shares available to plan participants where plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the fund. Class R6 Shares are not available to traditional or Roth IRAs, Coverdell Savings Accounts, Keoghs, SEPs, SARSEPs, or Simple IRAs and are not available through retail, advisory fee-based wrap platforms. Individual shareholders who purchase Class R6 Shares through retirement platforms or other intermediaries are not eligible to hold Class R6 Shares outside of their respective plan or intermediary platform. If you are eligible to purchase and do purchase Class R6 Shares, you will pay no sales charge at any time. There are no distribution and service fees applicable to Class R6 Shares.
Class T Shares. If you purchase Class T Shares, you will pay a sales charge at time of purchase equal to 2.50% of the offering price (2.56% of the amount invested). You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in a fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” in the funds’ prospectus; (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers;” and (iv) under “Alternative Purchase Arrangements” in the funds’ statement of additional information. Class T Shares are not subject to any sales charges by the fund when redeemed.
Initial Sales Charge Alternative—Class A Shares. The public offering price of Class A Shares is the NAV plus a sales charge that varies depending on the size of your purchase. (See “Class A Shares—Reduced Initial Sales
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Charges” in the SAI.) Shares purchased based on the automatic reinvestment of income dividends or capital gain distributions are not subject to any sales charges. The sales charge is divided between your investment dealer and the fund's underwriter, VP Distributors, LLC (“VP Distributors” or the “Distributor”).
Sales Charge you may pay to purchase Class A Shares
​ ​ ​
Sales Charge as a percentage of
​
Amount of Transaction at Offering Price
​ ​
Offering Price
​ ​
Net Amount Invested
​
Under $50,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.10 % ​ ​
$50,000 but under $100,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.99 ​ ​
$100,000 but under $250,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.90 ​ ​
$250,000 but under $500,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.83 ​ ​
$500,000 but under $1,000,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​
$1,000,000 or more ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​
Class A Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers
Investors may reduce or eliminate sales charges applicable to purchases of Class A Shares through utilization of Combination Purchase Privilege, Letter of Intent, Right of Accumulation, Purchase by Associations or the Account Reinstatement Privilege. These programs are summarized below and are described in greater detail in the SAI.
Combination Purchase Privilege. Your purchase of any class of shares of these funds or any other Virtus Mutual Fund, if made at the same time by the same person, will be added together with any existing Virtus Mutual Fund account values to determine whether the combined sum entitles you to an immediate reduction in sales charges. A “person” is defined in this and the following sections as either: (a) any individual, his or her spouse or domestic partner, children and minor grandchildren purchasing shares for his, her or their own account (including an IRA account) including his, her or their own sole proprietorship or trust where any of the above is a named beneficiary; (b) a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing for a single trust, estate or single fiduciary account (even though more than one beneficiary may exist); (c) multiple accounts (up to 200) under a qualified employee benefit plan or administered by a third party administrator; or (d) trust companies, bank trust departments, registered investment advisers, and similar entities placing orders or providing administrative services with respect to accounts over which they exercise discretionary investment authority and which are held in a fiduciary, agency, custodial or similar capacity, provided all shares are held of record in the name, or nominee name, of the entity placing the order.
Letter of Intent. If you sign a Letter of Intent, your purchase of any class of shares of these funds or any other Virtus Mutual Fund, if made by the same person within a 13-month period, will be added together to determine whether you are entitled to an immediate reduction in sales charges. Sales charges are reduced based on the overall amount you indicate that you will buy under the Letter of Intent. The Letter of Intent is a mutually non-binding arrangement between you and Virtus Mutual Funds. Shares worth 5% of the Letter of Intent amount will be held in escrow (while remaining registered in your name) to secure payment of the higher sales charges applicable to the shares actually purchased in the event the full intended amount is not purchased.
Right of Accumulation. The value of your account(s) in any class of shares of these funds or any other Virtus Mutual Fund if made over time by the same person, may be added together at the time of each purchase to determine whether the combined sum entitles you to a prospective reduction in sales charges. You must provide certain account information to Virtus Mutual Funds or their agents at the time of purchase to exercise this right.
Gifting of Shares. If you make a gift of shares of a Virtus Mutual Fund, upon your request you may combine purchases, if made at the same time, of any class of shares of these funds or any other Virtus Mutual Fund at the sales charge discount allowed for the combined purchase. The receiver of the gift may also be entitled to a prospective reduction in sales charges in accordance with the funds’ right of accumulation or other provisions. You or the receiver of the gift must provide certain account information to Virtus Mutual Funds or their agents at the time of purchase to exercise this right.
Purchase by Associations. Certain groups or associations may be treated as a “person” and qualify for reduced Class A Share sales charges. The group or association must: (1) have been in existence for at least six months; (2) have a legitimate purpose other than to purchase mutual fund shares at a reduced sales charge; (3) work through an investment dealer; and (4) not be a group whose sole reason for existing is to consist of members who are credit card holders of a particular company, policyholders of an insurance company, customers of a bank or a broker-dealer or clients of an investment adviser.
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Account Reinstatement Privilege. Subject to the funds’ policies and procedures regarding market timing, for 180 days after you sell your Class A Shares on which you previously paid a sales charge, you may purchase Class A Shares of any Virtus Mutual Fund at NAV, with no sales charge, by reinvesting all or part of your proceeds, but not more.
Sales at Net Asset Value. In addition to the programs summarized above, the funds may sell their Class A Shares at NAV without an initial sales charge to certain types of accounts or account holders, including, but not limited to: trustees of the Virtus Mutual Funds; directors, officers, employees and sales representatives of the adviser, a subadviser or the Distributor and corporate affiliates of the adviser, a subadviser or the Distributor; private clients of an adviser or subadviser to any of the Virtus Mutual Funds; registered representatives and employees of dealers with which the Distributor has sales agreements; and certain qualified employee benefit plans, endowment funds or foundations. Please see the SAI for more information about qualifying for purchases of Class A Shares at NAV.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge you may pay on Class A Shares
Investors buying Class A Shares on which a finder’s fee has been paid may incur a CDSC if they redeem their shares. For Virtus Low Duration Income Fund and Virtus Multi-Sector Short Term Bond Fund, the CDSC may be imposed on redemptions within 12 months of a finder’s fee being paid; for all other funds, the CDSC may be imposed on redemptions within 18 months of a finder’s fee being paid. For Virtus fixed income funds and Virtus Sector Trend Fund, the CDSC is 0.50%; for all other Virtus Mutual Funds, the CDSC is 1.00%. The 12- or 18-month period, as applicable, begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made, and shares not subject to a finder’s fee will be deemed to be redeemed first. The CDSC will be multiplied by the then current market value or the initial cost of the shares being redeemed, whichever is less.
Deferred Sales Charge Alternative—Class C Shares
Class C Shares are purchased without an initial sales charge; however, shares sold within a specified time period are subject to a declining CDSC at the rates listed below. The sales charge will be multiplied by the then-current market value or the initial cost of the shares being redeemed, whichever is less. No sales charge will be imposed on increases in NAV or on shares purchased through the reinvestment of income dividends or capital gain distributions. To minimize the sales charge, shares not subject to any charge will be redeemed first, followed by shares held the longest time. To calculate the number of shares owned and time period held, all Class C Shares are considered purchased on the trade date.
Deferred Sales Charge you may pay to sell Class C Shares
​ Year ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2+ ​ ​
​ CDSC ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0 % ​ ​
Class A and Class C Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers
The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts may depend on whether you purchase your shares through a financial intermediary offering them. Different intermediaries may impose different sales charges (including partial reduction in or waivers of sales charges) other than those listed in this section, provided that they do not exceed the maximum sales charge listed. Such intermediary-specific sales charge variations are described in Appendix A to this prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charges Discounts and Waivers.” Appendix A is incorporated herein by reference and is legally part of this prospectus.
Sales Charge you may pay to purchase Class T Shares
​ ​ ​
Sales Charge as a percentage of
​
Amount of Transaction at Offering Price
​ ​
Offering Price
​ ​
Net Amount Invested
​
Under $250,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.56 % ​ ​
$250,000 but under $500,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​
$500,000 but under $1,000,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.52 ​ ​
$1,000,000 or more ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.01 ​ ​
Compensation to Dealers
Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class I Shares only
Dealers with whom the Distributor has entered into sales agreements receive a discount or commission on Class A Shares as described below.
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Amount of Transaction at Offering Price
​ ​
Sales Charge as a
Percentage of Offering
Price
​ ​
Sales Charge as a
Percentage of Amount
Invested
​ ​
Dealer Discount as a
Percentage of Offering
Price
​
Under $50,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.00 % ​ ​
$50,000 but under $100,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.25 ​ ​
$100,000 but under $250,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.90 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.25 ​ ​
$250,000 but under $500,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 ​ ​
$500,000 but under $1,000,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.75 ​ ​
$1,000,000 or more ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​
With respect to Class C Shares, the Distributor intends to pay investment dealers a sales commission of 1% of the sale price of Class C Shares sold by such dealers. Your broker, dealer or financial advisor may also charge you additional commissions or fees for their services in selling shares to you provided they notify the Distributor of their intention to do so.
Dealers and other entities that enter into special arrangements with the Distributor or the funds’ transfer agent, Virtus Fund Services, LLC (the “Transfer Agent”), may receive compensation for the sale and promotion of shares of these funds. Such fees are in addition to the sales commissions referenced above and may be based upon the amount of sales of fund shares by a dealer; the provision of assistance in marketing of fund shares; access to sales personnel and information dissemination services; and other criteria as established by the Distributor. Depending on the nature of the services, these fees may be paid either from the funds through distribution fees, service fees or, in some cases, the Distributor may pay certain fees from its own profits and resources.
Dealers and other entities that enter into special arrangements with the Distributor or the Transfer Agent may receive compensation from or on behalf of the funds for providing certain recordkeeping and related services to the funds or their shareholders. These fees may also be referred to as shareholder accounting fees, administrative services fees, sub-transfer agent fees or networking fees. They are not for the sale, promotion or marketing of fund shares.
From its own profits and resources, the Distributor may, from time to time, make payments to qualified wholesalers, registered financial institutions and third party marketers for marketing support services and/or retention of assets. These payments are sometimes referred to as “revenue sharing.” Among others, the Distributor has agreed to make such payments for marketing support services to AXA Advisors, LLC. Additionally, for Virtus Low Duration Income Fund and Virtus Multi-Sector Short Term Bond Fund, the Distributor may pay broker-dealers a finder’s fee in an amount equal to 0.50% of eligible Class A Share purchases from $250,000 to $3,000,000 and 0.25% on amounts greater than $3,000,000. For all other Virtus fixed income funds and Virtus Sector Trend Fund, the Distributor may pay broker-dealers a finder’s fee in an amount equal to 0.50% of eligible Class A Share purchases from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 and 0.25% on amounts greater than $3,000,000. For all other Virtus Mutual Funds, the Distributor may pay broker-dealers a finder’s fee in an amount equal to 1.00% of eligible Class A Share purchases from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000, 0.50% on amounts of  $3,000,001 to $10,000,000, and 0.25% on amounts greater than $10,000,000. Purchases of Class A Shares by an account in the name of a qualified employee benefit plan are eligible for a finder’s fee only if such plan has at least 100 eligible employees. A CDSC may be imposed on certain redemptions of such Class A investments. For Virtus Low Duration Income Fund and Virtus Multi-Sector Short Term Bond Fund, the CDSC may be imposed on redemptions within 12 months of a finder’s fee being paid; for all other funds, the CDSC may be imposed on redemptions within 18 months of a finder’s fee being paid. For all Virtus fixed income funds and Virtus Sector Trend Fund, the CDSC is 0.50%; for all other Virtus Mutual Funds, the CDSC is 1.00%. For purposes of determining the applicability of the CDSC, the 12- or 18-month period, as applicable, begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made. The Distributor will also pay broker-dealers a service fee of 0.25% beginning in the thirteenth month following purchase of Class A Shares on which a finder’s fee has been paid. VP Distributors reserves the right to discontinue or alter such fee payment plans at any time. Dealers must have an aggregate value of  $50,000 or more per Fund CUSIP to qualify for payment. VP Distributors reserves the right to discontinue or alter such fee payment plans at any time.
From its own resources or pursuant to the distribution and shareholder servicing plans, and subject to the dealers’ prior approval, the Distributor may provide additional compensation to registered representatives of dealers in the form of travel expenses, meals, and lodging associated with training and educational meetings sponsored by the Distributor. The Distributor may also provide gifts amounting in value to less than $100, and occasional meals or entertainment, to registered representatives of dealers. Any such travel expenses, meals, lodging, gifts or entertainment paid will not be preconditioned upon the registered representatives’ or dealers’ achievement of a sales target. The Distributor may, from time to time, reallow the entire portion of the sales charge on Class A Shares which it normally retains to individual
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selling dealers. However, such additional reallowance generally will be made only when the selling dealer commits to substantial marketing support such as internal wholesaling through dedicated personnel, internal communications and mass mailings.
The Distributor has also agreed to pay fees to certain distributors for preferred marketing opportunities. These arrangements may be viewed as creating a conflict of interest between these distributors and investors. Investors should make due inquiry of their selling agents to ensure that they are receiving the requisite point of sale disclosures and suitable recommendations free of any influence by reason of these arrangements.
The categories of payments the Distributor and/or the Transfer Agent may make to other parties are not mutually exclusive, and such parties may receive payments under more than one or all categories. These payments could be significant to a party receiving them, creating a conflict of interest for such party in making investment recommendations to investors. Investors should make due inquiry of any party recommending the funds for purchase to ensure that such investors are receiving the requisite point of sale disclosures and suitable recommendations free of any influence by reason of these arrangements.
A document containing information about sales charges, including breakpoint (volume) discounts, is available free of charge on the Internet at virtus.com . In the Individual Investors section, go to the tab “Investors Knowledge Base” and click on the link for Breakpoint (Volume) Discounts.
Class R6 Shares Only
No compensation, administrative payments, sub-transfer agency payments or service payments are paid to brokers or other entities from fund assets or the Distributor’s or an affiliate’s resources on sales of or investments in Class R6 Shares. Class R6 Shares do not carry sales commissions or pay Rule 12b-1 fees, or make payments to brokers or other entities to assist in, or in connection with, the sale of the fund’s shares.
Class T Shares Only
Amount of Transaction at Offering Price
​ ​
Sales Charge as a
Percentage of Offering
Price
​ ​
Sales Charge as a
Percentage of Amount
Invested
​ ​
Dealer Discount as a
Percentage of Offering
Price
​
Under $250,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.56 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 % ​ ​
$250,000 but under $500,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​
$500,000 but under $1,000,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 ​ ​
$1,000,000 or more ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 ​ ​
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Your Account
​
Opening an Account
Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class I Shares Only
Your financial advisor can assist you with your initial purchase as well as all phases of your investment program. If you are opening an account by yourself, please follow the instructions outlined below.
The funds have established the following preferred methods of payment for fund shares:
•
Checks drawn on an account in the name of the investor and made payable to Virtus Mutual Funds;
​
•
Checks drawn on an account in the name of the investor’s company or employer and made payable to Virtus Mutual Funds; or
​
•
Wire transfers or Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) transfers from an account in the name of the investor, or the investor’s company or employer.
​
Payment in other forms may be accepted at the discretion of the funds; however, the funds generally do not accept such other forms of payment as cash equivalents (such as traveler’s checks, cashier’s checks, money orders or bank drafts), starter checks, credit card convenience checks, or certain third party checks. Please specify the name(s) of the fund or funds in which you would like to invest on the check or transfer instructions.
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. Accordingly, when you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may check the information you provide against publicly available databases, information obtained from consumer reporting agencies, other financial institutions or other sources. If, after reasonable effort, we cannot verify your identity, we reserve the right to close the account and redeem the shares at the NAV next calculated after the decision is made by us to close the account.
Step 1.
Your first choice will be the initial amount you intend to invest in each fund.
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class A and Class C Shares:
•
$100 for individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), accounts that use the systematic exchange privilege, or accounts that use the Systematic Purchase program. (See Investor Services and Other Information for additional detail.)
​
•
There is no initial dollar requirement for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans, or employee benefit plans. There is also no minimum for reinvesting dividends and capital gains into another account.
​
•
$2,500 for all other accounts.
​
Minimum additional investments applicable to Class A and Class C Shares:
•
$100 for any account.
​
•
There is no minimum additional investment requirement for defined contribution plans, asset-based fee programs, profit-sharing plans, or employee benefit plans. There is also no minimum additional investment requirement for reinvesting dividends and capital gains into another account.
​
Minimum initial investments applicable to Class I Shares:
•
$100,000 for any account for qualified investors. (Call Virtus Fund Services at 800-243-1574 for additional detail.)
​
There is no minimum additional investment requirement applicable to Class I Shares.
Step 2.
Your second choice will be what class of shares to buy. Each share class, except Class I Shares, has different sales and distribution charges. Because all future investments in your account will be made in the share class you choose when you open your account, you should make your decision carefully. Your financial advisor can help you pick the share class that makes the most sense for your situation.
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Step 3.
Your next choice will be how you want to receive any dividends and capital gain distributions. Your options are:
•
Receive both dividends and capital gain distributions in additional shares;
​
•
Receive dividends in additional shares and capital gain distributions in cash;
​
•
Receive dividends in cash and capital gain distributions in additional shares; or
​
•
Receive both dividends and capital gain distributions in cash.
​
No interest will be paid on uncashed distribution checks.
Class R6 Shares Only
If you are participating in an employer sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan, profit-sharing plan, defined benefit plan or other employer-directed plan, your company will provide you with the information you need to open an account and buy Class R6 Shares.
Class T Shares Only
Class T Shares are available only through financial intermediaries. Your financial intermediary will provide you with the information you need to open an account and to buy or sell Class T Shares.
All Share Classes
The funds reserve the right to refuse any purchase order for any reason. The fund will notify the investor of any such rejection in accordance with industry and regulatory standards, which is generally within three business days.
How to Buy Shares
​
Class A, Class C and Class I Shares Only
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
To Open An Account
​ ​
​ ​ Through a financial advisor ​ ​ ​ Contact your advisor. Some advisors may charge a fee and may set different minimum investments or limitations on buying shares. ​ ​
​ ​ Through the mail ​ ​ ​ Complete a new account application and send it with a check payable to the fund. Mail them to: Virtus Mutual Funds, P.O. Box 9874, Providence, RI 02940-8074. ​ ​
​ ​ Through express delivery ​ ​ ​ Complete a new account application and send it with a check payable to the fund. Send them to: Virtus Mutual Funds, 4400 Computer Drive, Westborough, MA 01581-1722. ​ ​
​ ​ By Federal Funds wire ​ ​ ​ Call us at 800-243-1574 (press 1, then 0). ​ ​
​ ​ By Systematic Purchase ​ ​ ​ Complete the appropriate section on the application and send it with your initial investment payable to the fund. Mail them to: Virtus Mutual Funds, P.O. Box 9874, Providence, RI 02940-8074. ​ ​
​ ​ By telephone exchange ​ ​ ​ Call us at 800-243-1574 (press 1, then 0). ​ ​
Class R6 Shares Only
If you are participating in an employer sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan, profit-sharing plan, defined benefit plan or other employer-directed plan, your company will provide you with the information you need to buy Class R6 Shares.
Class T Shares Only
Class T Shares are available only through financial intermediaries. Your financial intermediary will provide you with the information you need to buy Class T Shares.
All Share Classes
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The price at which a purchase is effected is based on the NAV next determined after receipt of a purchase order in good order by the funds’ Transfer Agent or an authorized agent. A purchase order is generally in “good order” if an acceptable form of payment accompanies the purchase order and the order includes the appropriate application(s) and/or other form(s) and any supporting legal documentation required by the fund's Transfer Agent or an authorized agent, each in legible form.
Each fund reserves the right to refuse any order that may disrupt the efficient management of that fund.
How to Sell Shares
​
Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class I Shares Only
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
To Sell Shares
​ ​
​ ​ Through a financial advisor ​ ​ ​ Contact your advisor. Some advisors may charge a fee and may set different minimums on redemptions of accounts. ​ ​
​ ​ Through the mail ​ ​ ​ Send a letter of instruction to: Virtus Mutual Funds, P.O. Box 9874, Providence, RI 02940-8074. Be sure to include the registered owner’s name, fund and account number, and number of shares or dollar value you wish to sell. ​ ​
​ ​ Through express delivery ​ ​ ​ Send a letter of instruction to: Virtus Mutual Funds, 4400 Computer Drive, Westborough, MA 01581-1722. Be sure to include the registered owner’s name, fund and account number, and number of shares or dollar value you wish to sell. ​ ​
​ ​ By telephone ​ ​ ​ For sales up to $50,000, requests can be made by calling 800- 243-1574. ​ ​
​ ​ By telephone exchange ​ ​ ​ Call us at 800-243-1574 (press 1, then 0). ​ ​
Class R6 Shares Only
If you are participating in an employer sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan, profit-sharing plan, defined benefit plan or other employer-directed plan, your company will provide you with the information you need to sell Class R6 Shares.
Class T Shares Only
Class T Shares are available only through financial intermediaries. Your financial intermediary will provide you with the information you need to sell Class T Shares.
All Share Classes
You have the right to have the funds buy back shares at the NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in good order by the funds' Transfer Agent or an authorized agent. In the case of a Class C Share redemption, and certain Class A Share redemptions, you will be subject to the applicable contingent deferred sales charge, if any, for such shares. Subject to certain restrictions, shares may be redeemed by telephone or in writing. In addition, shares may be sold through securities dealers, brokers or agents who may charge customary commissions or fees for their services. The funds do not charge any redemption fees. Payment for shares redeemed is generally made within seven days; however, redemption proceeds will not be disbursed until each check used for purchases of shares has been cleared for payment by your bank, which may take up to 15 days after receipt of the check.
Things You Should Know When Selling Shares
​
You may realize a taxable gain or loss (for federal income tax purposes) if you redeem or exchange shares of the funds.
Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class I Shares
Redemption requests will not be honored until all required documents, in proper form, have been received. Additional documentation will be required for redemptions by organizations, fiduciaries, or retirement plans, or if a redemption is requested by anyone but the shareholder(s) of record. To avoid delay in redemption or transfer, shareholders having questions about specific requirements should contact the funds’ Transfer Agent at 800-243-1574.
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Transfers between broker-dealer “street” accounts are governed by the accepting broker-dealer. Questions regarding this type of transfer should be directed to your financial advisor.
As stated in the applicable account applications, accounts associated with certain types of retirement plans and individual retirement accounts may incur fees payable to the Transfer Agent in the event of redeeming an account in full. Shareholders with questions about this should contact the funds’ Transfer Agent at 800-243-1574.
Redemptions by Mail
➔ If you are selling shares held individually, jointly, or as custodian under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act:
Send a clear letter of instruction if both of these apply:
•
The proceeds do not exceed $50,000.
​
•
The proceeds are payable to the registered owner at the address on record.
​
Send a clear letter of instructions with a signature guarantee when any of these apply:
•
You are selling more than $50,000 worth of shares.
​
•
The name or address on the account has changed within the last 30 days.
​
•
You want the proceeds to go to a different name or address than on the account.
​
➔ If you are selling shares held in a corporate or fiduciary account, please contact the funds’ Transfer Agent at 800-243-1574.
The signature guarantee, if required, must be a STAMP 2000 Medallion guarantee made by an eligible guarantor institution as defined by the funds’ Transfer Agent in accordance with its signature guarantee procedures. Guarantees using previous technology medallions will not be accepted. As of the date of this prospectus, the Transfer Agent’s signature guarantee procedures generally permit guarantees by banks, broker-dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations.
Selling Shares by Telephone
The Transfer Agent will use reasonable procedures to confirm that telephone instructions are genuine. Address and bank account information are verified, redemption instructions are taped, and all redemptions are confirmed in writing.
The individual investor bears the risk from instructions given by an unauthorized third party that the Transfer Agent reasonably believed to be genuine.
The Transfer Agent may modify or terminate the telephone redemption privilege at any time with 60 days’ notice to shareholders, except for instances of disruptive trading or market timing; in such cases, the telephone redemption privilege may be suspended immediately, followed by written notice. (See “Disruptive Trading and Market Timing” in this prospectus.)
During times of drastic economic or market changes, telephone redemptions may be difficult to make or temporarily suspended; however, shareholders would be able to make redemptions through other methods described above.
Class R6 Shares Only
If you are participating in an employer sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan, profit-sharing plan, defined benefit plan or other employer-directed plan, your company will provide you with the information you need to know when selling Class R6 Shares.
Class T Shares Only
Class T Shares are available only through financial intermediaries. Your financial intermediary will provide you with the information you need to sell Class T Shares.
All Share Classes
Payment of Redemptions In Kind
Each fund reserves the right to pay large redemptions “in kind” (i.e., in securities owned by the fund) rather than in cash. Large redemptions are those that exceed $250,000 or 1% of the fund’s net assets, whichever is less, over any 90-day period. Additional documentation will be required for redemptions by organizations, fiduciaries, or retirement plans, or if
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a redemption is requested by anyone but the shareholder(s) of record. Investors who are paid redemption proceeds in kind will receive a pro rata share of the fund’s portfolio, which may include illiquid securities. Any securities received remain at market risk until sold. Brokerage commissions and capital gains may be incurred when converting securities received into cash. On any illiquid securities received, the investor will bear the risk of not being able to sell the securities at all.
Account Policies
​
Account Reinstatement Privilege
Subject to the fund’s policies and procedures regarding market timing, for 180 days after you sell your Class A Shares on which you previously paid a sales charge, you may purchase Class A Shares of the fund or of any Virtus Mutual Fund at NAV, with no sales charge, by reinvesting all or part of your proceeds, but not more. Send your written request to Virtus Mutual Funds, P.O. Box 9874, Providence, RI 02940-8074. You can call Virtus Mutual Funds at 800-243-1574 for more information.
Please remember, a redemption and reinvestment are considered to be a sale and purchase for tax-reporting purposes.
Annual Fee on Small Accounts
To help offset the costs associated with maintaining small accounts, the funds reserve the right to assess an annual $25 small account fee on fund accounts with a balance below $2,500. The small account fee may be waived in certain circumstances, such as for accounts that have elected electronic delivery of statements/regulatory documents and accounts owned by shareholders having multiple accounts with a combined value of over $25,000. The small account fee does not apply to accounts held through a financial intermediary.
The small account fee will be collected through the automatic sale of shares in your account. We will send you written notice before we charge the $25 fee so that you may increase your account balance above the minimum, sign up for electronic delivery, consolidate your accounts or liquidate your account. You may take these actions at any time by contacting your investment professional or the Transfer Agent.
Redemption of Small Accounts
Due to the high cost of maintaining small accounts, if your redemption activity causes your account balance to fall below $200, you may receive a notice requesting you to bring the balance up to $200 within 60 days. If you do not, the shares in the account will be sold at NAV, and a check will be mailed to the address of record. Any applicable sales charges will be deducted.
Distributions of Small Amounts
Distributions in amounts less than $10 will automatically be reinvested in additional shares of the fund.
Uncashed Checks
If any correspondence sent by a fund is returned by the postal or other delivery service as “undeliverable,” your dividends or any other distribution may be automatically reinvested in the fund.
If your distribution check is not cashed within six months, the distribution may be reinvested in the fund at the current NAV. You will not receive any interest on uncashed distribution or redemption checks. This provision may not apply to certain retirement or qualified accounts.
Inactive Accounts
As required by the laws of certain states, if no activity occurs in an account within the time period specified by your state law, Virtus may be required to transfer the assets to your state under the state's abandoned property law.
Exchange Privileges
You should read the prospectus of the Virtus Mutual Fund(s) into which you want to make an exchange before deciding to make an exchange. You can obtain a prospectus from your financial advisor; by calling 800-243-4361; or on the Internet at virtus.com .
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•
You may exchange shares of one fund for the same class of shares of another Virtus Mutual Fund ( e.g. , Class A Shares for Class A Shares). Class C Shares are also exchangeable for Class C1 Shares of those Virtus Mutual Funds offering them. Exchange privileges may not be available for all Virtus Mutual Funds and may be rejected or suspended.
​
•
Exchanges may be made by telephone (800-243-1574) or by mail (Virtus Mutual Funds, P.O. Box 9874, Providence, RI 02940-8074).
​
•
The amount of the exchange must be equal to or greater than the minimum initial investment required, unless the minimum has been waived (as described in the SAI).
​
•
The exchange of shares of one fund for shares of a different fund is treated as a sale of the original fund's shares and any gain on the transaction may be subject to federal income tax.
​
•
In certain circumstances, a fund, the Distributor or the Transfer Agent may enter into an agreement with a financial intermediary to permit exchanges from one class of a fund into another class of the same fund, subject to certain conditions. Such exchanges will only be permitted if, among other things, the financial intermediary agrees to follow procedures established by the fund, Distributor or Transfer Agent, which generally will require that the exchanges be carried out (i) within accounts maintained and controlled by the intermediary, (ii) on behalf of all or a particular segment of beneficial owners holding shares of the affected fund within those accounts, and (iii) all at once or within a given time period, or as agreed upon in writing by the fund, the Distributor or the Transfer Agent and the financial intermediary. A shareholder’s ability to make this type of exchange may be limited by operational or other limitations of his or her financial intermediary or the fund. If your financial intermediary exchanges Class A Shares for which you already paid an initial sales charge for Class T Shares, the shares subject to the exchange will not be subject to a sales charge.
​
Disruptive Trading and Market Timing
These funds are not suitable for market timers, and market timers are discouraged from becoming investors. Your ability to make exchanges among Virtus Mutual Funds is subject to modification if we determine, in our sole opinion, that your exercise of the exchange privilege may disadvantage or potentially harm the rights or interests of other shareholders.
Frequent purchases, redemptions and exchanges, programmed exchanges, exchanges into and then out of a fund in a short period of time, and exchanges of large amounts at one time may be indicative of market timing and otherwise disruptive trading (“Disruptive Trading”) which can have risks and harmful effects for other shareholders. These risks and harmful effects include:
•
dilution of the interests of long-term investors, if market timers or others exchange into a fund at prices that are below the true value or exchange out of a fund at prices that are higher than the true value;
​
•
an adverse effect on portfolio management, as determined by the adviser or subadviser in its sole discretion, such as causing a fund to maintain a higher level of cash than would otherwise be the case, or causing a fund to liquidate investments prematurely; and
​
•
reducing returns to long-term shareholders through increased brokerage and administrative expenses.
​
Additionally, the nature of the portfolio holdings of certain funds (or the underlying funds as applicable), may expose those funds to investors who engage in the type of market timing trading that seeks to take advantage of possible delays between the change in the value of a mutual fund’s portfolio holdings and the reflection of the change in the NAV of the fund’s shares, sometimes referred to as “time-zone arbitrage.” Arbitrage market timers seek to exploit possible delays between the change in the value of a mutual fund’s portfolio holdings and the NAV of the fund’s shares in funds that hold significant investments in foreign securities because certain foreign markets close several hours ahead of the U.S. markets. If an arbitrageur is successful, the value of the fund’s shares may be diluted if redeeming shareholders receive proceeds (and buying shareholders receive shares) based upon NAVs which do not reflect appropriate fair value prices.
In order to attempt to protect our shareholders from the potential harmful effects of Disruptive Trading, the funds’ Board of Trustees has adopted market timing policies and procedures designed to discourage Disruptive Trading. The Board of Trustees has adopted these policies and procedures as a preventive measure to protect all shareholders from the potential effects of Disruptive Trading, while also abiding by any rights that shareholders may have to make exchanges and provide reasonable and convenient methods of making exchanges that do not have the potential to harm other shareholders.
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Excessive trading activity is measured by the number of roundtrip transactions in an account. A roundtrip transaction is one where a shareholder buys and then sells, or sells and then buys, shares of any fund within 30 days. Shareholders of the funds are limited to one roundtrip transaction within any rolling 30-day period. Roundtrip transactions are counted at the shareholder level. In considering a shareholder’s trading activity, the funds may consider, among other factors, the shareholder’s trading history both directly and, if known, through financial intermediaries, in the funds, in other funds within the Virtus Mutual Fund complex, in non-Virtus funds or in accounts under common control or ownership. We do not include exchanges made pursuant to the dollar cost averaging or other similar programs when applying our market timing policies. Systematic withdrawal and/or contribution programs, mandatory retirement distributions, and transactions initiated by a plan sponsor also will not count towards the roundtrip limits. The funds may permit exchanges that management believes, in the exercise of their judgment, are not disruptive. The size of the fund and the size of the requested transaction may be considered when determining whether or not the transaction would be disruptive.
Shareholders holding shares for at least 30 days following investment will ordinarily be in compliance with the funds’ policies regarding excessive trading activity. The funds may, however, take action if activity is deemed disruptive even if shares are held longer than 30 days, such as a request for a transaction of an unusually large size. The size of the fund and the size of the requested transaction may be considered when determining whether or not the transaction would be disruptive.
Under our market timing policies, we may modify your exchange privileges for some or all of the funds by not accepting an exchange request from you or from any person, asset allocation service, and/or market timing service made on your behalf. We may also limit the amount that may be exchanged into or out of any fund at any one time, or may revoke your right to make Internet, telephone or facsimile exchanges. We may reinstate Internet, telephone and facsimile exchange privileges after they are revoked, but we will not reinstate these privileges if we have reason to believe that they might be used thereafter for Disruptive Trading.
The funds currently do not charge exchange or redemption fees, or any other administrative charges on fund exchanges. The funds reserve the right to impose such fees and/or charges in the future.
Orders for the purchase of fund shares are subject to acceptance by the relevant fund. We reserve the right to reject, without prior notice, any exchange request into any fund if the purchase of shares in the corresponding fund is not accepted for any reason.
The funds do not have any arrangements with any person, organization or entity to permit frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares.
We may, without prior notice, take whatever action we deem appropriate to comply with or take advantage of any state or federal regulatory requirement. The funds reserve the right to reject any purchase or exchange transaction at any time. If we reject a purchase or exchange for any reason, we will notify you of our decision in writing.
The funds cannot guarantee that their policies and procedures regarding market timing will be effective in detecting and deterring all Disruptive Trading.
Retirement Plans
Shares of the funds may be used as investments under the following retirement plans: traditional IRA, rollover IRA, SEP-IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k) plans, profit-sharing, money purchase plans, and certain 403(b) plans. For more information, call 800-243-4361.
Investor Services and Other Information
​
Systematic Purchase is a systematic investment plan that allows you to have a specified amount automatically deducted from your checking or savings account and then deposited into your mutual fund account. (Complete the “Systematic Purchase” section on the application and include a voided check.)
Systematic Exchange allows you to automatically move money from one Virtus Mutual Fund to another on a monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual basis. Shares of one Virtus Mutual Fund will be exchanged for shares of the same class of another Virtus Mutual Fund at the interval you select. (Complete the “Systematic Exchange” section on the application.) Exchange privileges may not be available for all Virtus Mutual Funds and may be rejected or suspended.
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Telephone Exchange lets you exchange shares of one Virtus Mutual Fund for the same class of shares in another Virtus Mutual Fund, using our customer service telephone number (800-243-1574). (See the “Telephone Exchange” section on the application.) Exchange privileges may not be available for all Virtus Mutual Funds and may be rejected or suspended.
Systematic Withdrawal allows you to periodically redeem a portion of your account on a predetermined monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual basis. Sufficient shares from your account will be redeemed at the closing NAV on the applicable payment date, with proceeds to be mailed to you or sent through ACH to your bank (at your selection). For payments to be mailed, shares will be redeemed on the 15 th of the month so that the payment is made about the 20 th of the month. For ACH payments, you may select the day of the month for the payments to be made; if no date is specified, the payments will occur on the 15 th of the month. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and minimum account balance requirements continue to apply. Shareholders in the program must own Virtus Mutual Fund shares worth at least $5,000.
Disclosure of Fund Portfolio Holdings. A description of the funds' policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the funds' portfolio securities is available in the SAI.
Tax Status of Distributions
​
The funds plan to make distributions from net investment income at intervals stated in the table below and to distribute net realized capital gains, if any, at least annually.
​ ​
Fund
​ ​ ​
Dividend Paid
​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ Semiannually ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ Semiannually ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ Semiannually ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ Semiannually ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ Semiannually ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ Semiannually ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ Semiannually ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ Semiannually ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ Quarterly ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ Semiannually ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ Quarterly ​ ​
Distributions of short-term capital gains (gains on securities held for a year or less) and net investment income are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Certain distributions of long-term capital gains and certain dividends are taxable at a lower rate than ordinary income. Long-term capital gains, if any, which are distributed to shareholders and which are designated by a fund as capital gain distributions, are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain distributions regardless of the length of time you have owned your shares.
Unless you elect to receive distributions in cash, dividends and capital gain distributions are paid in additional shares. All distributions, whether paid in cash or in additional shares, are subject to federal income tax and may be subject to state, local and other taxes.
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Financial Highlights
​
These tables are intended to help you understand each fund’s financial performance for the past five years or since inception. Some of this information reflects financial information for a single fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in a fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information, except for the six month period ended September 30, 2016, has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the funds' independent registered public accounting firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's report, together with each fund’s financial statements, is included in the funds’ most recent Annual Report, which is available upon request.
​ ​ ​
Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
​ ​
Net
Investment
Income
(Loss) (1)
​ ​
Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
​ ​
Total from
Investment
Operations
​ ​
Dividends
from Net
Investment
Income
​ ​
Distributions
from Net
Realized
Gains
​ ​
Total
Distributions
​ ​
Payments
from
Affiliates
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Change in Net
Asset Value
​ ​
Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
​ ​
Total
Return (2)
​ ​
Net Assets,
End of Period
(in thousands)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Gross
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (before
waivers and
reimbursements) (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average Net
Assets
​ ​
Portfolio
Turnover Rate
​ ​
Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 13.55 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.17 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 13.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.42 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 456,922 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.15 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.81 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 77 % (4) ​ ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.22 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.93 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.25 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.45 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.70 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — (5 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.63 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.55 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (6.37 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 461,276 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 75 ​ ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.62 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.30 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.68 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.98 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.36 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 541,818 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 62 ​ ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.95 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.29 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.47 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.76 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.79 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 570,784 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 57 ​ ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 559,955 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 121 ​ ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.22 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.22 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 572,561 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 109 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 13.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 13.87 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.06 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 36,308 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.90 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.90 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.06 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 77 % (4) ​ ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.45 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.59 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — (5 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.62 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (7.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 38,913 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.87 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.88 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 75 ​ ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.19 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.68 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.87 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.37 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 47,131 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 62 ​ ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.81 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.17 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.47 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 41,713 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 57 ​ ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.76 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.95 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 40,937 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 121 ​ ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 40,792 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 109 ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
​ ​
Net
Investment
Income
(Loss) (1)
​ ​
Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
​ ​
Total from
Investment
Operations
​ ​
Dividends
from Net
Investment
Income
​ ​
Distributions
from Net
Realized
Gains
​ ​
Total
Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Change in Net
Asset Value
​ ​
Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
​ ​
Total
Return (2)
​ ​
Net Assets,
End of Period
(in thousands)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Gross
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (before
waivers and
reimbursements) (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average Net
Assets
​ ​
Portfolio
Turnover Rate
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 31.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.25 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.25 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.88 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 34.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.95 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 87,834 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.43 % (3)(9)(13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.43 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 36.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.71 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.54 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.70 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 31.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (12.60 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 107,958 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 37.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.97 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.63 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.94 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 36.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.73 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 190,896 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 34 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 29.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 37.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 251,498 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 26.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.72 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.76 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 29.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 240,250 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.55 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 260,849 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.46 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 30.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.87 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 32.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.55 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 35,538 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.18 % (3)(9)(13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.19 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.42 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 34.62 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.52 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.59 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.62 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 30.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (13.27 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 36,977 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.16 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.23 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 35.55 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.92 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.87 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.93 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 34.62 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.44 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 60,813 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 34 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 28.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.71 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.71 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 35.55 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 62,738 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 25.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.59 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 28.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.81 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 54,236 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.16 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.37 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 56,287 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.21 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.49 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
96 Virtus Mutual Funds
Virtus Mutual Funds 97 ​
​
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Financial Highlights (continued)
​
​ ​ ​
Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
​ ​
Net
Investment
Income
(Loss) (1)
​ ​
Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
​ ​
Total from
Investment
Operations
​ ​
Dividends
from Net
Investment
Income
​ ​
Distributions
from Net
Realized
Gains
​ ​
Total
Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Change in Net
Asset Value
​ ​
Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
​ ​
Total
Return (2)
​ ​
Net Assets,
End of Period
(in thousands)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Gross
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (before
waivers and
reimbursements) (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average Net
Assets
​ ​
Portfolio
Turnover Rate
​
Contrarian Value Fund (continued) ​ ​
Class I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 31.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.24 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 34.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.10 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 86,184 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 % (3)(9)(13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 36.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.71 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.46 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.67 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 31.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (12.40 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 104,879 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 37.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.92 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.52 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.41 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.41 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.93 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 36.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.48 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 176,005 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 34 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 29.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 37.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 145,115 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 26.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.71 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.88 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.72 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 29.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 108,736 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.72 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.62 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 68,764 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.21 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class R6 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 31.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.94 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.41 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.41 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.79 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 34.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.15 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 3,224 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.02 % (3)(9)(13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.02 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.57 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 36.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.69 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.40 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 31.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (12.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4,781 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.95 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 ​ ​
11/12/14 (7) to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 36.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.66 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.58 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.79 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 36.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.57 ) (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.56 (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 34 (4) ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 18.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.31 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 18.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.59 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 101,018 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.28 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 323 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (3.38 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (3.53 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.83 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 101,113 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.74 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 312 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.94 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.90 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.98 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.97 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 116,725 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 345 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.63 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.73 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.94 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 111,074 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 283 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.62 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 100,976 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 65 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.71 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 79,934 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 51 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 16.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — (5 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 16.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 36,341 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.03 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.17 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 323 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — (5 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (3.38 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (3.45 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.94 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 36,236 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 312 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.72 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.73 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.90 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.91 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.91 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 37,312 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 345 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.81 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.79 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.63 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.65 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27,930 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 283 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24,782 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.23 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 65 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.61 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.61 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.71 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25,978 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.35 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 51 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 18.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.22 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.22 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 18.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.71 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 18,184 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.03 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.07 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 323 (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.74 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.19 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (3.38 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (3.57 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.83 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11,991 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 312 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.90 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.90 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (3.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.94 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,969 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 345 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.63 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.78 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.90 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11,291 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.90 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 283 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.91 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11,589 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 65 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.70 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.91 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6,167 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 51 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Mutual Funds 99 ​
98 Virtus Mutual Funds
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Financial Highlights (continued)
​
​ ​ ​
Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
​ ​
Net
Investment
Income
(Loss) (1)
​ ​
Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
​ ​
Total from
Investment
Operations
​ ​
Dividends
from Net
Investment
Income
​ ​
Distributions
from Net
Realized
Gains
​ ​
Total
Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Change in Net
Asset Value
​ ​
Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
​ ​
Total
Return (2)
​ ​
Net Assets,
End of Period
(in thousands)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Gross
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (before
waivers and
reimbursements) (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average Net
Assets
​ ​
Portfolio
Turnover Rate
​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 22.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 23.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.53 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 21,022 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.62 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.43 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.26 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.40 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20,639 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.27 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13,080 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.62 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,027 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 30 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.25 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.36 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,691 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 62 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.71 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 945 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.61 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 21.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 22.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.19 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 9,172 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.07 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.38 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.18 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.22 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.19 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.41 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.55 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.91 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6,670 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.23 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4,363 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 209 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 30 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.27 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.62 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 226 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.70 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 62 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 211 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.65 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 22.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 24.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.70 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 24,610 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.08 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21 %(4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.35 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.92 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7,570 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4,804 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,178 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 30 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.30 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.41 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,316 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 62 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.72 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,271 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 21.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 23.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.80 (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 78,868 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.56 (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.77 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.36 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.54 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.88 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.51 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 76,660 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.84 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.69 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.69 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 83,158 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.43 (8) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.71 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 81,016 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.74 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 32 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 79,561 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.49 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 35 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.67 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.23 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.23 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.30 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 78,925 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.49 (9) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 163 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 18.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 19.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.41 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 4,864 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.17 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.30 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.51 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.29 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.30 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.59 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.93 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (3.23 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,319 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.24 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.60 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.26 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.70 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.69 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.69 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,976 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.18 (8) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.46 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.26 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,233 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.49 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 32 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.24 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.24 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4,850 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 35 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.19 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.12 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4,849 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.24 (9) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.40 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 163 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Mutual Funds 101 ​
100 Virtus Mutual Funds
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Financial Highlights (continued)
​
​ ​ ​
Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
​ ​
Net
Investment
Income
(Loss) (1)
​ ​
Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
​ ​
Total from
Investment
Operations
​ ​
Dividends
from Net
Investment
Income
​ ​
Distributions
from Net
Realized
Gains
​ ​
Total
Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Change in Net
Asset Value
​ ​
Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
​ ​
Total
Return (2)
​ ​
Net Assets,
End of Period
(in thousands)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Gross
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (before
waivers and
reimbursements) (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average Net
Assets
​ ​
Portfolio
Turnover Rate
​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund (continued) ​ ​
Class I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 22.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.61 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.55 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.55 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 23.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.87 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 3,431 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.31 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.52 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.37 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.50 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.84 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.961 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.24 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.60 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.69 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.69 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.79 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,288 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.46 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,324 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.49 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 32 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,932 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 35 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.12 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,831 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.24 (9) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.37 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 163 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 15.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 15.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.19 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 50,665 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.82 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.37 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.23 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.53 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 50,081 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.94 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.59 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.12 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.12 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 55,215 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.71 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 56 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 49,275 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.81 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.76 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 48,193 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 32 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.76 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 40,936 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 14.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — (5 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 15.24 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.81 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 7,544 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.26 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.06 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.35 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.35 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (2.26 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,211 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.67 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20,383 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 56 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.94 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.95 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.90 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.67 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,803 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,452 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 32 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,186 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 15.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 15.59 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.37 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 6,399 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.26 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.07 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.35 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.28 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6,496 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.16 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.72 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9,776 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 56 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.70 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9,546 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.76 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.73 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 30,360 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.73 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 32 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.12 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.12 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.76 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,398 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 15.67 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.87 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.93 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.00 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 15.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.79 (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 73,974 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 % (3)(13)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.26 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.61 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.98 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.94 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.67 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.94 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 71,280 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.74 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.57 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.60 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.61 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 74,738 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.28 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.91 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.88 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.74 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 137,496 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.24 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.94 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.25 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.25 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.91 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 118,376 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16 (12) ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.95 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.73 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 120,962 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Mutual Funds 103 ​
102 Virtus Mutual Funds
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Financial Highlights (continued)
​
​ ​ ​
Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
​ ​
Net
Investment
Income
(Loss) (1)
​ ​
Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
​ ​
Total from
Investment
Operations
​ ​
Dividends
from Net
Investment
Income
​ ​
Distributions
from Net
Realized
Gains
​ ​
Total
Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Change in Net
Asset Value
​ ​
Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
​ ​
Total
Return (2)
​ ​
Net Assets,
End of Period
(in thousands)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Gross
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (before
waivers and
reimbursements) (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average Net
Assets
​ ​
Portfolio
Turnover Rate
​
Quality Small-Cap Fund (continued) ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 15.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.93 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.93 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 15.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.34 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 26,318 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.07 % (3)(9)(13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.08 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.49 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.98 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.98 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.96 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23,602 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.26 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.57 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.57 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25,634 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.03 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.12 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.76 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.76 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.87 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27,132 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.07 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.52 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23,793 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.17 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16 (12) ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22,765 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.17 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 15.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.87 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.91 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.93 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 15.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.90 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 187,704 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.08 % (3)(9)(13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.08 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.52 (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.98 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.95 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 144,487 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.05 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.74 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.57 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.59 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 163,082 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.03 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 104,149 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.07 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.49 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.28 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.28 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 91,502 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16 (12) ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 200,302 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.77 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 21.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.78 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.78 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 22.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.81 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 61,496 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.32 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 25.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.17 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.22 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.26 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 53,722 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 33 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 67,696 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 28 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 162,302 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 31 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.85 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.33 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.51 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 143,293 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15 (12) ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.59 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.61 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 77,327 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 18.61 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.78 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.78 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 19.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.42 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 35,496 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.07 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.19 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.17 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.17 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.37 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.61 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.73 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 31,711 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.95 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 33 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.74 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 33,735 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.50 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 28 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — (5 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 21.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 33,437 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.84 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 31 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.61 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.33 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.37 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27,641 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.23 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15 (12) ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.59 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.59 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15,517 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 22.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.78 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.78 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.74 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 23.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.93 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 263,612 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 26.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.17 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.30 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.28 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 189,167 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 33 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.95 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 248,933 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 28 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.91 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24.95 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 242,400 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 31 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.33 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.57 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 164,483 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15 (12) ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.59 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.64 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 142,101 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class R6 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 22.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.78 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.78 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.76 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 23.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.02 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 26,114 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.03 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.03 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.05 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 26.59 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.17 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.32 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4.26 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 22.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20,811 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.01 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 33 ​ ​
11/12/14 (7) to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 25.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.88 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.88 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26.59 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.83 (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 106 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.97 (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.97 (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.18 (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 28 (4) ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Mutual Funds 105 ​
104 Virtus Mutual Funds
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Financial Highlights (continued)
​
​ ​ ​
Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
​ ​
Net
Investment
Income
(Loss) (1)
​ ​
Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
​ ​
Total from
Investment
Operations
​ ​
Dividends
from Net
Investment
Income
​ ​
Distributions
from Net
Realized
Gains
​ ​
Total
Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Change in Net
Asset Value
​ ​
Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
​ ​
Total
Return (2)
​ ​
Net Assets,
End of Period
(in thousands)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Gross
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (before
waivers and
reimbursements) (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average Net
Assets
​ ​
Portfolio
Turnover Rate
​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 17.67 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.52 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.52 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 19.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.78 (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 147,198 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.52 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.54 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.76 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.73 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.50 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.50 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.67 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 88,715 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.49 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.59 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.76 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.76 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.54 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 83,611 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.76 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.48 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.48 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 94,902 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.93 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.95 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 70,107 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.61 (8) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.67 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.95 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.83 (11) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 77,384 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.65 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.84 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 46 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 16.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.52 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.52 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 17.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.42 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 31,234 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.27 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.29 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.51 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.50 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.50 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.97 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19,525 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.34 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.24 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.76 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.76 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15,594 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.51 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.26 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.55 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.48 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.48 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.81 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13,298 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.68 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.12 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.90 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.78 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7,555 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.36 (8) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.96 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.18 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.80 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16.92 (11) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7,490 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.40 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.58 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 46 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 17.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.52 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.52 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 19.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.92 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 208,383 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.27 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.29 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.53 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.70 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.74 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.50 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.50 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.19 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 98,270 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.76 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.76 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.62 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.70 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 35,058 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.47 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.69 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.58 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.48 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.48 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20,685 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.68 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15.59 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10,026 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.36 (8) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.03 (11) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9,698 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.40 (6) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.55 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 46 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 13.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 14.48 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.28 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 404,896 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % (3)(9)(13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.42 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.65 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.65 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.57 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 401,617 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.32 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.55 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.55 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 433,635 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.28 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.22 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 28 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.03 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 399,131 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.28 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.98 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 373,069 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.34 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.31 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.79 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 409,555 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.25 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 115 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 11.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.73 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.62 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 11.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.84 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 15,892 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 % (3)(9)(13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.18 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.12 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.11 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.65 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.65 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.66 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19,832 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.91 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.55 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.55 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11.93 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 11,999 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.02 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.97 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 28 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.94 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.71 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.63 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6,329 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.03 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.86 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.32 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.28 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.94 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.23 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,993 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.44 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.24 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.66 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.88 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6,707 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.00 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 115 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Virtus Mutual Funds 107 ​
106 Virtus Mutual Funds
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Financial Highlights (continued)
​
​ ​ ​
Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
​ ​
Net
Investment
Income
(Loss) (1)
​ ​
Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
​ ​
Total from
Investment
Operations
​ ​
Dividends
from Net
Investment
Income
​ ​
Distributions
from Net
Realized
Gains
​ ​
Total
Distributions
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Change in Net
Asset Value
​ ​
Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
​ ​
Total
Return (2)
​ ​
Net Assets,
End of Period
(in thousands)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Gross
Expenses to Average
Net Assets (before
waivers and
reimbursements) (10)
​ ​
Ratio of Net
Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average Net
Assets
​ ​
Portfolio
Turnover Rate
​
Strategic Growth Fund (continued) ​ ​
Class I ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 14.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.91 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.90 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.04 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 14.86 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.42 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 8,692 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 % (3)(9)(13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.17 )% (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.12 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.65 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.65 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.53 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.66 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,227 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.05 (13)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.07 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — (5 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.55 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.55 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.89 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,595 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.02 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 28 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.02 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 19.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,532 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.03 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.43 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,650 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.09 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.57 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.92 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4,733 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 (13) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 115 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​
Class A ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 8.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.37 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.08 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.09 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 8.82 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.59 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 145,470 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.37 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.38 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.23 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 77 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.88 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.68 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.17 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.46 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.63 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.44 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (7.36 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 147,546 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.32 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.33 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 81 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.36 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.20 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.47 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.67 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.60 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 180,435 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.09 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 69 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.88 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.21 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.96 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.17 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.18 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14.84 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 195,509 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.22 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 61 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.21 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.74 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.22 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.33 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.41 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.88 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 186,662 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.26 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 94 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.47 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.88 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 189,926 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.59 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 128 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Class C ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
4/1/16 to 9/30/16 (15) ​ ​ ​ $ 8.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.45 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.05 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.01 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.39 ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 9.03 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.16 % (4) ​ ​ ​ ​ $ 4,791 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.12 % (3)(9)(14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.13 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.48 % (3) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 77 % (4) ​ ​
4/1/15 to 3/31/16 ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.14 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.90 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.76 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.46 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.56 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.32 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8.64 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (8.02 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,460 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.07 (14) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 81 ​ ​
4/1/14 to 3/31/15 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.13 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.16 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.13 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.47 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.60 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.31 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.96 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.81 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6,328 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.29 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 69 ​ ​
4/1/13 to 3/31/14 ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.30 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.14 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.96 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1.10 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.20 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.27 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13.90 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,785 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 61 ​ ​
4/1/12 to 3/31/13 ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.15 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.53 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.68 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.15 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.11 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.26 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.42 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10.07 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7.17 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,021 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.51 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 94 ​ ​
4/1/11 to 3/31/12 ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.25 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.08 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.38 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.46 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (0.06 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.40 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.65 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.06 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,381 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.05 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.87 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 128 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
(1)
Computed using average shares outstanding.
​
(2)
Sales charges, where applicable, are not reflected in the total return calculation.
​
(3)
Annualized.
​
(4)
Not annualized.
​
(5)
Amount is less than $0.005.
​
(6)
See Note 3D in the Notes to Financial Statements in the Annual Report for information on recapture of expenses previously waived.
​
(7)
Inception date.
​
(8)
Represents a blended ratio.
​
(9)
Net expense ratio includes extraordinary expenses.
​
(10)
For Funds which may invest in other funds the annualized expense ratios do not reflect the fees and expenses associated with the underlying funds.
​
(11)
Includes the effect of a distribution from a Fair Fund settlement. Without this effect, the total return would have been 16.55% for Class A Shares, 15.60% for Class C Shares and 17.03% for Class I Shares.
​
(12)
Portfolio turnover calculation excludes security transactions distributed as a result of a redemption-in-kind.
​
(13)
The Fund is currently under its expense limitation.
​
(14)
Earnings credit from Custodian were not material, as reflected in the Statements of Operations, and had no impact on Financial Highlights.
​
(15 )
Unaudited
​
​
Virtus Mutual Funds 109 ​
108 Virtus Mutual Funds
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
This Appendix A is part of, and is incorporated into, the prospectus.
​
Appendix A
Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers
Specific intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or CDSC waivers, which are discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchaser's responsibility to notify the fund or the purchaser's financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, in order to receive these waivers or discounts shareholders will have to purchase fund shares through another intermediary offering such waivers or discounts or directly from the fund if the fund offers such waivers or discounts. Please see the section entitled "Sales Charges – What arrangement is best for you?" for more information on sales charges and waivers available for different classes.
Merrill Lynch
Effective April 10, 2017, shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this fund's prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares available at Merrill Lynch
•
Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan.
​
•
Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan.
​
•
Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch affiliated investment advisory program.
​
•
Shares purchased by third party investment advisors on behalf of their advisory clients through Merrill Lynch's platform.
​
•
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).
​
•
Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 10-year anniversary of the purchase date.
​
•
Employees and registered representatives of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members.
​
•
Trustees of the fund, and employees of the fund's investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this prospectus.
​
•
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement).
​
CDSC Waivers on Class A Shares and Class C Shares available at Merrill Lynch
•
Death or disability of the shareholder.
​
•
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s prospectus
​
•
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account.
​
•
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½.
​
•
Shares sold to pay Merrill Lynch fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Merrill Lynch
​
•
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.
​
•
Shares held in retirement brokerage accounts, that are exchanged for a lower cost share class due to transfer to fee based accounts or platforms (applicable to A and C shares only).
​
Front-end Load Discounts Available at Merrill Lynch: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent
•
Breakpoints as described in this prospectus.
​
​
Virtus Mutual Funds 110 ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS
•
Rights of Accumulation (ROA) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Merrill Lynch. Eligible fund family assets not held at Merrill Lynch may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.
​
•
Letters of Intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through Merrill Lynch, over a 13-month period of time.
​
​
111 Virtus Mutual Funds
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
c/o Virtus Mutual Funds
P.O. Box 9874
Providence, RI 02940-8074
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
You can find more information about the funds in the following documents:
Appendix A – Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers
Appendix A – Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers contains more information about specific sales charge discounts and waivers available for shareholders who purchase fund shares through a specific intermediary. Appendix A is incorporated hereby by reference and is legally part of this prospectus.
Annual and Semiannual Reports
Annual and semiannual reports contain more information about the funds’ investments. The annual report discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the funds’ performance during the last fiscal year.
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
The SAI contains more detailed information about the funds. It is incorporated by reference and is legally part of the prospectus.
To obtain free copies of these documents, you can download copies from the Individual Investors section of our Web site, virtus.com , or you can request copies by calling Virtus Fund Services toll-free at 800-243-1574. You may also call this number to request other information about the funds or to make shareholder inquiries.
Information about the funds (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s ("SEC") Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. For information about the operation of the Public Reference Room, call 202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the funds are available in the EDGAR database on the SEC’s Internet site at sec.gov . You may also obtain copies upon payment of a duplicating fee by writing the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, DC 20549-6009 or by electronic request at publicinfo@sec.gov .
Virtus Fund Services: 800-243-1574
Daily NAV Information
The daily NAV for each fund may be obtained from the Our Products section of our Web site, virtus.com .
​ Investment Company Act File No. 811-00945 ​ ​ ​ ​
​ 8019 ​ ​
4-17​
​

TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​
Virtus Equity Trust
101 Munson Street
Greenfield, MA 01301
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
April 10, 2017
Virtus Equity Trust (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company issuing shares in 11 separate series or “Funds”, all of which are publicly offered and described herein:
​ ​ ​
TICKER SYMBOL BY CLASS
​
FUND
​ ​
A
​ ​
C
​ ​
I
​ ​
R6
​ ​
T
​ ​
Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​
FMIVX
​ ​
FMICX
​ ​
PIMVX
​ ​
VMVRX
​ ​
VCVTX
​ ​
Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​
PDIAX
​ ​
PGICX
​ ​
PXIIX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VTECX
​ ​
Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​
PPTAX
​ ​
PPTCX
​ ​
PIPTX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VGQTX
​ ​
Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​
VMACX
​ ​
VMCCX
​ ​
VIMCX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VTMCX
​ ​
Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​
PHSKX
​ ​
PSKCX
​ ​
PICMX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VMGTX
​ ​
Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​
PQSAX
​ ​
PQSCX
​ ​
PXQSX
​ ​
VQSRX
​ ​
VQSTX
​ ​
Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​
PKSAX
​ ​
PKSCX
​ ​
PKSFX
​ ​
VSCRX
​ ​
VTSCX
​ ​
Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​
PSGAX
​ ​
PSGCX
​ ​
PXSGX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VSGTX
​ ​
Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​
PHBLX
​ ​
PSBCX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VSATX
​ ​
Virtus Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​
PSTAX
​ ​
SSTFX
​ ​
PLXGX
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VSTGX
​ ​
Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​
NAINX
​ ​
POICX
​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
VXTTX
​ ​
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) relates to the Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R6 and Class T shares of the Funds. This SAI is not a prospectus, and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectuses for the Funds dated April 10, 2017 as described below and as supplemented and amended from time to time. Each Fund’s Prospectuses are incorporated by reference into this SAI, and the portions of this SAI that relate to each Fund have been incorporated by reference into such Fund’s Prospectuses. The portions of this SAI that do not relate to a Fund do not form a part of such Fund’s SAI, have not been incorporated by reference into such Fund’s Prospectuses and should not be relied upon by investors in such Fund.
The Prospectuses may be obtained by downloading them from virtus.com ; by calling VP Distributors, LLC at 800.243.1574; or by writing to the Distributor at 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103.
Capitalized terms used and not defined herein have the same meanings as those used in the Prospectuses.
The audited financial statements appear in each Fund’s annual report for its most recent fiscal year and the unaudited financial statements for the Funds appear in each Fund's semiannual report for its most recent seimannual period.
Shareholders may obtain a copy of the Annual Report dated March 31, 2016 and/or the Semiannual Report dated September 30, 2016, without charge, by calling 800.243.1574 or by downloading it from virtus.com . The financial statements from the foregoing annual and semiannual reports are incorporated herein by reference.
Transfer Agent: 800.243.1574
Adviser Consulting Group: 800.243.4361
Telephone Orders: 800.367.5877
Web Site: virtus.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​
Table of Contents
​ ​ ​
PAGE
​
​ ​ ​ ​ 3 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 6 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 12 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 60 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 62 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 72 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 73 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 80 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 81 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 84 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 87 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 95 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 96 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 101 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 102 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ 103 ​ ​
Appendix B — Control Persons and Principal Shareholders
​ ​ ​ ​ 106 ​ ​
TABLE OF CONTENTS ​
Glossary
​ 1933 Act ​ ​ The Securities Act of 1933, as amended ​
​ 1940 Act ​ ​ The Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ​
​ ACH ​ ​ Automated Clearing House, a nationwide electronic money transfer system that provides for the inter-bank clearing of credit and debit transactions and for the exchange of information among participating financial institutions ​
​ Administrator ​ ​ The Trust’s administrative agent, Virtus Fund Services, LLC ​
​ ADRs ​ ​ American Depositary Receipts ​
​ ADSs ​ ​ American Depositary Shares ​
​ Adviser ​ ​ The investment adviser to the Funds, Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. ​
​ BNY Mellon ​ ​ BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc., the sub-administrative and accounting agent for the Funds ​
​ Board ​ ​ The Board of Trustees of Virtus Equity Trust (also referred to herein as the “Trustees”) ​
​ CCO ​ ​ Chief Compliance Officer ​
​ CDRs ​ ​ Continental Depositary Receipts (another name for EDRs) ​
​ CDSC ​ ​ Contingent Deferred Sales Charge ​
​ CEA ​ ​ Commodity Exchange Act, which is the U.S. law governing trading in commodity futures ​
​ CFTC ​ ​ Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is the U.S. regulator governing trading in commodity futures ​
​ Code ​ ​ The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, which is the law governing U.S. federal taxes ​
​ Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ Virtus Contrarian Value Fund ​
​ Custodian ​ ​ The custodian of the Funds’ assets, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ​
​ Distributor ​ ​ The principal underwriter of shares of the Funds, VP Distributors, LLC ​
​ Duff  & Phelps ​ ​ Duff  & Phelps Investment Management Co., subadviser to the Strategic Allocation Fund (international equity portion) and Tactical Allocation Fund (international equity portion) ​
​ EDRs ​ ​ European Depositary Receipts (another name for CDRs) ​
​ Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​
​ ETFs ​ ​ Exchange-traded Funds ​
​ FHFA ​ ​ Federal Housing Finance Agency, an independent Federal agency that regulates FNMA, FHLMC and the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks ​
​ FHLMC ​ ​ Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, also known as “Freddie Mac”, which is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks and now owned entirely by private stockholders ​
​ FINRA ​ ​ Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a self-regulatory organization with authority over registered broker-dealers operating in the United States, including VP Distributors ​
​ Fitch ​ ​ Fitch Ratings, Inc. ​
​ FNMA ​ ​ Federal National Mortgage Association, also known as “Fannie Mae”, which is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders and subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development ​
​ Funds ​ ​ The series of the Trust discussed in this SAI ​
​ GDRs ​ ​ Global Depositary Receipts ​
​ GICs ​ ​ Guaranteed Investment Contracts ​
​ Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund ​
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​ GNMA ​ ​ Government National Mortgage Association, also known as “Ginnie Mae”, which is a wholly-owned United States Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development ​
​ IMF ​ ​ International Monetary Fund, an international organization seeking to promote international economic cooperation, international trade, employment and exchange rate stability, among other things ​
​ Independent Trustees ​ ​ Those members of the Board who are not “interested persons” as defined by the 1940 Act ​
​ IRA ​ ​ Individual Retirement Account ​
​ IRS ​ ​ The United States Internal Revenue Service, which is the arm of the U.S. government that administers and enforces the Code ​
​ JPMorgan ​ ​ JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ​
​ KAR ​ ​ Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC, subadviser to the Global Quality Dividend, Mid-Cap Core, Mid-Cap Growth, Quality Small-Cap, Small-Cap Core, Small-Cap Sustainable Growth, Strategic Allocation (domestic equity portion), Strategic Growth and Tactical Allocation (domestic equity portion) Funds ​
​ LIBOR ​ ​ London Interbank Offering Rate, an interest rate at which banks can borrow funds, in marketable size, from other banks in the London interbank market ​
​ Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund ​
​ Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​
​ Moody’s ​ ​ Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. ​
​ NAV ​ ​ Net Asset Value, which is the per-share price of a Fund ​
​ Newfleet ​ ​ Newfleet Asset Management, LLC, subadviser to the Strategic Allocation Fund (fixed income portion) and Tactical Allocation Fund (fixed income portion) ​
​ NYSE ​ ​ New York Stock Exchange ​
​ OCC ​ ​ Options Clearing Corporation, a large equity derivatives clearing corporation ​
​ PERLS ​ ​ Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities ​
​ PNX ​ ​ Phoenix Life Insurance Company, which is the former parent company of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., and certain of its corporate affiliates ​
​ Prospectuses ​ ​ The prospectuses for the Funds, as amended from time to time ​
​ PwC ​ ​ PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust ​
​ Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund ​
​ Rampart ​ ​ Rampart Investment Management Company, LLC, subadviser to the Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​
​ Regulations ​ ​ The Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code ​
​ RIC ​ ​ Regulated Investment Company, a designation under the Code indicating a U.S.-registered investment company meeting the specifications under the Code allowing the investment company to be exempt from paying U.S. federal income taxes ​
​ S&P ​ ​ Standard & Poor’s Corporation ​
​ S&P 500 ® Index ​ ​ The Standard & Poor’s 500 ® Index, which is a free-float market capitalization-weighted index of 500 of the largest U.S. companies, calculated on a total return basis with dividends reinvested ​
​ SAI ​ ​ This Statement of Additional Information ​
​ Sasco ​ ​ Sasco Capital, Inc., subadviser to the Contrarian Value Fund ​
​ SEC ​ ​ U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ​
​ SIFMA ​ ​ Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (formerly, the Bond Market Association), a financial industry trade group consisting of broker-dealers and asset managers across the United States ​
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​ Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund ​
​ Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​
​ SMBS ​ ​ Stripped Mortgage-backed Securities ​
​ Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund ​
​ Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ Virtus Strategic Growth Fund ​
​ Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund ​
​ Transfer Agent ​ ​ The Trust’s transfer agent, Virtus Fund Services, LLC ​
​ Trust ​ ​ Virtus Equity Trust ​
​ VIA ​ ​ Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc., the Adviser to the Funds ​
​ Virtus ​ ​ Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., which is the parent company of the Adviser, the Distributor, the Administrator/Transfer Agent, Duff  & Phelps, KAR, Newfleet and Rampart ​
​ Virtus Fund Services ​ ​ Virtus Fund Services, LLC, the Administrator/Transfer Agent to the Funds ​
​ Virtus Mutual Funds ​ ​ The family of funds consisting of the Funds, the series of Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust, the series of Virtus Opportunities Trust and the series of Virtus Retirement Trust ​
​ VP Distributors ​ ​ VP Distributors, LLC, the Trust's Distributor ​
​ VVIT ​ ​ Virtus Variable Insurance Trust, a separate trust consisting of several series advised by VIA and distributed by VP Distributors ​
​ World Bank ​ ​ International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programs ​
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GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY
The Trust was originally incorporated in New York in 1956, and on January 13, 1992, the Trust was reorganized as a Massachusetts business trust under the name of  “National Worldwide Opportunities Fund”. It was reorganized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 17, 2000. The Trust has operated as an open-end, diversified management investment company since May 1960. From June 30, 1993 to November 18, 1998, the Trust was named “Phoenix Worldwide Opportunities Fund”. From November 18, 1998 to June 28, 2004, the Trust was named “Phoenix-Aberdeen Worldwide Opportunities Fund”. From June 28, 2004 to October 20, 2008, the Trust was named “Phoenix Equity Trust”.
The Trust’s Prospectuses describe the investment objectives of the Funds and the strategies that each Fund will employ in seeking to achieve its investment objective. The respective investment objective(s) for each Fund are non-fundamental policies of the Funds that may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ notice.
​ ​
Fund Type
​ ​ ​
Fund
​ ​ ​
Investment Objective(s)
​ ​
​ ​ Asset Allocation ​ ​ ​ Strategic Income Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has investment objectives of reasonable income, long-term capital growth and conservation of capital. ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Tactical Allocation Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and income. ​ ​
​ ​ Equity ​ ​ ​ Contrarian Value Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has an investment objective of long-term growth of capital. ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Enhanced Core Equity Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has investment objectives of capital appreciation and current income. ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Global Quality Dividend Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has an investment objective of total return, consisting of capital appreciation and current income. ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation. ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Mid-Cap Growth Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has an investment objective of capital appreciation. ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Quality Small-Cap Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation. ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Small-Cap Core Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation, with dividend income a secondary consideration. ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation. ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Strategic Growth Fund * ​ ​ ​ The fund has an investment objective of long-term capital growth. ​ ​
*
Prior to October 1, 2008, these funds had “Phoenix” in their names instead of  “Virtus”.
​
Capital Stock and Organization of the Trust
The capitalization of the Trust consists solely of an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust currently offers shares in different series called Funds and different classes of those Funds. Holders of shares of a Fund have equal rights with regard to voting, redemptions, dividends, distributions, and liquidations with respect to that Fund. Shareholders of all Funds vote on the election of Trustees. On matters affecting an individual Fund (such as approval of an investment advisory agreement or a change in fundamental investment policies) and also on matters affecting an individual class (such as approval of matters relating to a Plan of Distribution for a particular class of shares), a separate vote of that Fund or class is required. The Trust does not hold regular meetings of shareholders of the Funds. The Board will call a meeting of shareholders of a Fund when at least 10% of the outstanding shares of that Fund so request in writing. If the Board fails to call a meeting after being so notified, the shareholders may call the meeting. The Board will assist the shareholders by identifying other shareholders or mailing communications, as required under Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act.
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Shares are fully paid, nonassessable, redeemable and fully transferable when they are issued. Shares do not have cumulative voting rights, preemptive rights or subscription rights. The assets received by the Trust for the issue or sale of shares of each Fund, and any class thereof and all income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, are allocated to such Fund, and class, respectively, subject only to the rights of creditors, and constitute the underlying assets of such Fund or class. The underlying assets of each Fund are required to be segregated on the books of account, and are to be charged with the expenses in respect to such Fund and with a share of the general expenses of the Trust. Any general expenses of the Trust not readily identifiable as belonging to a particular Fund or class will be allocated by or under the direction of the Board as it determines to be fair and equitable. The Trust is not bound to recognize any transfer of shares of a Fund or class until the transfer is recorded on the Trust’s books pursuant to policies and procedures of the Transfer Agent.
As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust’s operations are governed by its Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated August 17, 2000, as amended. A copy of the Trust’s Certificate of Trust, as amended, is on file with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, and a copy of the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the Trust’s registration statement. Upon the initial purchase of shares, the shareholder agrees to be bound by the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended. Generally, Delaware statutory trust shareholders are not personally liable for obligations of the Delaware statutory trust under Delaware law. The Delaware Statutory Trust Act (the “Delaware Act”) provides that a shareholder of a Delaware statutory trust shall be entitled to the same limitation of liability extended to shareholders of private for-profit corporations. The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust expressly provides that the Trust has been organized under the Delaware Act and that the Declaration of Trust is to be governed by Delaware law. It is nevertheless possible that a Delaware statutory trust, such as the Trust, might become a party to an action in another state whose courts refused to apply Delaware law, in which case the Trust’s shareholders could be subject to personal liability. To guard against this risk, the Agreement and Declaration of Trust (i) contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and provides that notice of such disclaimer may be given in each agreement, obligation and instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or its Trustees, (ii) provides for the indemnification out of Trust property of any shareholders held personally liable for any obligations of the Trust or any series of the Trust by reason of a claim or demand relating to such person being or having been a shareholder (as opposed to such person’s acts or omissions), and (iii) provides that the Trust shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon. Thus, the risk of a Trust shareholder incurring financial loss beyond his or her investment because of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which all of the following factors are present: (1) a court refused to apply Delaware law; (2) the liability arose under tort law or, if not, no contractual limitation of liability was in effect; and (3) the Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations. In the light of Delaware law, the nature of the Trust’s business and the nature of its assets, the risk of personal liability to a Fund shareholder is remote.
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust further provides that the Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees and officers against liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred by them, in connection with, or arising out of, any action, suit or proceeding, threatened against or otherwise involving such Trustee or officer, directly or indirectly, by reason of being or having been a Trustee or officer of the Trust. The Agreement and Declaration of Trust does not authorize the Trust to indemnify any Trustee or officer against any liability to which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason of or for willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of such person’s duties.
Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Trust is not required to hold annual meetings to elect Trustees or for other purposes. It is not anticipated that the Trust will hold shareholders’ meetings unless required by law or the Declaration of Trust. The Trust will be required to hold a meeting to elect Trustees to fill any existing vacancies on the Board if, at any time, fewer than a majority of the Trustees have been elected by the shareholders of the Trust. The Board is required to call a meeting for the purpose of considering the removal of persons serving as Trustee if requested in writing to do so by the holders of not less than 10% of the outstanding shares of the Trust.
Shares of the Trust do not entitle their holders to cumulative voting rights, so that the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Trust may elect all of the Trustees, in which case the holders of the remaining shares would not be able to elect any Trustees. As determined by the Trustees, shareholders are entitled to one vote for each dollar of NAV (number of shares held times the NAV of the applicable class of the applicable Fund).
Pursuant to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Trustees may create additional funds by establishing additional series of shares in the Trust. The establishment of additional series would not affect the interests of current shareholders in the existing Funds. Pursuant to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Trustees may establish and issue multiple classes of shares for each Fund.
Each share of each class of a Fund is entitled to such dividends and distributions out of the income earned on the assets belonging to that Fund which are attributable to such class as are declared in the discretion of the Trustees. In
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the event of the liquidation or dissolution of the Trust, shares of each class of each Fund are entitled to receive their proportionate share of the assets which are attributable to such class of such Fund and which are available for distribution as the Trustees in their sole discretion may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any preemptive, conversion or subscription rights. All shares, when issued, will be fully paid and non-assessable by the Trust.
Subject to shareholder approval (if then required), the Trustees may authorize each Fund to invest all or part of its investable assets in a single open-end investment company that has substantially the same investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Fund. As of the date of this SAI, the Trustees do not have any plan to authorize any Fund to so invest its assets.
Diversification of Funds
Each Fund is diversified under the 1940 Act. Each Fund also intends to diversify its assets to the extent necessary to qualify for tax treatment as a regulated investment company under the Code. (For information regarding qualification under the Code, see “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” in this SAI.)
Fund Names and Investment Policies
Each of the Funds other than the Contrarian Value Fund, Strategic Allocation Fund, Strategic Growth Fund and Tactical Allocation Fund has a name that suggests a focus on a particular type of investment. In accordance with Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act, each of these Funds has adopted a policy that it will, under normal circumstances, invest at least 80% of its assets in investments of the type suggested by its name. For this policy, “assets” means net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes. In addition, in appropriate circumstances, synthetic investments may be included in the 80% basket if they have economic characteristics similar to the other investments included in the basket. A Fund’s policy to invest at least 80% of its assets in such a manner is not a “fundamental” one, which means that it may be changed without a vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding shares as defined in the 1940 Act. However, under Rule 35d-1, shareholders must be given written notice at least 60 days prior to any change by a Fund of its 80% investment policy.
Portfolio Turnover
The portfolio turnover rate of each Fund is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities during the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the Fund's securities (excluding all securities, including options, with maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less). All long-term securities, including long-term U.S. Government securities, are included. A high rate of portfolio turnover generally involves correspondingly greater brokerage commission expenses, which must be borne directly by the Fund. Turnover rates may vary greatly from year to year as well as within a particular year and also may be affected by cash requirements for redemptions of each Fund's shares by requirements that enable the Trust to receive certain favorable tax treatments. The portfolio turnover rate for each Fund is set forth in its summary prospectus and under "Financial Highlights" in the statutory prospectus.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The Trustees of the Trust have adopted policies with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio holdings. These policies provide that the Funds’ portfolio holdings information generally may not be disclosed to any party prior to the information becoming public. Certain limited exceptions are described below. Additionally, the Funds’ policies prohibit Virtus and the Funds’ service providers from entering into any agreement to disclose Fund portfolio holdings in exchange for any form of compensation or consideration. These policies apply to disclosures to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries who sell shares of the Funds, third parties providing services to the Funds (accounting agent, print vendors, etc.), rating and ranking organizations (Lipper, Morningstar, etc.) and affiliated persons of the Funds.
The Board has delegated to the Trust’s Administrator the authority to make decisions regarding requests for information on portfolio holdings prior to public disclosure. The Administrator generally carries out this duty through its chief compliance officer, in consultation with other officers representing various areas of management.
The Trust’s CCO is responsible for monitoring the use of portfolio holdings information, for the Funds’ compliance with these policies and for providing reports to the Board regarding their compliance, including information with respect to any potential conflicts of interest between the interests of Fund shareholders and those of Virtus and its affiliates identified during the reporting period and how such conflicts were resolved.
Public Disclosures
In accordance with rules established by the SEC, each Fund sends semiannual and annual reports to shareholders that contain a full listing of portfolio holdings as of the second and fourth fiscal quarters, respectively, within 60 days of quarter end. The Funds also disclose complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters on
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Form N-Q, which is filed with the SEC within 60 days of quarter end. The Funds’ shareholder reports are available on Virtus’ Web site at virtus.com . Certain Funds also make publicly available on Virtus’ Web site a full listing of portfolio holdings as of the end of each month with a 30-day delay, while other of the Funds make such full listings available as of the end of each quarter with a 15-, 30- or 60-day delay. Portfolio holdings may be released sooner at the Administrator's discretion. Additionally, each Fund provides its top 10 holdings and summary composition data derived from portfolio holdings information on Virtus’ Web site. This information is posted to the Web site at the end of each month with respect to the top 10 holdings, and at the end of each quarter with respect to summary composition information, generally within 10 business days. With respect to certain Funds, the top 10 holdings and summary composition information may be reported on a one-month lag. This information will be available on the Web site until full portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available as described above. The Funds also provide publicly-available portfolio holdings information directly to ratings agencies, the frequency and timing of which is determined under the terms of the contractual arrangements with such agencies, and may provide to financial intermediaries, upon request, monthly portfolio holdings for periods included in publicly-available quarterly portfolio holdings disclosures.
Other Disclosures
The Administrator may authorize the disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information under certain limited circumstances. The Funds’ policies provide that non-public disclosures of a Fund's portfolio holdings may only be made if  (i) the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for making such disclosure and (ii) the party receiving the non-public information enters into a confidentiality agreement, which includes a duty not to trade on the non-public information. The Administrator will consider any actual or potential conflicts of interest between Virtus and the Funds’ shareholders and will act in the best interest of the Funds’ shareholders with respect to any such disclosure of portfolio holdings information. If a potential conflict can be resolved in a manner that does not present detrimental effects to the Funds’ shareholders, the Administrator may authorize release of portfolio holdings information. Conversely, if the potential conflict cannot be resolved in a manner that does not present detrimental effects to the Funds’ shareholders, the Administrator will not authorize such release.
Ongoing Arrangements to Disclose Portfolio Holdings
As previously authorized by the Funds’ Board and/or the Funds’ Administrator, the Funds periodically disclose non-public portfolio holdings on a confidential basis to various service providers that require such information in order to assist the Funds in their day-to-day operations, as well as public information to certain ratings organizations. In addition to Virtus and its affiliates, the entities receiving non-public portfolio holdings as of the date of this SAI are described in the following table. The table also includes information as to the timing of these entities receiving the portfolio holdings information from the Funds.
Non-Public Portfolio Holdings Information
​ ​
Type of Service Provider
​ ​ ​
Name of Service Provider
​ ​ ​ Timing of Release of Portfolio
Holdings Information 		​ ​
​ ​ Adviser ​ ​ ​ VIA ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Subadviser ​ ​ ​ Duff  & Phelps ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Subadviser ​ ​ ​ KAR ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Subadviser ​ ​ ​ Newfleet ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Subadviser ​ ​ ​ Rampart ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Subadviser ​ ​ ​ Sasco ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Administrator ​ ​ ​ Virtus Fund Services, LLC ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Distributor ​ ​ ​ VP Distributors, LLC ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Custodian ​ ​ ​ JPMorgan ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Sub-Financial Agent ​ ​ ​ BNY Mellon ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm ​ ​ ​ PwC ​ ​ ​ Annual Reporting Period, within 5 business days of end of reporting period ​ ​
​ ​ Typesetting and Printing Firm for Financial Reports ​ ​ ​ RR Donnelley & Sons Co. ​ ​ ​ Quarterly, within 15 days of end of reporting period. ​ ​
​ ​ Proxy Voting Service ​ ​ ​ ISS ​ ​ ​ Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly depending on subadviser ​ ​
​ ​ Reconciliation System for all Funds subadvised by KAR ​ ​ ​ Fiserv, Inc. ​ ​ ​ Daily ​ ​
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​ ​
Type of Service Provider
​ ​ ​
Name of Service Provider
​ ​ ​ Timing of Release of Portfolio
Holdings Information 		​ ​
​ ​ Portfolio Redistribution Firms ​ ​ ​ Thomson Financial LLC ​ ​ ​ Quarterly, with 20 day delay ​ ​
​ ​ Performance Analytics Firm ​ ​ ​ FactSet Research Systems, Inc ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Class Action Service Provider ​ ​ ​ Battea Class Action Services, LLC ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
​ ​ Financial Consulting Firm ​ ​ ​ Rogercasey ​ ​ ​ Monthly, with four day delay ​ ​
​ ​ Back-end Compliance Monitoring System ​ ​ ​ Financial Tracking Technologies, LLC ​ ​ ​ Daily, with no delay ​ ​
Public Portfolio Holdings Information
​ ​ Portfolio Redistribution Firms ​ ​ ​ Bloomberg, Standard & Poor’s and Thomson Reuters ​ ​ ​ Various frequencies depending on the fund, which includes: Calendar quarter with 30-day delay and fiscal quarter with a 60-day delay. ​ ​
​ ​ Rating Agencies ​ ​ ​ Lipper Inc. and Morningstar ​ ​ ​ Various frequencies depending on the fund, which includes: Calendar quarter with 30-day delay and fiscal quarter with a 60-day delay. ​ ​
​ ​ Virtus Public Web site ​ ​ ​ Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. ​ ​ ​ Various frequencies depending on the fund, which includes: Calendar quarter with 30-day delay and fiscal quarter with a 60-day delay. ​ ​
These service providers are required to keep all non-public information confidential and are prohibited from trading based on the information or otherwise using the information except as necessary in providing services to the Funds. There is no guarantee that the Funds’ policies on use and dissemination of holdings information will protect the Funds from the potential misuse of holdings by individuals or firms in possession of such information.
Other Virtus Mutual Funds
In addition to the Funds of the Trust, the funds commonly referred to as “Virtus Mutual Funds” also include the series of Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust, Virtus Insight Trust, Virtus Opportunities Trust and Virtus Retirement Trust. Virtus Mutual Funds are generally offered in multiple classes. The following chart shows the share classes offered by each Virtus Mutual Fund as of the date of this SAI:
​ ​
Trust
​ ​ ​
Fund
​ ​ ​
Class/Shares
​ ​
​
A
​ ​ ​
C
​ ​ ​
C1
​ ​ ​
I
​ ​ ​
R6
​ ​ ​
T
​ ​
​ ​
Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust
​ ​ ​
Credit Opportunities Fund
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Multi-Strategy Target Return Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Select MLP and Energy Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Strategic Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​
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​ ​
Trust
​ ​ ​
Fund
​ ​ ​
Class/Shares
​ ​
​
A
​ ​ ​
C
​ ​ ​
C1
​ ​ ​
I
​ ​ ​
R6
​ ​ ​
T
​ ​
​ ​
Virtus Opportunities Trust
​ ​ ​
Alternatives Diversifier Fund
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Bond Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ CA Tax-Exempt Bond Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Emerging Markets Debt Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Emerging Markets Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Equity Trend Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Essential Resources Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Foreign Opportunities Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Global Equity Trend Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Global Infrastructure Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Global Opportunities Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Global Real Estate Securities Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Greater European Opportunities Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Herzfeld Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ High Yield Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ International Equity Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ International Real Estate Securities Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ International Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ International Wealth Masters Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Low Duration Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Low Volatility Equity Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Muti-Asset Trend Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Multi-Sector Intermediate Bond Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Multi-Sector Short Term Bond Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Real Estate Securities Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Sector Trend Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Senior Floating Rate Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Tax-Exempt Bond Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ Wealth Masters Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ ​
Virtus Retirement Trust
​ ​ ​
DFA 2015 Target Date Retirement Income Fund
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ DFA 2020 Target Date Retirement Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ DFA 2025 Target Date Retirement Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ DFA 2030 Target Date Retirement Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ DFA 2035 Target Date Retirement Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ DFA 2040 Target Date Retirement Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ DFA 2045 Target Date Retirement Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ DFA 2050 Target Date Retirement Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ DFA 2055 Target Date Retirement Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
​ DFA 2060 Target Date Retirement Income Fund ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​ ​
X
​ ​
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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FUND INVESTMENT STRATEGIES & RELATED RISKS
The following investment strategies and policies supplement each Fund’s investment strategies and policies set forth in the Funds' prospectuses. Some of the investment strategies and policies described below and in each Fund's prospectus set forth percentage limitations on a Fund’s investment in, or holdings of, certain types of investments. Unless otherwise required by law or stated in this SAI, compliance with these strategies and policies will be determined immediately after the acquisition of such investments by the Fund. Subsequent changes in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the Fund’s investment strategies and policies.
Investment Technique
​ ​
Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
​
Debt Investing
​ ​
Each Fund may invest in debt, or fixed income, securities. Debt, or fixed income, securities (which include corporate bonds, commercial paper, debentures, notes, government securities, municipal obligations, state- or state agency-issued obligations, obligations of foreign issuers, asset- or mortgage-backed securities, and other obligations) are used by issuers to borrow money and thus are debt obligations of the issuer. Holders of debt securities are creditors of the issuer, normally ranking ahead of holders of both common and preferred stock as to dividends or upon liquidation. The issuer usually pays a fixed, variable, or floating rate of interest and must repay the amount borrowed at the security’s maturity. Some debt securities, such as zero-coupon securities (discussed below), do not pay interest but may be sold at a deep discount from their face value.
Yields on debt securities depend on a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money, bond, and note markets, the size of a particular offering, the maturity date of the obligation, and the rating of the issue. Debt securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields and are generally subject to greater price fluctuations in response to changes in market conditions than obligations with shorter maturities. An increase in interest rates generally will reduce the market value of portfolio debt securities, while a decline in interest rates generally will increase the value of the same securities. The achievement of a Fund’s investment objective depends in part on the continuing ability of the issuers of the debt securities in which the Fund invests to meet their obligations for the payment of principal and interest when due. Obligations of issuers of debt securities are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, sovereign immunity, and other laws that affect the rights and remedies of creditors. There is also the possibility that, as a result of litigation or other conditions, the ability of an issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its debt securities may be materially affected.
​ ​ ​ ​
Convertible Securities
​ ​
A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specific price or formula. It generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the security matures or is redeemed, converted, or exchanged. Convertible securities may have several unique investment characteristics such as (1) higher yields than common stocks, but lower yields than comparable nonconvertible securities, (2) a lesser degree of fluctuation in value than the underlying stock since they have fixed income characteristics and (3) the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.
Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible debt securities. Convertible securities often rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure and, therefore, are often viewed as entailing less risk than the corporation’s common stock, although the extent to which this is true depends in large measure on the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security. However, because convertible securities are often viewed by the issuer as future
​ ​ ​ ​
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Investment Technique
​ ​
Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
​
​ ​ ​
common stock, they are often subordinated to other senior securities and therefore are rated one category lower than the issuer’s nonconvertible debt obligations or preferred stock.
A convertible security may be subject to redemption or conversion at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund could be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to the underlying common stock. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential, and would normally not exercise an option to convert. The Fund might be more willing to convert such securities to common stock.
A Fund’s subadviser will select only those convertible securities for which it believes (a) the underlying common stock is a suitable investment for the Fund and (b) a greater potential for total return exists by purchasing the convertible security because of its higher yield and/or favorable market valuation. However, the Fund may invest in convertible debt securities rated less than investment grade. Debt securities rated less than investment grade are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” (For information about debt securities rated less than investment grade, see “High-Yield/High-Risk Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds)” under “Debt Investing” in this section of the SAI; for additional information about ratings on debt obligations, see Appendix A to this SAI.)
​ ​ ​ ​
Corporate Debt Securities
​ ​
Each Fund may invest in debt securities issued by corporations, limited partnerships and other similar entities. A Fund’s investments in debt securities of domestic or foreign corporate issuers include bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities that meet the Fund’s minimum ratings criteria or if unrated are, in the Fund’s subadviser’s opinion, comparable in quality to corporate debt securities that meet those criteria. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies or to the value of commodities, such as gold.
​ ​ ​ ​
Dollar-denominated Foreign Debt Securities (“Yankee Bonds”)
​ ​
Each Fund may invest in “Yankee bonds”, which are dollar-denominated instruments issued in the U.S. market by foreign branches of U.S. banks and U.S. branches of foreign banks. Since these instruments are dollar-denominated, they are not affected by variations in currency exchange rates. They are influenced primarily by interest rate levels in the United States and by the financial condition of the issuer, or of the issuer’s foreign parent. However, investing in these instruments may present a greater degree of risk than investing in domestic securities, due to less publicly available information, less securities regulation, war or expropriation. Special considerations may include higher brokerage costs and thinner trading markets. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by other factors including extended settlement periods. (See “Foreign Investing” in this section of the SAI for additional information about investing in foreign countries.)
​ ​ ​ ​
Duration
​ ​
Duration is a time measure of a bond’s interest-rate sensitivity, based on the weighted average of the time periods over which a bond’s cash flows accrue to the bondholder. Time periods are weighted by multiplying by the present value of its cash flow divided by the bond’s price. (A bond’s cash flows consist of coupon payments and repayment of capital.) A bond’s duration will almost always be shorter than its maturity, with the exception of zero-coupon bonds, for which maturity and duration are equal.
​ ​ ​ ​
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Investment Technique
​ ​
Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
​
Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs)
​ ​
Generally, ETNs are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities whose returns are linked to the performance of a particular market benchmark or strategy minus applicable fees. ETNs are traded on an exchange during normal trading hours. However, investors can also hold the ETN until maturity. At maturity, the issuer pays to the investor a cash amount equal to the principal amount, subject to the day’s market benchmark or strategy factor.
ETNs do not make periodic coupon payments or provide principal protection. ETNs are subject to credit risk, and the value of the ETN may drop due to a downgrade in the issuer’s credit rating, despite the underlying market benchmark or strategy remaining unchanged. The value of an ETN may also be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating, and economic, legal, political, or geographic events that affect the referenced underlying asset. When a Fund invests in ETNs it will bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. The Fund’s decision to sell its ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market. In addition, although an ETN may be listed on an exchange, the issuer may not be required to maintain the listing, and there can be no assurance that a secondary market will exist for an ETN.
ETNs are also subject to tax risk. No assurance can be given that the IRS will accept, or a court will uphold, how a Fund characterizes and treats ETNs for tax purposes. Further, the IRS and Congress are considering proposals that would change the timing and character of income and gains from ETNs.
An ETN that is tied to a specific market benchmark or strategy may not be able to replicate and maintain exactly the composition and relative weighting of securities, commodities or other components in the applicable market benchmark or strategy. Some ETNs that use leverage can, at times, be relatively illiquid and, thus, they may be difficult to purchase or sell at a fair price. Leveraged ETNs are subject to the same risks as other instruments that use leverage in any form.
The market value of ETNs may differ from that of their market benchmark or strategy. This difference in price may be due to the fact that the supply and demand in the market for ETNs at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the securities, commodities or other components underlying the market benchmark or strategy that the ETN seeks to track. As a result, there may be times when an ETN trades at a premium or discount to its market benchmark or strategy.
​ ​ ​ ​
High-Yield/High-Risk Fixed Income Securities (“Junk Bonds”)
​ ​
Investments in securities rated “BB” or below by S&P or Fitch, or “Ba” or below by Moody’s generally provide greater income (leading to the name “high-yield” securities) and opportunity for capital appreciation than investments in higher quality securities, but they also typically entail greater price volatility, liquidity, and principal and income risk. These securities are regarded as predominantly speculative as to the issuer’s continuing ability to meet principal and interest payment obligations. Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of lower-quality debt securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher-quality debt securities.
Interest-bearing securities typically experience appreciation when interest rates decline and depreciation when interest rates rise. The market values of low-rated securities tend to reflect individual corporate developments to a greater extent than do higher-rated securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Low-rated securities also tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than higher-rated securities. As a result, they
​ ​ ​ ​
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Investment Technique
​ ​
Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
​
​ ​ ​
generally involve more credit risks than securities in the higher-rated categories. During an economic downturn or a sustained period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of low-rated 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 low-rated securities is generally considered to be significantly greater than issuers of higher-rated securities because such securities are usually unsecured and are often subordinated to other creditors. Further, if the issuer of a low-rated security defaulted, the applicable Fund might incur additional expenses in seeking recovery. Periods of economic uncertainty and changes would also generally result in increased volatility in the market prices of low-rated securities and thus in the applicable Fund’s NAV.
Low-rated securities often contain redemption, call or prepayment provisions which permit the issuer of the securities containing such provisions to, at its discretion, redeem the securities. During periods of falling interest rates, issuers of low-rated securities are likely to redeem or prepay the securities and refinance them with debt securities with a lower interest rate. To the extent an issuer is able to refinance the securities or otherwise redeem them, the applicable Fund may have to replace the securities with a lower yielding security which would result in lower returns for the Fund.
A Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain low-rated securities because there may be a thin trading market for such securities. Because not all dealers maintain markets in all low-rated securities, there is no established retail secondary market for many of these securities. The Funds anticipate that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of dealers or institutional investors. To the extent a secondary trading market does exist, it is generally not as liquid as the secondary market for higher-rated securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security, and accordingly, the NAV of a particular Fund and its ability to dispose of particular securities when necessary to meet its liquidity needs, or in response to a specific economic event, or an event such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer. The lack of a liquid secondary market for certain securities may also make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing its respective portfolio. Market quotations are generally available on many low-rated issues only from a limited number of dealers and may not necessarily represent firm bids of such dealers or prices for actual sales. During periods of thin trading, the spread between bid and asked prices is likely to increase significantly. In addition, adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of low-rated securities, especially in a thinly-traded market. If a Fund experiences unexpected net redemptions, it may be forced to liquidate a portion of its portfolio securities without regard to their investment merits. Due to the limited liquidity of low-rated securities, the Fund may be forced to liquidate these securities at a substantial discount. Any such liquidation would reduce the Fund’s asset base over which expenses could be allocated and could result in a reduced rate of return for the Fund.
​ ​ ​ ​
Inverse Floating Rate Obligations
​ ​
Certain variable rate securities pay interest at a rate that varies inversely to prevailing short-term interest rates (sometimes referred to as inverse floaters). For example, upon reset the interest rate payable on a security may go down when the underlying index has risen. During periods when short-term interest rates are relatively low as
​ ​ No Fund will invest more than 5% of its assets in inverse floaters. ​
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Investment Technique
​ ​
Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
​
​ ​ ​
compared to long-term interest rates, the Fund may attempt to enhance its yield by purchasing inverse floaters. Certain inverse floaters may have an interest rate reset mechanism that multiplies the effects of changes in the underlying index. While this form of leverage may increase the security’s yield, it may also increase the volatility of the security’s market value.
Similar to other variable and floating rate obligations, effective use of inverse floaters requires skills different from those needed to select most portfolio securities. If movements in interest rates are incorrectly anticipated, a Fund holding these instruments could lose money and its NAV could decline.
​ ​ ​ ​
Letters of Credit
​ ​
Debt obligations, including municipal obligations, certificates of participation, commercial paper and other short-term obligations, may be backed by an irrevocable letter of credit of a bank that assumes the obligation for payment of principal and interest in the event of default by the issuer. Only banks that, in the opinion of the relevant Fund’s subadviser, are of investment quality comparable to other permitted investments of the Fund may be used for Letter of Credit-backed investments.
​ ​ ​ ​
Loan and Debt Participations and Assignments
​ ​
A loan participation agreement involves the purchase of a share of a loan made by a bank to a company in return for a corresponding share of the borrower’s principal and interest payments. Loan participations of the type in which the Fund may invest include interests in both secured and unsecured corporate loans. When a Fund purchases loan assignments from lenders, it will acquire direct rights against the borrower, but these rights and the Fund’s obligations may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assignment lender. The principal credit risk associated with acquiring loan participation and assignment interests is the credit risk associated with the underlying corporate borrower. There is also a risk that there may not be a readily available market for participation loan interests and, in some cases, this could result in the Fund disposing of such securities at a substantial discount from face value or holding such securities until maturity.
In the event that a corporate borrower failed to pay its scheduled interest or principal payments on participations held by the Fund, the market value of the affected participation would decline, resulting in a loss of value of such investment to the Fund. Accordingly, such participations are speculative and may result in the income level and net assets of the Fund being reduced. Moreover, loan participation agreements generally limit the right of a participant to resell its interest in the loan to a third party and, as a result, loan participations may be deemed by the Fund to be illiquid investments. A Fund will invest only in participations with respect to borrowers whose creditworthiness is, or is determined by the Fund’s subadviser to be, substantially equivalent to that of issuers whose senior unsubordinated debt securities are rated B or higher by Moody’s or S&P. For the purposes of diversification and/or concentration calculations, both the borrower and issuer will be considered an “issuer.”
The Funds may purchase from banks participation interests in all or part of specific holdings of debt obligations. Each participation interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of the selling bank that the relevant Fund’s subadviser has determined meets the prescribed quality standards of the Fund. Thus, even if the credit of the issuer of the debt obligation does not meet the quality standards of the Fund, the credit of the selling bank will.
Loan participations and assignments may be illiquid and therefore subject to the Funds’ limitations on investments in illiquid securities. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.)
​ ​ ​ ​
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Investment Technique
​ ​
Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
​
Municipal Securities and Related Investments
​ ​
Tax-exempt municipal securities are debt obligations issued by the various states and their subdivisions (e.g., cities, counties, towns, and school districts) to raise funds, generally for various public improvements requiring long-term capital investment. Purposes for which tax-exempt bonds are issued include flood control, airports, bridges and highways, housing, medical facilities, schools, mass transportation and power, water or sewage plants, as well as others. Tax-exempt bonds also are occasionally issued to retire outstanding obligations, to obtain funds for operating expenses or to loan to other public or, in some cases, private sector organizations or to individuals.
Yields on municipal securities are dependent on a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money market and the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligations and the rating of the issue. Municipal securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields and are generally subject to potentially greater capital appreciation and depreciation than obligations with shorter maturities and lower yields. The market prices of municipal securities usually vary, depending upon available yields. An increase in interest rates will generally reduce the value of portfolio investments, and a decline in interest rates will generally increase the value of portfolio investments. The ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective is also dependent on the continuing ability of the issuers of municipal securities in which the Fund invests to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal when due. The ratings of Moody’s and S&P represent their opinions as to the quality of municipal securities which they undertake to rate. Ratings are not absolute standards of quality; consequently, municipal securities with the same maturity, coupon, and rating may have different yields. There are variations in municipal securities, both within a particular classification and between classifications, depending on numerous factors. It should also be pointed out that, unlike other types of investments, municipal securities have traditionally not been subject to regulation by, or registration with, the SEC, although there have been proposals which would provide for such regulation in the future.
The federal bankruptcy statutes relating to the debts of political subdivisions and authorities of states of the United States provide that, in certain circumstances, such subdivisions or authorities may be authorized to initiate bankruptcy proceedings without prior notice to or consent of creditors, which proceedings could result in material and adverse changes in the rights of holders of their obligations.
Lawsuits challenging the validity under state constitutions of present systems of financing public education have been initiated or adjusted in a number of states, and legislation has been introduced to effect changes in public school financing in some states. In other instances there have been lawsuits challenging the issuance of pollution control revenue bonds or the validity of their issuance under state or federal law which could ultimately affect the validity of those municipal securities or the tax-free nature of the interest thereon.
Descriptions of some of the municipal securities and related investment types most commonly acquired by the Funds are provided below. In addition to those shown, other types of municipal investments are, or may become, available for investment by the Funds. For the purpose of each Fund’s investment restrictions set forth in this SAI, the identification of the “issuer” of a municipal security which is not a general obligation bond is made by the applicable Fund’s subadviser on the basis of the characteristics of the obligation, the most significant of which is the source of funds for the payment of principal and interest on such security.
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​ ​
Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
​
Municipal Bonds
​ ​
Municipal bonds, which meet longer-term capital needs and generally have maturities of more than one year when issued, have two principal classifications: general obligation bonds and revenue bonds. Another type of municipal bond is referred to as an industrial development bond.
​ ​ ​ ​
General Obligation Bonds ​ ​
Issuers of general obligation bonds include states, counties, cities, towns, and regional districts. The proceeds of these obligations are used to fund a wide range of public projects, including construction or improvement of schools, highways and roads, and water and sewer systems. The basic security behind general obligation bonds is the issuer’s pledge of its full faith and credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. The taxes that can be levied for the payment of debt service may be limited or unlimited as to the rate or amount of special assessments.
​ ​ ​ ​
Industrial Development Bonds ​ ​
Industrial development bonds, which are considered municipal bonds if the interest paid is exempt from Federal income tax, are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to raise money to finance various privately operated facilities for business and manufacturing, housing, sports arenas and pollution control. These bonds are also used to finance public facilities such as airports, mass transit systems, ports and parking. The payment of the principal and interest on such bonds is dependent solely on the ability of the facility’s user to meet its financial obligations and the pledge, if any, of real and personal property so financed as security for such payment.
​ ​ ​ ​
Revenue Bonds ​ ​
The principal security for a revenue bond is generally the net revenues derived from a particular facility, group of facilities, or, in some cases, the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Revenue bonds are issued to finance a wide variety of capital projects including: electric, gas, water and sewer systems; highways, bridges, and tunnels; port and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. Although the principal security behind these bonds may vary, many provide additional security in the form of a debt service reserve fund whose money may be used to make principal and interest payments on the issuer’s obligations. Housing finance authorities have a wide range of security; including partially or fully insured mortgages, rent subsidized and/or collateralized mortgages, and/or the net revenues from housing or other public projects. Some authorities provide further security in the form of a state’s ability (without obligation) to make up deficiencies in the debt service reserve fund.
​ ​ ​ ​
Municipal Leases
​ ​
Each Fund may acquire participations in lease obligations or installment purchase contract obligations (hereinafter collectively called “lease obligations”) of municipal authorities or entities. Although lease obligations do not constitute general obligations of the municipality for which the municipality’s taxing power is pledged, a lease obligation may be backed by the municipality’s covenant to budget for, appropriate, and make the payments due under the lease obligation. However, certain lease obligations contain “non-appropriation” clauses which provide that the municipality has no obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in future years unless money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. In addition to the “non-appropriation” risk, these securities represent a relatively new type of financing that has not yet developed the depth of marketability associated with more conventional bonds. In the case of a “non-appropriation” lease, the Fund’s ability to recover under the lease in the event of non-appropriation or default will be limited solely to the repossession of the leased property in the event foreclosure might prove difficult. The Fund’s subadviser will evaluate the credit quality of a municipal lease and whether it will be
​ ​ ​ ​
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​ ​
Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
​
​ ​ ​
considered liquid. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Investments” in this section of the SAI for information regarding the implications of these investments being considered illiquid.)
​ ​ ​ ​
Municipal Notes
​ ​
Municipal notes generally are used to provide for short-term working capital needs and generally have maturities of one year or less. Municipal notes include bond anticipation notes, construction loan notes, revenue anticipation notes and tax anticipation notes.
​ ​ ​ ​
Bond Anticipation Notes ​ ​
Bond anticipation notes are issued to provide interim financing until long-term financing can be arranged. In most cases, the long-term bonds then provide the money for the repayment of the notes.
​ ​ ​ ​
Construction Loan Notes ​ ​
Construction loan notes are sold to provide construction financing. After successful completion and acceptance, many projects receive permanent financing through FNMA or GNMA.
​ ​ ​ ​
Revenue Anticipation Notes ​ ​
Revenue anticipation notes are issued in expectation of receipt of other types of revenue, such as Federal revenues available under Federal revenue sharing programs.
​ ​ ​ ​
Tax Anticipation Notes
​ ​
Tax anticipation notes are issued to finance working capital needs of municipalities. Generally, they are issued in anticipation of various seasonal tax revenue, such as income, sales, use and business taxes, and are payable from these specific future taxes.
​ ​ ​ ​
Tax-Exempt Commercial Paper
​ ​
Tax-exempt commercial paper is a short-term obligation with a stated maturity of 365 days or less. It is issued by state and local governments or their agencies to finance seasonal working capital needs or as short-term financing in anticipation of longer-term financing.
​ ​ ​ ​
Participation on Creditors’ Committees
​ ​
While the Funds do not invest in securities to exercise control over the securities’ issuers, each Fund may, from time to time, participate on committees formed by creditors to negotiate with the management of financially troubled issuers of securities held by the Fund. Such participation may subject the relevant Fund to expenses such as legal fees and may deem the Fund an “insider” of the issuer for purposes of the Federal securities laws, and expose the Fund to material non-public information of the issuer, and therefore may restrict the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell a particular security when it might otherwise desire to do so. Participation by a Fund on such committees also may expose the Fund to potential liabilities under the federal bankruptcy laws or other laws governing the rights of creditors and debtors. A Fund will participate on such committees only when the Fund’s subadviser believes that such participation is necessary or desirable to enforce the Fund’s rights as a creditor or to protect the value of securities held by the Fund.
​ ​ ​ ​
Payable in Kind (“PIK”) Bonds
​ ​
PIK bonds are obligations which provide that the issuer thereof may, at its option, pay interest on such bonds in cash or “in kind”, which means in the form of additional debt securities. Such securities benefit the issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet debt service, but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are willing to defer receipt of such cash. The Funds will accrue income on such investments for tax and accounting purposes, which is distributable to shareholders and which, because no cash is received at the time of accrual, may require the liquidation of other portfolio securities to satisfy the Funds’ distribution obligations. The market prices of PIK bonds generally are more volatile than the market prices of securities that pay interest periodically, and they are likely to respond to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than would otherwise similar bonds on which regular cash payments of interest are being made.
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Fund-Specific Limitations
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Ratings
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The rating or quality of a debt security refers to a rating agency’s assessment of the issuer’s creditworthiness, i.e., its ability to pay principal and interest when due. Higher ratings indicate better credit quality, as rated by independent rating organizations such as Moody’s, S&P or Fitch, which publish their ratings on a regular basis. Appendix A provides a description of the various ratings provided for bonds (including convertible bonds), municipal bonds, and commercial paper.
After a Fund purchases a debt security, the rating of that security may be reduced below the minimum rating acceptable for purchase by the Fund. A subsequent downgrade does not require the sale of the security, but the Fund’s subadviser will consider such an event in determining whether to continue to hold the obligation. To the extent that ratings established by Moody’s or S&P may change as a result of changes in such organizations or their rating systems, a Fund will invest in securities which are deemed by the Fund’s subadviser to be of comparable quality to securities whose current ratings render them eligible for purchase by the Fund.
Credit ratings issued by credit rating agencies evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of rated securities. They do not, however, evaluate the market-value risk and therefore may not fully reflect the true risks of an investment. In addition, credit rating agencies may or may not make timely changes in a rating to reflect changes in the economy or in the condition of the issuer that affect the market value of the security. Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of investment quality.
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Sovereign Debt
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Each Fund may invest in “sovereign debt,” which is issued or guaranteed by foreign governments (including countries, provinces and municipalities) or their agencies and instrumentalities. Sovereign debt may trade at a substantial discount from face value. The Funds may hold and trade sovereign debt of foreign countries in appropriate circumstances to participate in debt conversion programs. Emerging-market country sovereign debt involves a higher degree of risk than that of developed markets, is generally lower-quality debt, and is considered speculative in nature due, in part, to the extreme and volatile nature of debt burdens in such countries and because emerging market governments can be relatively unstable. The issuer or governmental authorities that control sovereign-debt repayment (“sovereign debtors”) may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or interest when due in accordance with the terms of the debt. A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash-flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s policy towards the IMF, and the political constraints to which the sovereign debtor may be subject. Sovereign debtors may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearage on their debt. The commitment of these third parties to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the sovereign debtor’s implementation of economic reforms or economic performance and the timely service of the debtor’s obligations. The sovereign debtor’s failure to meet these conditions may cause these third parties to cancel their commitments to provide funds to the sovereign debtor, which may further impair the debtor’s ability or willingness to timely service its debts. In certain instances, the Funds may invest in sovereign debt that is in default as to payments of principal or interest. In the event that the Funds hold non-performing sovereign debt, the Funds may incur additional expenses
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in connection with any restructuring of the issuer’s obligations or in otherwise enforcing their rights thereunder.
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Brady Bonds
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Each Fund may invest a portion of its assets in certain sovereign debt obligations known as “Brady Bonds.” Brady Bonds are issued under the framework of the Brady Plan, an initiative announced by former U.S. Treasury Secretary Nicholas F. Brady in 1989 as a mechanism for debtor nations to restructure their outstanding external indebtedness. The Brady Plan contemplates, among other things, the debtor nation’s adoption of certain economic reforms and the exchange of commercial bank debt for newly issued bonds. In restructuring its external debt under the Brady Plan framework, a debtor nation negotiates with its existing bank lenders as well as the World Bank or the IMF. The World Bank or IMF supports the restructuring by providing funds pursuant to loan agreements or other arrangements that enable the debtor nation to collateralize the new Brady Bonds or to replenish reserves used to reduce outstanding bank debt. Under these loan agreements or other arrangements with the World Bank or IMF, debtor nations have been required to agree to implement certain domestic monetary and fiscal reforms. The Brady Plan sets forth only general guiding principles for economic reform and debt reduction, emphasizing that solutions must be negotiated on a case-by-case basis between debtor nations and their creditors.
Brady Bonds are often viewed as having three or four valuation components: (i) the collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity; (ii) the collateralized interest payments; (iii) the uncollateralized interest payments; and (iv) any uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity (these uncollateralized amounts constitute the “residual risk”). In light of the residual risk of Brady Bonds and, among other factors, the history of defaults with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities of countries issuing Brady Bonds, investments in Brady Bonds can be viewed as speculative.
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Stand-by Commitments
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Each Fund may purchase securities together with the right to resell them to the seller or a third party at an agreed-upon price or yield within specified periods prior to their maturity dates. Such a right to resell is commonly known as a stand-by commitment, and the aggregate price which a Fund pays for securities with a stand-by commitment may increase the cost, and thereby reduce the yield, of the security. The primary purpose of this practice is to permit the Fund to be as fully invested as practicable in municipal securities while preserving the necessary flexibility and liquidity to meet unanticipated redemptions. Stand-by commitments acquired by a Fund are valued at zero in determining the Fund’s NAV. Stand-by commitments involve certain expenses and risks, including the inability of the issuer of the commitment to pay for the securities at the time the commitment is exercised, non-marketability of the commitment, and differences between the maturity of the underlying security and the maturity of the commitment.
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Strip Bonds
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Strip bonds are debt securities that are stripped of their interest (usually by a financial intermediary) after the securities are issued. The market value of these securities generally fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates than interest-paying securities of comparable maturity.
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Tender Option Bonds
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Tender option bonds are relatively long-term bonds that are coupled with the option to tender the securities to a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution at periodic intervals and receive the face value of the bond. This investment structure is commonly used as a means of enhancing a security’s liquidity.
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Variable and Floating Rate Obligations
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Each Fund may purchase securities having a floating or variable rate of interest. These securities pay interest at rates that are adjusted periodically according to a specific formula, usually with reference to some interest rate index or market interest rate (the “underlying index”). The floating rate tends to decrease the security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. These securities may carry demand features permitting the holder to demand payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals prior to maturity. Accordingly, as interest rates decrease or increase, the potential for capital appreciation or depreciation is less than for fixed-rate obligations.
In order to most effectively use these investments, a Fund’s subadviser must correctly assess probable movements in interest rates. This involves different skills than those used to select most other portfolio securities. If the Fund’s subadviser incorrectly forecasts such movements, the Fund could be adversely affected by the use of variable or floating rate obligations.
The floating and variable rate obligations that the Funds may purchase include variable rate demand securities. Variable rate demand securities are variable rate securities that have demand features entitling the purchaser to resell the securities to the issuer at an amount approximately equal to amortized cost or the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, which may be more or less than the price that the Fund paid for them. The interest rate on variable rate demand securities also varies either according to some objective standard, such as an index of short-term, tax-exempt rates, or according to rates set by or on behalf of the issuer.
When a Fund purchases a floating or variable rate demand instrument, the Fund’s subadviser will monitor, on an ongoing basis, the ability of the issuer to pay principal and interest on demand. The Fund’s right to obtain payment at par on a demand instrument could be affected by events occurring between the date the Fund elects to demand payment and the date payment is due that may affect the ability of the issuer of the instrument to make payment when due, except when such demand instrument permits same day settlement. To facilitate settlement, these same day demand instruments may be held in book entry form at a bank other than the Funds’ custodian subject to a sub-custodian agreement between the bank and the Funds’ custodian.
The floating and variable rate obligations that the Funds may purchase also include certificates of participation in such obligations purchased from banks. A certificate of participation gives the Fund an undivided interest in the underlying obligations in the proportion that the Fund’s interest bears to the total principal amount of the obligation. Certain certificates of participation may carry a demand feature that would permit the holder to tender them back to the issuer prior to maturity.
The income received on certificates of participation in tax-exempt municipal obligations constitutes interest from tax-exempt obligations.
Each Fund will limit its purchases of floating and variable rate obligations to those of the same quality as it otherwise is allowed to purchase. Similar to fixed rate debt instruments, variable and floating rate instruments are subject to changes in value based on changes in prevailing market interest rates or changes in the issuer’s creditworthiness.
A floating or variable rate instrument may be subject to a Fund’s percentage limitation on illiquid securities if there is no reliable trading market for the instrument or if the Fund may not demand payment of
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the principal amount within seven days. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.)
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Zero and Deferred Coupon Debt Securities
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Each Fund may invest in debt obligations that do not make any interest payments for a specified period of time prior to maturity (“deferred coupon” bonds) or until maturity (“zero coupon” bonds). The nonpayment of interest on a current basis may result from the bond’s having no stated interest rate, in which case the bond pays only principal at maturity and is normally initially issued at a discount from face value. Alternatively, the bond may provide for a stated rate of interest, but provide that such interest is not payable until maturity, in which case the bond may initially be issued at par. The value to the investor of these types of bonds is represented by the economic accretion either of the difference between the purchase price and the nominal principal amount (if no interest is stated to accrue) or of accrued, unpaid interest during the bond’s life or payment deferral period.
Because deferred and zero coupon bonds do not make interest payments for a certain period of time, they are generally purchased by a Fund at a deep discount and their value fluctuates more in response to interest rate changes than does the value of debt obligations that make current interest payments. The degree of fluctuation with interest rate changes is greater when the deferred period is longer. Therefore, when a Fund invests in zero or deferred coupon bonds, there is a risk that the value of the Fund’s shares may decline more as a result of an increase in interest rates than would be the case if the Fund did not invest in such bonds.
Even though zero and deferred coupon bonds may not pay current interest in cash, each Fund is required to accrue interest income on such investments and to distribute such amounts to shareholders. Thus, a Fund would not be able to purchase income-producing securities to the extent cash is used to pay such distributions, and, therefore, the Fund’s current income could be less than it otherwise would have been. Instead of using cash, the Fund might liquidate investments in order to satisfy these distribution requirements.
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Derivative Investments
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Each Fund may invest in various types of derivatives, which may at times result in significant derivative exposure. A derivative is a financial instrument whose performance is derived from the performance of another asset. Each Fund may invest in derivative instruments including, but not limited to: futures contracts, put options, call options, options on future contracts, options on foreign currencies, swaps, forward contracts, structured investments, and other equity-linked derivatives.
Each Fund may use derivative instruments for hedging (to offset risks associated with an investment, currency exposure, or market conditions) or in pursuit of its investment objective(s) and policies (to seek to enhance returns). When a Fund invests in a derivative, the risks of loss of that derivative may be greater than the derivative’s cost. No Fund may use any derivative to gain exposure to an asset or class of assets that it would be prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly. In addition to other considerations, a Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations. (See “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” in this SAI.)
Investments in derivatives may subject a Fund to special risks in addition to normal market fluctuations and other risks inherent in investment in securities. For example, a percentage of the Fund’s assets may be segregated to cover its obligations with respect to the derivative investment, which may make it more difficult for the Fund’s subadviser to meet redemption requests or other short-term obligations.
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Investments in derivatives in general are also subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Investments in derivatives may not directly correlate with the price movements of the underlying instrument. As a result, the use of derivatives may expose the Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than otherwise would be the case.
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Commodity Interests
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Certain of the derivative investment types permitted for the Funds may be considered commodity interests for purposes of the CEA and regulations approved by the CFTC. However, each Fund intends to limit the use of such investment types as required to qualify for exclusion or exemption from being considered a “commodity pool” or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in commodity interests under such regulations. As a result, except as otherwise noted below each Fund has filed a notice of exclusion under CFTC Regulation 4.5 or exemption under CFTC Regulation 4.13(a)(3).
The CFTC recently adopted amendments to its rules that may affect the Funds’ ability to continue to claim exclusion or exemption from regulation. If a Fund’s use of these techniques would cause the Fund to be considered a “commodity pool” under the CEA, then the Adviser would be subject to registration and regulation as the Fund’s commodity pool operator, and the Fund’s subadviser may be subject to registration and regulation as the Fund’s commodity trading advisor. A Fund may incur additional expense as a result of the CFTC’s registration and regulation obligations, and the Fund’s use of these techniques and other instruments may be limited or restricted.
​ ​ As of the date of this SAI, each Fund intends to limit the use of such investment types as required to qualify for exclusion from being considered a “commodity pool” or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in commodity interests under such regulations, and each Fund has filed a notice of exclusion under CFTC Regulation 4.5 or exemption under CFTC Regulation 4.13(a)(3). ​
Credit-linked Notes
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Credit-linked notes are derivative instruments used to transfer credit risk. The performance of the notes is linked to the performance of the underlying reference obligation or reference portfolio (“reference entities”). The notes are usually issued by a special purpose vehicle that sells credit protection through a credit default swap agreement in return for a premium and an obligation to pay the transaction sponsor should a reference entity experience a credit event, such as bankruptcy. The special purpose vehicle invests the proceeds from the notes to cover its contingent obligation. Revenue from the investments and the money received as premium are used to pay interest to note holders. The main risk of credit linked notes is the risk of default to the reference obligation of the credit default swap. Should a default occur, the special purpose vehicle would have to pay the transaction sponsor, subordinating payments to the note holders. Credit linked notes also may not be liquid and may be subject to currency and interest rate risks as well.
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Equity-linked Derivatives
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Each Fund may invest in equity-linked derivative products, the performance of which is designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or “basket” of stocks, or to a single stock. Investments in equity-linked derivatives involve the same risks associated with a direct investment in the types of securities such products are designed to track. There can be no assurance that the trading price of the equity-linked derivatives will equal the underlying value of the securities purchased to replicate a particular investment or that such basket will replicate the investment.
Investments in equity-linked derivatives may constitute investments in other investment companies. (See “Mutual Fund Investing” in this section of the SAI for information regarding the implications of a Fund investing in other investment companies.)
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Eurodollar Instruments
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The Funds may invest in Eurodollar instruments. Eurodollar instruments are dollar-denominated certificates of deposit and time deposits issued outside the U.S. capital markets by foreign branches of U.S. banks and by foreign banks. Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a fixed rate for the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for borrowings. A Fund might use Eurodollar instruments to hedge against changes in interest rates or to enhance returns.
Eurodollar obligations are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers, most notably income risk (and, to a lesser extent, credit risk, market risk, and liquidity risk). Additionally, Eurodollar obligations are subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments, the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions, the imposition of foreign withholding taxes, and expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers. However, Eurodollar obligations will undergo the same type of credit analysis as domestic issuers in which a Fund invests.
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Foreign Currency Forward Contracts, Futures and Options
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Each Fund may engage in certain derivative foreign currency exchange and option transactions involving investment risks and transaction costs to which the Fund would not be subject absent the use of these strategies. If a Fund’s subadviser’s predictions of movements in the direction of securities prices or currency exchange rates are inaccurate, the adverse consequences to the Fund may leave the Fund in a worse position than if it had not used such strategies. Risks inherent in the use of option and foreign currency forward and futures contracts include: (1) dependence on the Fund’s subadviser’s ability to correctly predict movements in the direction of securities prices and currency exchange rates; (2) imperfect correlation between the price of options and futures contracts and movements in the prices of the securities or currencies being hedged; (3) the fact that the skills needed to use these strategies are different from those needed to select portfolio securities; (4) the possible absence of a liquid secondary market for any particular instrument at any time; and (5) the possible need to defer closing out certain hedged positions to avoid adverse tax consequences. The Fund’s ability to enter into futures contracts is also limited by the requirements of the Code for qualification as a regulated investment company. (See the “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” section of this SAI.)
A Fund may engage in currency exchange transactions to protect against uncertainty in the level of future currency exchange rates. In addition, a Fund may write covered put and call options on foreign currencies for the purpose of increasing its return.
A Fund may enter into contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies at a future date (“forward contracts”) and purchase and sell foreign currency futures contracts. For certain hedging purposes, the Fund may also purchase exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options on foreign currency futures contracts and on foreign currencies. A put option on a futures contract gives the Fund the right to assume a short position in the futures contract until the expiration of the option. A put option on a currency gives the Fund the right to sell the currency at an exercise price until the expiration of the option. A call option on a futures contract gives the Fund the right to assume a long position in the futures contract until the expiration of the option. A call option on a currency gives the Fund the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the expiration of the option.
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When engaging in position hedging, a Fund enters into foreign currency exchange transactions to protect against a decline in the values of the foreign currencies in which its portfolio securities are denominated (or an increase in the values of currency for securities which the Fund expects to purchase, when the Fund holds cash or short-term investments). In connection with position hedging, the Fund may purchase put or call options on foreign currency and on foreign currency futures contracts and buy or sell forward contracts and foreign currency futures contracts. (A Fund may also purchase or sell foreign currency on a spot basis, as discussed in “Foreign Currency Transactions” under “Foreign Investing” in this section of the SAI.)
The precise matching of the amounts of foreign currency exchange transactions and the value of the portfolio securities involved will not generally be possible since the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the dates the currency exchange transactions are entered into and the dates they mature. It is also impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration or maturity of a forward or futures contract. Accordingly, it may be necessary for a Fund to purchase additional foreign currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such purchase) if the market value of the security or securities being hedged is less than the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver and a decision is made to sell the security or securities and make delivery of the foreign currency. Conversely, it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the foreign currency received upon the sale of the portfolio security or securities if the market value of such security or securities exceeds the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver.
Hedging techniques do not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities which a Fund owns or intends to purchase or sell. They simply establish a rate of exchange which one can achieve at some future point in time. Additionally, although these techniques tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they also tend to limit any potential gain which might result from the increase in value of such currency.
A Fund may seek to increase its return or to offset some of the costs of hedging against fluctuations in currency exchange rates by writing covered put options and covered call options on foreign currencies. In that case, the Fund receives a premium from writing a put or call option, which increases the Fund’s current return if the option expires unexercised or is closed out at a net profit. A Fund may terminate an option that it has written prior to its expiration by entering into a closing purchase transaction in which it purchases an option having the same terms as the option written.
A Fund’s currency hedging transactions may call for the delivery of one foreign currency in exchange for another foreign currency and may at times not involve currencies in which its portfolio securities are then denominated. A Fund’s subadviser will engage in such “cross hedging” activities when it believes that such transactions provide significant hedging opportunities for the Fund. Cross hedging transactions by a Fund involve the risk of imperfect correlation between changes in the values of the currencies to which such transactions relate and changes in the value of the currency or other asset or liability which is the subject of the hedge.
Foreign currency forward contracts, futures and options may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States; may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees; and are
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subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the relevant Fund’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States, and (v) lesser trading volume.
The types of derivative foreign currency exchange transactions most commonly employed by the Funds are discussed below, although each Fund is also permitted to engage in other similar transactions to the extent consistent with the Fund’s investment limitations and restrictions.
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Foreign Currency Forward Contracts
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A foreign currency forward contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days (“term”) from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are traded directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers.
A Fund will specifically designate on its accounting records any asset, including equity securities and non-investment-grade debt so long as the asset is liquid, unencumbered and marked to market daily in an amount not less than the value of the Fund’s total assets committed to forward foreign currency exchange contracts entered into for the purchase of a foreign currency. If the value of the securities specifically designated declines, additional cash or securities will be added so that the specifically designated amount is not less than the amount of the Fund’s commitments with respect to such contracts.
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Foreign Currency Futures Transactions
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Each Fund may use foreign currency futures contracts and options on such futures contracts. Through the purchase or sale of such contracts, a Fund may be able to achieve many of the same objectives attainable through the use of foreign currency forward contracts, but more effectively and possibly at a lower cost.
Unlike forward foreign currency exchange contracts, foreign currency futures contracts and options on foreign currency futures contracts are standardized as to amount and delivery period and are traded on boards of trade and commodities exchanges. It is anticipated that such contracts may provide greater liquidity and lower cost than forward foreign currency exchange contracts.
Purchasers and sellers of foreign currency futures contracts are subject to the same risks that apply to the buying and selling of futures generally. In addition, there are risks associated with foreign currency futures contracts similar to those associated with options on foreign currencies. (See “Foreign Currency Options” and “Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts”, each in this sub-section of the SAI.) The Fund must accept or make delivery of the underlying foreign currency, through banking arrangements, in accordance with any U.S. or foreign restrictions or regulations regarding the maintenance of foreign banking arrangements by U.S. residents and may be required to pay any fees, taxes or charges associated with such delivery which are assessed in the issuing country.
To the extent required to comply with SEC Release No. IC-10666, when entering into a futures contract or an option transaction, a Fund will specifically designate on its accounting records any asset, including equity securities and non-investment-grade debt so long as the asset is liquid, unencumbered and marked to market daily equal to the net amount of the Fund’s obligation. For foreign currency futures
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transactions, the prescribed amount will generally be the daily value of the futures contract, marked to market.
Futures contracts are designed by boards of trade which are designated “contracts markets” by the CFTC. Futures contracts trade on contracts markets in a manner that is similar to the way a stock trades on a stock exchange and the boards of trade, through their clearing corporations, guarantee performance of the contracts. As of the date of this SAI, the Funds may invest in futures contracts under specified conditions without being regulated as commodity pools. However, under recently amended CFTC rules the Funds’ ability to maintain the exclusions/exemptions from the definition of commodity pool may be limited. (See “Commodity Interests” in this section of the SAI.)
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Foreign Currency Options
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A foreign currency option provides the option buyer with the right to buy or sell a stated amount of foreign currency at the exercise price at a specified date or during the option period. A call option gives its owner the right, but not the obligation, to buy the currency, while a put option gives its owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell the currency. The option seller (writer) is obligated to fulfill the terms of the option sold if it is exercised. However, either seller or buyer may close its position during the option period for such options any time prior to expiration.
A call rises in value if the underlying currency appreciates. Conversely, a put rises in value if the underlying currency depreciates. While purchasing a foreign currency option can protect a Fund against an adverse movement in the value of a foreign currency, it does not limit the gain which might result from a favorable movement in the value of such currency. For example, if the Fund were holding securities denominated in an appreciating foreign currency and had purchased a foreign currency put to hedge against a decline in the value of the currency, it would not have to exercise its put. Similarly, if the Fund had entered into a contract to purchase a security denominated in a foreign currency and had purchased a foreign currency call to hedge against a rise in the value of the currency but instead the currency had depreciated in value between the date of purchase and the settlement date, the Fund would not have to exercise its call but could acquire in the spot market the amount of foreign currency needed for settlement.
The value of a foreign currency option depends upon the value of the underlying currency relative to the other referenced currency. As a result, the price of the option position may vary with changes in the value of either or both currencies and have no relationship to the investment merits of a foreign security, including foreign securities held in a “hedged” investment portfolio. Because foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market involve substantially larger amounts than those that may be involved in the use of foreign currency options, the Funds may be disadvantaged by having to deal in an odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots.
As in the case of other kinds of options, the use of foreign currency options constitutes only a partial hedge, and a Fund could be required to purchase or sell foreign currencies at disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The purchase of an option on a foreign currency may not necessarily constitute an effective hedge against fluctuations in exchange rates and, in the event of rate movements adverse to the Fund’s position, the Fund may forfeit the entire amount of the premium plus related transaction costs.
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Options on foreign currencies written or purchased by a Fund may be traded on U.S. or foreign exchanges or over the counter. There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign currencies traded over the counter or any regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Quotation information available is generally representative of very large transactions in the interbank market and thus may not reflect relatively smaller transactions (i.e., less than $1 million) where rates may be less favorable. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global, around-the-clock market. To the extent that the options markets are closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open, significant price and rate movements may take place in the underlying markets that are not reflected in the options market.
For additional information about options transactions, see “Options” under “Derivative Investments” in this section of the SAI.
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Foreign Currency Warrants
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Foreign currency warrants such as currency exchange warrants are warrants that entitle the holder to receive from the issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) that is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between two specified currencies as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time.
Foreign currency warrants may be used to reduce the currency exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese Yen or Euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed).
Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered, and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. Upon exercise of warrants, there may be a delay between the time the holder gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining “time value” of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, if the warrants were “out-of-the-money,” in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants.
Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the OCC. Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants could be considerably in excess of the price
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that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.
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Performance Indexed Paper
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Performance indexed paper is commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain currency exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on performance indexed paper is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the designated currencies as of or about the time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.
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Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities (“PERLS”)
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PERLS are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the particular currencies at or about that time. The return on “standard” principal exchange rate linked securities is enhanced if the currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the base currency, and is adversely affected by increases in the exchange value of the base currency. “Reverse” PERLS are like the “standard” securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the base currency and adversely impacted by increases in the value of other currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made at rates that reflect the degree of currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the currency exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the currency exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLS may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.
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Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
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Each Fund may use interest rate, foreign currency, dividend, volatility or index futures contracts. An interest rate, foreign currency, dividend, volatility or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, dividend basket or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering several indexes as well as a number of financial instruments and foreign currencies, and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. Interest rate and volatility futures contracts currently are traded in the United States primarily on the floors of the Chicago Board of Trade and the International Monetary Market of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Interest rate futures also are traded on foreign exchanges such as the London International Financial Futures Exchange and the Singapore International Monetary Exchange. Volatility futures also are traded on foreign exchanges such as Eurex. Dividend futures are also traded on foreign exchanges such as Eurex, NYSE Euronext Liffe, London Stock Exchange and the Singapore International Monetary Exchange.
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A Fund may purchase and write call and put options on futures. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes discussed above. A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true.
Except as otherwise described in this SAI, the Funds will limit their use of futures contracts and futures options to hedging transactions and in an attempt to increase total return, in accordance with Federal regulations. The costs of, and possible losses incurred from, futures contracts and options thereon may reduce the Fund’s current income and involve a loss of principal. Any incremental return earned by the Fund resulting from these transactions would be expected to offset anticipated losses or a portion thereof.
The Funds will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.
When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by a Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with its custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of cash or U.S. Government securities (“initial margin”). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Funds expect to earn interest income on their initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by a Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called “variation margin,” equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as “marking to market.” Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.
The Funds are also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by them. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option, and other futures positions held by the relevant Fund.
To the extent required to comply with SEC Release No. IC-10666, when entering into a futures contract or an option on a futures contract, a Fund will specifically designate on its accounting records any asset, including equity securities and non-investment-grade debt so long as the asset is liquid, unencumbered and marked to market daily equal to the prescribed amount. Generally, for cash-settled futures contracts the prescribed amount is the net amount of the Fund’s obligation, and for non-cash-settled futures contracts the prescribed about is the notional value of the reference obligation.
Futures contracts are designed by boards of trade which are designated “contracts markets” by the CFTC. Futures contracts trade on contracts markets in a manner that is similar to the way a stock trades on a stock exchange and the boards of trade, through their
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clearing corporations, guarantee performance of the contracts. A Fund’s ability to claim an exclusion or exemption from the definition of a commodity pool may be limited when the Fund invests in futures contracts. (See “Commodity Interests” in this SAI.)
The requirements of the Code for qualification as a regulated investment company also may limit the extent to which a Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. (See the “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” section of this SAI.)
Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index, and delivery month). If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sales price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.
Positions in futures contracts and related options may be closed out only on an exchange which provides a secondary market for such contracts or options. The Fund will enter into an option or futures position only if there appears to be a liquid secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option or futures contract at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close out a futures or related option position. In the case of a futures position, in the event of adverse price movements the Fund would continue to be required to make daily margin payments. In this situation, if the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily margin requirements it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet its margin obligations at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, the Fund may be required to take or make delivery of the securities underlying the futures contracts it holds. The inability to close out futures positions also could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to hedge its portfolio effectively.
There are several risks in connection with the use of futures contracts as a hedging device. While hedging can provide protection against an adverse movement in market prices, it can also limit a hedger’s opportunity to benefit fully from a favorable market movement. In addition, investing in futures contracts and options on futures contracts will cause the Fund to incur additional brokerage commissions and may cause an increase in the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate.
The successful use of futures contracts and related options may also depend on the ability of the relevant Fund’s subadviser to forecast correctly the direction and extent of market movements, interest rates and other market factors within a given time frame. To the extent market prices remain stable during the period a futures contract or option is held by a Fund or such prices move in a direction opposite to that anticipated, the Fund may realize a loss on the transaction which is not offset by an increase in the value of its portfolio securities. Options and futures may also fail as a hedging technique in cases where the movements of the securities underlying the options and futures do not follow the price movements of the hedged portfolio securities. As a result, the Fund’s total return for the period may be less than if it had not engaged in the hedging transaction. The loss from investing in futures transactions is potentially unlimited.
Utilization of futures contracts by a Fund involves the risk of imperfect correlation in movements in the price of futures contracts and movements in the price of the securities which are being hedged. If the price of the futures contract moves more or less than the price of
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the securities being hedged, the Fund will experience a gain or loss which will not be completely offset by movements in the price of the securities. It is possible that, where a Fund has sold futures contracts to hedge its portfolio against a decline in the market, the market may advance and the value of securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may decline. If this occurred, the Fund would lose money on the futures contract and would also experience a decline in value in its portfolio securities. Where futures are purchased to hedge against a possible increase in the prices of securities before the Fund is able to invest its cash (or cash equivalents) in securities (or options) in an orderly fashion, it is possible that the market may decline; if the Fund then determines not to invest in securities (or options) at that time because of concern as to possible further market decline or for other reasons, the Fund will realize a loss on the futures that would not be offset by a reduction in the price of the securities purchased.
The market prices of futures contracts may be affected if participants in the futures market elect to close out their contracts through off-setting transactions rather than to meet margin deposit requirements. In such case, distortions in the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets could result. Price distortions could also result if investors in futures contracts opt to make or take delivery of the underlying securities rather than to engage in closing transactions because such action would reduce the liquidity of the futures market. In addition, from the point of view of speculators, because the deposit requirements in the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the cash market, increased participation by speculators in the futures market could cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortions in the futures market and because of the imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of securities and movements in the prices of futures contracts, a correct forecast of market trends may still not result in a successful hedging transaction.
Compared to the purchase or sale of futures contracts, the purchase of put or call options on futures contracts involves less potential risk for the Fund because the maximum amount at risk is the premium paid for the options plus transaction costs. However, there may be circumstances when the purchase of an option on a futures contract would result in a loss to the Fund while the purchase or sale of the futures contract would not have resulted in a loss, such as when there is no movement in the price of the underlying securities.
For additional information about options transactions, see “Options” under “Derivative Investments” in this section of the SAI.
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Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities
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Each Fund may purchase mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, which collectively are securities backed by mortgages, installment contracts, credit card receivables or other financial assets. Asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of assets in which payments of both interest and principal on the securities are made periodically, thus in effect “passing through” such payments made by the individual borrowers on the assets that underlie the securities, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of the securities. The average life of asset-backed securities varies with the maturities of the underlying instruments, and the average life of a mortgage-backed instrument, in particular, is likely to be less than the original maturity of the mortgage pools underlying the securities as a result of mortgage prepayments, where applicable. For this and other reasons, an asset-backed security’s stated maturity may be different, and the security’s total return may be difficult to predict precisely.
If an asset-backed security is purchased at a premium, a prepayment rate that is faster than expected will reduce yield to maturity, while a prepayment rate that is slower than expected will have the opposite
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effect of increasing yield to maturity. Conversely, if an asset-backed security is purchased at a discount, faster than expected prepayments will increase yield to maturity, while slower than expected prepayments will decrease yield to maturity.
Prepayments of principal of mortgage-related securities by mortgagors or mortgage foreclosures affect the average life of the mortgage-related securities in the Fund’s portfolio. Mortgage prepayments are affected by the level of interest rates and other factors, including general economic conditions and the underlying location and age of the mortgage. In periods of rising interest rates, the prepayment rate tends to decrease, lengthening the average life of a pool of mortgage-related securities. The longer the remaining maturity of a security the greater the effect of interest rate changes will be. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the market’s perception of its creditworthiness also affect the market value of that issuer’s debt securities.
In periods of falling interest rates, the prepayment rate tends to increase, shortening the average life of a pool. Because prepayments of principal generally occur when interest rates are declining, it is likely that the Fund, to the extent that it retains the same percentage of debt securities, may have to reinvest the proceeds of prepayments at lower interest rates than those of its previous investments. If this occurs, that Fund’s yield will correspondingly decline. Thus, mortgage-related securities may have less potential for capital appreciation in periods of falling interest rates than other fixed income securities of comparable duration, although they may have a comparable risk of decline in market value in periods of rising interest rates. To the extent that the Fund purchases mortgage-related securities at a premium, unscheduled prepayments, which are made at par, result in a loss equal to any unamortized premium.
Duration is one of the fundamental tools used by a Fund’s subadviser in managing interest rate risks including prepayment risks. Traditionally, a debt security’s “term to maturity” characterizes a security’s sensitivity to changes in interest rates. “Term to maturity,” however, measures only the time until a debt security provides its final payment, taking no account of prematurity payments. Most debt securities provide interest (“coupon”) payments in addition to a final (“par”) payment at maturity, and some securities have call provisions allowing the issuer to repay the instrument in full before maturity date, each of which affect the security’s response to interest rate changes. “Duration” therefore is generally considered a more precise measure of interest rate risk than “term to maturity.” Determining duration may involve a subadviser’s estimates of future economic parameters, which may vary from actual future values. Generally fixed income securities with longer effective durations are more responsive to interest rate fluctuations than those with shorter effective durations. For example, if interest rates rise by 1%, the value of securities having an effective duration of three years will generally decrease by approximately 3%.
Descriptions of some of the different types of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities most commonly acquired by the Funds are provided below. In addition to those shown, other types of mortgage-related and asset-backed investments are, or may become, available for investment by the Funds.
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Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”)
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CMOs are hybrid instruments with characteristics of both mortgage-backed and mortgage pass-through securities. Interest and prepaid principal on a CMO are paid, in most cases, monthly. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities
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guaranteed by entities such as GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.
CMOs are typically structured in multiple classes, each bearing a different stated maturity. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the prepayment experience of the collateral. CMOs provide for a modified form of call protection through a de facto breakdown of the underlying pool of mortgages according to how quickly the loans are repaid. Monthly payment of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, is first returned to investors holding the shortest maturity class. Investors holding the longer maturity classes typically receive principal only after the first class has been retired. An investor may be partially guarded against a sooner than desired return of principal because of the sequential payments.
FHLMC CMOs are debt obligations of FHLMC issued in multiple classes having different maturity dates and are secured by the pledge of a pool of conventional mortgage loans purchased by FHLMC. The amount of principal payable on each monthly payment date is determined in accordance with FHLMC’s mandatory sinking fund schedule. Sinking fund payments in the CMOs are allocated to the retirement of the individual classes of bonds in the order of their stated maturities. Payments of principal on the mortgage loans in the collateral pool in excess of the amount of FHLMC’s minimum sinking fund obligation for any payment date are paid to the holders of the CMOs as additional sinking-fund payments. Because of the “pass-through” nature of all principal payments received on the collateral pool in excess of FHLMC’s minimum sinking fund requirement, the rate at which principal of the CMOs is actually repaid is likely to be such that each class of bonds will be retired in advance of its scheduled maturity date. If collection of principal (including prepayments) on the mortgage loans during any semiannual payment period is not sufficient to meet FHLMC’s minimum sinking fund obligation on the next sinking fund payment date, FHLMC agrees to make up the deficiency from its general funds.
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CMO Residuals
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CMO residuals are derivative mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans. As described above, the cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses of the issuer. The “residual” in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and, in particular, the prepayment experience on the mortgage assets. In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. In certain circumstances a Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.
CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. The CMO residual market currently may not have the liquidity of other more established securities trading in other markets. CMO residuals may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, may be deemed illiquid and therefore subject to the Funds’ limitations
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on investment in illiquid securities. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.)
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Mortgage Pass-through Securities
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Mortgage pass-through securities are interests in pools of mortgage loans, assembled and issued by various governmental, government-related, and private organizations. Unlike other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates, these securities provide a monthly payment consisting of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs. “Modified pass-through” securities (such as securities issued by GNMA) entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.
The principal governmental guarantor of U.S. mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the United States Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of Federal Housing Administration insured or Veterans Administration guaranteed mortgages. Government-related guarantors whose obligations are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates that represent interests in conventional mortgages from FHLMC’s national portfolio. FNMA and FHLMC guarantee the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal on securities they issue, but the securities they issue are neither issued nor guaranteed by the United States Government.
Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/ or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments for such securities. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets a Fund’s investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. A Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originator/servicers and poolers, the
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Fund’s subadviser determines that the securities meet the Fund’s quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable and may therefore be subject to the Funds’ limitations on investments in illiquid securities. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.)
Mortgage-backed securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Funds’ industry concentration restrictions set forth in the “Investment Restrictions” section of this SAI by virtue of the exclusion from the test available to all U.S. Government securities. The Funds will take the position that privately-issued, mortgage-related securities, and other asset-backed securities, do not represent interests in any particular “industry” or group of industries. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of first lien residential mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs. In the case of private issue mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.
It is possible that the availability and the marketability (that is, liquidity) of the securities discussed in this section could be adversely affected by the actions of the U.S. Government to tighten the availability of its credit. On September 7, 2008, the FHFA, an agency of the U.S. Government, placed FNMA and FHLMC into conservatorship, a statutory process with the objective of returning the entities to normal business operations. FHFA will act as the conservator to operate FNMA and FHLMC until they are stabilized. The conservatorship is still in effect as of the date of this SAI and has no specified termination date. There can be no assurance as to when or how the conservatorship will be terminated or whether FNMA or FHLMC will continue to exist following the conservatorship or what their respective business structures will be during or following the conservatorship. FHFA, as conservator, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by FNMA or FHLMC prior to its appointment if it determines that performance of the contract is burdensome and repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of FNMA’s or FHLMC’s affairs. Furthermore, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of FNMA or FHLMC without any approval, assignment or consent. If FHFA were to transfer any such guarantee obligation to another party, holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guarantee obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party.
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Other Asset-Backed Securities
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Through trusts and other special purpose entities, various types of securities based on financial assets other than mortgage loans are increasingly available, in both pass-through structures similar to mortgage pass-through securities described above and in other structures more like CMOs. As with mortgage-related securities, these asset-backed securities are often backed by a pool of financial assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. They often include credit-enhancement features similar to mortgage-related securities.
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Financial assets on which these securities are based include automobile receivables; credit card receivables; loans to finance boats, recreational vehicles, and mobile homes; computer, copier, railcar, and medical equipment leases; and trade, healthcare, and franchise receivables. In general, the obligations supporting these asset-backed securities are of shorter maturities than mortgage loans and are less likely to experience substantial prepayments. However, obligations such as credit card receivables are generally unsecured and the obligors are often entitled to protection under a number of consumer credit laws granting, among other things, rights to set off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thus reducing the balance due. Other obligations that are secured, such as automobile receivables, may present issuers with difficulties in perfecting and executing on the security interests, particularly where the issuer allows the servicers of the receivables to retain possession of the underlying obligations, thus increasing the risk that recoveries on defaulted obligations may not be adequate to support payments on the securities.
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Stripped Mortgage-backed Securities (“SMBS”)
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SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. They may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest-only or “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class security is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories. The market value of the PO class generally is unusually volatile in response to changes in interest rates.
Although SMBS are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and, accordingly, these securities may be deemed illiquid and therefore subject to the Funds’ limitations on investment in illiquid securities. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.)
Each Fund may invest in other mortgage-related securities with features similar to those described above, to the extent consistent with the relevant Fund’s investment objectives and policies.
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Options
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Each Fund may purchase or sell put and call options on securities, indices and other financial instruments. Options may relate to particular securities, foreign and domestic securities indices, financial instruments, volatility, credit default, foreign currencies or the yield differential between two securities. Such options may or may not be listed on a domestic or foreign securities exchange and may or may not be issued by the OCC.
A call option for a particular security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and a writer the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the stated exercise price before the expiration of the option,
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regardless of the market price of the security. A premium is paid to the writer by the purchaser in consideration for undertaking the obligation under the option contract. A put option for a particular security gives the purchaser the right to sell and a writer the obligation to buy the security at the stated exercise price before the expiration date of the option, regardless of the market price of the security.
To the extent required to comply with SEC Release No. IC-10666, options written by a Fund will be covered and will remain covered as long as the Fund is obligated as a writer. A call option is “covered” if the Fund owns the underlying security or its equivalent covered by the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration if such cash is segregated) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held in its portfolio. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds on a share-for-share or equal principal amount basis a call on the same security as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written or greater than the exercise price of the call written if appropriate liquid assets representing the difference are segregated by the Fund. A put option is “covered” if the Fund maintains appropriate liquid securities with a value equal to the exercise price, or owns on a share-for-share or equal principal amount basis a put on the same security as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written.
A Fund’s obligation to sell an instrument subject to a covered call option written by it, or to purchase an instrument subject to a secured put option written by it, may be terminated before the expiration of the option by the Fund’s execution of a closing purchase transaction. This means that a Fund buys an option of the same series (i.e., same underlying instrument, exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously written. Such a purchase does not result in the ownership of an option. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying instrument from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying instrument or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying instrument. The cost of such a closing purchase plus related transaction costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event the Fund will experience a loss. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. A Fund that has written an option and is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction will not be able to sell the underlying instrument (in the case of a covered call option) or liquidate the segregated assets (in the case of a secured put option) until the option expires or the optioned instrument is delivered upon exercise. The Fund will be subject to the risk of market decline or appreciation in the instrument during such period.
To the extent required to comply with SEC Release No. IC-10666, when entering into an option transaction, a Fund will specifically designate on its accounting records any asset, including equity securities and non-investment-grade debt so long as the asset is liquid, unencumbered and marked to market daily equal to the prescribed amount. For options transactions, the prescribed amount will generally be the market value of the underlying instrument but will not be less than the exercise price.
Options purchased are recorded as an asset and written options are recorded as liabilities to the extent of premiums paid or received. The amount of this asset or liability will be subsequently marked-to-market to reflect the current value of the option purchased or written. The current value of the traded option is the last sale price or, in the
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absence of a sale, the current bid price. If an option purchased by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund will realize a loss equal to the premium paid. If a Fund enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, the Fund will realize a gain if the premium received by the Fund on the closing transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, or a loss if it is less. If an option written by a Fund expires on the stipulated expiration date or if a Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will realize a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the net premium received when the option is sold), and the liability related to such option will be eliminated. If an option written by a Fund is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and the Fund will realize a gain or loss.
Options trading is a highly specialized activity that entails more complex and potentially greater than ordinary investment risk. Options may be more volatile than the underlying instruments and, therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying instruments themselves.
There are several other risks associated with options. For example, there are significant differences among the securities, currency, volatility, credit default and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation among these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on an exchange, may be absent for reasons that include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities or currencies; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or the OCC may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading value; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the OCC as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
The staff of the SEC currently takes the position that options not traded on registered domestic securities exchanges and the assets used to cover the amount of the Fund’s obligation pursuant to such options are illiquid, and are therefore subject to each Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, for options written with “primary dealers” in U.S. Government securities pursuant to an agreement requiring a closing transaction at the formula price, the amount considered to be illiquid may be calculated by reference to a formula price. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.)
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Options on Indexes and “Yield Curve” Options
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Each Fund may enter into options on indexes or options on the “spread,” or yield differential, between two fixed income securities, in transactions referred to as “yield curve” options. Options on indexes and yield curve options provide the holder with the right to make or receive a cash settlement upon exercise of the option. With respect to options on indexes, the amount of the settlement will equal the difference between the closing price of the index at the time of exercise and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars, times a specified multiple. With respect to yield curve options, the
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amount of the settlement will equal the difference between the yields of designated securities.
With respect to yield curve options, a call or put option is covered if a Fund holds another call or put, respectively, on the spread between the same two securities and maintains in a segregated account liquid assets sufficient to cover the Fund’s net liability under the two options. Therefore, the Fund’s liability for such a covered option is generally limited to the difference between the amount of the Fund’s liability under the option it wrote less the value of the option it holds. A Fund may also cover yield curve options in such other manner as may be in accordance with the requirements of the counterparty with which the option is traded and applicable laws and regulations.
The trading of these types of options is subject to all of the risks associated with the trading of other types of options. In addition, however, yield curve options present risk of loss even if the yield of one of the underlying securities remains constant, if the spread moves in a direction or to an extent which was not anticipated.
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Reset Options
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In certain instances, a Fund may purchase or write options on U.S. Treasury securities, which provide for periodic adjustment of the strike price and may also provide for the periodic adjustment of the premium during the term of each such option. Like other types of options, these transactions, which may be referred to as “reset” options or “adjustable strike” options grant the purchaser the right to purchase (in the case of a call) or sell (in the case of a put), a specified type of U.S. Treasury security at any time up to a stated expiration date (or, in certain instances, on such date). In contrast to other types of options, however, the price at which the underlying security may be purchased or sold under a “reset” option is determined at various intervals during the term of the option, and such price fluctuates from interval to interval based on changes in the market value of the underlying security. As a result, the strike price of a “reset” option, at the time of exercise, may be less advantageous than if the strike price had been fixed at the initiation of the option. In addition, the premium paid for the purchase of the option may be determined at the termination, rather than the initiation, of the option. If the premium for a reset option written by a Fund is paid at termination, the Fund assumes the risk that (i) the premium may be less than the premium which would otherwise have been received at the initiation of the option because of such factors as the volatility in yield of the underlying Treasury security over the term of the option and adjustments made to the strike price of the option, and (ii) the option purchaser may default on its obligation to pay the premium at the termination of the option. Conversely, where a Fund purchases a reset option, it could be required to pay a higher premium than would have been the case at the initiation of the option.
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Swap Agreements
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Each Fund may enter into swap agreements on, among other things, interest rates, indices, securities and currency exchange rates. A Fund’s subadviser may use swaps in an attempt to obtain for the Fund a particular desired return at a lower cost to the Fund than if the Fund had invested directly in an instrument that yielded that desired return. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods typically ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. The
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“notional amount” of the swap agreement is only a fictive basis on which to calculate the obligations the parties to a swap agreement have agreed to exchange. A Fund’s obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the “net amount”). A Fund’s obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily on the Fund’s accounting records (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by specifically designating on the accounting records of the Fund liquid assets to avoid leveraging of the Fund’s portfolio.
Because swap agreements are two-party contracts and may have terms of greater than seven days, they may be considered to be illiquid and therefore subject to the Funds’ limitations on investment in illiquid securities. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.) Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. A Fund’s subadviser will cause the Fund to enter into swap agreements only with counterparties that would be eligible for consideration as repurchase agreement counterparties under the Funds’ repurchase agreement guidelines. (See “Repurchase Agreements” in this section of the SAI.) Certain restrictions imposed on the Funds by the Code may limit the Funds’ ability to use swap agreements. (See the “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” section of this SAI.) The swaps market is a relatively new market and is largely unregulated. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including potential government regulation, could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.
Certain swap agreements are exempt from most provisions of the CEA and, therefore, are not regulated as futures or commodity option transactions under the CEA, pursuant to regulations of the CFTC. To qualify for this exemption, a swap agreement must be entered into by eligible participants and must meet certain conditions (each pursuant to the CEA and regulations of the CFTC). However, recent CFTC rule amendments dictate that certain swap agreements be considered commodity interests for purposes of the CEA. (See “Commodity Interests” in this section of the SAI for additional information regarding the implications of investments being considered commodity interests under the CEA.)
Recently, the SEC and the CFTC have developed rules under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to create a new, comprehensive regulatory framework for swap transactions. Under the new regulations, certain swap transactions will be required to be executed on a regulated trading platform and cleared through a derivatives clearing organization. Additionally, the new regulations impose other requirements on the parties entering into swap transactions, including requirements relating to posting margin, and reporting and documenting swap transactions. A Fund engaging in swap transactions may incur additional expenses as a result of these new regulatory requirements. The Adviser is continuing to monitor the implementation of the new regulations and to assess their impact on the Funds.
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Credit Default Swap Agreements
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Each Fund may enter into credit default swap agreements. A credit default swap is a bilateral financial contract in which one party (the protection buyer) pays a periodic fee in return for a contingent payment by the protection seller following a credit event of a reference issuer. The protection buyer must either sell particular obligations issued by the reference issuer for its par value (or some other
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designated reference or strike price) when a credit event occurs or receive a cash settlement based on the difference between the market price and such reference price. A credit event is commonly defined as bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership, material adverse restructuring of debt, or failure to meet payment obligations when due. A Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If a Fund is a buyer and no event of default occurs, the Fund loses its investment and recovers nothing; however, if an event of default occurs, the Fund receives full notional value for a reference obligation that may have little or no value. As a seller, a Fund receives a periodic fee throughout the term of the contract, provided there is no default event; if an event of default occurs, the Fund must pay the buyer the full notional value of the reference obligation. The value of the reference obligation received by the Fund as a seller, coupled with the periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value the Fund pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Fund.
As with other swaps, when a Fund enters into a credit default swap agreement, to the extent required by applicable law and regulation the Fund will specifically designate on its accounting records any asset, including equity securities and non-investment-grade debt so long as the asset is liquid, unencumbered and marked to market daily, equal to the Fund’s net exposure under the swap (the “Segregated Assets”). Generally, the minimum cover amount for a swap agreement is the amount owed by the Fund, if any, on a daily mark-to-market basis. With respect to swap contracts that provide for the netting of payments, the net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each swap contract will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of Segregated Assets having an aggregate market value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained to cover the transactions in accordance with SEC positions. With respect to swap contracts that do not provide for the netting of payments by the counterparties, the full notional amount for which the Fund is obligated under the swap contract with respect to each swap contract will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of Segregated Assets having an aggregate market value at least equal to the accrued full notional value will be maintained to cover the transactions in accordance with SEC positions. When the Fund sells protection on an individual credit default swap, upon a credit event, the Fund may be obligated to pay the cash equivalent value of the asset. Therefore, the cover amount will be the notional value of the underlying credit. With regard to selling protection on an index (CDX), as a practical matter, the Fund would not be required to pay the full notional amount of the index; therefore, only the amount owed by the Fund, if any, on a daily mark-to-market basis is required as cover.
Credit default swaps involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly. In addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit risks. A Fund will enter into swap agreements only with counterparties deemed creditworthy by the Fund’s subadviser.
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Equity Securities
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The Funds may invest in equity securities. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks and preference stocks; securities such as bonds, warrants or rights that are convertible into stocks; and depositary receipts for those securities.
Common stockholders are the owners of the company issuing the stock and, accordingly, usually have the right to vote on various corporate governance matters such as mergers. They are not creditors of the company, but rather, in the event of liquidation of the company, would be entitled to their pro rata shares of the company’s assets after creditors (including fixed income security holders) and, if
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applicable, preferred stockholders are paid. Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to dividends or upon liquidation. A preferred stockholder is a shareholder in the company and not a creditor of the company as is a holder of the company’s fixed income securities. Dividends paid to common and preferred stockholders are distributions of the earnings or other surplus of the company and not interest payments, which are expenses of the company. Equity securities owned by the Fund may be traded in the over-the-counter market or on a securities exchange and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of securities traded on a major U.S. national securities exchange. As a result, disposition by the Fund of a portfolio security to meet redemptions by shareholders or otherwise may require the Fund to sell the security at less than the reported value of the security, to sell during periods when disposition is not desirable, or to make many small sales over a lengthy period of time. The market value of all securities, including equity securities, is based upon the market’s perception of value and not necessarily the book value of an issuer or other objective measure of a company’s worth.
Stock values may fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Historically, common stocks have provided greater long-term returns and have entailed greater short-term risks than other types of securities. Smaller or newer issuers may be more likely to realize more substantial growth or suffer more significant losses. Investments in these companies can be both more volatile and more speculative. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which a Fund invests will cause the NAV of the Fund to fluctuate.
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Securities of Small and Mid Capitalization Companies
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While small and medium-sized issuers in which a Fund invests may offer greater opportunities for capital appreciation than larger market capitalization issuers, investments in such companies may involve greater risks and thus may be considered speculative. For example, smaller companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent on a limited management group. In addition, many small and mid-capitalization company stocks trade less frequently and in smaller volume, and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements, than stocks of larger companies. The securities of small and mid-capitalization companies may also be more sensitive to market changes than the securities of larger companies. When a Fund invests in small or mid-capitalization companies, these factors may result in above-average fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund’s shares. Therefore, a Fund investing in such securities should be considered as a long-term investment and not as a vehicle for seeking short-term profits. Similarly, an investment in a Fund solely investing in such securities should not be considered a complete investment program.
Market capitalizations of companies in which the Funds invest are determined at the time of purchase.
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Unseasoned Companies
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As a matter of operating policy, each Fund may invest to a limited extent in securities of unseasoned companies and new issues. The Adviser regards a company as unseasoned when, for example, it is relatively new to, or not yet well established in, its primary line of business. Such companies generally are smaller and younger than companies whose shares are traded on the major stock exchanges. Accordingly, their shares are often traded over-the-counter and their share prices may be more volatile than those of larger, exchange-listed companies. Generally a Fund will not invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities of any one company with a record of fewer than three years’ continuous operation (including that of predecessors).
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Foreign Investing
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The Funds may invest in a broad range of securities of foreign issuers, including equity, debt and convertible securities and foreign government securities. The Funds may purchase the securities of issuers from various countries, including countries commonly referred to as “emerging markets.” The Funds may also invest in domestic securities denominated in foreign currencies.
Investing in the securities of foreign companies involves special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. companies. These include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, generally higher commission rates on foreign portfolio transactions, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability which could affect U.S. investments in foreign countries, and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital. Foreign issuers may become subject to sanctions imposed by the United States or another country, which could result in the immediate freeze of the foreign issuers’ assets or securities. The imposition of such sanctions could impair the market value of the securities of such foreign issuers and limit a Fund’s ability to buy, sell, receive or deliver the securities. Additionally, dividends payable on foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes withheld prior to distribution. Foreign securities often trade with less frequency and volume than domestic securities and therefore may exhibit greater price volatility. Changes in foreign exchange rates will affect the value of those securities which are denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Many of the foreign securities held by a Fund will not be registered with, nor will the issuers thereof be subject to the reporting requirements of, the SEC. Accordingly, there may be less publicly available information about the securities and about the foreign company or government issuing them than is available about a domestic company or government entity. Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the United States economy in such respects as growth of Gross National Product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions. Finally, the Funds may encounter difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers of foreign securities.
Securities of U.S. issuers denominated in foreign currencies may be less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities issued by domestic issuers and denominated in U.S. dollars. In addition, investing in securities denominated in foreign currencies often entails costs not associated with investment in U.S. dollar-denominated securities of U.S. issuers, such as the cost of converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars, higher brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees. Non-U.S. dollar denominated securities may be subject to certain withholding and other taxes of the relevant jurisdiction, which may reduce the yield on the securities to the Funds and which may not be recoverable by the Funds or their investors.
The Trust may use an eligible foreign custodian in connection with its purchases of foreign securities and may maintain cash and cash equivalents in the care of a foreign custodian. The amount of cash or cash equivalents maintained in the care of eligible foreign custodians will be limited to an amount reasonably necessary to effect the Trust’s foreign securities transactions. The use of a foreign custodian invokes considerations which are not ordinarily associated with domestic custodians. These considerations include the possibility of expropriations, restricted access to books and records of the foreign custodian, inability to recover assets that are lost while under the control of the foreign custodian, and the impact of political, social or diplomatic developments.
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Settlement procedures relating to the Funds’ investments in foreign securities and to the Funds’ foreign currency exchange transactions may be more complex than settlements with respect to investments in debt or equity securities of U.S. issuers, and may involve certain risks not present in the Funds’ domestic investments. For example, settlement of transactions involving foreign securities or foreign currency may occur within a foreign country, and a Fund may be required to accept or make delivery of the underlying securities or currency in conformity with any applicable U.S. or foreign restrictions or regulations, and may be required to pay any fees, taxes or charges associated with such delivery. Such investments may also involve the risk that an entity involved in the settlement may not meet its obligations. Settlement procedures in many foreign countries are less established than those in the United States, and some foreign country settlement periods can be significantly longer than those in the United States.
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Depositary Receipts
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Each Fund permitted to hold foreign securities may also hold ADRs, ADSs, GDRs and EDRs. ADRs and ADSs typically are issued by an American bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs, which are sometimes referred to as CDRs, are issued in Europe typically by foreign banks and trust companies and evidence ownership of either foreign or domestic securities. GDRs are similar to EDRs and are designed for use in several international financial markets. Generally, ADRs and ADSs in registered form are designed for use in United States securities markets and EDRs in bearer form are designed for use in European securities markets. For purposes of a Fund’s investment policies, its investments in ADRs, ADSs, GDRs and EDRs will be deemed to be investments in the underlying foreign securities.
Depositary Receipts may be issued pursuant to sponsored or unsponsored programs. In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of Depositary Receipts. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program. Although regulatory requirements with respect to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information from an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program. Accordingly, there may be less information available regarding issuers of securities underlying unsponsored programs and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. For purposes of the Fund’s investment policies, investments in Depositary Receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities. Thus, a Depositary Receipt representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock.
Depositary Receipts are generally subject to the same sort of risks as direct investments in a foreign country, such as currency risk, political and economic risk, and market risk, because their values generally depend on the performance of a foreign security denominated in its home currency. (The risks of foreign investing are addressed above in this section of the SAI under the heading “Foreign Investing.”) In addition to risks associated with the underlying portfolio of securities, receipt holders also must consider credit standings of the custodians and broker/dealer sponsors. The receipts are not registered with the SEC and qualify as Rule 144A securities which may make them more difficult and costly to sell. (For information about Rule 144A securities, see “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.)
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Emerging Market Securities
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The Funds may invest in countries or regions with relatively low gross national product per capita compared to the world’s major economies, and in countries or regions with the potential for rapid economic
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growth (emerging markets). Emerging markets will include any country: (i) having an “emerging stock market” as defined by the International Finance Corporation; (ii) with low-to-middle-income economies according to the World Bank; (iii) listed in World Bank publications as developing; or (iv) determined by the adviser to be an emerging market as defined above.
Certain emerging market countries are either comparatively underdeveloped or are in the process of becoming developed and may consequently be economically dependent on a relatively few or closely interdependent industries. A high proportion of the securities of many emerging market issuers may also be held by a limited number of large investors trading significant blocks of securities. While a Fund’s subadviser will strive to be sensitive to publicized reversals of economic conditions, political unrest and adverse changes in trading status, unanticipated political and social developments may affect the values of the Fund’s investments in such countries and the availability of additional investments in such countries.
The risks of investing in foreign securities may be intensified in the case of investments in emerging markets. Securities of many issuers in emerging markets may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Emerging markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the assets of a Fund is uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of a Fund to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in value of portfolio securities or, if a Fund has entered into a contract to sell the security, in possible liability to the purchaser. Securities prices in emerging markets can be significantly more volatile than in the more developed nations of the world, reflecting the greater uncertainties of investing in less established markets and economies. In particular, countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, present the risk of nationalization of businesses, restrictions on foreign ownership, or prohibitions of repatriation of assets, and may have less protection of property rights than more developed countries.
Certain emerging markets may require governmental approval for the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. In addition, a country could impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances, whether because deterioration occurs in an emerging market’s balance of payments or for other reasons. The Funds could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Funds of any restrictions on investments.
Investments in certain foreign emerging market debt obligations may be restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions or controls may at times preclude investment in certain foreign emerging market debt obligations and increase the expenses of the Funds.
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Foreign Currency Transactions
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When investing in securities denominated in foreign currencies, the Funds will be subject to the additional risk of currency fluctuations. An adverse change in the value of a particular foreign currency as against the U.S. dollar, to the extent that such change is not offset by a gain in other foreign currencies, will result in a decrease in the
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Fund’s assets. Any such change may also have the effect of decreasing or limiting the income available for distribution. Foreign currencies may be affected by revaluation, adverse political and economic developments, and governmental restrictions. Further, no assurance can be given that currency exchange controls will not be imposed on any particular currency at a later date.
As a result of its investments in foreign securities, a Fund may receive interest or dividend payments, or the proceeds of the sale or redemption of such securities, in the foreign currencies in which such securities are denominated. In that event, the Fund may convert such currencies into dollars at the then current exchange rate. Under certain circumstances, however, such as where the Fund’s subadviser believes that the applicable rate is unfavorable at the time the currencies are received or the Fund’s subadviser anticipates, for any other reason, that the exchange rate will improve, the Fund may hold such currencies for an indefinite period of time.
In addition, a Fund may be required to receive delivery of the foreign currency underlying forward foreign currency contracts it has entered into. This could occur, for example, if an option written by the Fund is exercised or the Fund is unable to close out a forward contract. A Fund may hold foreign currency in anticipation of purchasing foreign securities.
A Fund may also elect to take delivery of the currencies’ underlying options or forward contracts if, in the judgment of the Fund’s subadviser, it is in the best interest of the Fund to do so. In such instances as well, the Fund may convert the foreign currencies to dollars at the then current exchange rate, or may hold such currencies for an indefinite period of time.
While the holding of currencies will permit a Fund to take advantage of favorable movements in the applicable exchange rate, it also exposes the Fund to risk of loss if such rates move in a direction adverse to the Fund’s position. Such losses could reduce any profits or increase any losses sustained by the Fund from the sale or redemption of securities, and could reduce the dollar value of interest or dividend payments received. In addition, the holding of currencies could adversely affect the Fund’s profit or loss on currency options or forward contracts, as well as its hedging strategies.
When a Fund effects foreign currency exchange transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign exchange market, the Fund incurs expenses in converting assets from one currency to another. A Fund may also effect other types of foreign currency exchange transactions, which have their own risks and costs. For information about such transactions, please see “Foreign Currency Forward Contracts, Futures and Options” under “Derivatives” in this section of the SAI.
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Foreign Investment Companies
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Some of the countries in which the Funds may invest may not permit, or may place economic restrictions on, direct investment by outside investors. Investments in such countries may be permitted only through foreign government-approved or -authorized investment vehicles, which may include other investment companies. These funds may also invest in other investment companies that invest in foreign securities. Investing through such vehicles may involve frequent or layered fees or expenses and may also be subject to limitation under the 1940 Act. As a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees. Those expenses would be in addition to the advisory and other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations. For additional information, see “Mutual Fund Investing” in this section of the SAI.
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Privatizations
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The governments of some foreign countries have been engaged in programs of selling part or all of their stakes in government owned or controlled enterprises (“privatizations”). Privatizations may offer opportunities for significant capital appreciation. In certain foreign countries, the ability of foreign entities such as the Funds to participate in privatizations may be limited by local law, or the terms on which a Fund may be permitted to participate may be less advantageous than those for local investors. There can be no assurance that foreign governments will continue to sell companies currently owned or controlled by them or that privatization programs will be successful.
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Funding Agreements
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Each Fund may invest in funding agreements, which are insurance contracts between an investor and the issuing insurance company. For the issuer, they represent senior obligations under an insurance product. For the investor, and from a regulatory perspective, these agreements are treated as securities. These agreements, like other insurance products, are backed by claims on the general assets of the issuing entity and rank on the same priority level as other policy holder claims. Funding agreements typically are issued with a one-year final maturity and a variable interest rate, which may adjust weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Some agreements carry a seven-day put feature. A funding agreement without this feature is considered illiquid and will therefore be subject to the Funds’ limitations on investments in illiquid securities. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.) Funding agreements are regulated by the state insurance board of the state where they are executed.
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Guaranteed Investment Contracts
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Each Fund may invest in GICs issued by U.S. and Canadian insurance companies. A GIC requires the investor to make cash contributions to a deposit fund of an insurance company’s general account. The insurance company then makes payments to the investor based on negotiated, floating or fixed interest rates. A GIC is a general obligation of the issuing insurance company and not a separate account. The purchase price paid for a GIC becomes part of the general assets of the insurance company, and the contract is paid from the insurance company’s general assets. Generally, a GIC is not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuing insurance company, and an active secondary market in GICs does not currently exist. Therefore, these investments may be deemed to be illiquid, in which case they will be subject to the Funds’ limitations on investments in illiquid securities. (See “Illiquid and Restricted Securities” in this section of the SAI.)
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Illiquid and Restricted Securities
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Each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities that are considered illiquid. Historically, illiquid securities have included securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the 1933 Act (“restricted securities”), securities that are otherwise not readily marketable, such as over-the-counter options, and repurchase agreements not entitling the holder to payment of principal in seven days. Such securities may offer higher yields than comparable publicly traded securities, and they also may incur higher risks.
Repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements and time deposits that do not provide for payment to the Fund within seven days after notice or which have a term greater than seven days are deemed illiquid securities for this purpose unless such securities are variable amount master demand notes with maturities of nine months or less or unless the Fund’s subadviser has determined that an adequate trading market exists for such securities or that market quotations are readily available.
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The Funds may purchase Rule 144A securities sold to institutional investors without registration under the 1933 Act and commercial paper issued in reliance upon the exemption in Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, for which an institutional market has developed. Institutional investors depend on an efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security can be readily resold or on the issuer’s ability to honor a demand for repayment of the unregistered security.
Although the securities described in this section generally will be considered illiquid, a security’s contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of the security and therefore these securities may be determined to be liquid in accordance with guidelines established by the Board. The Trustees have delegated to each Fund’s subadviser the day-to-day determination of the liquidity of such securities in the respective Fund’s portfolio, although they have retained oversight and ultimate responsibility for such determinations. Although no definite quality criteria are used, the Trustees have directed the subadvisers to consider such factors as (i) the nature of the market for a security (including the institutional private resale markets); (ii) the terms of these securities or other instruments allowing for the disposition to a third party or the issuer thereof (e.g. certain repurchase obligations and demand instruments); (iii) availability of market quotations; and (iv) other permissible factors. The Trustees monitor implementation of the guidelines on a periodic basis.
If illiquid securities exceed 15% of a Fund’s net assets after the time of purchase, the Fund will take steps to reduce in an orderly fashion its holdings of illiquid securities. Because illiquid securities may not be readily marketable, the relevant Fund’s subadviser may not be able to dispose of them in a timely manner. As a result, the Fund may be forced to hold illiquid securities while their price depreciates. Depreciation in the price of illiquid securities may cause the NAV of the Fund holding them to decline. A security that is determined by a Fund’s subadviser to be liquid may subsequently revert to being illiquid if not enough buyer interest exists.
Restricted securities ordinarily can be sold by the Fund in secondary market transactions to certain qualified investors pursuant to rules established by the SEC, in privately negotiated transactions to a limited number of purchasers or in a public offering made pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act. When registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable time may elapse between the decision to sell and the sale date. If, during such period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than the price which prevailed when it decided to sell.
Restricted securities will be priced at fair value as determined in good faith by the Trustees or their delegate.
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Leverage
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Each Fund may employ investment techniques that create leverage, either by using borrowed capital to increase the amount invested, or investing in instruments, including derivatives, where the investment loss can exceed the original amount invested. Certain investments or trading strategies that involve leverage can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested.
The SEC takes the position that transactions that have a leveraging effect on the capital structure of a mutual fund or are economically equivalent to borrowing can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing by the fund for purposes of the 1940 Act. These transactions can include buying and selling certain derivatives (such
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as futures contracts); selling (or writing) put and call options; engaging in sale-buybacks; entering into firm-commitment and stand-by commitment agreements; engaging in when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward-commitment transactions; and other similar trading practices (additional discussion about a number of these transactions can be found throughout this section of the SAI). As a result, when a Fund enters into such transactions the transactions may be subject to the same requirements and restrictions as borrowing. (See “Borrowing” below for additional information.)
The following are some of the Funds’ permitted investment techniques that are generally viewed as creating leverage for the Funds.
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Borrowing
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A Fund’s ability to borrow money is limited by its investment policies and limitations, by the 1940 Act, and by applicable exemptions, no-action letters, interpretations, and other pronouncements issued from time to time by the SEC and its staff or any other regulatory authority with jurisdiction. Under the 1940 Act, a Fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets made for temporary or emergency purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or for other reasons, a Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.
Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. A Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
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Mortgage “Dollar-Roll” Transactions
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Each Fund may enter into mortgage “dollar-roll” transactions pursuant to which it sells mortgage-backed securities for delivery in the future and simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the Fund forgoes principal and interest paid on the mortgage-backed securities. The Fund is compensated for the lost interest by the difference between the current sales price and the lower price for the future purchase (often referred to as the “drop”) as well as by the interest earned on, and gains from, the investment of the cash proceeds of the initial sale. The Fund may also be compensated by receipt of a commitment fee. If the income and capital gains from the Fund’s investment of the cash from the initial sale do not exceed the income, capital appreciation and gain or loss that would have been realized on the securities sold as part of the dollar roll, the use of this technique will diminish the investment performance of the Fund compared with what the performance would have been without the use of the dollar roll.
Dollar-roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. If the broker-dealer to whom the Fund sells securities becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to purchase or repurchase securities may be restricted. Successful use of dollar rolls may depend upon the Fund’s subadviser’s ability to
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correctly predict interest rates and prepayments. There is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully employed.
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Reverse Repurchase Agreements
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Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund sells a security and simultaneously commits to repurchase that security from the buyer, such as a bank or broker-dealer, at an agreed-upon price on an agreed-upon future date. The resale price in a reverse repurchase agreement reflects a market rate of interest that is not related to the coupon rate or maturity of the sold security. For certain demand agreements, there is no agreed-upon repurchase date and interest payments are calculated daily, often based upon the prevailing overnight repurchase rate.
Generally, a reverse repurchase agreement enables the Fund to recover for the term of the reverse repurchase agreement all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities sold and to keep the interest income associated with those portfolio securities. Such transactions are only advantageous if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining the cash otherwise. In addition, interest costs on the money received in a reverse repurchase agreement may exceed the return received on the investments made by the Fund with those monies. Using reverse repurchase agreements to earn additional income involves the risk that the interest earned on the invested proceeds is less than the expense of the reverse repurchase agreement transaction.
Because reverse repurchase agreements are considered borrowing under the 1940 Act, while a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, the Fund will maintain cash and appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodial account to cover its obligation under the agreement. A Fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only with parties that the Fund’s subadviser deems creditworthy, but such investments are still subject to the risks of leverage discussed above.
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Master Limited Partnerships (“MLP”)
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An investment in MLP units involves some risks that differ from an investment in the common stock of a corporation. Holders of MLP units have limited control on matters affecting the partnership. Conflicts of interest exist between common unit holders and the general partner, including those arising from incentive distribution payments. MLPs holding credit-related investments are subject to interest rate risk and the risk of default on payment obligations by debt issuers. MLPs that concentrate in a particular industry or a particular geographic region are subject to risks associated with such industry or region. The fees that MLPs charge for transportation of oil and gas products through their pipelines are subject to government regulation, which could negatively impact the revenue stream. Investing in MLPs also involves certain risks related to investing in the underlying assets of the MLPs and risks associated with pooled investment vehicles. These include the risk of environmental incidents, terrorist attacks, demand destruction from high commodity prices, proliferation of alternative energy sources, inadequate supply of external capital, and conflicts of interest with the general partner. There are also certain tax risks associated with investment in MLPs. The benefit derived from a Fund’s investment in MLPs is somewhat dependent on the MLP being treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, so any change to this status would adversely affect the price of MLP units. Historically, a substantial portion of the gross taxable income of MLPs has been offset by tax losses and deductions reducing gross income received by investors, and any change to these tax rules would adversely affect the price of an MLP unit. Certain MLPs may trade less frequently than other securities, and those with limited trading volumes may display volatile or erratic price movements.
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Money Market Instruments
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Each Fund may invest in money market instruments, which are high-quality short-term investments. The types of money market instruments most commonly acquired by the Funds are discussed below, although each Fund is also permitted to invest in other types of money market instruments to the extent consistent with the Fund’s investment limitations and restrictions.
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Banker's Acceptances
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A banker's acceptance is a time draft drawn on a commercial bank by a borrower usually in connection with an international commercial transaction (to finance the import, export, transfer or storage of goods). The borrower, as well as the bank, is liable for payment, and the bank unconditionally guarantees to pay the draft at its face amount on the maturity date. Most acceptances have maturities of six months or less and are traded in secondary markets prior to maturity.
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Certificates of Deposit
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Certificates of deposit are generally short-term, interest-bearing negotiable certificates issued by banks or savings and loan associations against funds deposited in the issuing institution. They generally may be withdrawn on demand but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which could reduce the Fund’s yield. Deposits subject to early withdrawal penalties or that mature in more than seven days are treated as illiquid securities if there is no readily available market for the securities.
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Commercial Paper
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Commercial paper refers to short-term, unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations to finance short-term credit needs. Commercial paper is usually sold on a discount basis and has a maturity at the time of issuance not exceeding nine months.
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Obligations of Foreign Banks and Foreign Branches of U.S. Banks
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The money market instruments in which the Funds may invest include negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits of foreign branches of U.S. banks, foreign banks and their non-U.S. branches (Eurodollars), U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks (Yankee dollars), and wholly-owned banking-related subsidiaries of foreign banks. For the purposes of each Fund’s investment policies with respect to money market instruments, obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and of foreign banks are obligations of the issuing bank and may be general obligations of the parent bank. Such obligations, however, may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and by government regulation. As with investment in non-U.S. securities in general, investments in the obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and of foreign banks may subject a Fund to investment risks that are different in some respects from those of investments in obligations of domestic issuers.
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Time Deposits
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Time deposits are deposits in a bank or other financial institution for a specified period of time at a fixed interest rate for which a negotiable certificate is not received.
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U.S. Government Obligations
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Securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States Government include a variety of Treasury securities, which differ only in their interest rates, maturities, and times of issuance. Treasury bills have maturities of one year or less. Treasury notes have maturities of one to ten years, and Treasury bonds generally have maturities of greater than ten years.
Agencies of the United States Government which issue or guarantee obligations include, among others, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Housing Administration, GNMA, Maritime Administration, Small Business Administration and The Tennessee Valley Authority. Obligations of instrumentalities of the United States Government include securities issued or guaranteed by, among others, FNMA, Federal Home Loan
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Banks, FHLMC, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Banks for Cooperatives, and the U.S. Postal Service. Some of these securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury, while still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities, now or in the future, if it is not obligated to do so by law. Accordingly, although these securities have historically involved little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity, they may involve more risk than securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government because the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment.
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Mutual Fund Investing
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Each Fund is authorized to invest in the securities of other investment companies subject to the limitations contained in the 1940 Act.
Investment companies in which the Fund may invest may include ETFs. An ETF is an investment company classified as an open-end investment company or unit investment trust that is traded similarly to a publicly traded company. Most ETFs seek to achieve the same return as a particular market index. That type of ETF is similar to an index fund in that it will primarily invest in the securities of companies that are included in a selected market index. An index-based ETF will invest in all of the securities included in the index, a representative sample of the securities included in the index, or other investments expected to produce returns substantially similar to that of the index. Other types of ETFs include leveraged or inverse ETFs, which are ETFs that seek to achieve a daily return that is a multiple or an inverse multiple of the daily return of a securities index. An important characteristic of these ETFs is that they seek to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis, and their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly from the multiple or inverse multiple of the index performance over those longer periods of time. ETFs also include actively managed ETFs that pursue active management strategies and publish their portfolio holdings on a frequent basis.
In connection with the management of its daily cash positions, each Fund may invest in securities issued by investment companies that invest in short-term debt securities (which may include municipal obligations that are exempt from Federal income taxes) and that seek to maintain a $1.00 NAV per share.
In certain countries, investments by the Funds may only be made through investments in other investment companies that, in turn, are authorized to invest in the securities that are issued in such countries. (See “Foreign Investment Companies” under “Foreign Investing” in this section of the SAI.)
Under the 1940 Act, a Fund generally may not own more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of an investment company, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one investment company, or invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of investment companies. In some instances, a Fund may invest in an investment company in excess of these limits; for instance, with respect to investments in money market funds or investments made pursuant to exemptive rules adopted and/or orders granted by the SEC. The SEC has adopted exemptive rules to permit funds of funds to exceed these limits when complying with certain conditions, which differ depending upon whether the funds in which a fund of funds invests are affiliated or unaffiliated with the fund of funds. Many ETFs have obtained exemptive relief from the SEC to permit unaffiliated funds to invest in the ETF’s shares beyond the statutory limitations discussed above,
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subject to certain conditions. The Funds may rely on these exemptive rules and/or orders to invest in affiliated or unaffiliated mutual funds and/or unaffiliated ETFs. In addition to this, the Trust has obtained exemptive relief permitting the Funds to exceed the limitations with respect to investments in affiliated and unaffiliated funds that are not themselves funds of funds, subject to certain conditions.
The risks associated with investing in other investment companies generally reflect the risks of owning shares of the underlying securities in which those investment companies invest, although lack of liquidity in an investment company could result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities. For purposes of complying with investment policies requiring a Fund to invest a percentage of its assets in a certain type of investments (e.g., stocks of small capitalization companies), the Fund generally will look through an investment company in which it invests, to categorize the investment company in accordance with the types of investments the investment company holds.
Certain investment companies in which the Funds may invest may be considered commodity pools under the CEA and applicable CFTC regulations. If a Fund invests in such an investment company, the Fund will be required to treat some or all of its holding of the investment company’s shares as a commodity interest for the purposes of determining whether the Fund is qualified to claim exclusion or exemption from regulation by the CFTC. (See “Commodity Interests” in this section of the SAI for additional information regarding the implications to the Funds of investing in commodity interests.)
Investors in each Fund should recognize that when a Fund invests in another investment company, the Fund will bear its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.
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Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
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Each Fund may invest in REITs. REITs pool investors’ funds for investment primarily in income producing commercial real estate or real estate related loans. A REIT is not taxed on income distributed to shareholders if it complies with several requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets, and income and a requirement that it distribute to its shareholders at least 90% of its taxable income (other than net capital gains) for each taxable year.
REITs can generally be classified as follows:
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Equity REITs, which invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive their income primarily from rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value.
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Mortgage REITs, which invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive their income primarily from interest payments.
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Hybrid REITs, which combine the characteristics of both equity REITs and mortgage REITs.
REITs are structured similarly to closed-end investment companies in that they are essentially holding companies. An investor should realize that by investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund, he will bear not only his proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the underlying REITs. (See “Mutual Fund Investing” in this section of the SAI.)
Selecting REITs requires an evaluation of the merits of each type of asset a particular REIT owns, as well as regional and local economics. Due to the proliferation of REITs in recent years and the relative lack of sophistication of certain REIT managers, the quality of
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REIT assets has varied significantly. The risks associated with REITs are similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate. These include declines in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, dependence on management skill, cash flow dependence, possible lack of availability of long-term mortgage funds, over-building, extended vacancies of properties, decreased occupancy rates and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in neighborhood values and the appeal of the properties to tenants and changes in interest rates.
Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying properties they own, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Further, equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally are not diversified. Equity and mortgage REITs are also subject to potential defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free status of income under the Code and failing to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments. In addition, investment in REITs could cause the Fund to possibly fail to qualify as a regulated investment company. (See the “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” section of the SAI.)
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Repurchase Agreements
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Each Fund may enter into repurchase agreements by which the Fund purchases portfolio securities subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon time and price. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase price may be the same, with interest payable to the Fund at a stated rate together with the repurchase price on repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund is unrelated to the interest rate on the security.
A repurchase agreement must be collateralized by obligations that could otherwise be purchased by the Fund (except with respect to maturity), and these must be maintained by the seller in a segregated account for the Fund. The value of such collateral will be monitored throughout the term of the repurchase agreement in an attempt to ensure that the market value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the repurchase price (including accrued interest). If the value of the collateral dips below such repurchase price, additional collateral will be requested and, when received, added to the account to maintain full collateralization.
Repurchase agreements will be entered into with commercial banks, brokers and dealers considered by the relevant Fund’s subadviser to be creditworthy. However, the use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks such as default by, or insolvency of, the other party to the transaction. The Fund also might incur disposition costs in connection with liquidating the underlying securities or enforcing its rights.
Typically, repurchase agreements are in effect for one week or less, but they may be in effect for longer periods of time.
​ ​ Repurchase agreements of more than seven days’ duration are subject to each Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities, which means that no more than 15% of the market value of a Fund’s total assets may be invested in repurchase agreements with a maturity of more than seven days and in other illiquid securities. ​
Securities Lending
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Subject to certain investment restrictions, each Fund may, subject to the Trustees’ and Trust Treasurer’s approval, lend securities from its portfolio to brokers, dealers and financial institutions deemed creditworthy and receive, as collateral, cash or cash equivalents which at all times while the loan is outstanding will be maintained in amounts equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities. Any cash collateral will be invested in short-term securities that will increase the current income of the Fund lending its securities.
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A Fund will have the right to regain record ownership of loaned securities to exercise beneficial rights such as voting rights and subscription rights. While a securities loan is outstanding, the Fund is to receive an amount equal to any dividends, interest or other distributions with respect to the loaned securities. A Fund may pay reasonable fees to persons unaffiliated with the Trust for services in arranging such loans.
Even though securities lending usually does not impose market risks on the lending Fund, as with any extension of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery of the loaned securities and in some cases loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. In addition, the value of the collateral taken as security for the securities loaned may decline in value or may be difficult to convert to cash in the event that a Fund must rely on the collateral to recover the value of the securities. Moreover, if the borrower of the securities is insolvent, under current bankruptcy law, the Fund could be ordered by a court not to liquidate the collateral for an indeterminate period of time. If the borrower is the subject of insolvency proceedings and the collateral held might not be liquidated, the result could be a material adverse impact on the liquidity of the lending Fund.
No Fund will lend securities having a value in excess of 33 1/3% of its assets, including collateral received for loaned securities (valued at the time of any loan).
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Short Sales
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Each Fund may sell securities short as part of its overall portfolio management strategies involving the use of derivative instruments and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities. A short sale is a transaction in which a Fund sells a security it does not own or have the right to acquire, or that it owns but does not wish to deliver, in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. A short sale is “against the box” to the extent the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. All other short sales are commonly referred to as “naked” short sales.
When a Fund makes a short sale, the broker-dealer through which the short sale is made must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the party purchasing the security. The Fund is required to make a margin deposit in connection with such short sales; the Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and will often be obligated to pay over any dividends and accrued interest on borrowed securities. If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund covers its short position, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.
If a Fund sells securities short against the box, it may protect unrealized gains, but will lose the opportunity to profit on such securities if the price rises. If a Fund engages in naked short sales, the Fund’s risk of loss could be as much as the maximum attainable price of the security (which could be limitless) less the price paid by the Fund for the security at the time it was borrowed.
When a Fund sells securities short, to the extent required by applicable law and regulation the Fund will “cover” the short sale, which generally means that the Fund will segregate any asset, including equity securities and non-investment-grade debt so long as the asset is liquid, unencumbered and marked to market daily, equal
​ ​ The Small-Cap Core Fund may not engage in naked short sales. (Transactions in futures, options, swaps and forward contracts are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.). ​
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to the market value of the securities sold short, reduced by any amount deposited as margin. Alternatively, the Fund may “cover” a short sale by (a) owning the underlying securities, (b) owning securities currently convertible into the underlying securities at an exercise price equal to or less than the current market price of the underlying securities, or (c) owning a purchased call option on the underlying securities with an exercise price equal to or less than the price at which the underlying securities were sold short.
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Special Situations
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Each Fund may invest in special situations that the Fund’s subadviser believes present opportunities for capital growth. Such situations most typically include corporate restructurings, mergers, and tender offers.
A special situation arises when, in the opinion of the Fund’s subadviser, the securities of a particular company will, within a reasonably estimable period of time, be accorded market recognition at an appreciated value solely by reason of a development particularly or uniquely applicable to that company and regardless of general business conditions or movements of the market as a whole. Developments creating special situations might include, among others, the following: liquidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, mergers, or tender offers; material litigation or resolution thereof; technological breakthroughs; and new management or management policies. Although large and well-known companies may be involved, special situations often involve much greater risk than is inherent in ordinary investment securities.
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Temporary Investments
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When business or financial conditions warrant, each Fund may assume a temporary defensive position by investing in money-market instruments, including obligations of the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities, obligations of foreign sovereigns, other debt securities, commercial paper including bank obligations, certificates of deposit (including Eurodollar certificates of deposit) and repurchase agreements. (See “Money Market Instruments” in this section of the SAI for more information about these types of investments.)
For temporary defensive purposes, during periods in which a Fund’s subadviser believes adverse changes in economic, financial or political conditions make it advisable, the Fund may reduce its holdings in equity and other securities and may invest up to 100% of its assets in certain short-term (less than twelve months to maturity) and medium-term (not greater than five years to maturity) debt securities and in cash (U.S. dollars, foreign currencies, or multicurrency units). The short-term and medium-term debt securities in which a Fund may invest for temporary defensive purposes will be those that the Fund’s subadviser believes to be of high quality (i.e., subject to relatively low risk of loss of interest or principal). If rated, these securities will be rated in one of the three highest rating categories by rating services such as Moody’s or S&P (i.e., rated at least A).
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Warrants or Rights to Purchase Securities
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Each Fund may invest in or acquire warrants or rights to purchase equity or fixed income securities at a specified price during a specific period of time. A Fund will make such investments only if the underlying securities are deemed appropriate by the Fund’s subadviser for inclusion in the Fund’s portfolio. Included are warrants and rights whose underlying securities are not traded on principal domestic or foreign exchanges. Warrants and stock rights are almost identical to call options in their nature, use and effect except that they are issued by the issuer of the underlying security, rather than an option writer, and they generally have longer expiration dates than call options. (See “Options” in this section of the SAI for information about call options.)
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Investment Technique
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Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
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Bonds with warrants attached to purchase equity securities have many characteristics of convertible bonds and their prices may, to some degree, reflect the performance of the underlying stock. However, unlike convertible securities and preferred stocks, warrants do not pay a fixed dividend. Bonds also may be issued with warrants attached to purchase additional fixed income securities at the same coupon rate. A decline in interest rates would permit a Fund holding such warrants to buy additional bonds at the favorable rate or to sell the warrants at a profit. If interest rates rise, the warrants would generally expire with no value.
A Fund may purchase put warrants and call warrants whose values vary depending on the change in the value of one or more specified securities indices (“index warrants”). Index warrants are generally issued by banks or other financial institutions and give the holder the right, at any time during the term of the warrant, to receive upon exercise of the warrant a cash payment from the issuer based on the value of the underlying index at the time of exercise. In general, if the value of the underlying index rises above the exercise price of the index warrant, the holder of a call warrant will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise based on the difference between the value of the index and the exercise price of the warrant; if the value of the underlying index falls, the holder of a put warrant will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise based on the difference between the exercise price of the warrant and the value of the index. The holder of a warrant would not be entitled to any payments from the issuer at any time when, in the case of a call warrant, the exercise price is greater than the value of the underlying index or, in the case of a put warrant, the exercise price is less than the value of the underlying index. If a Fund were not to exercise an index warrant prior to its expiration, then the Fund would lose the amount of the purchase price paid by it for the warrant.
A Fund will normally use index warrants in a manner similar to its use of options on securities indices. The risks of the Fund’s use of index warrants are generally similar to those relating to its use of index options. (See “Options” in this section of the SAI for information about index options.) Unlike most index options, however, index warrants are issued in limited amounts and are not obligations of a regulated clearing agency, but are backed only by the credit of the bank or other institution which issues the warrant. Also, index warrants generally have longer terms than index options. Although a Fund will normally invest only in exchange-listed warrants, index warrants are not likely to be as liquid as certain index options backed by a recognized clearing agency. In addition, the terms of index warrants may limit a Fund’s ability to exercise the warrants at such time, or in such quantities, as the Fund would otherwise wish to do.
​ ​ ​ ​
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions
​ ​
Each Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis. These transactions are also known as delayed delivery transactions. (The phrase “delayed delivery” is not intended to include purchases where a delay in delivery involves only a brief period required by the selling party solely to locate appropriate certificates and prepare them for submission for clearance and settlement in the customary way.) Delayed delivery transactions involve a commitment by the Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date (ordinarily up to 90 days later). The price of the underlying securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. When-issued purchases and forward commitments are negotiated directly with the selling party.
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Investment Technique
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Description and Risks
​ ​
Fund-Specific Limitations
​
​ ​ ​
When-issued purchases and forward commitments enable the Fund to lock in what is believed to be an attractive price or yield on a particular security for a period of time, regardless of future changes in interest rates. For example, in periods of rising interest rates and falling bond prices, the Fund might sell debt securities it owns on a forward commitment basis to limit its exposure to falling prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising prices, the Fund might sell securities it owns and purchase the same or similar securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the benefit of currently higher yields. The Fund will not enter into such transactions for the purpose of leverage.
The value of securities purchased on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and any subsequent fluctuations in their value will be reflected in the Fund’s NAV starting on the first business day after the date of the agreement to purchase the securities. The Fund will be subject to the rights and risks of ownership of the securities on the agreement date. However, the Fund will not earn interest on securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and received. A seller’s failure to deliver securities to the Fund could prevent the Fund from realizing a price or yield considered to be advantageous and could cause the Fund to incur expenses associated with unwinding the transaction.
When a Fund makes a forward commitment to sell securities it owns, the proceeds to be received upon settlement will be included in the Fund’s assets. Fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities will not be reflected in the Fund’s NAV as long as the commitment to sell remains in effect. Settlement of when-issued purchases and forward commitment transactions generally takes place up to 90 days after the date of the transaction, but the Fund may agree to a longer settlement period.
The Funds will make commitments to purchase securities on a when-issued basis or to purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis only with the intention of completing the transaction and actually purchasing or selling the securities. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, a Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into. A Fund also may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. The Fund may realize a capital gain or loss in connection with these transactions.
When a Fund purchases securities on a when-issued or forward-commitment basis, the Fund will specifically designate on its accounting records securities having a value (determined daily) at least equal to the amount of the Fund’s purchase commitments. These procedures are designed to ensure that each Fund will maintain sufficient assets at all times to cover its obligations under when-issued purchases and forward commitments.
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INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
Fundamental Investment Limitations
Each Fund is subject to the investment limitations enumerated in this section, which may be changed with respect to a particular Fund only by a vote of the holders of a majority of such Fund’s outstanding shares. As used in this SAI and in the Prospectuses, a “majority of the outstanding shares” of a Fund means the lesser of  (a) 67% of the shares of the particular Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund are present in person or by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund.
With respect to all of the Funds, except as noted, each Fund may not:
(1)
With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an issuer (other than the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities or authorities or repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Government securities
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and other investment companies), if: (a) such purchase would, at the time, cause more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer; or (b) such purchase would, at the time, result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the Fund.
(2)
Purchase securities if, after giving effect to the purchase, more than 25% of its respective total assets would be invested in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (excluding the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities). The limitation does not prohibit any Fund (each, a “Fund of Funds”) from investing all or substantially all of its assets in the shares of one or more registered, open-end investment companies, and the limitation does not apply to the purchase of investment company shares by any such Fund of Funds. For purposes of determining the amount of each Fund’s total assets invested in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, as of the date of this SAI the Funds of Funds will not look through to the securities held by any underlying exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), unaffiliated mutual funds and/or closed-end funds in which such Funds invest.
​
(3)
Borrow money, except (i) in amounts not to exceed one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed) from banks, and (ii) up to an additional 5% of its total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. For purposes of this restriction, (a) investment techniques such as margin purchases, short sales, forward commitments, and roll transactions, (b) investments in instruments such as futures contracts, swaps, and options and (c) short-term credits extended in connection with trade clearance and settlement, shall not constitute borrowing.
​
(4)
Issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act. Activities permitted by exemptive orders or staff interpretations of the SEC shall not be deemed to be prohibited by this restriction.
​
(5)
Underwrite the securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities, the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under applicable law.
​
(6)
Purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may (i) acquire or lease office space for its own use, (ii) invest in securities of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein, (iii) invest in mortgage-related securities and other securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein, and (iv) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities.
​
(7)
Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except the Fund may purchase and sell derivatives (including, but not limited to, options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts) whose value is tied to the value of a financial index or a financial instrument or other asset (including, but not limited to, securities indexes, interest rates, securities, currencies and physical commodities).
​
(8a)
Make loans, except that the Fund may (i) lend portfolio securities, (ii) enter into repurchase agreements, (iii) purchase all or a portion of an issue of debt securities, bank loan participation interests, bank certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, debentures or other securities, whether or not the purchase is made upon the original issuance of the securities and (iv) participate in an interfund lending program with other registered investment companies. (Applicable only to Contrarian Value Fund.)
​
(8b)
Lend securities or make any other loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, except that the Fund may purchase debt securities, may enter into repurchase agreements and may acquire loans, loan participations and assignments (both funded and unfunded) and other forms of debt instruments. (Applicable to all Funds, except Contrarian Value Fund.)
​
Except with respect to investment restriction (3) above, if any percentage restriction described above for a Fund is adhered to at the time of investment, a subsequent increase or decrease in the percentage resulting from a change in the value of the Fund’s assets will not constitute a violation of the restriction. With respect to investment restriction (3), in the event that asset coverage for all borrowings shall at any time fall below 300 per centum, the Fund shall, within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays) or such longer period as the SEC may prescribe by rules and regulations, reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowings shall be at least 300 per centum.
Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions (Small-Cap Core Fund only)
The Trustees have adopted the following additional investment restrictions for the Small-Cap Core Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval.
The Fund may not:
(a)
purchase or write put, call, straddle or spread options except as described in the Prospectus or SAI;
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(b)
make short sales (except covered or “against the box” short sales) or purchases on margin, except that the Fund may obtain short-term credits necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of its portfolio securities and, as required in connection with permissible options, futures, short selling and leveraging activities as described elsewhere in the Prospectus and SAI;
​
(c)
mortgage, hypothecate, or pledge any of its assets as security for any of its obligations, except as required for otherwise permissible borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements, dollar roll transactions, short sales, financial options and other hedging activities);
​
(d)
purchase the securities of any company for the purpose of exercising management or control (but this restriction shall not restrict the voting of any proxy);
​
(e)
purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer;
​
(f)
purchase the securities of other investment companies, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and except as otherwise provided in the Prospectus (the Fund reserves the right to invest all of its assets in shares of another investment company);
​
(g)
participate on a joint basis in any trading account in securities, although the Adviser may aggregate orders for the sale or purchase of securities with other accounts it manages to reduce brokerage costs or to average prices;
​
(h)
invest, in the aggregate, more than 10% of its net assets in illiquid securities;
​
(i)
invest more than 5% of its net assets in indexed securities.
​
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
Trustees and Officers
The Board is responsible for the overall supervision of the Trust, including establishing the Funds’ policies and general supervision and review of their investment activities, and performs the various duties imposed on Trustees by the 1940 Act and Delaware statutory trust law. The officers, who administer the Funds’ daily operations, are appointed by the Board and generally are employees of the Administrator or one of its affiliates. The current Trustees and officers of the Trust performing a policy-making function and their affiliations and principal occupations for the past five years are set forth below. The Trust has no employees.
Unless otherwise noted, each Trustee of the Trust also serves as a Trustee of other Virtus Mutual Funds and the address of each individual is 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103. There is no stated term of office for Trustees or officers of the Trust.
Independent Trustees*
​
Name and Year of Birth
​ ​
Length of
Time Served
​ ​
Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
​ ​
Principal Occupation(s) During Past
5 Years
​ ​
Other Directorships Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
​
​ Brown, Thomas J. YOB: 1945 ​ ​
Served since 2016.
​ ​
61
​ ​ Retired ​ ​ Trustee (since 2016), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); Trustee (since 2011), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); Director (since 2005), VALIC Company Funds (49 portfolios); and Director (since 2010), D’Youville Senior Care Center. ​
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​
Name and Year of Birth
​ ​
Length of
Time Served
​ ​
Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
​ ​
Principal Occupation(s) During Past
5 Years
​ ​
Other Directorships Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
​
​ Burke, Donald C. YOB: 1961 ​ ​
Served since 2016.
​ ​
65
​ ​ Retired. ​ ​ Trustee (since 2016), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); Trustee (since 2016), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); Director (since 2014) closed-end funds managed by Duff  & Phelps Investment Management Co. (4 portfolios); Director, Avista Corp. (energy company) (since 2011); Trustee, Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (2010 to 2014); Director, BlackRock Luxembourg and Cayman Funds (2006 to 2010). ​
​ Gelfenbien, Roger A. YOB: 1943 ​ ​
Served since 2016.
​ ​
61
​ ​ Retired. ​ ​ Trustee (since 2016), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); Trustee (since 2000), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); and Director (since 1999), USAllianz Variable Insurance Product Trust (42 portfolios). ​
​ Mallin, John R. YOB: 1950 ​ ​
Served since 2016.
​ ​
61
​ ​ Partner/ Attorney (since 2003), McCarter & English LLP Real Property Practice Group and Member (since 2014), Counselors of Real Estate. ​ ​ Trustee (since 2016), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); Trustee (since 1999), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); Director (since 2013), Horizons, Inc. (non-profit). ​
​ McClellan, Hassell H. YOB: 1945 ​ ​
Served since 2015.
​ ​
61
​ ​ Retired. Professor (1984 to 2013), Wallace E. Carroll School of Management, Boston College. ​ ​ Trustee (since 2015), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); Trustee (since 2008), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); Trustee (since 2000), John Hancock Fund Complex (collectively, 228 portfolios); and Director (since 2010), Barnes Group, Inc. (diversified global components manufacturer and logistical services company). ​
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​
Name and Year of Birth
​ ​
Length of
Time Served
​ ​
Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
​ ​
Principal Occupation(s) During Past
5 Years
​ ​
Other Directorships Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
​
​
McLoughlin, Philip
Chairman
YOB: 1946
​ ​
Served since 1993.
​ ​
72
​ ​ Retired ​ ​ Chairman (since 2002) and Trustee (since 1989), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); Chairman and Trustee (since 2003), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); Trustee/Director and Chairman (since 2011), Virtus Closed-End Funds (3 portfolios); Trustee and Chairman (since 2013), Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust (4 portfolios); Director (since 1995), closed-end funds managed by Duff  & Phelps Investment Management Co. (4 portfolios); and Director (since 1991) and Chairman (since 2010), World Trust Fund (closed-end investment firm in Luxembourg). ​
​
McNamara, Geraldine M.
YOB: 1951
​ ​
Served since 2001.
​ ​
65
​ ​ Retired. ​ ​ Trustee (since 2001), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); Trustee (since 2015), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); and Director (since 2003), closed-end funds managed by Duff  & Phelps Investment Management Co. (4 portfolios). ​
​
Oates, James M.
YOB: 1946
​ ​
Served since 1993.
​ ​
68
​ ​ Managing Director (since 1994), Wydown Group (consulting firm). ​ ​ Trustee (since 1987), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); Trustee (since 2016) Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); Trustee (since 2013), Virtus Closed-End Funds (3 portfolios); Trustee (since 2013), Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust (4 portfolios); Director (since 1996), Stifel Financial; Chairman and Director (1999 to 2014), Connecticut River Bank; Director (2002 to 2014), New Hampshire Trust Company; Chairman and Trustee (since 2005), John Hancock Fund Complex (228 portfolios); and Non-Executive Chairman (2000 to 2014), Hudson Castle Group, Inc. (formerly IBEX Capital Markets, Inc.) (financial services). ​
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​
Name and Year of Birth
​ ​
Length of
Time Served
​ ​
Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
​ ​
Principal Occupation(s) During Past
5 Years
​ ​
Other Directorships Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
​
​
Segerson, Richard E.
YOB: 1946
​ ​
Served since 1983.
​ ​
61
​ ​ Retired. ​ ​ Trustee (since 1983), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); Trustee (since 2016) Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); and Managing Director (1998 to 2013), Northway Management Company. ​
​
Verdonck, Ferdinand L.J.
YOB: 1942
​ ​
Served since 2004.
​ ​
61
​ ​ Director (1998 to July 2015), The J.P. Morgan Continental European Investment Trust; Director (2005 to 2013), Galapagos N.V. (biotechnology); Director (1998 to 2015) Groupe SNEF; Vice Chairman (since 2014), Affirmed Therapeutics (biotechnology); and Mr. Verdonck is also a director of several non-U.S. companies. ​ ​ Trustee (since 2002), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex (52 portfolios); and Trustee (since 2016) Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios). ​
*Those Trustees listed as “Independent Trustees” are not “interested persons” of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act.
Interested Trustee
​
Name and Year of Birth
​ ​
Length of
Time Served
​ ​
Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by Trustee
​ ​
Principal Occupation(s) During Past
5 Years
​ ​
Other Directorships Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
​
​
Aylward, George R.
YOB: 1964
​ ​
Served since 2006.
​ ​
70
​ ​ Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (since 2008), Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. and/or certain of its subsidiaries; and various senior officer positions with Virtus affiliates (since 2005). ​ ​ Trustee (since 2006), Virtus Mutual Funds (52 portfolios); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (since 2006), The Zweig Closed-End Funds (2 portfolios); Trustee (since 2012) and President (since 2010), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (9 portfolios); Trustee and President (since 2011), Virtus Closed-End Funds (3 portfolios); Director (since 2013), Virtus Global Funds, PLC (2 portfolios); Trustee (since 2013), Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust (4 portfolios); and Chairman and Trustee (since 2015), Virtus ETF Trust II. ​
Mr. Aylward is an “interested person” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, by reason of his position as President and Chief Executive Officer of Virtus, the ultimate parent company of the Adviser, and various positions with its affiliates including the Adviser.
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Officers of the Trust Who Are Not Trustees
​
Name, Address and Year of
Birth
​ ​
Position(s) Held with the
Trust and Length of Time
Served
​ ​
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
​
​
Bradley, W. Patrick
YOB: 1972
​ ​ Executive Vice President (since 2016), Senior Vice President (2013 to 2016), Vice President (2011 to 2013), and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (since 2006), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex. ​ ​ Executive Vice President, Fund Services (since 2016), and Senior Vice President, Fund Services (2010 to 2016), Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. and/or certain of its subsidiaries; various officer positions (since 2006) with Virtus affiliates; Executive Vice President (since 2016), Senior Vice President (2013 to 2016), Vice President (2011 to 2013), and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (since 2004), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust; Executive Vice President (since 2016), Senior Vice President (2013 to 2016), Vice President (2012 to 2013) and Treasurer (Chief Financial Officer) (since 2007), The Zweig Closed-End Funds; Executive Vice President (since 2016), Senior Vice President (2013 to 2016), Vice President (2011 to 2013), and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (since 2011), Virtus Closed-End Funds; Vice President and Assistant Treasurer (since 2011), Duff  & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.; Director (since 2013), Virtus Global Funds, PLC; and Executive Vice President (since 2016), Senior Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (since 2013), Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust. ​
​
Carr, Kevin J.
YOB: 1954
​ ​ Senior Vice President (since 2013), Vice President (2005 to 2013), and Chief Legal Officer, Counsel and Secretary (since 2005), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex. ​ ​ Senior Vice President (since 2009), and Vice President, Counsel and Secretary (2008 to 2009), Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. and/or certain of its subsidiaries; various senior officer positions (since 2005) with Virtus affiliates; Senior Vice President (2013 to 2014), Vice President (2012 to 2013), Assistant Secretary (since 2012), and Secretary and Chief Legal Officer (2005 to 2012), The Zweig Closed-End Funds; Assistant Secretary (since 2013), and Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Counsel and Secretary (2010 to 2013), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust; Vice President and Assistant Secretary (since 2011), Duff  & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc.; Senior Vice President and Assistant Secretary (2013 to 2014), Vice President and Assistant Secretary (2012 to 2013), and Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Counsel and Secretary (2011 to 2012), Virtus Closed-End Funds (3 portfolios); and Assistant Secretary (since 2013), Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust. ​
​
Engberg, Nancy J.
YOB: 1956
​ ​ Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer (since 2011), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex. ​ ​ Vice President (since 2008) and Chief Compliance Officer (2008 to 2011 and since 2016), Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. and/or certain of its subsidiaries; various officer positions (since 2003) with Virtus affiliates; Vice President (since 2010) and Chief Compliance Officer (since 2011), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust; Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer (since 2011), Virtus Closed-End Funds; Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer (since 2012), The Zweig Closed-End Funds; Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer (since 2013), Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust; Chief Compliance Officer (since 2015), ETFis Series Trust I; and Chief Compliance Officer (since 2015), Virtus ETF Trust II. ​
​
Waltman, Francis G.
YOB: 1962
​ ​ Executive Vice President (since 2013), and Senior Vice President (2008 to 2013), Virtus Mutual Fund Complex. ​ ​ Executive Vice President, Product Development (since 2009), Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. and/or certain of its subsidiaries; various senior officer positions (since 2006) with Virtus affiliates; Executive Vice President (since 2013), and Senior Vice President (2010 to 2013), Virtus Variable Insurance Trust; Executive Vice President (since 2013), and Senior Vice President (2011 to 2013), Virtus Closed-End Funds; Director (since 2013), Virtus Global Funds PLC; and Executive Vice President (since 2013), Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust. ​
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Leadership Structure and the Board of Trustees
The Board is currently composed of eleven trustees, including ten Independent Trustees. In addition to four regularly scheduled meetings per year, the Board holds special meetings either in person or via telephone to discuss specific matters that may require consideration prior to the next regular meeting. As discussed below, the Board has established several standing committees to assist the Board in performing its oversight responsibilities, and each such committee has a chairperson. The Board may also designate working groups or ad hoc committees as it deems appropriate.
The Board has appointed Mr. McLoughlin, an Independent Trustee, to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman’s primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board and the identification of information to be presented to the Board with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board and between meetings generally acts as a liaison with the Trust’s service providers, officers, legal counsel, and the other Trustees. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust’s Declaration of Trust or By-laws, or as assigned by the Board, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board, generally.
The Board believes that this leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise informed and independent judgment over matters under its purview, and it allocates areas of responsibility among committees or working groups of Trustees and the full Board in a manner that enhances effective oversight. Mr. McLoughlin previously served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company that is now Virtus; however, he is now an Independent Trustee due to (a) the fact that Virtus is no longer affiliated with The Phoenix Companies, Inc. (which was its parent company when Mr. McLoughlin retired) and (b) the passage of time. As a result of this balance, it is believed that Mr. McLoughlin has the ability to provide independent oversight of the Trust’s operations within the context of his detailed understanding of the perspective of the Adviser and the Trust’s other service providers. The Board therefore considers leadership by Mr. McLoughlin as enhancing the Board’s ability to provide effective independent oversight of the Trust’s operations and meaningful representation of the shareholders’ interests.
The Board also believes that having a super-majority of Independent Trustees is appropriate and in the best interest of the Funds’ shareholders. Nevertheless, the Board also believes that having an interested person serve on the Board brings corporate and financial viewpoints that are, in the Board’s view, crucial elements in its decision-making process. In addition, the Board believes that Mr. Aylward, who is currently the Chairman and President of the Adviser, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Virtus, and serves in various executive roles with other affiliates of the Adviser who provide services to the Trust, provides the Board with the Adviser’s perspective in managing and sponsoring the Virtus Mutual Funds as well as the perspective of other service providers to the Trust. The leadership structure of the Board may be changed at any time and in the discretion of the Board, including in response to changes in circumstances or the characteristics of the Trust.
The Board has established several standing committees to oversee particular aspects of the Funds’ management. The members of each Committee are set forth below:
The Audit Committee
The Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing the Funds’ accounting and auditing policies and practices. The Audit Committee reviews the Funds’ financial reporting procedures, their system of internal control, the independent audit process, and the Funds’ procedures for monitoring compliance with investment restrictions and applicable laws and regulations and with the Code of Ethics. The Audit Committee is composed entirely of Independent Trustees; its members are Thomas J. Brown, Chairperson, Donald C. Burke, Roger A. Gelfenbien, Richard E. Segerson and Ferdinand L.J. Verdonck.The Committee met four times during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
The Compliance Committee
The Compliance Committee is responsible for overseeing the Funds’ compliance matters. The Compliance Committee oversees and reviews (1) information provided by the Funds’ officers, including the Funds’ CCO, the Funds’ investment adviser and other principal service providers, and others as appropriate; (2) the codes of ethics; (3) whistleblower reports; (4) cybersecurity programs; and (5) distribution programs. The Compliance Committee will be composed entirely of Independent Trustees; its members are Hassell H. McClellan, Chairperson, John R. Mallin, Geraldine M. McNamara, and James M. Oates. The Committee was established on May 26, 2016, and therefore did not meet during the Trust's last fiscal year.
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The Executive Committee
The function of the Executive Committee is to serve as a delegate of the full Board, as well as act on behalf of the Board when it is not in session, subject to limitations as set by the Board. The Executive Committee is composed entirely of Independent Trustees; its members are Philip R. McLoughlin, Chairperson, Thomas J. Brown, Hassell H. McClellan and James M. Oates. The Executive Committee did not meet during the Trust's last fiscal year.
The Governance and Nominating Committee
The Governance and Nominating Committee is responsible for developing and maintaining governance principles applicable to the Funds, for nominating individuals to serve as Trustees, including as Independent Trustees, and annually evaluating the Board and Committees. The Governance and Nominating Committee is composed entirely of Independent Trustees; its members are James M. Oates, Chairperson, Philip R. McLoughlin and Geraldine M. McNamara. The Committee met four times during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
The Governance and Nominating Committee considers candidates for trusteeship and makes recommendations to the Board with respect to such candidates. There are no specific required qualifications for trusteeship. The committee considers all relevant qualifications of candidates for trusteeship, such as industry knowledge and experience, financial expertise, current employment and other board memberships, and whether the candidate would be qualified to be considered an Independent Trustee. The Board believes that having among its members a diversity of viewpoints, skills and experience and a variety of complementary skills enhances the effectiveness of the Board in its oversight role. The committee considers the qualifications of candidates for trusteeship in this context.
The Board has adopted a policy for consideration of Trustee nominees recommended by shareholders. With regards to such policy, an individual shareholder or shareholder group submitting a nomination must hold either individually or in the aggregate for at least one full year as of the date of nomination 5% of the shares of a series of the Trust, among other qualifications and restrictions. Shareholders or shareholder groups submitting nominees must comply with all requirements set forth in the Trust’s policy for consideration of Trustee nominees recommended by shareholders and any such submission must be in writing, directed to the Trust’s secretary. Any shareholder nominee recommendations should be sent to the attention of the committee in care of the Trust’s Secretary, and should include biographical information, including business experience for the past ten years and a description of the qualifications of the proposed nominee, along with a statement from the proposed nominee that he or she is willing to serve and meets the requirements to be an Independent Trustee, if applicable. Shareholder nominees for Trustee will be given the same consideration as any candidate provided the nominee meets certain minimum requirements.
Information about Each Trustee’s Qualification, Experience, Attributes or Skills
In addition to the information set forth above, the following provides further information about each Trustee’s specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills. The information in this section should not be understood to mean that any of the Trustees is an “expert” within the meaning of the federal securities laws.
George R. Aylward
In addition to his positions with the Trust, Mr. Aylward is a Director and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Virtus, the ultimate parent company of the Adviser. He also holds various executive positions with the Adviser, certain Funds’ subadvisers, the Distributor and the Administrator to the Trust, and various of their affiliates, and previously held such positions with the former parent company of Virtus. He therefore has experience in all aspects of the development and management of registered investment companies, and the handling of various financial, staffing, regulatory and operational issues. Mr. Aylward is a certified public accountant and holds an MBA, and he also serves as an officer and director/trustee of several open-end and closed-end funds managed by the Adviser and its affiliates.
Thomas J. Brown
Mr. Brown, currently retired, was employed in senior business and accounting roles with financial services companies for over twenty-five years, and he has over sixteen years of experience as a director/trustee of unaffiliated funds. Mr. Brown is also a trustee of several other open-end funds managed by the Adviser.
Donald C. Burke
Mr. Burke, currently retired, has extensive experience with mutual funds, including as president and Chief Executive Officer of a major fund complex, and subsequently as an independent trustee of another major fund complex. He also has extensive knowledge of the utility industry, derived from his service on the board of a public company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy. He is also a director/trustee of several open-end and closed-end funds managed by the Adviser and its affiliates.
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Roger A. Gelfenbien
Mr. Gelfenbien, currently retired, was employed as an accountant and consultant in the financial services sector for over thirty years, as well as having over eleven years experience with an unaffiliated fund as a director. Mr. Gelfenbien is also a trustee of several other open-end funds managed by the Adviser.
John R. Mallin
Mr. Mallin is a real estate partner and former practice group leader for the Real Property Practice Group at McCarter & English LLP. During his career, he has been involved in all aspects of real estate development and financial transactions related to real estate. Mr. Mallin also has oversight and corporate governance experience as a director, including as a chair, of non-profit entities. Mr. Mallin is also a trustee of several other open-end funds managed by the Adviser.
Hassell H. McClellan
Mr. McClellan, currently retired, has extensive business experience in advising and consulting with companies to improve the companies’ management and operations, as well as serving as a business educator at several colleges. Mr. McClellan also has over twelve years of experience as a director of unaffiliated funds. Mr. McClellan is also a trustee of several other open-end funds managed by the Adviser.
Philip R. McLoughlin
Mr. McLoughlin has an extensive legal, financial and asset management background. In 1971, he joined Phoenix Investment Partners, Ltd. (then, Phoenix Equity Planning Corp.), the predecessor of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc., as Assistant Counsel with responsibility for various compliance and legal functions. During his tenure, Mr. McLoughlin assumed responsibility for most functions in the firm's advisory, broker-dealer and fund management operations, and eventually ascended to the role of President. Mr. McLoughlin then served as General Counsel, and later Chief Investment Officer, of Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company, the parent company of Phoenix Investment Partners. Among other functions, he served as the senior management liaison to the boards of directors of the insurance company's mutual funds and closed-end funds, and had direct oversight responsibility for the funds' portfolio managers. In 1994, Mr. McLoughlin was named Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix Investment Partners, and continued in that position, as well as Chief Investment Officer of Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company, until his retirement in 2002.
Geraldine M. McNamara
Ms. McNamara was an executive at U.S. Trust Company of New York for 24 years, where she rose to the position of Managing Director. Her responsibilities at U.S. Trust included the oversight of U.S. Trust’s personal banking business. In addition to her managerial and banking experience, Ms. McNamara has experience in advising individuals on their personal financial management, which has given her an enhanced understanding of the goals and expectations that individual investors may have. Ms. McNamara is also a trustee of several open-end and closed-end funds managed by the Adviser and its affiliates.
James M. Oates
Mr. Oates was instrumental in the founding of a private global finance, portfolio management and administration company, and he has also served in executive and director roles for various types of financial services companies. As a senior officer and director of investment management companies, Mr. Oates has experience in investment management. He also previously served as chief executive officer of two banks, and holds an MBA. Mr. Oates also has experience as a director of other publicly traded companies and has served for a number of years as the Chairman of the Board of a large family of mutual funds unaffiliated with the Trust. Mr. Oates is also a director/trustee of several open-end and closed-end funds managed by the Adviser and its affiliates.
Richard E. Segerson
Mr. Segerson has served in financial and other executive roles with various operating companies, including serving as the Chief Financial Officer, Controller and Chief Operating Officer of such entities. These roles have provided him with an understanding of financial and operational issues, as has his experience as a public accountant. Mr. Segerson also has over 30 years of experience serving as a trustee to various mutual funds, and he holds an MBA. Mr. Segerson also has served for a number of years as the Managing Director of a family office, providing wealth management services to individuals. This experience enhances his understanding of the perspective of individual fund shareholders. Mr. Segerson is also a trustee of several other open-end funds managed by the Adviser.
Ferdinand L.J. Verdonck
Mr. Verdonck brings to the Board a broad background in finance, investments, banking and international business. His experience includes serving as the chief financial officer of the U.S. subsidiary of an international company, and as a senior vice president of a major U.S. investment firm. He also holds degrees in both law and economics. Mr. Verdonck
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has served for more than 25 years on the boards and audit committees of various U.S. and foreign companies. He is also a trustee of several other open-end funds managed by the Adviser.
Board Oversight of Risk Management
As a registered investment company, the Trust is subject to a variety of risks, including investment risks, financial risks, compliance risks and regulatory risks. As part of its overall activities, the Board oversees the management of the Trust’s risk management structure by the Trust’s Adviser, Administrator, Distributor, officers and others. The responsibility to manage the Funds’ risk management structure on a day-to-day basis is subsumed within the other responsibilities of these parties.
The Board considers risk management issues as part of its general oversight responsibilities throughout the year at regular meetings of the Board and its committees, and within the context of any ad hoc communications with the Trust’s service providers and officers. The Trust’s Adviser, subadvisers, Distributor, officers and legal counsel prepare regular reports to the Board that address certain investment, valuation, compliance and other matters, and the Board as a whole or its committees may also receive special written reports or presentations on a variety of risk issues at the request of the Board, a committee, the Chairman or a senior officer.
The Board receives regular written reports describing and analyzing the investment performance of the Funds. In addition, the portfolio managers of the Funds and senior management of the Funds’ subadvisers meet with the Board periodically to discuss portfolio performance and answer the Board’s questions with respect to portfolio strategies and risks. To the extent that a Fund changes a primary investment strategy, the Board generally is consulted in advance with respect to such change.
The Board receives regular written reports from the Trust’s Chief Financial Officer that enable the Board to monitor the number of fair valued securities in the Funds’ portfolios, the reasons for the fair valuation and the methodology used to arrive at the fair value. Such reports also include information concerning illiquid securities within the Funds’ portfolios. The Board and/or the Audit Committee may also review valuation procedures and pricing results with the Funds’ independent auditors in connection with the review of the results of the audit of the Funds’ year-end financial statements.
The Board also receives regular compliance reports prepared by the compliance staff of the Adviser and meets regularly with the Trust’s CCO to discuss compliance issues, including compliance risks. As required under applicable rules, the Independent Trustees meet regularly in executive session with the CCO, and the CCO prepares and presents an annual written compliance report to the Board. The CCO, as well as the compliance staff of the Adviser and Virtus, provide the Board with reports on their examinations of functions and processes within the Adviser and the subadvisers that affect the Funds. The Board also adopts compliance policies and procedures for the Trust and approves such procedures for the Trust’s service providers. The compliance policies and procedures are specifically designed to detect and prevent violations of the federal securities laws.
In its annual review of the Funds’ advisory, subadvisory and distribution agreements, the Board reviews information provided by the Adviser, the subadvisers and the Distributor relating to their operational capabilities, financial conditions and resources. The Board may also discuss particular risks that are not addressed in its regular reports and processes.
The Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Funds or to develop processes and controls to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. The Board periodically reviews the effectiveness of its oversight of the Funds and the other funds in the Virtus Mutual Funds family, and the processes and controls in place to limit identified risks. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts its risk oversight role.
Trustees’ Fund Holdings as of December 31, 2015
As of December 31, 2015, the Trustees beneficially owned shares of the Funds as set forth in the table below.
Independent Trustees
​ ​
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in a Fund of the Trust
​ ​
Aggregate Dollar Range of Trustee
Ownership in all Funds Overseen by
Trustee in Family of Investment
Companies
​
Thomas J. Brown * ​ ​
None
​ ​
None
​
Donald C. Burke * ​ ​
None
​ ​
Over 100,000
​
Roger A. Gelfenbien * ​ ​
None
​ ​
None
​
John R. Mallin * ​ ​
None
​ ​
None
​
Hassell H. McClellan ​ ​
None
​ ​
None
​
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Independent Trustees
​ ​
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in a Fund of the Trust
​ ​
Aggregate Dollar Range of Trustee
Ownership in all Funds Overseen by
Trustee in Family of Investment
Companies
​
Philip McLoughlin ​ ​
Contrarian Value Fund – $10,001 – $50,000
Small-Cap Core Fund – $10,001 – $50,000
​ ​
Over $100,000
​
Geraldine M. McNamara ​ ​
Contrarian Value Fund – $10,001 – $50,000
​ ​
Over $100,000
​
James M. Oates ​ ​
Contrarian Value Fund – $50,001 – $100,000
Enhanced Core Equity Fund – $10,001 – $50,000
Quality Small-Cap Fund – Over  $100,000
​ ​
Over $100,000
​
Richard E. Segerson ​ ​
None
​ ​
Over $100,000
​
Ferdinand L.J. Verdonck ​ ​
Contrarian Value Fund – $10,001 – $50,000
Enhanced Core Equity Fund – $10,001 – $50,000
Global Quality Dividend Fund– $10,001 – $50,000
Small-Cap Core Fund – $10,001 – $50,000
​ ​
Over $100,000
​
Interested Trustee ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
George R. Aylward ​ ​
Global Quality Dividend Fund – $1 – $10,000
​ ​
Over $100,000
​
*
Became a trustee effective May 26, 2016.
​
As of March 31, 2017, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust as a whole owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of any of the Funds or their classes.
Trustee Compensation
Trustees who are not employed by the Adviser or its affiliates receive an annual retainer and fees and expenses for attendance at Board and Committee meetings. Officers and employees of the Adviser of the Funds who are interested persons are compensated for their services by the Adviser of the Funds, or an affiliate of the Adviser of the Funds, and receive no compensation from the Funds. The Trust does not have any retirement plan for its Trustees.
For the Trust’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, the current Trustees received the following compensation:
Independent Trustees
​ ​
Aggregate
Compensation from
Trust
​ ​
Total Compensation
From Trust and Fund
Complex Paid to
Trustees
​ ​
Thomas J. Brown * ​ ​
None
​ ​
$81,000 (9 Funds)
​ ​
Donald C. Burke * ​ ​
None
​ ​
$80,500 (4 Funds)
​ ​ ​ ​
Roger A. Gelfenbien * ​ ​
None
​ ​
$77,000 (9 Funds)
​ ​ ​ ​
John R. Mallin * ​ ​
None
​ ​
$77,000 (9 Funds)
​ ​ ​ ​
Hassell H. McClellan ​ ​
$18,514
​ ​
$326,000 (61 Funds)
​ ​
Philip R. McLoughlin ​ ​
$28,855
​ ​
$764,283 (75 Funds)
​ ​
Geraldine M. McNamara ​ ​
$18,514
​ ​
$411,000 (65 Funds)
​ ​
James M. Oates ​ ​
$19,785
​ ​
$423,283 (62 Funds)
​ ​
Richard E. Segerson ​ ​
$18,514
​ ​
$244,000 (52 Funds)
​ ​
Ferdinand L.J. Verdonck ​ ​
$18,514
​ ​
$244,000 (52 Funds)
​ ​
Interested Trustee ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
George R. Aylward ​ ​
None
​ ​
None
​ ​
*
Became a trustee effective May 26, 2016.
​
Sales Loads
The Trust’s Trustees are permitted to invest in Class I shares of each Fund without initial or subsequent minimum investment requirements. Class I shares do not carry a sales load.
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Code of Ethics
The Trust, its Adviser, subadvisers and Distributor have each adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. Personnel subject to the Codes of Ethics may purchase and sell securities for their personal accounts, including securities that may be purchased, sold or held by the Funds, subject to certain restrictions and conditions. Generally, personal securities transactions are subject to preclearance procedures, reporting requirements and holding period rules. The Codes also restrict personal securities transactions in private placements, initial public offerings and securities in which a Fund has a pending order. The Trust has also adopted a Code of Ethics for Chief Executive and Senior Financial Officers as required by Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Proxy Voting Policies
The Trust has adopted on behalf of the Funds a Policy Regarding Proxy Voting stating the Trust’s intention to exercise stock ownership rights with respect to portfolio securities in a manner that is reasonably anticipated to further the best economic interests of shareholders of the Funds. The Funds have committed to analyze and vote all proxies that are likely to have financial implications, and where appropriate, to participate in corporate governance, shareholder proposals, management communications and legal proceedings. The Funds must also identify potential or actual conflicts of interest in voting proxies and must address any such conflict of interest in accordance with the Policy.
The Policy stipulates that the Funds’ Adviser will vote proxies, or delegate such responsibility to a subadviser. The applicable voting party will vote proxies in accordance with this Policy, or its own policies and procedures, which in no event will conflict with the Trust’s Policy. The Adviser or applicable subadviser may engage a qualified, independent organization to vote proxies on its behalf  (a “delegate”). Matters that may affect substantially the rights and privileges of the holders of securities to be voted will be analyzed and voted on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration such relevant factors as enumerated in the Policy. The views of management of a portfolio company will be considered.
The Policy specifies certain factors that will be considered when analyzing and voting proxies on certain issues, including, but not limited to:
•
Corporate Governance Matters—tax and economic benefits of changes in the state of incorporation; dilution or improved accountability associated with anti-takeover provisions such as staggered boards, poison pills and supermajority provisions.
​
•
Stock Option and Other Management Compensation Issues—executive pay and spending on perquisites, particularly in conjunction with sub-par performance and employee layoffs.
​
•
Social and Corporate Responsibility Issues—the Adviser or subadviser will generally vote against shareholder social and environmental issue proposals.
​
The Funds and their delegates seek to avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest of Fund shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Adviser, subadviser, delegate, Distributor, or any affiliated person of the Funds, on the other hand.
Depending on the type and materiality, any conflicts of interest will be handled by (i) relying on the recommendations of an established, independent third party proxy voting vendor; (ii) voting pursuant to the recommendation of the delegate; (iii) abstaining; or (iv) where two or more delegates provide conflicting requests, voting shares in proportion to the assets under management of each delegate. The Policy requires each Adviser/ subadviser or delegate to notify the President of the Trust of any actual or potential conflict of interest. No Adviser/ subadviser or delegate may waive any conflict of interest or vote any conflicted proxies without the prior written approval of the Board or the President of the Trust.
The Policy further imposes certain recordkeeping and reporting requirements on each Adviser/subadviser or delegate. Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ending June 30 will be available free of charge by calling, toll-free, 800.243.1574, or on the SEC’s Web site at www.sec.gov .
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
As of March 31, 2017, the persons who owned of record, or were known by the Trust to own beneficially, 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of the Funds included in this SAI are shown in Appendix B — Control Persons and Principal Shareholders.
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INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
Investment Adviser
The investment adviser to each of the Funds is Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc., located at 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06103. VIA, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Virtus, acts as the investment adviser for over 50 mutual funds and as adviser to institutional clients. VIA has acted as an investment adviser for over 80 years. As of March 31, 2016, VIA had approximately $26.6 billion in assets under management.
Investment Advisory Agreement and Expense Limitation Agreement
The investment advisory agreement, approved by the Board, provides that the Trust will bear all costs and expenses (other than those specifically referred to as being borne by the Adviser) incurred in the operation of the Trust. Such expenses include, but shall not be limited to, all expenses incurred in the operation of the Trust and any public offering of its shares, including, among others, interest, taxes, brokerage fees and commissions, fees of Trustees who are not employees of VIA or any of its affiliates, expenses of Trustees, and shareholders’ meetings, expenses of printing and mailing proxy soliciting material, expenses of the insurance premiums for fidelity and other coverage, expenses of the repurchase and redemption of shares, expenses of the issue and sale of shares (to the extent not borne by VP Distributors under its agreement with the Trust), association membership dues, charges of custodians, transfer agents, dividend disbursing agents and financial agents, and bookkeeping, auditing and legal expenses. The Trust will also pay the fees and bear the expense of registering and maintaining the registration of the Trust and its shares with the SEC and registering or qualifying its shares under state or other securities laws and the expense of preparing and mailing prospectuses and reports to shareholders. If authorized by the Board, the Trust will also pay for extraordinary expenses and expenses of a non-recurring nature which may include, but shall not be limited to, the reasonable cost of any reorganization or acquisition of assets and the cost of legal proceedings to which the Trust is a party.
Each Fund will pay expenses incurred in its own operation and will also pay a portion of the Trust’s general administration expenses allocated on the basis of the asset values of the respective Funds.
For managing, or directing the management of, the investments of each fund, VIA is entitled to a fee, payable monthly, at the following annual rates as calculated on the value of each Fund’s average daily net assets:
Fund
​ ​
Investment Advisory Fee
​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
0.70%
​ ​ ​ ​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
0.75%
​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 st $500 Million
​ ​
Over $500 Million
​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
0.80%
​ ​
0.70%
​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
1 st $1 Billion
​ ​
$1+ Billion
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
0.75%
​ ​
0.70%
​
​ ​ ​
1 st $1 Billion
​ ​
$1+ Billion through $2 Billion
​ ​
$2+ Billion
​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​
0.75%
​ ​
0.70%
​ ​
0.65%
​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​
0.75%
​ ​
0.70%
​ ​
0.65%
​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​
0.80%
​ ​
0.75%
​ ​
0.70%
​
Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​
0.55%
​ ​
0.50%
​ ​
0.45%
​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​
0.70%
​ ​
0.65%
​ ​
0.60%
​
Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​
0.70%
​ ​
0.65%
​ ​
0.60%
​
​ ​ ​
1 st $400 Million
​ ​
$400+ Million through $1 Billion
​ ​
$1+ Billion
​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​
0.90%
​ ​
0.85%
​ ​
0.80%
​
VIA may waive any portion of its investment advisory fees or reimburse Fund expenses from time to time. VIA has contractually agreed to limit the annual operating expenses (excluding dividend and interest expenses, brokerage commissions, taxes, extraordinary expenses, and acquired fund fees and expenses (if any)) of the following Funds (expressed as a percentage of daily net assets):
Fund
​ ​
Class A
​ ​
Class C
​ ​
Class I
​ ​
Class R6
​ ​
Class T
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.48 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.23 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.23 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.06 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.48 % ​ ​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 % ​ ​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.10 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.35 % ​ ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.95 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 0.95 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.20 % ​ ​
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Fund
​ ​
Class A
​ ​
Class C
​ ​
Class I
​ ​
Class R6
​ ​
Class T
​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.40 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.15 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.15 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.40 % ​ ​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.17 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.17 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.06 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.42 % ​ ​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.25 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 % ​ ​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.47 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.22 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.22 % ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.47 % ​ ​
Following the contractual period, the Adviser may discontinue these expense reimbursement arrangements at any time. Under certain conditions, the Adviser may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under this arrangement, for a period of three years following the fiscal year in which such reimbursement occurred.
The Adviser also may, at its discretion, from time to time pay for other Fund expenses from its own assets, or reduce the management fee of a Fund in excess of that required. Any fee reimbursed and/or any Fund expense absorbed by the Adviser pursuant to an agreed upon expense cap shall be reimbursed by the Fund to the Adviser, if so requested by the Adviser, provided the aggregate amount of the Fund’s current operating expense for such fiscal year does not exceed the applicable limitation on Fund expenses.
The investment advisory agreement also provides that the Adviser shall not be liable to the Trust or to any shareholder of the Trust for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust or by any shareholder of the Trust in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard on the part of such Adviser in the performance of its duties thereunder.
Provided it has been approved by a vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund of the Trust which is subject to its terms and conditions, the investment advisory agreement continues from year to year with respect to such Fund so long as (1) such continuance is approved at least annually by the Board or by a vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of such Fund and (2) the terms and any renewal of the agreement with respect to such Fund have been approved by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the agreement or interested persons, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, of the Trust or the relevant Adviser, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. On sixty days’ written notice and without penalty the agreement may be terminated as to the Trust or as to a Fund by the Board or by the relevant Adviser and may be terminated as to a Fund by a vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of such Fund. The Agreement automatically terminates upon its assignment (within the meaning of the 1940 Act). The agreement provides that upon its termination, or at the request of the relevant Adviser, the Trust will eliminate all reference to Virtus from its name, and will not thereafter transact business in a name using the word Virtus.
Adviser Affiliates
George Aylward, Kevin Carr and Frank Waltman, each serve as an officer of the Trust and as an officer and/or director of the Adviser. The other principal executive officers and directors of the Adviser are: Michael Angerthal, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Mark Flynn, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Clerk; and David Fusco, Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer.
Advisory Fees
The following table shows the dollar amount of fees payable to VIA for its services with respect to each Fund, the amount of fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed by VIA, if any, and the actual fee received by VIA for the past three fiscal years.
For services to the Funds during the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Adviser received fees of $18,570,884, $19,091,931 and $17,240,594, respectively, under the investment advisory agreements in effect. Of these totals, the Adviser received fees from each Fund as follows:
​ ​ ​
Gross Advisory Fee ($)
​ ​
Advisory Fee Waived and/or
Expenses Reimbursed ($)
​ ​
Net Advisory Fee ($)
​
Fund
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,123,635 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,657,580 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,442,666 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,123,635 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,657,580 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,442,666 ​ ​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,066,888 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,142,724 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,164,434 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 194,100 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 175,017 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 202,324 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 872,788 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 967,706 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 962,110 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 31,753 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 57,160 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 221,690 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 68,868 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 76,904 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 79,143 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (37,115 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (19,744 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 142,547 ​ ​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 508,895 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 528,079 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 536,079 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 33,409 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 45,477 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 61,526 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 475,486 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 482,602 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 474,553 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 708,955 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 697,806 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 706,098 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (6,253 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20,559 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 75,916 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 715,208 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 677,247 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 630,182 ​ ​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,790,972 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,817,140 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,662,935 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (1,592 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,792,564 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,817,140 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,662,935 ​ ​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,259,635 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,882,100 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,310,806 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,259,635 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,882,100 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,310,806 ​ ​
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​ ​ ​
Gross Advisory Fee ($)
​ ​
Advisory Fee Waived and/or
Expenses Reimbursed ($)
​ ​
Net Advisory Fee ($)
​
Fund
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 994,121 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,055,373 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,395,135 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 63,136 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 79,030 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 59,911 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 930,985 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 976,343 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,343,224 ​ ​
Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,292,442 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,300,192 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,990,102 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 15,458 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,292,442 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,300,192 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,974,644 ​ ​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,838,912 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,992,240 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,110,171 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,838,912 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,992,240 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,110,171 ​ ​
Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,339,479 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,358,525 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,196,523 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9,767 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,339,479 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,358,525 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,186,756 ​ ​
Subadvisers and Subadvisory Agreements
VIA has entered into subadvisory agreements with respect to certain Funds. Each subadvisory agreement provides that VIA will delegate to the respective subadviser the performance of certain of its investment management services under the Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to each of the Funds for which that subadviser provides subadvisory services. Each subadviser furnishes at its own expense the office facilities and personnel necessary to perform such services. VIA remains responsible for the supervision and oversight of each subadviser’s performance. Each subadvisory agreement will continue in effect from year to year if specifically approved by the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The subadvisory fees are paid by VIA out of its advisory fees from the Funds.
Duff  & Phelps — Strategic Allocation Fund (international equity portion) and Tactical Allocation Fund (international equity portion)
Duff  & Phelps is located at 200 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60606, is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Virtus and an affiliate of VIA. Duff  & Phelps acts as adviser and subadviser to open- and closed-end funds and as investment adviser to institutions and individuals. As of June 30, 2016, Duff  & Phelps had approximately $10 billion in assets under management.
For its services as a subadviser, VIA pays Duff  & Phelps a fee at the annual rate stated for each Fund.
Fund
​ ​
Subadvisory Fee
​
Strategic Allocation Fund (international equity portion) ​ ​ 50% of the net advisory fee ​
Tactical Allocation Fund (international equity and portion)
​ ​ 50% of the net advisory fee ​
KAR — Global Quality Dividend Fund, Mid-Cap Core Fund, Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Quality Small-Cap Fund, Small-Cap Core Fund, Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund, Strategic Allocation Fund (domestic equity portion), Strategic Growth Fund and Tactical Allocation Fund (domestic equity portion)
KAR is located at 1800 Avenue of the Stars, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90067 and is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Virtus and an affiliate of VIA. KAR acts as subadviser for mutual funds and as investment adviser to institutions and individuals. As of June 30, 2016, KAR had approximately $10.5 billion in assets under management.
For its services as a subadviser, VIA pays KAR at the rate of 50% of the net advisory fee paid by each Fund for which KAR acts as subadviser.
Newfleet — Strategic Allocation Fund (fixed income portion) and Tactical Allocation Fund (fixed income portion)
Newfleet is located at 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06103, and is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Virtus and an affiliate of VIA. Newfleet acts as subadviser to mutual funds and as adviser to institutions and individuals. As of March 31, 2016, Newfleet had approximately $11.3 billion in assets under management.
For its services as a subadviser, VIA pays Newfleet a fee at the annual rate stated below for each Fund.
Fund
​ ​
Subadvisory Fee
​
Strategic Allocation Fund (fixed income portion) ​ ​ 50% of the net advisory fee ​
Tactical Allocation Fund (fixed income portion) ​ ​ 50% of the net advisory fee ​
Rampart Investment Management Company, LLC — Enhanced Core Equity Fund
Rampart is located at One International Place, 14th Floor, Boston, MA 02110 and is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Virtus and an affiliate of VIA. Rampart has been an investment adviser since 1983 and provides investment management services to mutual funds, institutions and high net worth investors. As of March 31, 2016, Rampart had approximately $508 million in assets under management.
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For its services as subadviser, VIA pays Rampart a fee at the rate of 50% of the net advisory fee paid by Enhanced Core Equity Fund.
Sasco — Contrarian Value Fund
Sasco is located at 10 Sasco Hill Road, Fairfield, Connecticut 06824 and has been an investment adviser since 1985. Sasco is an independent, employee-owned investment adviser. As of March 31, 2016, Sasco had approximately $4.2 billion in assets under management.
For its services as a subadviser, VIA pays Sasco a fee at the rate of 47.5% of the net advisory fee paid by the Fund for which Sasco acts as a subadviser.
Subadvisory Fees
The following table shows the dollar amount of fees payable to each subadviser for managing the applicable Fund(s), the amount of expenses reimbursed by the subadviser, and the actual fee received by the subadviser for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
​ ​ ​
Gross Subadvisory Fee ($)
​ ​
Subadvisory Fee Waived and/or
Expenses Reimbursed ($)
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Net
Subadvisory
Fee ($)
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Fund
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,483,727 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,737,350 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,160,266 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,483,727 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,737,350 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,160,266 ​ ​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 533,444 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 571,361 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 582,217 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (10,113 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (27,151 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (101,162 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 543,557 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 598,512 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 481,055 ​ ​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 254,448 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 264,039 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 268,040 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (6,696 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (22,739 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (30,763 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 261,144 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 286,778 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 237,277 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 15,876 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 28,579 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 110,845 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (34,434 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (38,452 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (39,571 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 50,310 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 67,031 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 71,273 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 354,477 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 348,903 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 353,049 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (4,611 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (10,280 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (37,958 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 359,088 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 359,183 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 315,091 ​ ​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 895,486 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 908,570 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 831,467 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 895,486 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 908,570 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 831,467 ​ ​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,629,817 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,441,050 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,155,403 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,629,817 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,441,050 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,155,403 ​ ​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 497,061 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 527,686 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 697,568 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (31,568 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (39,515 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (25,956 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 528,629 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 567,201 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 671,612 ​ ​
Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,646,221 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,650,082 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,495,051 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,646,221 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,650,082 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,495,051 ​ ​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,419,456 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,496,119 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,555,086 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,419,456 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,496,119 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,555,086 ​ ​
Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 669,733 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 679,262 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 598,261 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ — ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 669,733 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 679,262 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 598,261 ​ ​
Administrator
Virtus Fund Services, LLC is the administrator of the Trust. Virtus Fund Services is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Virtus and an affiliate of the Adviser. For its services as administrator, the Administrator received an administration fee based upon the average net assets across all series of the Virtus Mutual Funds at the following annual rates:
​ First $15 billion ​ ​ 0.10% ​
​ $15+ billion to $30 billion ​ ​ 0.095% ​
​ $30+ billion to $50 billion ​ ​ 0.09% ​
​ Greater than $50 billion ​ ​ 0.085% ​
For the purposes of applying the fee breakpoints, the Virtus Mutual Funds’ average net assets may be aggregated with the average net assets of the series of VVIT.
The following table shows the dollar amount of fees paid to the Administrator for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016, for its administrative services with respect to each Fund.
​ ​ ​
Administration Fee ($)
​
Fund
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 401,762 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 467,330 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 316,208 ​ ​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 137,218 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 146,433 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 150,837 ​ ​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 65,446 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 67,999 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 69,421 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,829 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7,403 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26,941 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 85,482 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 84,052 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 85,751 ​ ​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 246,788 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 249,064 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 230,790 ​ ​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 419,199 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 369,140 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 299,293 ​ ​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 106,915 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 112,806 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 150,676 ​ ​
Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 577,435 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 574,969 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 528,150 ​ ​
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​ ​ ​
Administration Fee ($)
​
Fund
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 391,200 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 409,827 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 431,709 ​ ​
Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 184,583 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 186,326 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 166,049 ​ ​
Sub-administrative and Accounting Agent
The Trust has entered into an agreement with BNY Mellon, 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809, pursuant to which BNY Mellon acts as sub-administrative and accounting agent of the Trust. For its services in this capacity, BNY Mellon receives a fee based on the average net assets across all funds within the Virtus Mutual Funds at the following incremental rates:
​ First $15 billion ​ ​ 0.0325% ​
​ $15+ billion to $30 billion ​ ​ 0.0225% ​
​ $30+ billion to $50 billion ​ ​ 0.0075% ​
​ Greater than $50 billion ​ ​ 0.005% ​
For the purposes of applying the fee breakpoints, the Virtus Mutual Funds’ average net assets may be aggregated with the average net assets of the series of VVIT.
Distributor
VP Distributors, a broker-dealer registered with FINRA and which is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Virtus and an affiliate of the Adviser and certain subadvisers, serves as distributor of the Funds’ shares. The principal office of VP Distributors is located at 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06103. George R. Aylward, Kevin J. Carr and Nancy J. Engberg, each serve as an officer of the Trust and as an officer for the Distributor.
The Trust and VP Distributors have entered into an underwriting agreement under which VP Distributors has agreed to use its best efforts to find purchasers for Trust shares and the Trust has granted to VP Distributors the exclusive right to purchase from the Funds and resell, as principal, shares needed to fill unconditional orders for Fund shares. VP Distributors may sell Fund shares through its registered representatives or through securities dealers with whom it has sales agreements. VP Distributors may also sell Fund shares pursuant to sales agreements entered into with bank-affiliated securities brokers who, acting as agent for their customers, place orders for Fund shares with VP Distributors. It is not anticipated that termination of sales agreements with banks and bank affiliated securities brokers would result in a loss to their customers or a change in the NAV per share of a Fund of the Trust.
For its services under the underwriting agreement, VP Distributors receives sales charges on transactions in Fund shares and retains such charges less the portion thereof allowed to its registered representatives and to securities dealers and securities brokers with whom it has sales agreements. In addition, VP Distributors may receive payments from the Trust pursuant to the Distribution Plans described below.
During the fiscal years ended March 2014, 2015 and 2016, purchasers of shares of the Funds paid aggregate sales charges of  $905,056, $962,770 and $660,357, respectively, of which the Distributor received net commissions of $194,481, $248,549 and $15,922, respectively, for its services, the balance being paid to dealers. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, the Distributor received net commissions of  $113,619 and deferred sales charges of  $16,711 for Class A Shares and $114,408 for Class C Shares.
The underwriting agreement may be terminated at any time by 60 days’ written notice, without payment of a penalty, by the Distributor, by vote of a majority of the appropriate Class of outstanding voting securities of the Funds, or by vote of a majority of the Trust’s Trustees who are not parties to the underwriting agreement or “interested persons” of any party and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Distribution Plans or in any related agreements. The underwriting agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its “assignment,” as defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act.
The following table shows the dollar amount of sales charges paid to VP Distributors for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016, with respect to sales of Class A Shares of each Fund and the amount of sales charges retained by the Distributor and not reallowed to other persons.
​ ​ ​
Aggregate Underwriting
Commissions ($)
​ ​
Amount Retained by the
Distributor ($)
​ ​
Amount Re-allowed ($)
​
Series
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 109,019 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 228,625 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 52,630 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13,430 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25,679 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 27,120 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 95,589 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 202,973 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25,510 ​ ​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 43,833 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 57,205 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 109,874 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6,309 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9,962 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20,549 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 37,524 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 47,243 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 89,325 ​ ​
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​ ​ ​
Aggregate Underwriting
Commissions ($)
​ ​
Amount Retained by the
Distributor ($)
​ ​
Amount Re-allowed ($)
​
Series
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 40,415 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 34,516 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25,448 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,151 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4,664 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,598 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 35,264 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 29,852 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16,850 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 11,175 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 66,853 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 50,565 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,438 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,980 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7,030 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9,737 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 63,873 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 43,535 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 49,364 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 45,337 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 47,253 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7,398 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7,688 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,555 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 41,966 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 37,649 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 38,698 ​ ​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 57,933 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20,235 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24,121 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10,039 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,256 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3,145 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 47,894 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16,979 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 20,976 ​ ​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 155,312 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 80,986 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 44,896 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 18,004 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 10,447 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,153 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 137,308 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 70,539 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 36,743 ​ ​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 98,626 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 41,113 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 78,209 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 17,705 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 7,171 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 13,504 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 80,931 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 33,942 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 64,705 ​ ​
Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 130,461 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 129,052 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 147,194 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 24,871 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 23,417 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (116,154 ) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 105,590 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 105,635 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 263,348 ​ ​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 101,705 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 82,439 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 136,808 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 25,300 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 16,105 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 26,839 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 76,405 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 66,334 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 109,969 ​ ​
Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 50,617 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 48,005 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 41,057 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,289 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,803 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 8,584 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 42,328 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 39,202 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 32,473 ​ ​
There were no sales charges paid to the Distributor with respect to Class A Shares of the Funds not mentioned below. Shareholders of the Funds below paid Class A deferred sales charges as follows:
Fund
​ ​
Class A Shares
Deferred Sales
Charges ($)
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 14,871 ​ ​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,531 ​ ​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 101 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 46 ​ ​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 48 ​ ​
Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 102 ​ ​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 8 ​ ​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 4 ​ ​
Dealer Concessions
Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class I Shares Only
Dealers with whom the Distributor has entered into sales agreements receive a discount or commission on purchases of Class A Shares as set forth below.
Amount of Transaction at Offering Price
​ ​
Sales Charge
as Percentage
of Offering
Price (%)
​ ​
Sales Charge
as Percentage
of Net Amount
Invested (%)
​ ​
Dealer Discount
or Agency Fee
as Percentage of
Offering Price
(%)
​
Less than $50,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 6.10 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5.00 ​ ​
$50,000 but under $100,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.99 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4.25 ​ ​
$100,000 but under $250,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.90 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3.25 ​ ​
$250,000 but under $500,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.75 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.83 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.25 ​ ​
$500,000 but under $1,000,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.75 ​ ​
$1,000,000 or more ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ None ​ ​
With respect to Class C Shares, the Distributor intends to pay investment dealers a sales commission of 1% of the sale price of Class C Shares sold by such dealers. Your broker, dealer or financial advisor may also charge you additional commissions or fees for their services in selling shares to you provided they notify the Distributor of their intention to do so.
Dealers and other entities that enter into special arrangements with the Distributor may receive compensation for the sale and promotion of shares of the Funds. Such fees are in addition to the sales commissions referenced above and may be based upon the amount of sales of fund shares by a dealer; the provision of assistance in marketing of Fund shares; access to sales personnel and information dissemination services; and other criteria as established by the Distributor. Depending on the nature of the services, these fees may be paid either from the funds through distribution fees, service fees or in some cases, the Distributor may pay certain fees from its own profits and resources.
Dealers and other entities that enter into special arrangements with the Distributor or the Transfer Agent may receive compensation from or on behalf of the funds for providing certain recordkeeping and related services to the funds or their shareholders. These fees may also be referred to as shareholder accounting fees, administrative services fees, sub-transfer agent fees or networking fees. They are not for the sale, promotion or marketing of Fund shares.
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From its own profits and resources, the Distributor may, from time to time, make payments to qualified wholesalers, registered financial institutions and third party marketers for marketing support services and/or retention of assets. These payments are sometimes referred to as “revenue sharing.” Among others, the Distributor has agreed to make such payments for marketing support services to AXA Advisors, LLC. Additionally, for Virtus Low Duration Income Fund and Virtus Multi-Sector Short Term Bond Fund, the Distributor may pay broker-dealers a finder’s fee in an amount equal to 0.50% of eligible Class A Share purchases from $250,000 to $3,000,000 and 0.25% on amounts greater than $3,000,000. For all other Virtus fixed income funds and Virtus Sector Trend Fund, the Distributor may pay broker-dealers a finder’s fee in an amount equal to 0.50% of eligible Class A Share purchases from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 and 0.25% on amounts greater than $3,000,000. For all other Virtus Mutual Funds, the Distributor may pay broker-dealers a finder’s fee in an amount equal to 1.00% of eligible Class A Share purchases from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000, 0.50% on amounts of  $3,000,001 to $10,000,000, and 0.25% on amounts greater than $10,000,000. Purchases of Class A Shares by an account in the name of a qualified employee benefit plan are eligible for a finder’s fee only if such plan has at least 100 eligible employees. A CDSC may be imposed on certain redemptions of such Class A investments. For Virtus Low Duration Income Fund and Virtus Multi-Sector Short Term Bond Fund, the CDSC may be imposed on redemptions within 12 months of a finder’s fee being paid; for all other funds, the CDSC may be imposed on redemptions within 18 months of a finder’s fee being paid. For all Virtus fixed income funds and Virtus Sector Trend Fund, the CDSC is 0.50%; for all other Virtus Mutual Funds, the CDSC is 1.00%. For purposes of determining the applicability of the CDSC, the 12- or 18-month period, as applicable, begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made. The Distributor will also pay broker-dealers a service fee of 0.25% beginning in the thirteenth month following purchase of Class A Shares on which a finder’s fee has been paid. VP Distributors reserves the right to discontinue or alter such fee payment plans at any time.
From its own resources or pursuant to the distribution and shareholder servicing plans, and subject to the dealers’ prior approval, the Distributor may provide additional compensation to registered representatives of dealers in the form of travel expenses, meals, and lodging associated with training and educational meetings sponsored by the Distributor. The Distributor may also provide gifts amounting in value to less than $100, and occasional meals or entertainment, to registered representatives of dealers. Any such travel expenses, meals, lodging, gifts or entertainment paid will not be preconditioned upon the registered representatives’ or dealers’ achievement of a sales target. The Distributor may, from time to time, reallow the entire portion of the sales charge on Class A Shares which it normally retains to individual selling dealers. However, such additional reallowance generally will be made only when the selling dealer commits to substantial marketing support such as internal wholesaling through dedicated personnel, internal communications and mass mailings.
The Distributor has also agreed to pay fees to certain distributors for preferred marketing opportunities. These arrangements may be viewed as creating a conflict of interest between these distributors and investors. Investors should make due inquiry of their selling agents to ensure that they are receiving the requisite point of sale disclosures and suitable recommendations free of any influence by reason of these arrangements.
The categories of payments the Distributor and/or the Transfer Agent may make to other parties are not mutually exclusive, and such parties may receive payments under more than one or all categories. These payments could be significant to a party receiving them, creating a conflict of interest for such party in making investment recommendations to investors. Investors should make due inquiry of any party recommending the funds for purchase to ensure that such investors are receiving the requisite point of sale disclosures and suitable recommendations free of any influence by reason of these arrangements.
A document containing information about sales charges, including breakpoint (volume) discounts, is available free of charge on the Internet at virtus.com . In the Individual Investors section, go to the tab “Investors Knowledge Base” and click on the link for Breakpoint (Volume) Discounts.
Class R6 Shares Only
No compensation, administrative payments, sub-transfer agency payments or service payments are paid to brokers or other entities from fund assets or the Distributor’s or an affiliate’s resources on sales of or investments in Class R6 Shares. Class R6 Shares do not carry sales commissions or pay Rule 12b-1 fees, or make payments to brokers or other entities to assist in, or in connection with, the sale of the fund’s shares.
Class T Shares
Amount of Transaction at Offering Price
​ ​
Sales Charge
as Percentage
of Offering
Price (%)
​ ​
Sales Charge
as Percentage
of Net Amount
Invested (%)
​ ​
Dealer Discount
or Agency Fee
as Percentage of
Offering Price
(%)
​
Under $250,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.56 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.50 ​ ​
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Amount of Transaction at Offering Price
​ ​
Sales Charge
as Percentage
of Offering
Price (%)
​ ​
Sales Charge
as Percentage
of Net Amount
Invested (%)
​ ​
Dealer Discount
or Agency Fee
as Percentage of
Offering Price
(%)
​
$250,000 but under $500,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.04 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2.00 ​ ​
$500,000 but under $1,000,000 ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.52 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.50 ​ ​
$1,000,000 or more ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.01 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1.00 ​ ​
Custodian
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 19 th Floor, New York, NY 10005, serves as the custodian (the “Custodian”) of the Funds’ assets. The Custodian designated by the Board holds the securities in the Funds’ portfolios and other assets for safe keeping. The Custodian does not and will not participate in making investment decisions for the Funds. The Trust has authorized the Custodian to appoint one or more sub-custodians for the assets of the Funds held outside the United States. The securities and other assets of each Fund are held by its Custodian or any sub-custodian separate from the securities and assets of each other Fund.
Transfer Agent and Sub-Transfer Agent
Virtus Fund Services acts as transfer agent for the Trust. Pursuant to a Transfer Agent and Service Agreement, Virtus Fund Services receives a fee, based on the average net assets at an annual rate ranging from 0.045% to 0.0025%, depending on asset class. Virtus Fund Services is authorized to engage subagents to perform certain shareholder servicing functions from time to time for which such agents shall be paid a fee by Virtus Fund Services or the Funds. Pursuant to an agreement among the Trust, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, BNY Mellon serves as sub-transfer agent to perform certain shareholder servicing functions for the Funds. For performing such services, BNY Mellon receives a monthly fee from the Funds. Fees paid by the Funds, in addition to the fee paid to Virtus Fund Services, will be reviewed and approved by the Board.
Legal Counsel to the Trust and the Independent Trustees
Sullivan & Worcester, LLP, 1666 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, acts as legal counsel to the Trust and its Independent Trustees and reviews certain legal matters for the Trust in connection with the shares offered by the Prospectus.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust. PwC audits the Trust’s annual financial statements and expresses an opinion thereon. The independent registered public accounting firm also provides other accounting and tax-related services as requested by the Trust from time to time. PwC's business address is Two Commerce Square, Suite 1800, 2001 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
DISTRIBUTION PLANS
The Trust has adopted a distribution plan for each class of shares (except Class I Shares and Class R6 Shares) (i.e., a plan for the Class A Shares, a plan for the Class C Shares and a Plan for the Class T Shares; collectively, the “Plans”) in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, to compensate the Distributor for the services it provides and for the expenses it bears under the underwriting agreement. Each class of shares pays a service fee at a rate of 0.25% per annum of the average daily net assets of such class of the Fund and a distribution fee based on average daily net assets at the rate 0.75% per annum for Class C Shares.
Expenditures under the Plans may consist of: (i) commissions to sales personnel for selling shares of the Fund (including underwriting fees and financing expenses incurred in connection with the payment of commissions); compensation, sales incentives and payments to sales, marketing and service personnel; (iii) payments to broker-dealers and other financial institutions which have entered into agreements with the Distributor in the form of the Dealer Agreement for Virtus Mutual Funds for services rendered in connection with the sale and distribution of shares of the Fund; (iv) payment of expenses incurred in sales and promotional activities, including advertising expenditures related to the Fund; (v) the costs of preparing and distributing promotional materials; (vi) the cost of printing the Fund’s Prospectuses and SAI for distribution to potential investors; (vii) expenses related to the cost of financing or providing such financing from the Distributor’s or an affiliate’s resources in connection with the Distributor’s payment of such distribution expenses; and (viii) such other similar services that the Trustees determine are reasonably calculated to result in the sale of shares of the Fund. From the fees received, the Distributor expects to pay a quarterly fee to qualifying broker-dealer firms, as compensation for providing personal services and/or the maintenance of shareholder
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accounts, with respect to shares sold by such firms. In the case of shares of the Funds being sold to an affiliated fund of funds, fees payable under the Plans shall be paid to the distributor of the fund of funds. This fee will not exceed on an annual basis 0.25% of the average annual NAV of such shares, and will be in addition to sales charges on Fund shares which are re-allowed to such firms. To the extent that the entire amount of the fees received is not paid to such firms, the balance will serve as compensation for personal and account maintenance services furnished by the Distributor. The Distributor also pays to dealers an additional compensation with respect to Class C Shares at the rate of 0.75% of the average annual NAV of that class.
In order to receive payments under the Plans, participants must meet such qualifications to be established in the sole discretion of the Distributor, such as services to the Funds’ shareholders; or services providing the Funds with more efficient methods of offering shares to coherent groups of clients, members or prospects of a participant; or services permitting bulking of purchases or sales, or transmission of such purchases or sales by computerized tape or other electronic equipment; or other processing. Dealers must have an aggregate value of  $50,000 or more per Fund CUSIP to qualify for payment in that Fund class.
On a quarterly basis, the Funds’ Board reviews a report on expenditures under the Plans and the purposes for which expenditures were made. The Trustees conduct an additional, more extensive review annually in determining whether the Plans will be continued. By its terms, continuation of the Plans from year to year is contingent on annual approval by a majority of the Funds’ Trustees and by a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plans or any related agreements (the “Plan Trustees”). The Plans provide that they may not be amended to increase materially the costs which the Funds may bear pursuant to the Plans without approval of the shareholders of that class of the Funds and that other material amendments to the Plans must be approved by a majority of the Plan Trustees by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments. The Plans further provide that while they are in effect, the selection and nomination of Trustees who are not “interested persons” shall be committed to the discretion of the Trustees who are not “interested persons.” The Plans may be terminated at any time by vote of the Plan Trustees or a majority of the outstanding shares of the relevant class of the Funds.
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, the Funds paid Rule 12b-1 Fees in the amount of  $6,738,056 of which the Distributor received $3,936,514 and unaffiliated broker-dealers received $2,801,542. The Rule 12b-1 payments were used for (1) compensation to dealers, $5,884,649; (2) compensation to sales personnel, $3,466,303; (3) advertising costs, $741,406; (4) printing and mailing of prospectuses to other than current shareholders, $54,282; and (6) other expenses, $136,225.
No interested person of the Funds other than the Distributor and no Trustee who is not an interested person of the Funds, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, has had any direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plans or related agreements.
FINRA regards certain distribution fees as asset-based sales charges subject to FINRA sales load limits. FINRA’s maximum sales charge rule may require the Board to suspend distribution fees or amend the Plans.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Managers and Potential Conflicts of Interest
As described in each Fund’s prospectuses, the portfolio manager(s) who are responsible for the Funds are:
Fund
​ ​
Portfolio Manager
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​
Bruce Bottomley
Mark Helderman
Daniel Leary
​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​
Michael Davis
Brendan R. Finneran
Robert F. Hofeman, Jr.
Warun Kumar
​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ Richard Sherry ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​
Jon Christensen
Craig Stone
​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ Doug Foreman, CFA ​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​
Julie Kutasov
Craig Stone
​
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Fund
​ ​
Portfolio Manager
​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​
Todd Beiley
Jon Christensen
​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​
Todd Beiley
Jon Christensen
​
Strategic Allocation Fund (domestic equity portion only) ​ ​ Doug Foreman, CFA ​
Strategic Allocation Fund (international equity portion only) ​ ​ Frederick A. Brimberg ​
Strategic Allocation Fund (fixed income portion only) ​ ​
David L. Albrycht
Christopher J. Kelleher
​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ Doug Foreman, CFA ​
Tactical Allocation Fund (domestic equity portion only) ​ ​ Doug Foreman, CFA ​
Tactical Allocation Fund (international equity portion only)
​ ​ Frederick A. Brimberg ​
Tactical Allocation Fund (fixed income portion only) ​ ​ David L. Albrycht ​
There may be certain inherent conflicts of interest that arise in connection with the portfolio managers’ management of a Fund’s investments and the investments of any other accounts they manage. Such conflicts could include the aggregation of orders for all accounts managed by a particular portfolio manager, the allocation of purchases across all such accounts, the allocation of IPOs and any soft dollar arrangements that the relevant subadviser may have in place that could benefit the Funds and/or such other accounts. The Board has adopted on behalf of the Funds policies and procedures designed to address any such conflicts of interest to ensure that all transactions are executed in the best interest of the Funds’ shareholders. Each subadviser is required to certify its compliance with these procedures to the Board on a quarterly basis. There have been no material compliance issues with respect to any of these policies and procedures during the Funds’ most recent fiscal year. Additionally, any conflicts of interest between the investment strategies of a Fund and the investment strategies of other accounts managed by portfolio managers are not expected to be material since portfolio managers generally manage funds and other accounts having similar investment strategies.
The following tables provide information as of March 31, 2016, regarding all accounts managed by the portfolio managers and portfolio management team members for each of the funds as named in the prospectus. In the tables, Registered Investment Companies include all open and closed-end mutual funds. Pooled Investment Vehicles (PIVs) include, but are not limited to, securities of issuers exempt from registration under Section 3(c) of the Investment Company Act, such as private placements and hedge funds. Other accounts would include, but are not limited to, individual managed accounts, separate accounts, institutional accounts, pension funds, collateralized bond obligations and collateralized debt obligations. The portfolio managers managing the Funds may also manage or be members of management teams for other Virtus Mutual Funds or other similar accounts.
Other Accounts Managed (no Performance-Based Fees)
​ ​ ​
Registered Investment Companies
​ ​
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
(PIVs)
​ ​
Other Accounts
​
Portfolio Manager
​ ​
Number of
Accounts
​ ​
Total Assets
​ ​
Number of
Accounts
​ ​
Total Assets
​ ​
Number of
Accounts
​ ​
Total Assets
​
David L. Albrycht ​ ​
18
​ ​
$9.9 billion
​ ​
1
​ ​
$34.9 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​
Todd Beiley (1) ​ ​
4
​ ​
$560 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
509
​ ​
$2.2 billion
​
Bruce Bottomley (2) ​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
26
​ ​
$4.1 billion
​
Frederick A. Brimberg ​ ​
4
​ ​
$300 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
103
​ ​
$55.4 million
​
Jon Christensen (1) ​ ​
4
​ ​
$591 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
447
​ ​
$2.2 billion
​
Brenden R. Finneran ​ ​
2
​ ​
$155 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
143
​ ​
$508 million
​
Doug Foreman (1) ​ ​
3
​ ​
$716 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
94
​ ​
$174 million
​
Mark Helderman (2) ​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
26
​ ​
$4.1 billion
​
Robert F. Hofeman, Jr. ​ ​
2
​ ​
$155 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
143
​ ​
$508 million
​
Christopher J. Kelleher ​ ​
5
​ ​
$ 1.0 billion
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
6
​ ​
$159 million
​
Julie Kutasov (1) ​ ​
4
​ ​
$519 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
375
​ ​
$2.0 billion
​
Daniel Leary (2) ​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
26
​ ​
$4.1 billion
​
Richard Sherry (1) ​ ​
1
​ ​
$65 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
447
​ ​
$714 million
​
Craig Stone (1) ​ ​
6
​ ​
$591 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
412
​ ​
$2.1 billion
​
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(1)
These investment professionals function as a team and are not segregated along product lines or by client type. The portfolio managers work on all core equity products and the data shown for these managers reflects firm-level numbers of accounts and assets under management segregated by investment vehicle type.
​
(2)
These investment professionals function as a team and are not segregated along product lines or by client type. The portfolio managers work on all core equity products and the data shown for these managers reflects firm-level numbers of accounts and assets under management segregated by investment vehicle type.
​
Other Accounts Managed (with Performance-Based Fees) (3)
​ ​ ​
Registered Investment Companies
​ ​
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
(PIVs)
​ ​
Other Accounts
​
Portfolio Manager
​ ​
Number of
Accounts
​ ​
Total Assets
​ ​
Number of
Accounts
​ ​
Total Assets
​ ​
Number of
Accounts
​ ​
Total Assets
​
David L. Albrycht ​ ​
2
​ ​
$139 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​
Bruce Bottomley ​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
1
​ ​
$800 million
​
Mark Helderman ​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
1
​ ​
$800 million
​
Christopher J. Kelleher ​ ​
1
​ ​
$52 million
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​
Daniel Leary ​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
None
​ ​
N/A
​ ​
1
​ ​
$800 million
​
(3) Table reflects all those portfolio managers who manage accounts with performance-based fees.
Portfolio Manager Compensation
Duff  & Phelps, KAR, Newfleet and Rampart
Virtus and certain of its affiliated investment management firms, including Duff  & Phelps, KAR, Newfleet and Rampart (collectively, “Virtus”), believe that the firm’s compensation program is adequate and competitive to attract and retain high-caliber investment professionals. Investment professionals at Virtus receive a competitive base salary, an incentive bonus opportunity and a benefits package. Certain professionals who supervise and manage others also participate in a management incentive program reflecting their personal contribution and team performance. Certain key individuals also have the opportunity to take advantage of a long-term incentive compensation program, including potential awards of Virtus restricted stock units (“Virtus RSUs”) with multi-year vesting, subject to Virtus board of directors’ approval. Following is a more detailed description of Virtus’ compensation structure.
Base Salary. Each portfolio manager is paid a fixed base salary, which is designed to be competitive in light of the individual’s experience and responsibilities. Base salary is determined using compensation survey results of investment industry compensation conducted by an independent third party in evaluating competitive market compensation for its investment management professionals.
Incentive Bonus. Annual incentive payments are based on targeted compensation levels, adjusted based on profitability, investment performance factors and a subjective assessment of contribution to the team effort. The short-term incentive payment is generally paid in cash, but a portion may be made in Virtus RSUs. Individual payments are assessed using comparisons of actual investment performance with specific peer group or index measures. (Current benchmarks and/or peer groups are indicated in the table below.) Performance of the Funds managed is generally measured over one-, three- and five-year periods and an individual manager’s participation is based on the performance of each Fund/account managed.
Fund
​ ​
Benchmark(s) and/or Peer Group
​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ Lipper Large Cap Core Funds ​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ Russell 1000 ®   Value Index ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ Russell Mid-Cap Index ​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ Russell 2000 ® Value Index ​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ Russell 2000 ® Index ​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ Russell 2000 ® Growth Index ​
Strategic Allocation Fund (domestic equity portion) ​ ​ Lipper Large Cap Core Funds ​
Strategic Allocation Fund (international equity portion) ​ ​ Lipper Large Cap Core Funds ​
Strategic Allocation Fund (fixed income portion) ​ ​ Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ Russell 1000 ® Growth Index Tactical ​
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ​ ​ ​
Fund
​ ​
Benchmark(s) and/or Peer Group
​
Tactical Allocation Fund (fixed income portion) ​ ​ Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index ​
Tactical Allocation Fund (equity portions) ​ ​ Lipper Large Cap Core Funds ​
While portfolio manager compensation contains a performance component, this component is adjusted to reward investment personnel for managing within the stated framework and for not taking unnecessary risk. This approach ensures that investment management personnel remain focused on managing and acquiring securities that correspond to a Fund’s mandate and risk profile and are discouraged from taking on more risk and unnecessary exposure to chase performance for personal gain. Virtus believes it has appropriate controls in place to handle any potential conflicts that may result from a substantial portion of portfolio manager compensation being tied to performance.
Other benefits. Portfolio managers are also eligible to participate in broad-based plans offered generally to employees of Virtus and its affiliates, including 401(k), health and other employee benefit plans.
Sasco
Sasco is independently owned by its employees. All key investment professionals’ compensation is directly tied to the profitability of the firm since each has direct stock ownership, or an ownership profit interest in the firm. Each receives a fixed base salary plus bonus, or profit distribution, based on individual contribution and profitability of the firm. Bonuses can exceed 100% of base salary. Profits, after all expenses, are distributed and not retained in the business. Sasco has an employee Target Benefit Plan for all of its employees, including its portfolio managers. The Plan is administered by an independent actuarial firm. All compensation is pre-tax. There is no difference between the method used to determine compensation with respect to management of the Contrarian Value Fund and the other accounts managed by the portfolio managers.
Portfolio Manager Fund Ownership
The following chart sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each portfolio manager in each fund described in the funds’ prospectuses that he or she managed as of March 31, 2016:
Portfolio Manager
​ ​
Dollar Range of Equity Securities Beneficially Owned in Fund
Managed
​
David L. Albrycht ​ ​
Strategic Allocation Fund – None
Tactical Allocation Fund – None
​
Todd Beiley ​ ​
Small-Cap Core Fund – $1-$10,000
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund – $1-$10,000
​
Bruce Bottomley ​ ​ Contrarian Value Fund – $100,001-$500,000 ​
Frederick A. Brimberg ​ ​
Strategic Allocation Fund – None
Tactical Allocation Fund – None
​
Jon Christensen ​ ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund – $10,001-$50,000
Small-Cap Core Fund – $10,001-$50,000
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund – $1-$10,000
​
Brendan R. Finneran ​ ​ Enhanced Core Equity Fund – $10,001-$50,000 ​
Doug Foreman ​ ​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund – $1-$10,000
Strategic Growth Fund – $1-$10,000
​
Mark Helderman ​ ​ Contrarian Value Fund – $100,001-$500,000 ​
Robert F. Hofeman, Jr. ​ ​ Enhanced Core Equity Fund – $10,001-$50,000 ​
Christopher J. Kelleher ​ ​ Strategic Allocation Fund – None ​
Julie Kutasov ​ ​ Quality Small-Cap Fund – $1-$10,000 ​
Daniel Leary ​ ​ Contrarian Value Fund – $100,001-$500,000 ​
Richard Sherry ​ ​ Global Quality Dividend Fund – $100,001-500,000 ​
Craig Stone ​ ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund – $50,001-$100,000
Quality Small-Cap Fund – $100,001-$500,000
​
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES
In effecting transactions for the Funds, the adviser or applicable subadviser (throughout this section, "Subadviser") adheres to the Trust's policy of seeking best execution and price, determined as described below, except to the extent it is permitted to pay higher brokerage commissions for "brokerage and research services" as defined herein. The determination of what may constitute best execution and price in the execution of a securities transaction by a broker involves a number of considerations including, without limitation, the overall direct net economic result to the Funds
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(involving both price paid or received and any commissions and other costs paid), the efficiency with which the transaction is effected, the ability to effect the transaction at all where a large block is involved, availability of the broker to stand ready to execute possibly difficult transactions in the future, the financial strength and stability of the broker and its ability to provide research services. Such considerations are judgmental and are weighed by the Subadviser in determining the overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid by the Funds.
The Subadviser may cause a Fund to pay a broker an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction in excess of the amount of commission which another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the Subadviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker. As provided in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, "brokerage and research services" include advising as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts, and effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance and settlement). Brokerage and research services provided by brokers to the Funds are considered to be in addition to and not in lieu of services required to be performed by each Subadviser under its contract with the Trust and may benefit both the Funds and other accounts of the Subadviser. Conversely, brokerage and research services provided by brokers to other accounts of the Subadviser may benefit the Funds.
If the securities in which a particular Fund invests are traded primarily in the over-the-counter market, where possible the Fund will deal directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved unless better prices and executions are available elsewhere. Such securities may be purchased directly from the issuer. Bonds and money market instruments are generally traded on a net basis and do not normally involve either brokerage commissions or transfer taxes.
Some fund transactions are, subject to the Conduct Rules of the FINRA and to obtaining best prices and executions, effected through dealers (excluding VP Distributors) who sell shares of the Funds.
The Trust has Board approved, policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent (i) the Subadvisers' personnel responsible for the selection of broker-dealers to effect fund portfolio securities transactions from taking into account, in making those decisions, a broker-dealer's promotion or sales efforts, and (ii) the Trust, its Adviser, Subadvisers and Distributor from entering into any agreement or other understanding under which the Funds direct brokerage transactions or revenue generated by those transactions to a broker-dealer to pay for distribution of Fund shares. These policies and procedures are designed to prevent the Trust from entering into informal arrangements to direct portfolio securities transactions to a particular broker.
The Trust has adopted a policy and procedures governing the execution of aggregated advisory client orders ("bunching procedures") in an attempt to lower commission costs on a per-share and per-dollar basis. According to the bunching procedures, no Subadviser shall aggregate transactions unless it believes in its sole discretion that such aggregation is consistent with its duty to seek best execution (which shall include the duty to seek best price) for the Funds. No advisory account of the Subadviser is to be favored over any other account and each account that participates in an aggregated order is expected to participate at the average share price for all transactions of the Subadviser in that security on a given business day, with all transaction costs shared pro rata based on the Fund's participation in the transaction. If the aggregated order is filled in its entirety, it shall be allocated among the Subadviser's accounts in accordance with the allocation order, and if the order is partially filled, it shall be allocated pro rata based on the allocation order. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the order may be allocated on a basis different from that specified in the allocation order if good reason for such different allocation is provided and approved in accordance with Subadviser’s policies and procedures adopted in accordance with the Trust’s policy. The Board will review these procedures from time to time as they deem appropriate.
The Funds of Funds generally do not invest directly in securities, but rather invest in ETFs and shares of underlying mutual funds. The shares of the underlying affiliated mutual funds are purchased at NAV of the shares of that fund without payment of a brokerage commission or a sales charge. The shares of ETFs are purchased through broker-dealers in transactions on a securities exchange, and the Funds will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale.
The adviser or subadvisers to the underlying mutual funds execute the portfolio transactions for their respective fund(s). In allocating portfolio transactions, each underlying fund’s adviser or subadviser must comply with the brokerage and allocation procedures adopted by the board of trustees of the underlying mutual fund. The above discussion of the portfolio transactions and brokerage procedures of the Funds also applies to those underlying mutual funds that are affiliated with the Funds.
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The following table shows aggregate amount of brokerage commissions paid by each Fund. This information is for the past three fiscal years.
​ ​ ​
Aggregate Amount of Brokerage Commissions ($)
​
Fund
​ ​
2014
​ ​
2015
​ ​
2016
​
Contrarian Value Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 181,232 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 266,629 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 208,200 ​ ​
Enhanced Core Equity Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 233,138 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 273,917 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 144,880 ​ ​
Global Quality Dividend Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 39,355 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 53,279 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 36,170 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,654 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9,457 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 14,335 ​ ​
Mid-Cap Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 42,733 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 41,578 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 34,672 ​ ​
Quality Small-Cap Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 134,216 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 124,045 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 107,461 ​ ​
Small-Cap Core Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 260,969 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 258,663 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 173,473 ​ ​
Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 72,991 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 63,916 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 140,449 ​ ​
Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 465,440 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 386,676 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 257,531 ​ ​
Strategic Growth Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 176,113 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 149,507 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 124,902 ​ ​
Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ ​ ​ 141,095 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 130,458 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 111,744 ​ ​
In fiscal years 2014, 2015 and 2016, no brokerage commissions were paid by the funds to any affiliate of the Funds, the Adviser or the Distributor, or to any affiliate of any affiliate of the Funds, the Adviser or the Distributor. Brokerage commissions of  $1,353,817 paid during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, were paid on portfolio transactions aggregating $1,230,105,238 executed by brokers who provided research and other statistical information.
Investment decisions for the Trust are made independently from those of the other investment companies or accounts advised by the Subadvisers. It may frequently happen that the same security is held in the portfolio of more than one fund or account. Simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several funds or accounts are managed by the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suited for the investment objectives of more than one fund or account. When two or more funds or accounts advised by a Subadviser are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the transactions are allocated among the funds or accounts in a manner equitable to each fund or account. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Funds are concerned. In other cases, however, it is believed that the ability of the Funds to participate in volume transactions will produce better executions for the Funds. It is the opinion of the Board that the desirability of utilizing each Subadviser as an investment adviser to the Funds outweighs the disadvantages that may be said to exist from simultaneous transactions.
Securities of Regular Broker-Dealers
The Funds are required to identify the securities of their regular brokers or dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parent companies held by the Funds as of the close of their most recent fiscal year. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, the Funds acquired securities of certain of the Funds’ regular broker dealers or the parents of such firms. The aggregate holdings of the Funds of those brokers or dealers as of March 31, 2016 (amounts in thousands, except shares) were as follows:
​
Fund
​ ​
Broker/Dealer
​ ​
Value ($)
​
​ Strategic Allocation Fund ​ ​ Bank of America Securities LLC ​ ​ ​ ​ 4,418 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Barclays Bank PLC ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,110 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Citicorp Securities Services Inc. ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,736 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Credit Suisse Group ​ ​ ​ ​ 817 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. ​ ​ ​ ​ 566 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Goldman Sachs & Co. ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,638 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ JPMorgan Chase & Co. ​ ​ ​ ​ 9,123 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Morgan Stanley & Co. ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,272 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ UBS AG ​ ​ ​ ​ 5,171 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Wells Fargo & Co. ​ ​ ​ ​ 7,434 ​ ​
​ Tactical Allocation Fund ​ ​ Bank of America Securities LLC ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,219 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Barclays Bank PLC ​ ​ ​ ​ 161 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Citicorp Securities Services Inc. ​ ​ ​ ​ 580 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Credit Suisse Group ​ ​ ​ ​ 273 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. ​ ​ ​ ​ 163 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Goldman Sachs & Co. ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,540 ​ ​
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Fund
​ ​
Broker/Dealer
​ ​
Value ($)
​
​ ​ ​ ​ JPMorgan Chase & Co. ​ ​ ​ ​ 2,613 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Morgan Stanley & Co. ​ ​ ​ ​ 710 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ UBS AG ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,298 ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ Wells Fargo & Co. ​ ​ ​ ​ 1,893 ​ ​
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, the Funds had no directed brokerage transactions to brokers for proprietary and third party research services.
PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES
How to Buy Shares
For Class A Shares and Class C Shares, the minimum initial investment is $2,500 and the minimum subsequent investment is $100. However, both the initial and subsequent minimum investment amounts are $100 for investments pursuant to the “Systematic Purchase” plan, a bank draft investing program administered by the Transfer Agent, or pursuant to the Systematic Exchange privilege or for an IRA. In addition, there are no subsequent minimum investment amounts in connection with the reinvestment of dividend or capital gain distributions. For Class I Shares, the minimum initial investment is $100,000 and there is no subsequent minimum investment. For purchases of Class I Shares (i) by private clients of the adviser, subadviser and their affiliates, (ii) through certain programs and defined contribution plans with which the Distributor or Transfer Agent has an arrangement or (iii) by Trustees of the funds and directors, officers and employees of Virtus and its affiliates, the minimum initial investment is waived. Completed applications for the purchase of shares should be mailed to: Virtus Mutual Funds, P.O. Box 9874, Providence, RI 02940-8074.
For Class R6 Shares, there is no minimum initial investment and there is no minimum for additional purchases. R6 Shares are available only to certain employer-sponsored retirement plans, including Section 401(k), 403(b) and 457, profit-sharing, money purchase pension and defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, in each case provided that plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the fund. If you are participating in an employer sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan, profit-sharing plan, defined benefit plan or other employer-directed plan, your company will provide you with the information you need to open an account and buy Class R6 Shares.
Class T Shares are available only through financial intermediaries. Your financial intermediary will provide you with the information you need to buy Class T Shares.
The Trust has authorized one or more brokers to accept on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Trust’s behalf. The Trust will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or, if applicable, a broker’s authorized designee, accepts the order. Customer orders will be priced at the Funds’ NAVs next computed after they are received in good order by an authorized broker or the broker’s authorized designee.
Alternative Purchase Arrangements
Shares may be purchased from investment dealers at a price equal to their NAV per share, plus a sales charge which, at the election of the purchaser, may be imposed either (i) at the time of the purchase (the “initial sales charge alternative”) or (ii) on a contingent deferred basis (the “deferred sales charge alternative”). Certain Funds also offer Class I Shares that may be purchased by certain institutional investors at a price equal to their NAV per share. Orders received by dealers prior to the close of trading on the NYSE are confirmed at the offering price effective at that time, provided the order is received by an authorized broker or broker’s authorized designee prior to its close of business.
The alternative purchase arrangements permit an investor to choose the method of purchasing shares that is more beneficial given the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor expects to hold the shares, whether the investor wishes to receive distributions in cash or to reinvest them in additional shares of the Funds, and other circumstances. Investors should consider whether, during the anticipated life of their investment in the Fund, the accumulated continuing distribution and services fees and CDSC on Class C Shares would be less than the initial sales charge and accumulated distribution services fee on Class A Shares purchased at the same time.
Investors should understand that the purpose and function of the CDSC and ongoing distribution and services fees with respect to the Class C Shares are the same as those of the initial sales charge and ongoing distribution and services fees with respect to the Class A Shares.
The distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor in connection with the sale of the shares will be paid, in the case of Class A Shares, from the proceeds of the initial sales charge and the ongoing distribution and service fee. For Class C
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Shares, the ongoing distribution and service fee will be used to pay for the distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor. Sales personnel of broker-dealers distributing the Funds’ shares may receive differing compensation for selling Class A Shares and Class C Shares.
Dividends paid by a Fund, if any, with respect to each class of shares will be calculated in the same manner at the same time on the same day, except that fees such as higher distribution and service fees and any incremental transfer agency costs relating to each class of shares will be borne exclusively by that class. (See “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” in this SAI.)
Class A Shares
Class A Shares incur a sales charge when they are purchased and enjoy the benefit of not being subject to any sales charge when they are redeemed, except that a CDSC may apply on certain redemptions on which a finder's fee has been paid. For Virtus Low Duration Income Fund and Virtus Multi-Sector Short Term Bond Fund, the CDSC may be imposed on redemptions within 12 months of a finder’s fee being paid; for all other funds, the CDSC may be imposed on redemptions within 18 months of a finder’s fee being paid. For Virtus fixed income fund and Virtus Sector Trend Fund the CDSC is 0.50%; for all other Virtus Mutual Funds, the CDSC is 1.00%. The CDSC period begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made. Such deferred sales charges may be waived under certain conditions as determined by the Distributor. Class A Shares are subject to ongoing distribution and services fees at an annual rate of 0.25% of the Fund’s aggregate average daily net assets attributable to the Class A Shares. In addition, certain purchases of Class A Shares qualify for reduced initial sales charges. Shareholders of the Contrarian Value Fund who became shareholders through the reorganization of the FMI Sasco Contrarian Value Fund (the “Predecessor Value Fund”) received Class A Shares of the Contrarian Value Fund in exchange for their shares of the Predecessor Value Fund and are not required to pay a sales load for new purchases of Class A Shares of the Contrarian Value Fund.
Class C Shares
Class C Shares are purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a deferred sales charge if redeemed within one year of purchase. The deferred sales charge may be waived in connection with certain qualifying redemptions. Shares issued in conjunction with the automatic reinvestment of income distributions and capital gain distributions are not subject to any sales charges. Class C Shares are subject to ongoing distribution and service fees of up to 1.00% of each Fund’s aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares. Class C Shares enjoy the benefit of permitting all of the investor’s dollars to work from the time the investment is made. The higher ongoing distribution and services fee paid by Class C Shares will cause such shares to have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower dividends, to the extent any dividends are paid, than those related to Class A Shares. Class C Shares do not convert to another class of shares and long term investors may therefore pay more through accumulated distribution fees than the economic equivalent of any applicable sales charge and accumulated distribution fees in the other classes.
Class I Shares
Class I Shares are offered primarily to clients of financial intermediaries that (i) charge such clients an ongoing fee for advisory, investment, consulting, or similar services; or (ii) have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Class I Shares through a no-load network or platform. Such clients may include pension and profit sharing plans, other employee benefit trusts, endowments, foundations and corporations. Class I Shares are also offered to private and institutional clients of, or referred by, the Adviser, the subadvisers, their affiliates, and to Trustees of the funds and trustees/directors of affiliated open- and closed-end funds, and directors, officers and employees of Virtus and its affiliates.
Class R6 Shares
Class R6 Shares are available only to employer sponsored retirement plans, including profit-sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans, and plans described in Section 401(k), 403(b) and 457 of the Internal Revenue Code, where the employer, administrator, sponsor or related person has entered into an agreement with the fund’s Transfer Agent to make Class R6 Shares available to plan participants where plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the fund. Class R6 Shares are not available to traditional or Roth IRAs, Coverdell Savings Accounts, Keoghs, SEPs, SARSEPs, or Simple IRAs and are not available through retail, advisory fee-based wrap platforms. Individual shareholders who purchase Class R6 Shares through retirement platforms or other intermediaries are not eligible to hold Class R6 Shares outside of their respective plan or intermediary platform. If you are eligible to purchase and do purchase Class R6 Shares, you will pay no sales charge at any time. There are no distribution and service fees applicable to Class R6 Shares.
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Class T Shares
Class T Shares incur a sales charge when they are purchased and enjoy the benefit of not being subject to any sales charge when they are redeemed. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class T Shares if you invest at least $250,000 in a fund. More information on these and other discounts is available: (i) from your financial intermediary; (ii) under “Sales Charges” in the funds’ prospectus; and (iii) with respect to purchase of shares through specific intermediaries, in Appendix A to the funds’ prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers.” Class T Shares are subject to ongoing distribution and services fees at an annual rate of 0.25% of a fund’s aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class T Shares.
Class A Shares — Reduced Initial Sales Charges
Investors choosing Class A Shares may be entitled to reduced inital sales charges. The ways in which initial sales charges may be avoided or reduced are described below. Investors buying Class A Shares on which a finder's fee has been paid may incur a CDSC if they redeem their shares within 18 months of purchase. For all Virtus fixed income funds and Virtus Sector Trend Fund, the CDSC is 0.50%; for all other Virtus Mutual Funds, the CDSC is 1.00%. The CDSC period begins on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the purchase was made. Such deferred sales charge may be waived under certain conditions as determined by the Distributor or Transfer Agent.
Qualified Purchasers
If you fall within any one of the following categories, you will not have to pay a sales charge on your purchase of Class A Shares, provided that such purchase is made upon the written assurance of the purchaser that the purchase is made for investment purposes and that the shares so acquired will not be resold except to the Fund:
(1) trustee, director or officer of any Virtus Mutual Fund, or any other mutual fund advised, subadvised or distributed by the Adviser, Distributor or any of their corporate affiliates;
(2) any director or officer, or any full-time employee or sales representative (for at least 90 days), of the applicable Fund’s Adviser, subadviser or Distributor;
(3) any private client of an Adviser or subadviser to any Virtus Mutual Fund;
(4) registered representatives and employees of securities dealers with whom the Distributor has sales agreements;
(5) any qualified retirement plan exclusively for persons described above;
(6) any officer, director or employee of a corporate affiliate of the Adviser, a subadviser or the Distributor;
(7) any spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, brother or sister of any person named in (1), (2), (4) or (6) above;
(8) employee benefit plans for employees of the Adviser, Distributor and/or their corporate affiliates;
(9) any employee or agent who retires from the Distributor and/or their corporate affiliates or from PNX, as long as, with respect to PNX employees or agents, such individual was employed by PNX prior to December 31, 2008;
(10) any Virtus direct account held in the name of a qualified employee benefit plan, endowment fund or foundation if, on the date of the initial investment, the plan, fund or foundation has assets of  $10,000,000 or more or at least 100 eligible employees;
(11) any person with a direct rollover transfer of shares from an established Virtus Mutual Fund or Virtus qualified plan;
(12) any state, county, city, department, authority or similar agency prohibited by law from paying a sales charge;
(13) any unallocated account held by a third party administrator, registered investment adviser, trust company, or bank trust department which exercises discretionary authority and holds the account in a fiduciary, agency, custodial or similar capacity, if in the aggregate such accounts held by such entity equal or exceed $1,000,000;
(14) any deferred compensation plan established for the benefit of any trustee or director of Virtus, any Virtus Mutual Fund, or any open-or closed-end fund advised, subadvised or distributed by the Adviser, the Distributor or any of their corporate affiliates.
If you fall within any one of the following categories, you also will not have to pay a sales charge on your purchase of Class A Shares:
(15) individuals purchasing through an account with an unaffiliated brokerage firm having an agreement with the Distributor to waive sales charges for its clients;
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(16) purchasers of Class A Shares bought through investment advisers and financial planners who charge an advisory, consulting or other fee for their services and buy shares for their own accounts or the accounts of their clients;
(17) retirement plans and deferred compensation plans and trusts used to fund those plans (including, for example, certain plans qualified or created under Sections 401(a), 403(b) or 457 of the Code), and “rabbi trusts” that buy shares for their own accounts, in each case if those purchases are made through a broker or agent or other financial intermediary that has made special arrangements with the Distributor for such purchases; or
(18) clients of investment advisors or financial planners who buy shares for their own accounts but only if their accounts are linked to a master account of their investment advisor or financial planner on the books and records of the broker, agent or financial intermediary with which the Distributor has made such special arrangements. Each of the investors described in (15) through (18) may be charged a fee by the broker, agent or financial intermediary for purchasing shares.
Combination Purchase Privilege
Your purchase of any class of shares of these Funds or any other Virtus Mutual Fund, if made at the same time by the same person, will be added together with any existing Virtus Mutual Fund account values to determine whether the combined sum entitles you to an immediate reduction in sales charges. A “person” is defined in this and the following sections as either:
(a) any individual, his or her spouse or domestic partner, children and minor grandchildren purchasing shares for his, her or their own account (including an IRA account) including his, her or their own sole proprietorship or trust where any of the above is the named beneficiary;
(b) a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing for a single trust, estate or single fiduciary account (even though more than one beneficiary may exist);
(c) multiple accounts (up to 200) under a qualified employee benefit plan or administered by a third party administrator; or
(d) trust companies, bank trust departments, registered investment advisers, and similar entities placing orders or providing administrative services with respect to accounts over which they exercise discretionary investment authority and which are held in a fiduciary, agency, custodial or similar capacity, provided all shares are held of record in the name, or nominee name, of the entity placing the order.
Right of Accumulation
The value of your account(s) in any class of shares of these Funds or any other Virtus Mutual Fund may be added together at the time of each purchase to determine whether the combined sum entitles you to a prospective reduction in sales charges. You must provide certain account information to the Funds and their agents at the time of purchase to exercise this right.
Gifting of Shares
If you make a gift of shares of a Virtus Mutual Fund, upon your request you may combine purchases, if made at the same time, of any class of shares of these Funds or any other Virtus Mutual Fund at the sales charge discount allowed for the combined purchase. The receiver of the gift may also be entitled to a prospective reduction in sales charges in accordance with the funds’ right of accumulation or other provisions. You or the receiver of the gift must provide certain account information to Virtus Mutual Funds or their agents at the time of purchase to exercise this right.
Associations
Certain groups or associations may be treated as a “person” and qualify for reduced Class A Share sales charges. The group or association must: (1) have been in existence for at least six months; (2) have a legitimate purpose other than to purchase mutual fund shares at a reduced sales charge; (3) work through an investment dealer; and (4) not be a group whose sole reason for existing is to consist of members who are credit card holders of a particular company, policyholders of an insurance company, customers of a bank or a broker-dealer or clients of an investment adviser.
Letter of Intent
If you sign a Letter of Intent, your purchase of any class of shares of these Funds or any other Virtus Mutual Fund, if made by the same person within a 13-month period, will be added together to determine whether you are entitled to an immediate reduction in sales charges. Sales charges are reduced based on the overall amount you indicate that you will buy under the Letter of Intent. The Letter of Intent is a mutually non-binding commitment. Since the Funds and their
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agents do not know whether you will ultimately fulfill the Letter of Intent, shares worth 5% of the Letter of Intent amount will be set aside until you fulfill the Letter of Intent. When you buy enough shares to fulfill the Letter of Intent, these shares will no longer be restricted. If, on the other hand, you do not satisfy the Letter of Intent, or otherwise wish to sell any restricted shares, you will be given the choice of either buying enough shares to fulfill the Letter of Intent or paying the difference between any sales charge you previously paid and the otherwise applicable sales charge. You will be given 20 days to make this decision. If you do not exercise either election, the Transfer Agent will automatically redeem the number of your restricted shares needed to make up the deficiency in sales charges received. The Transfer Agent will redeem restricted Class A Shares before Class C Shares or Class C1 Shares. Oldest shares will be redeemed before selling newer shares. Any remaining shares will then be deposited to your account.
Class A and Class C Shares — Waiver of Deferred Sales Charges
The CDSC is waived on the redemption (sale) of Class A Shares and Class C Shares if the redemption is made:
(a)
within one year of death;
​
(i)
of the sole shareholder on an individual account,
​
(ii)
of a joint tenant where the surviving joint tenant is the deceased’s spouse or domestic partner,
​
(iii)
of the beneficiary of a Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA), Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) or other custodial account, or
​
(iv)
of the “grantor” on a trust account;
​
(b)
within one year of disability, as defined in Code Section 72(m)(7);
​
(c)
as a mandatory distribution upon reaching age 70½ under certain retirement plans qualified under Code Sections 401, 408 or 403(b) or resulting from the tax-free return of an excess contribution to an IRA;
​
(d)
by 401(k) plans using an approved participant tracking system for participant hardships, death, disability or normal retirement, and loans which are subsequently repaid;
​
(e)
based on the exercise of exchange privileges among Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class C1 Shares of these Funds or any other Virtus Mutual Fund;
​
(f)
based on any direct rollover transfer of shares from an established Virtus Mutual Fund qualified plan into a Virtus Mutual Fund IRA by participants terminating from the qualified plan; and
​
(g)
based on the systematic withdrawal program.
​
, as described in condition (a) above, an account is transferred to an account registered in the name of a deceased’s estate, the CDSC will be waived on any redemption from the estate account occurring within one year of the death.
Class A Shares and Class C Shares — Variations and Waivers of Sales Charges
Class A Shares and Class C Shares purchased through specific intermediaries may be eligible for additional scheduled variations in, and eliminations of, Class A and Class C sales charges. Information about these variations and waivers is available from your financial intermediary and in Appendix A to the fund’s prospectus, entitled “Intermediary Sales Charge Discounts and Waivers.”
How to Redeem Shares
Customer orders will be priced at the Funds’ NAVs next computed after they are received in good order by the Funds’ Transfer Agent, an authorized broker or the broker’s authorized designee.
Under the 1940 Act, payment for shares redeemed must ordinarily be made within seven days after tender. The right to redeem shares may be suspended and payment postponed during periods when the NYSE is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, or if permitted by rules of the SEC, during periods when trading on the NYSE is restricted or during any emergency which makes it impracticable for a Fund to dispose of its securities or to determine fairly the value of its net assets or during any other period permitted by order of the SEC for the protection of investors. Furthermore, the Transfer Agent will not mail redemption proceeds until checks received for shares purchased have cleared, which may take up to 15 days or more.
Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class I Shares Only
The Trust has authorized one or more brokers to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Trust’s behalf. The Trust will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or, if applicable, a broker’s authorized designee, accepts the order.
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Redemptions by Class A and Class C shareholders will be subject to the applicable deferred sales charge, if any. A shareholder should contact his/her broker-dealer if he/she wishes to transfer shares from an existing broker-dealer street name account to a street name account with another broker-dealer. The Funds have no specific procedures governing such account transfers.
Class R6 Shares Only
If you are participating in an employer sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) plan, profit-sharing plan, defined benefit plan or other employer-directed plan, your company will provide you with the information you need to sell Class R6 Shares.
Class T Shares Only
Class T Shares are available only through financial intermediaries. Your financial intermediary will provide you with the information you need to sell Class T Shares.
Redemption of Small Accounts
Each shareholder account in the Funds which has been in existence for at least one year and which has a value of less than $200, due to redemption activity may be redeemed upon the giving of not less than 60 days written notice to the shareholder mailed to the account address of record. During the 60-day period following such notice, the shareholder has the right to add to the account to bring its value to $200 or more. (See the Funds’ current Prospectuses for more information.)
Redemptions by Mail
Shareholders may redeem shares by making written request, executed in the full name of the account, directly to Virtus Mutual Funds, P.O. Box 9874, Providence, RI 02940-8074. (See the Funds’ current Prospectuses for more information.)
Redemptions by Telephone
Generally, shareholders may redeem by telephone up to $50,000 worth of their shares held in book-entry form. (See the Funds’ current Prospectuses for more information.) Corporations that have completed a Corporate Authorized Trader form may redeem more than $50,000 worth of shares in most instances.
Redemptions by Check (Certain Fixed Income Funds only)
Any shareholder of a Fixed Income Fund may elect to redeem shares held in his account by check. Please call us at 800-243-1574 for a listing of funds offering this feature. Checks will be sent to an investor upon receipt by the Transfer Agent of a completed application and signature card (attached to the application). If the signature card accompanies an individual’s initial account application, the signature guarantee section of the form may be disregarded. However, the Trust reserves the right to require that all signatures be guaranteed prior to the establishment of a check writing service account. When an authorization form is submitted after receipt of the initial account application, all signatures must be guaranteed regardless of account value.
Checks may be drawn payable to any person in an amount of not less than $250, provided that immediately after the payment of the redemption proceeds the balance in the shareholder’s account is $250 or more.
When a check is presented to the Transfer Agent for payment, a sufficient number of full and fractional shares in the shareholder’s account will be redeemed to cover the amount of the check. The number of shares to be redeemed will be determined on the date the check is received by the Transfer Agent. Presently there is no charge to the shareholder for the check writing service, but this may be changed or modified in the future upon two weeks written notice to shareholders. Checks drawn from Class A and Class C accounts are subject to the applicable deferred sales charge, if any.
The check writing procedure for redemption enables a shareholder to receive income accruing on the shares to be redeemed until such time as the check is presented to the Transfer Agent for payment. Inasmuch as canceled checks are returned to shareholders monthly, no confirmation statement is issued at the time of redemption.
Shareholders utilizing withdrawal checks will be subject to the Transfer Agent’s rules governing checking accounts. A shareholder should make sure that there are sufficient shares in his or her account to cover the amount of any check drawn. If insufficient shares are in the account and the check is presented to the Transfer Agent on a banking day on which the Trust does not redeem shares (for example, a day on which the NYSE is closed), or if the check is presented against redemption proceeds of an investment made by check which has not been in the account for at least fifteen
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calendar days, the check may be returned marked “Non-sufficient Funds” and no shares will be redeemed. A shareholder may not close his or her account by a withdrawal check because the exact value of the account will not be known until after the check is received by the Transfer Agent.
Redemptions in Kind
To the extent consistent with state and federal law, each Virtus Mutual Fund may make payment of the redemption price either in cash or in kind. However, the Funds have elected to pay in cash all requests for redemption by any shareholder of record, limited in respect to each shareholder during any 90-day period to the lesser of  $250,000 or 1% of the NAV of the Fund at the beginning of such period. This election has been made pursuant to Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act and is irrevocable while the Rule is in effect unless the SEC, by order, permits the withdrawal thereof. In case of a redemption in kind, securities delivered in payment for shares would generally represent the shareholder’s proportionate share of the Fund’s current net assets and be valued at the same value assigned to them in computing the NAV per share of the Fund. A shareholder receiving such securities would incur brokerage costs when selling the securities.
Account Reinstatement Privilege
Shareholders who may have overlooked features of their investment at the time they redeemed have a privilege of reinvestment of their investment at NAV. (See the Funds’ current Prospectuses for more information.)
Returned/Uncashed Checks Policy
For the protection of Fund shareholders, if you have elected to receive dividends and other distributions in cash, and the check is returned to the Fund as undeliverable or you do not respond to mailings from Virtus with regard to uncashed distribution checks, we may take any of the following actions:
•
The distribution option on your account(s) will be changed to reinvest and all subsequent payments will be reinvested in additional shares of the Fund.
​
•
Any systematic withdrawal plan will be stopped immediately.
​
•
If a check is not presented for payment within six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check proceeds.
​
•
If reinvested, distributions will be reinvested in the Fund at the earliest date practicable after the waiting period at the then-current NAV of such Fund.
​
•
No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed dividend, distribution or redemption checks.
​
This policy may not apply to certain retirement or qualified accounts, closed accounts or accounts under the applicable Fund’s required minimum threshold.
Reinvestment of future distributions will continue until you notify us of your election to reinstate cash payment of the dividends and other distributions. You will also be required to confirm your current address and daytime telephone number.
Pricing of Shares
The NAV per share of each class of each Fund generally is determined as of the close of regular trading (normally 4:00 PM eastern time) on days when the NYSE is open for trading. A Fund will not calculate its NAV per share class on days when the NYSE is closed for trading.
The NYSE will be closed on the following observed national holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Since the Funds do not price securities on weekends or United States national holidays, the NAV of a Fund’s foreign assets may be significantly affected on days when the investor may not be able to purchase or sell shares of the Funds. The NAV per share of a Fund is determined by adding the values of all securities and other assets of the Fund, subtracting liabilities, and dividing by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. Assets and liabilities are determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable rules and regulations of the SEC. The total liability allocated to a class, plus that class’s distribution fee and any other expenses allocated solely to that class, are deducted from the proportionate interest of such class in the assets of the Fund, and the resulting amount of each is divided by the number of shares of that class outstanding to produce the NAV per share.
A security that is listed or traded on more than one exchange generally is valued at the official closing price on the exchange representing the principal exchange for such security. Because of the need to obtain prices as of the close of
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trading on various exchanges throughout the world, the calculation of NAV may not take place for any Fund which invests in foreign securities contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the majority of the portfolio securities of such Fund. The foreign currency exchange rate used to price the currency in which foreign securities are denominated is generally the 4 p.m. Eastern Time spot rate. If at any time a Fund has investments where market quotations are not readily available or are determined not to be reliable indicators of the value of the securities priced, such investments are valued at the fair value thereof as determined in good faith in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the Board.
Security valuation procedures for each Fund, which include nightly price variance as well as back-testing such as bi-weekly unchanged price, monthly secondary source and transaction analysis, have been approved by the Board. All internally fair valued securities are approved by a valuation committee (the “Valuation Committee”) appointed by the Board. The Valuation Committee is comprised of the treasurer and assistant treasurer of the Trust, along with two appointees of the Adviser and two appointees of the Administrator who are identified to the Board. All internally fair valued securities, referred to below, are updated daily and reviewed in detail by the Valuation Committee monthly unless changes occur within the period. The Valuation Committee reviews the validity of any model inputs and any changes to the model when applicable. Internal fair valuations are reviewed by the Board at least quarterly.
Each Fund utilizes a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels.
•
Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical securities
​
•
Level 2 – prices determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)
​
•
Level 3 – prices determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the valuation committee’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)
​
The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
A description of the valuation techniques applied to a Fund’s major categories of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis is as follows:
Equity securities are valued at the official closing price (typically last sale) on the exchange on which the securities are primarily traded, or if no closing price is available, at the last bid price and are categorized as Level 1 in the hierarchy. Restricted equity securities and private placements that are not widely traded, are illiquid or are internally fair valued by the valuation committee, are generally categorized as Level 3 in the hierarchy.
Certain non-U.S. securities may be fair valued in cases where closing prices are not readily available or are deemed not reflective of readily available market prices. For example, significant events (such as movement in the U.S. securities market, or other regional and local developments) may occur between the time that non-U.S. markets close (where the security is principally traded) and the time that a Fund calculates its NAV that may impact the value of securities traded in these non-U.S. markets. In such cases the Funds fair value non-U.S. securities using an independent pricing service which considers the correlation of the trading patterns of the non-U.S. security to the intraday trading in the U.S. markets for investments such as ADRs, financial futures, exchange traded funds, and certain indexes as well as prices for similar securities. Such fair valuations are categorized as Level 2 in the hierarchy. Because the frequency of significant events is not predictable, fair valuation of certain non-U.S. common stocks may occur on a frequent basis.
Debt securities, including restricted securities, are valued based on evaluated quotations received from independent pricing services or from dealers who make markets in such securities. For most bond types, the pricing service utilizes matrix pricing which considers one or more of the following factors: yield or price of bonds of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, current cash flows, type, and current day trade information, as well as dealer supplied prices. These valuations are generally categorized as Level 2 in the hierarchy. Structured debt instruments such as mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may also incorporate collateral analysis and utilize cash flow models for valuation and are generally categorized as Level 2 in the hierarchy. Pricing services do not provide pricing for all securities and therefore indicative bids from dealers are utilized which are based on pricing models used by market makers in the security and are generally categorized as Level 2 in the hierarchy. Debt securities that are not widely traded, are illiquid, or are internally fair valued by the valuation committee are generally categorized as Level 3 in the hierarchy.
Listed derivatives that are actively traded are valued based on quoted prices from the exchange and are categorized as Level 1 in the hierarchy.
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Over-the-counter (OTC) derivative contracts, which include forward currency contracts and equity linked instruments, do not require material subjectivity as pricing inputs are observed from actively quoted markets and are categorized as Level 2 in the hierarchy.
Investments in open-end mutual funds are valued at their closing NAV each business day and are categorized as Level 1 in the hierarchy.
Short-term notes having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market, and are generally categorized as Level 2 in the hierarchy.
INVESTOR ACCOUNT SERVICES AND POLICIES
The Funds offer accumulation plans, withdrawal plans and reinvestment and exchange privileges. Certain privileges may not be available in connection with all classes. In most cases, changes to account services may be accomplished over the phone. Inquiries regarding policies and procedures relating to shareholder account services should be directed to the Transfer Agent at 800.243.1574. Broker-dealers may impose their own restrictions and limits on accounts held through the broker-dealer. Please consult with your broker-dealer for account restrictions and limit information. The Funds and their agents reserve the right to modify or terminate these services upon reasonable notice.
Exchanges
Under certain circumstances, shares of any Virtus Mutual Fund may be exchanged for shares of the same class of another Virtus Mutual Fund on the basis of the relative NAVs per share at the time of the exchange. Class C Shares are also exchangeable for Class C1 Shares of those Virtus Mutual Funds offering them. Exchanges are subject to the minimum initial investment requirement of the designated Fund, except if made in connection with the Systematic Exchange privilege described below. Shareholders may exchange shares held in book-entry form for an equivalent number (value) of the same class of shares of any other Virtus Mutual Fund, if currently offered. Exchanges will be based upon each Fund’s NAV per share next computed following receipt of a properly executed exchange request without sales charge. For all Virtus fixed income funds and Virtus Sector Trend Fund, the CDSC is 0.50%; for all other Virtus Mutual Funds, the CDSC is 1.00%. On exchanges with share classes that carry a CDSC, the CDSC schedule of the original shares purchased continues to apply. The exchange of shares is treated as a sale and purchase for federal income tax purposes. (See also “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes” in this SAI.) Exchange privileges may not be available for all Virtus Mutual Funds, and may be rejected or suspended.
In certain circumstances, a Fund, the Distributor or the Transfer Agent may enter into an agreement with a financial intermediary to permit exchanges from one class of a Fund into another class of the same Fund, subject to certain conditions. Such exchanges will only be permitted if, among other things, the financial intermediary agrees to follow procedures established by the Fund, the Distributor or the Transfer Agent, which generally will require that the exchanges be carried out (i) within accounts maintained and controlled by the intermediary, (ii) on behalf of all or a particular segment of beneficial owners holding shares of the affected Fund within those accounts, and (iii) all at once or within a given time period, or as agreed upon in writing by the Fund, the Distributor or the Transfer Agent, and the financial intermediary. A shareholder’s ability to make this type of exchange may be limited by operational or other limitations of his or her financial intermediary or the Fund. Under the Code, generally if a shareholder exchanges shares from one class of a Fund into another class of the same Fund, the transaction should not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes; however, each shareholder should consult both the relevant financial intermediary and the shareholder’s tax advisor regarding the treatment of any specific exchange carried out under the terms of this paragraph.
Systematic Exchanges
If the conditions above have been met, you or your broker may, by telephone or written notice, elect to have shares exchanged for the same class of shares of another Virtus Mutual Fund automatically on a monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual basis or may cancel this privilege at any time. If you maintain an account balance of at least $5,000, or $2,000 for tax qualified retirement benefit plans (calculated on the basis of the NAV of the shares held in a single account), you may direct that shares be automatically exchanged at predetermined intervals for shares of the same class of another Virtus Mutual Fund. Systematic exchanges will be executed upon the close of business on the 10 th day of each month or the next succeeding business day. Exchanges will be based upon each Fund’s NAV per share next computed after the close of business on the 10 th day of each month (or next succeeding business day), without sales charge. Systematic exchange forms are available from the Transfer Agent.
Dividend Reinvestment Across Accounts
If you maintain an account balance of at least $5,000, or $2,000 for tax qualified retirement benefit plans (calculated on the basis of the NAV of the shares held in a single account), you may direct that any dividends and distributions paid with respect to shares in that account be automatically reinvested in a single account of one of the other Virtus Mutual
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Funds at NAV. You should obtain a current prospectus and consider the objectives and policies of each Virtus Mutual Fund carefully before directing dividends and distributions to another Virtus Mutual Fund. Reinvestment election forms and prospectuses are available from the Transfer Agent. Distributions may also be mailed to a second payee and/or address. Requests for directing distributions to an alternate payee must be made in writing with a signature guarantee of the registered owner(s). To be effective with respect to a particular dividend or distribution, notification of the new distribution option must be received by the Transfer Agent at least three days prior to the record date of such dividend or distribution. If all shares in your account are repurchased or redeemed or transferred between the record date and the payment date of a dividend or distribution, you will receive cash for the dividend or distribution regardless of the distribution option selected.
Invest-by-Phone
This expedited investment service allows a shareholder to make an investment in an account by requesting a transfer of funds from the balance of the shareholder’s bank account. Once a request is phoned in, the Transfer Agent or its subagent will initiate the transaction by wiring a request for monies to the shareholder’s commercial bank, savings bank or credit union via ACH. The shareholder’s bank, which must be an ACH member, will in turn forward the monies to the Transfer Agent or its subagent for credit to the shareholder’s account. ACH is a computer based clearing and settlement operation established for the exchange of electronic transactions among participating depository institutions.
To establish this service, please complete an Invest-by-Phone Application and attach a voided check if applicable. Upon acceptance of the authorization form (usually within two weeks) shareholders may call toll free 800.367.5877 prior to 3:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) to place their purchase request. Instructions as to the account number and amount to be invested must be communicated to the Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent or its subagent will then contact the shareholder’s bank via ACH with appropriate instructions. The purchase is normally credited to the shareholder’s account the day following receipt of the verbal instructions. The Fund may delay the mailing of a check for redemption proceeds of Fund shares purchased with a check or via Invest-by-Phone service until the Fund has assured itself that good payment has been collected for the purchase of the shares, which may take up to 15 days. The Trust and the Transfer Agent reserve the right to modify or terminate the Invest-by-Phone service for any reason or to institute charges for maintaining an Invest-by-Phone account.
Systematic Withdrawal Program
The Systematic Withdrawal Program allows you to periodically redeem a portion of your account on a predetermined monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual basis. A sufficient number of full and fractional shares will be redeemed so that the designated payment is made on or about the 20 th day of the month. Shares are tendered for redemption by the Transfer Agent, as agent for the shareowner, on or about the 15 th of the month at the closing NAV on the date of redemption. The Program also provides for redemptions with proceeds to be directed through ACH to your bank account. For ACH payments, you may select the day of the month for the payments to be made; if no date is specified, the payments will occur on the 15 th of the month. In addition to the limitations stated below, withdrawals may not be less than $25 and minimum account balance requirements shall continue to apply.
Shareholders participating in the Program must own shares of a Fund worth $5,000 or more, as determined by the then current NAV per share, and elect to have all dividends reinvested. The purchase of shares while participating in the Program will ordinarily be disadvantageous to the Class A Shares investor since a sales charge will be paid by the investor on the purchase of Class A Shares at the same time as other shares are being redeemed. For this reason, investors in Class A Shares may not participate in an automatic investment program while participating in the Program.
Through the Program, Class C shareholders may withdraw up to 1% of their aggregate net investments (purchases, at initial value, to date net of non-Program redemptions) each month or up to 3% of their aggregate net investments each quarter without incurring otherwise applicable CDSCs. Class C shareholders redeeming more shares than the percentage permitted by the Program will be subject to any applicable CDSC on all shares redeemed. Accordingly, the purchase of share classes on which a CDSC may be payable will generally not be suitable for an investor who anticipates withdrawing sums in excess of the above limits shortly after purchase.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company
Each Fund within the Trust is separate for investment and accounting purposes and is treated as a separate corporation for United States federal income tax purposes. Each Fund has elected to qualify and intends to qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. In each taxable year that a Fund qualifies as a RIC and distributes to its shareholders as dividends (not including “capital gains dividends,” discussed below) at least 90% of its ordinary investment income and
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short-term capital gains, with certain modifications, it (but not its shareholders) will be relieved of United States federal income tax on that portion of its net investment income and net capital gains that are currently distributed (or deemed distributed) to its shareholders. To the extent that a Fund fails to distribute all of its taxable income, it will be subject to corporate income tax (currently at a maximum rate of 35%) on any retained ordinary investment income or short-term capital gains and undistributed long-term capital gains.
Each Fund intends to make timely distributions, if necessary, sufficient in amount to avoid the non-deductible 4% excise tax that is imposed on a RIC to the extent that it fails to distribute, with respect to each calendar year, at least 98% of its ordinary income (not including tax-exempt interest) for such calendar year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income as determined for a one-year period ending on October 31 of such calendar year (or as determined on a fiscal year basis if the Fund’s fiscal year ends on November 30 or December 31, if the Fund so elects). In addition, an amount equal to any undistributed investment company taxable income or capital gain net income from the previous calendar year must also be distributed to avoid the excise tax. The excise tax is imposed on the amount by which the RIC does not meet the foregoing distribution requirements. If a Fund has taxable income that would be subject to the excise tax, the Fund intends to distribute such income so as to avoid payment of the excise tax. Notwithstanding the foregoing, there may be certain circumstances under which it would be appropriate for a Fund to pay the excise tax.
Each Fund must satisfy the following tests each year in order to qualify as a RIC: (a) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities and certain other investment income; and (b) meet specified diversification requirements at the end of each quarter of each taxable year. Each Fund intends to satisfy these requirements. With respect to the diversification requirement, each Fund must also diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of its total assets consists of cash, cash items, United States government securities and securities of other RICs, and other securities limited generally with respect to any one issuer to not more than 5% of the total assets of that Fund and not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than United States government securities or the securities of other RICs). In addition, the Fund may not hold more than 25% of the securities (other than of other RICs) of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or 25% of the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. Each Fund intends to comply with all of the foregoing criteria for qualification as a RIC; however, there can be no assurance that each Fund will so qualify and continue to maintain its status as a RIC. If in any taxable year a Fund does not qualify as a RIC or fails to distribute at least 90% of the Fund’s investment company taxable income, all of its taxable income will be taxed at corporate rates, the Fund would not be entitled to deduct distributions to shareholders, and any capital gain dividend would not retain its character in the hands of the shareholder for tax purposes. The Code provides relief for certain de minimis failures to meet the asset or income tests or for certain failures due to reasonable cause. These relief provisions may prevent a Fund from being disqualified as a RIC and/or reduce the amount of tax on the Fund’s income as a result of the failure to meet certain tests.
Taxation of Debt Securities
Certain debt securities can be originally issued or acquired at a discount. Special rules apply under the Code to the recognition of income with respect to such debt securities. Under the special rules, a Fund may recognize income for tax purposes without a corresponding current receipt of cash. In addition, gain on a disposition of a debt security subject to the special rules may be treated wholly or partially as ordinary income, not capital gain.
A Fund may invest in certain investments that may cause it to realize income prior to the receipt of cash distributions, including securities bearing original issue discount. The level of such investments is not expected to affect a Fund’s ability to distribute adequate income to qualify as a RIC.
Taxation of Derivatives and Foreign Currency Transactions
Many futures contracts and foreign currency contracts entered into by a Fund and all listed non-equity options written or purchased by a Fund (including options on debt securities, options on futures contracts, options on securities indices and options on broad-based stock indices) are governed by Section 1256 of the Code. Absent a tax election to the contrary, gain or loss attributable to the lapse, exercise or closing out of any such position is treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, and on the last trading day of a Fund’s taxable year (and, generally on October 31 for purposes of the 4% excise tax), all outstanding Section 1256 positions are marked-to-market (i.e., treated as if such positions were closed out at their closing price on such day), and any resulting gain or loss is treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Under certain circumstances, entry into a futures contract to sell a security may constitute a short sale for United States federal income tax purposes, causing an adjustment in the holding period of the underlying security or a substantially identical security in a Fund’s portfolio.
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Equity options written by a Fund (covered call options on portfolio stock) will be subject to the provisions under Section 1234 of the Code. If a Fund writes a call option, no gain is recognized upon its receipt of a premium. If such an option lapses or is closed out, any gain or loss is treated as a short-term capital gain or loss. If such an option is exercised, any resulting gain or loss is a short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on the holding period of the underlying stock.
Positions of a Fund which consist of at least one stock and at least one stock option or other position with respect to a related security which substantially diminishes the Fund’s risk of loss with respect to such stock could be treated as a “straddle” that is governed by Section 1092 of the Code, the operation of which may cause deferral of losses, adjustments in the holding periods of stock or securities and conversion of short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. An exception to these straddle rules exists for any “qualified covered call options” on stock options written by a Fund.
Positions of a Fund which consist of at least one debt security not governed by Section 1256 of the Code and at least one futures or currency contract or listed non-equity option governed by Section 1256 of the Code which substantially diminishes the Fund’s risk of loss with respect to such debt security are treated as a “mixed straddle.” Although mixed straddles are subject to the straddle rules of Section 1092 of the Code, certain tax elections exist for them that reduce or eliminate the operation of these rules. Each Fund will monitor these transactions and may make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the operation of these rules and prevent disqualification of the Fund as a RIC for United States federal income tax purposes.
Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time a Fund accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time it actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain futures contracts, forward contracts and options, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also are treated as ordinary income or loss. Generally, these gains and losses, referred to under the Code as Section 988 gains or losses, may increase or decrease the amount of each Fund’s investment company taxable income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.
These special tax rules applicable to options, futures and currency transactions could affect the amount, timing and character of a Fund’s income or loss and hence of its distributions to shareholders by causing holding period adjustments, converting short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses, and accelerating a Fund’s income or deferring its losses.
The IRS has not provided guidance on the tax consequences of certain investments and other activities that the Funds may make or undertake. While the Funds will endeavor to treat the tax items arising from these transactions in a manner believed to be appropriate, guarantees cannot be given that the IRS or a court will concur with the Funds’ treatment and that adverse tax consequences will not ensue.
Taxation of Foreign Investments
If a Fund invests in stock of certain passive foreign investment companies, the Fund may be subject to special United States federal income taxation rules applicable to any “excess distribution” with respect to such stock or gain from the disposition of such stock treated as an “excess distribution.” The tax would be determined by allocating such distribution or gain ratably to each day of the Fund’s holding period for the stock. The distributions or gain so allocated to any taxable year of the Fund, other than the taxable year of the excess distribution or disposition, would be taxed to the Fund at the highest ordinary income rate in effect for such year, and the tax would be further increased by an interest charge to reflect the value of the tax deferral deemed to have resulted from the ownership of the foreign company’s stock. Any amount of distribution or gain allocated to the taxable year of the distribution or disposition would be included in the Fund’s investment company taxable income and, accordingly, would not be taxable to the Fund to the extent distributed by the Fund as a dividend to its shareholders. The Fund may elect to mark-to-market (i.e., treat as if sold at their closing market price on the same day) its investments in certain passive foreign investment companies and avoid any tax and/or interest charge on excess distributions.
The Funds may be subject to tax on dividend or interest income received from securities of non-United States issuers withheld by a foreign country at the source. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries that entitle a Fund to a reduced rate of tax or exemption from tax on income. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of a Fund’s assets to be invested within various countries is not known. Each Fund intends to operate so as to qualify for tax treaty benefits where applicable. If more than 50% of the value of
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a Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year is comprised of stock or securities issued by foreign corporations, the Fund may elect to “pass through” to the Fund’s shareholders the amount of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund. If a Fund does elect to “pass through,” each shareholder will receive a written statement from the Fund identifying the amount of such shareholder’s pro rata share of  (i) the foreign taxes paid and (ii) the Fund’s gross income from foreign sources. In addition, if at least 50% of the value of a Fund’s assets at the close of each quarter of the tax year is represented by interests in other RICs, then such Fund may “pass through” foreign income taxes paid without regard to whether more than 50% of the Fund’s total assets at the close of the tax year consisted of stock and securities issued by foreign corporations. If a Fund passes through foreign taxes, each shareholder will be required to include the amount of such shareholder’s pro rata share of such taxes in gross income (in addition to dividends actually received), and the shareholder will be entitled to deduct such foreign taxes (if the shareholder itemizes deductions) in computing taxable income or claim a credit against U.S. federal income tax liability, subject to limitations.
Taxation of Distributions to Shareholders
Certain qualified dividend income and long-term capital gains are taxed at a lower federal income tax rate (maximum 20%) for individual shareholders. The reduced rate for qualified dividend income applies to dividends from domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations subject to various requirements and a minimum holding period applicable to both a Fund and its shareholders. Ordinary distributions made by a Fund to its shareholders are eligible for the reduced rate to the extent the underlying income in the Fund is qualified dividend income. An additional 3.8% tax will generally apply to the lesser of  (i) an individual’s net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 (in the case of single filers) or $250,000 (in the case of a joint return).
Distributions made by a Fund from ordinary investment income and net short-term capital gains will be taxed to such Fund’s shareholders as ordinary dividend income to the extent of the earnings and profits of the Fund. Ordinary income dividends received by corporate shareholders of a Fund will qualify for the 70% dividends-received deduction to the extent the Fund designates such amounts as qualifying dividend distributions; however, the portion that may be so designated is subject to certain limitations. Distributions by a Fund that are reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends in written statements furnished to its shareholders (e.g., Form 1099) will be taxed to the shareholders as long-term capital gain, and will not be eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction.
Dividends declared by a Fund to shareholders of record in October, November or December will be taxable to such shareholders in the year that the dividend is declared, even if it is not paid until the following year (so long as it is actually paid by the Fund in January of such following year). Also, shareholders will be taxable on amounts reported by a Fund in written statements to shareholders as capital gain dividends, even if such amounts are not actually distributed to them. Shareholders will be entitled to claim a credit against their own United States federal income tax liability for taxes paid by each Fund on such undistributed capital gains, if any.
Dividends and capital gain distributions will be taxable to shareholders as described above whether received in cash or in shares under a Fund’s distribution reinvestment plan. With respect to distributions received in cash or reinvested in shares purchased on the open market, the amount of the distribution for tax purposes will be the amount of cash distributed or allocated to the shareholder.
Shareholders should be aware that the price of shares of a Fund that are purchased prior to a dividend or distribution by the Fund may reflect the amount of the forthcoming dividend or distribution. Such dividend or distribution, when made, would be taxable to shareholders under the principles discussed above even though the dividend or distribution may reduce the NAV of shares below a shareholder’s cost and thus represent a return of a shareholder’s investment in an economic sense.
A high portfolio turnover rate may result in the realization of larger amounts of short-term gains, which are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.
Each Fund intends to accrue dividend income for United States federal income tax purposes in accordance with the rules applicable to RICs. In some cases, these rules may have the effect of accelerating (in comparison to other recipients of the dividend) the time at which the dividend is taken into account by the Fund as taxable income.
Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors about their tax situations.
Income and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with rules set forth in the Code and the Regulations that may differ from United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Sale or Exchange of Fund Shares
Gain or loss will be recognized by a shareholder upon the sale of his or her shares in a Fund or upon an exchange of his or her shares in a Fund for shares in another Fund. Provided that the shareholder is not a dealer in such shares, such gain or loss will generally be treated as capital gain or loss, measured by the difference between the adjusted
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basis of the shares and the amount realized from the sale. Under current law, capital gains (whether long-term or short-term) of individuals and corporations are fully includable in taxable income. Capital losses (whether long-term or short-term) may offset capital gains plus (for non-corporate taxpayers only) up to $3,000 per year of ordinary income.
Redemptions, including exchanges, of shares may give rise to recognized gains or losses. All or a portion of a loss realized upon the redemption, including exchanges, of shares may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent shares are purchased (including shares acquired by means of reinvested dividends) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after such redemption. Any loss realized upon a shareholder’s sale, redemption or other disposition of shares with a tax holding period of six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividend distributed with respect to such shares. The “wash sale” restrictions also apply to an investor who holds a security both within a tax-deferred account and in a taxable account; sales and repurchases between two accounts will be considered as wash sales.
Under certain circumstances, the sales charge incurred in acquiring shares of a Fund may not be taken into account in determining the gain or loss on the disposition of those shares. This rule applies where shares of a Fund are disposed of within 90 days after the date on which they were acquired and new shares of a RIC are acquired without a sales charge or at a reduced sales charge prior to January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the disposition. In that case, the gain or loss realized on the disposition will be determined by excluding from the tax basis of the shares disposed of all or a portion of the sales charge incurred in acquiring those shares. This exclusion applies to the extent that the otherwise applicable sales charge with respect to the newly acquired shares is reduced as a result of the shareholder having incurred a sales charge initially. The portion of the sales charge affected by this rule will be treated as a sales charge paid for the new shares.
For shares of a Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012, each shareholder’s Form 1099 will report the cost basis of any such shares that were redeemed, sold, or exchanged during the year, and the form will report whether the gain or loss is treated as short-term or long-term. This information will be reported to the IRS. Each shareholder should inform the Fund of such shareholder’s cost selection for tax reporting purposes at the time of the sale or exchange of Fund shares or provide in advance a standing cost basis method for the shareholder’s account. If a shareholder does not provide cost basis instructions, the Fund’s default method will be used.
Tax Information Notices
Written notices will be sent to shareholders (by United States mail and/or electronic delivery, as applicable) regarding the tax status of all distributions made (or deemed to have been made) during each taxable year, including the amount of qualified dividend income for individuals, the amount qualifying for the corporate dividends-received deduction (if applicable) and the amount of capital gain dividends, undistributed capital gains (if any), tax credits (if applicable), and cumulative return of capital (if any).
Important Notice Regarding Taxpayer IRS Certification and Backup Withholding
Pursuant to the Code and Regulations, the Funds may be required to withhold a percentage of all reportable payments, including any taxable dividends, capital gains distributions or share redemption proceeds, at the specified rate in effect when such payments are made, for an account which does not have a taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications. The Funds reserve the right to refuse to open an account for any person failing to provide a taxpayer identification number along with the required certifications. The Funds will furnish shareholders, within 31 days after the end of the calendar year, with the information that is required by the IRS for preparing income tax returns. The Fund will also provide this same information to the IRS in the manner required by the IRS. Depending on your state of residence, the information may also be filed with your state taxing authority.
Some shareholders may be subject to withholding of United States federal income tax on dividends and redemption payments from the Funds (“backup withholding”) at the specified rate in effect when such payments are made. Corporate shareholders and certain other shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. Generally, shareholders subject to backup withholding will be (i) those for whom a certified taxpayer identification number is not on file with the Fund, (ii) those about whom notification has been received (either by the shareholder or the Fund) from the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding or (iii) those who, to the Fund’s knowledge, have furnished an incorrect taxpayer identification number. Generally, to avoid backup withholding, a shareholder must, at the time an account is opened, certify under penalties of perjury that the social security number or taxpayer identification number furnished is correct and that he or she is not subject to backup withholding. From time to time, the shareholder may also be requested to provide certification of the validity of their taxpayer identification number.
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Foreign Shareholders
Dividends paid by any of the Funds from net investment income and net realized short-term capital gains to a shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate, a foreign corporation or a foreign partnership (a “foreign shareholder”) will be subject to United States withholding tax at a rate of 30% unless a reduced rate of withholding or a withholding exemption is provided under an applicable tax treaty. Foreign shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning the applicability of the United States withholding tax and any foreign taxes.
Other Tax Consequences
In addition to the United States federal income tax consequences described above, there may be other foreign, United States federal, state or local tax considerations and estate tax considerations applicable to the circumstances of a particular investor. The foregoing discussion is based upon the Code, judicial decisions and administrative regulations, rulings and practices in effect as of December 2016, all of which are subject to change and which, if changed, may be applied retroactively to a Fund, its shareholders and/or its assets. No rulings have been sought from the IRS or any other tax authority with respect to any of the tax matters discussed above.
From time to time, proposals are introduced before the United States Congress that if enacted would affect the foregoing discussion with respect to taxes and could also affect the availability of certain investments to a Fund.
The information included in the Prospectus with respect to taxes, including this section entitled Dividends, Distributions and Taxes, is a general and abbreviated summary of applicable provisions of the Code and Regulations as interpreted by the courts and the IRS as of December 2016 and is not intended as tax advice to any person. The Code and Regulations, as well as the current interpretations thereof, may be changed at any time by legislative, judicial, or administrative action. Accordingly, prospective purchasers are urged to consult their own tax advisors with specific reference to their own tax situations, including the potential application of United States federal, state, local and foreign tax laws.
Except as expressly set forth above, the foregoing discussion of United States federal income tax law relates solely to the application of that law to United States persons, i.e., United States citizens and residents and United States corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates. Each shareholder who is not a United States person should consider the United States and foreign tax consequences of ownership of shares of a Fund, including the possibility that such a shareholder may be subject to a United States withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate under an applicable tax treaty) on amounts constituting ordinary income received by him or her, where such amounts are treated as income from United States sources under the Code. The foregoing discussion does not address the special tax rules applicable to certain classes of investors, such as dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities, banks, tax-exempt entities, life insurance companies, persons holding an interest in a Fund as a hedge or as part of a straddle or conversion transaction, or holders whose functional currency is not the United States dollar.
Tax Sheltered Retirement Plans
Shares of the Funds are offered in connection with the following retirement plans: IRA, Rollover IRA, SEP-IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k), Profit-Sharing, Money Purchase Pension Plans and certain 403(b) Retirement Plans. Write or call the Distributor at 800.243.4361 for further information about the plans.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Performance information for the Funds (and any class of the Funds) may be included in advertisements, sales literature or reports to shareholders or prospective investors. Performance information in advertisements and sales literature may be expressed as a yield of a class of shares and as a total return of a class of shares.
The Funds may from time to time include in advertisements containing total return the ranking of those performance figures relative to such figures for groups of mutual funds having similar investment objectives as categorized by ranking services such as Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., CDA Investment Technologies, Inc., Weisenberger Financial Services, Inc. and Morningstar, Inc. Additionally, each Fund may compare its performance results to other investment or savings vehicles (such as certificates of deposit) and may refer to results published in various publications such as Changing Times, Forbes, Fortune, Money, Barrons, Business Week and Investor’s Business Daily, Stanger’s Mutual Fund Monitor, The Stanger Register, Stanger’s Investment Adviser, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Consumer Reports, Registered Representative, Financial Planning, Financial Services Weekly, Financial World, U.S. News and World Report, Standard & Poor’s The Outlook and Personal Investor . The Funds may from time to time illustrate the benefits of tax deferral by comparing taxable investments to investments made through tax-deferred retirement plans. The total return may also be used to compare the performance of each Fund against certain widely acknowledged outside standards or indices for stock and bond market performance, such as the S&P 500 ® Index, Dow
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Jones Industrial Average, Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, Dow Jones Wilshire Real Estate Securities Index (Full Cap), Russell Midcap ® Growth Index, MSCI EAFE ® (Europe Australasia Far East) Index, Consumer Price Index, Barclays Corporate Index, and the Barclays T-Bond Index.
Advertisements, sales literature and other communications may contain information about the Funds’ and their subadvisers’ current investment strategies and management style. Current strategies and style may change to allow the Funds to respond quickly to changing market and economic conditions. From time to time the Funds may include specific portfolio holdings or industries in such communications. To illustrate components of overall performance, each Fund may separate its cumulative and average annual returns into income and capital gains components.
Performance information reflects only the performance of a hypothetical investment in each class during the particular time period on which the calculations are based. Performance information should be considered in light of a Fund’s investment objectives and policies, characteristics and quality of the portfolio, and the market condition during the given time period, and should not be considered as a representation of what may be achieved in the future.
Total Return
Standardized quotations of average annual total return for each class of shares will be expressed in terms of the average annual compounded rate of return for a hypothetical investment in such class of shares over periods of 1, 5 and 10 years or up to the life of the class of shares, calculated for each class separately pursuant to the following formula: P((1+T)(n)) = ERV (where P = a hypothetical initial payment of  $1,000, T = the average annual total return, n = the number of years, and ERV = the ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of the period). All total return figures reflect the deduction of a proportional share of each class’s expenses (on an annual basis), deduction of the maximum initial sales load in the case of Class A Shares and the maximum CDSC applicable to a complete redemption of the investment in the case of Class C Shares, and assume that all dividends and distributions on each class of shares are reinvested when paid.
For average “after-tax” total return, the SEC rules mandate several assumptions, including that the calculations use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates at the time of reinvestment, and that the calculations do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. These returns, for instance, assume that an investor has sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the redemption. As a result, returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may exceed returns after taxes on distributions (but before sale of Fund shares). These returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements.
The Funds may also compute cumulative total return for specified periods based on a hypothetical account with an assumed initial investment of  $10,000. The cumulative total return is determined by dividing the NAV of this account at the end of the specified period by the value of the initial investment and is expressed as a percentage. Calculation of cumulative total return reflects payment of the of the Class A Share’s maximum sales charge of 5.75% for the Funds and assumes reinvestment of all income dividends and capital gain distributions during the period.
The Funds also may quote annual, average annual and annualized total return and cumulative total return performance data, for any class of shares of the Funds, both as a percentage and as a dollar amount based on a hypothetical $10,000 investment for various periods other than those noted above. Such data will be computed as described above, except that (1) the rates of return calculated will not be average annual rates, but rather, actual annual, annualized or cumulative rates of return and (2) the maximum applicable sales charge will not be included with respect to annual, annualized or cumulative rate of return calculations.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The fiscal year of the Trust ends on March 31. The Trust will send financial statements to its shareholders at least semiannually. An annual report containing financial statements audited by the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, will be sent to shareholders each year and is available without charge upon request.
The Funds’ financial statements for the Trust’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, appearing in the Funds’ 2016 Annual Report to Shareholders, are incorporated herein by reference.
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APPENDIX A — DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS
A-1 and P-1 Commercial Paper Ratings
The Trust will only invest in commercial paper which at the date of investment is rated A-1 by Standard & Poor’s Corporation or P-1 by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (Moody’s), or, if not rated, is issued or guaranteed by companies which at the date of investment have an outstanding debt issue rated AA or higher by Standard & Poor’s or Aa or higher by Moody’s.
Commercial paper rated A-1 by Standard & Poor’s Corporation (“S&P”) has the following characteristics: Liquidity ratios are adequate to meet cash requirements. Long-term senior debt is rated “A” or better. The issuer has access to at least two additional channels of borrowing. Basic earnings and cash flow have an upward trend with allowance made for unusual circumstances. Typically, the issuer’s industry is well established and the issuer has a strong position within the industry. The reliability and quality of management are unquestioned.
The rating P-1 is the highest commercial paper rating assigned by Moody’s. Among the factors considered by Moody’s in assigning ratings are the following: (1) evaluation of the management of the issuer; (2) economic evaluation of the issuer’s industry or industries and an appraisal of speculative-type risks which may be inherent in certain areas; (3) evaluation of the issuer’s products in relation to competition and customer acceptance; (4) liquidity; (5) amount and quality of long-term debt; (6) trend of earnings over a period of ten years; (7) financial strength of a parent company and the relationship which exists with the issuer; and (8) recognition by the management of obligations which may be present or may arise as a result of public interest questions and preparations to meet such obligations.
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. Corporate Bond Ratings
Aaa — Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt-edge.” Interest payments are protected by a large or exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa — Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group, they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuations of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.
A — Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa — Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Moody’s also provides credit ratings for preferred stocks. Preferred stock occupies a junior position to bonds within a particular capital structure.
aaa — An issue which is rated “aaa” is considered to be a top-quality preferred stock. This rating indicates good asset protection and the least risk of dividend impairment within the universe of preferred stocks.
aa — An issue which is rated “aa” is considered a high-grade preferred stock. This rating indicates that there is a reasonable assurance that earnings and asset protection will remain relatively well maintained in the foreseeable future.
a — An issue which is rated “a” is considered to be an upper-medium grade preferred stock. While risks are judged to be somewhat greater than in the “aaa” and “aa” classifications, earnings and asset protections are, nevertheless, expected to be maintained at adequate levels.
baa — An issue which is rated “baa” is considered to be a medium grade preferred stock, neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Earnings and asset protection appear adequate at present but may be questionable over any great length of time.
Moody’s ratings for municipal notes and other short-term loans are designated Moody’s Investment Grade (MIG). This distinction is in recognition of the differences between short-term and long-term credit risk. Loans bearing the designation MIG 1 are of the best quality, enjoying strong protection by establishing cash flows of funds for their
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servicing or by established and broad-based access to the market for refinancing, or both. Loans bearing the designation MIG 2 are of high quality, with margins of protection ample although not so large as in the preceding group. A short term issue having a demand feature (i.e., payment relying on external liquidity and usually payable on demand rather than fixed maturity dates) is differentiated by Moody’s with the use of the Symbol VMIG, instead of MIG.
The Moody’s Prime-2 rating and above indicates a strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations.
Standard and Poor’s Corporation Corporate Bond Ratings
AAA — Bonds rated AAA have the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s Corporation. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA — Bonds rated AA have a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differ from AAA issues only in small degree.
A — Bonds rated A have a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal, although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than bonds in higher rated categories.
BBB — Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for bonds in this category than in higher rated categories.
S&P’s top ratings for municipal notes issued after July 29, 1984 are SP-1 and SP-2. The designation SP-1 indicates a very strong capacity to pay principal and interest. A “+” is added for those issues determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics. An “SP-2” designation indicates a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest.
Commercial paper rated A-2 or better by S&P is described as having a very strong degree of safety regarding timeliness and capacity to repay. Additionally, as a precondition for receiving an S&P commercial paper rating, a bank credit line and/or liquid assets must be present to cover the amount of commercial paper outstanding at all times.
Fitch’s Corporate Bond Ratings
AAA — Bonds rated AAA are considered to be investment grade and of the highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable events.
AA — Bonds rated AA are considered to be investment grade and of very high credit quality. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA. Because bonds rated in the AAA and AA categories are not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is generally rated F-1+.
A— Bonds rated A are considered to be investment grade and of high credit quality. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
BBB — Bonds rated BBB are considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory credit quality. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, however, are more likely to have an adverse impact on these bonds and, therefore, impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for bonds with higher ratings.
BB — Bonds rated BB are considered speculative. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal may be affected over time by adverse economic changes. However, business and financial alternatives can be identified which could assist the obligor in satisfying its debt service requirements.
B — Bonds rated B are considered highly speculative. While bonds in this class are currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of continued timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligor’s limited margin of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic activity throughout the life of the issue.
CCC — Bonds rated CCC have certain identifiable characteristics, which, if not remedied, may lead to default. The ability to meet obligations requires an advantageous business and economic environment.
CC — Bonds rated CC are minimally protected. Default in payment of interest and/or principal seems probable over time.
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DDD, DD and D — Bonds rated DDD, DD and D are in actual default of interest and/or principal payments. Such bonds are extremely speculative and should be valued on the basis of their ultimate recovery value in liquidation or reorganization of the obligor. DDD represents the highest potential for recovery on these bonds and D represents the lowest potential for recovery.
Plus (+) and minus (–) signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating categories.
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APPENDIX B — CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

 

The following table sets forth information as of March 31, 2017, with respect to each person who owns of record or is known by the Trust to own of record or beneficially own 5% or more of any class of any Fund’s outstanding securities (Principal Shareholders) and the name of each person who has beneficial ownership, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, of more than 25% of the voting securities of a Fund (Control Person), as noted below.

 

*These entities are omnibus accounts for many individual shareholder accounts. The Funds are not aware of the size or identity of the underlying individual accounts.

 

CONTROL PERSON
NAME AND ADDRESS 		FUND PERCENTAGE
(%) OF FUND
OUTSTANDING
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC*
FOR EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF OUR CUSTOMERS
ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD
JERSEY CITY NJ 07310 		VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND 26.10%
PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDER
NAME AND ADDRESS 		FUND/CLASS PERCENTAGE
(%) OF CLASS
OUTSTANDING
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INVESTMENT SVC*
FBO #XXXX9970
707 2ND AVE S
MINNEAPOLIS MN 55402-2405 		VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS C 6.98%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS C 6.53%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 11.05%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 19.19%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 8.19%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 14.86%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 23.51%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 7.63%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 6.63%
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC*
SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCOUNT
FOR BENEFIT OF CUSTOMERS
ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS
101 MONTGOMERY ST
SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4122 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS C 6.35%
VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS I 40.20%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS A 5.49%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS A 5.84%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS I 8.48%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 5.32%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS I 6.45%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 12.10%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 6.44%
COMERICA BANK FBO CALHOUN*
P.O. BOX 75000 MAIL CODE 3446
DETROIT MI 48275 		VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH-CLASS I 5.01%
GROUP 5 ILLINOIS LLC
ATTN CRAIG LOWRY
8938 S RIDGELAND AVE
OAK LAWN IL 60453-1000 		VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS I 17.76%
LPL FINANCIAL*
OMNIBUS CUSTOMER ACCOUNT
ATTN LINDSAY OTOOLE
4707 EXECUTIVE DRIVE
SAN DIEGO CA 92121 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS A 6.00%
VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS C 6.80%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS C 8.22%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS I 15.14%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 7.59%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 10.46%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 10.01%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS C 5.75%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 7.05%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS A 6.73%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 6.44%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 13.28%

 

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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDER
NAME AND ADDRESS 		FUND/CLASS PERCENTAGE
(%) OF CLASS
OUTSTANDING
MACQUARIE PRISM PTY LIMITED
CORPORATION TRUSTEE
U/A DTD 23 JUNE 1998
LEVEL 6 50 MARTIN PLACE SYDNEY
NEW SOUTH WALES 2000 AUSTRALIA 		VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 5.01%
MLPF&S*
FOR THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS
ATTN FUND ADMINISTRATION
4800 DEER LAKE DR E 3RD FL
JACKSONVILLE FL 32246-6484 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS A 18.17%
VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS C 17.19%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS A 5.16%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS C 10.61%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS C 14.80%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 9.77%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 5.58%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS A 6.60%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS C 6.28%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 9.59%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 8.32%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 9.72%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS A 5.20%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 17.33%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 7.29%
VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 6.30%
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY*
HARBORSIDE FINANCIAL CTR PLZ 2 FL 3
JERSEY CITY NJ 07311 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS C 14.82%
VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS I 6.51%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS C 11.86%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 8.80%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 8.77%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS A 6.03%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS C 20.54%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS I 27.53%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 16.25%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 7.48%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 9.06%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 5.48%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 8.92%
VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS A 5.70%
VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 27.69%
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC*
FOR EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF OUR CUSTOMERS
ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD
JERSEY CITY NJ 07310 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS A 5.15%
VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS I 8.30%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS A 5.73%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS C 5.34%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS I 17.43%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS A 5.00%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS I 34.38%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 14.87%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 7.87%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 43.97%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS A 5.59%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 13.19%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 24.43%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS A 7.98%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS C 7.16%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS I 33.76%

 

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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDER
NAME AND ADDRESS 		FUND/CLASS PERCENTAGE
(%) OF CLASS
OUTSTANDING
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC*
FOR EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF OUR CUSTOMERS
ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 4TH FLOOR 499 WASHINGTON BLVD
JERSEY CITY NJ 07310 		VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 10.18%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 12.44%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS A 13.42%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 7.10%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 15.06%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS A 5.21%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 5.26%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 14.62%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 39.60%
VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS A 5.85%
VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 6.62%
NFS LLC FEBO*
FIIOC AS AGENT FOR
QUALIFIED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (401K) FINOPS-IC FUNDS
100 MAGELLAN WAY # KW1C
COVINGTON KY 41015 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS R6 96.07%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS R6
 

  		98.79%
PERSHING LLC*
1 PERSHING PLAZA
JERSEY CITY NJ 07399-0002 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS A 10.31%
VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS C 6.90%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS A 6.33%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 14.66%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 11.98%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 5.58%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS A 12.77%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS C 5.50%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 6.75%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 8.26%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS A 25.97%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 8.09%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 6.04%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS A 5.14%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 7.75%
VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 10.58%
RAINER MOHAUPT
ACAPULCO GRO MEXICO 		VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 5.12%
RAYMOND JAMES*
OMNIBUS FOR MUTUAL FUNDS
HOUSE ACCT FIRM XXXXX015
ATTN COURTNEY WALLER
880 CARILLON PARKWAY
ST PETERSBURG FL 33716 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS A 6.12%
VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS C 15.84%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS C 8.97%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 14.04%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 6.34%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 23.21%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 9.81%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 7.89%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 14.80%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 11.29%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 5.19%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 10.07%
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC *
MUTUAL FUND OMNIBUS PROCESSING
ATTN MUTUAL FUND OPS MANAGER
60 S 6TH ST
MINNEAPOLIS MN 55402-4400 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS I 17.57%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS I
 

  		7.46%

 

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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDER
NAME AND ADDRESS 		FUND/CLASS PERCENTAGE
(%) OF CLASS
OUTSTANDING
STATE STREET BANK & TRUST CO*
FBO ADP/MSDW ALLIANCE
PO BOX 5501
BOSTON MA 02206-5501 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS A 5.81%
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY*
AS TTEE AND OR CUSTODIAN
(FBO) ADP ACCESS PRODUCT
1 LINCOLN ST
BOSTON MA 02111-2901 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS A 9.13%
TONY BLANK TTEE
JERRY & JOAN BLANK IRREV TRUST
DTD 12/23/92
FBO THE CHILDREN OF TONY BLANK
CORAL GABLES FL 33146-2918 		VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 6.34%
UBS WM USA*
XXX XXXXX 6100
OMNI ACCOUNT M/F
ATTN DEPARTMENT MANAGER
1000 HARBOR BLVD FL 5
WEEHAWKEN NJ 07086-6761 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS C 8.42%
VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS I 8.75%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS A 10.15%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS C 6.36%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 8.12%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 14.53%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS C 5.70%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS I 8.68%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 11.98%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 23.95%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 30.39%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 12.37%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 9.29%
VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 10.68%
VIRTUS PARTNERS INC
100 PEARL ST 8TH FL
HARTFORD CT 06103-4500 		VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS R6 100.00%
WELLS FARGO CLEARING SVCS LLC*
SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCT FOR THE
EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER
2801 MARKET STREET 		VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS C 8.96%
VIRTUS CONTRARIAN VALUE FUND-CLASS I 5.85%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS A 10.01%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS C 14.96%
VIRTUS ENHANCED CORE EQUITY FUND-CLASS I 32.34%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS C 15.89%
VIRTUS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND FUND-CLASS I 9.19%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 18.77%
VIRTUS MID-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 28.31%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 9.11%
VIRTUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 14.42%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS A 12.48%
VIRTUS QUALITY SMALL-CAP FUND-CLASS C 17.45%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS A 10.26%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS C 12.50%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP CORE FUND-CLASS I 10.65%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 16.93%
VIRTUS SMALL-CAP SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 12.11%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 18.71%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS C 6.49%
VIRTUS STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND-CLASS I 11.36%
VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS A 7.53%
VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND-CLASS C 16.92%

 

  109  

 

  

VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST

 

PART C — OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 28.         Exhibits

 

(a) Agreement and Declaration of Trust.
1. Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Registrant, dated August 17, 2000, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit a) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 (File No. 002-16590) on October 30, 2000, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

2. Amendment to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant, dated November 16, 2006, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit a.2) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 (File No. 002-16590) on October 25, 2007, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3. Second Amendment to the Declaration of Trust of Virtus Equity Trust (“VET”), dated August 20, 2015, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit a.3) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 106 (File No. 002-16590) on July 20, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

4. *Third Amendment to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Registrant, dated November 17, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit a.4) herewith.

 

(b) Bylaws.
1. Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Registrant dated November 16, 2005, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit b.1) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 (File No. 002-16590) on October 27, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

2. Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Registrant, dated August 23, 2006, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit b.2) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 (File No. 002-16590) on October 27, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3. Amendment No. 2 to the Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Registrant, dated November 17, 2011, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit b.3) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 (File No. 002-16590) on July 27, 2012, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(c) See Articles III, V and VI of Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Articles II, VII and VIII of Registrant’s By-Laws, each as amended.

 

(d) Investment Advisory Contracts.
1. Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Virtus Investment Advisors, Inc. (“VIA”) effective November 20, 2002, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.1.i) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 (File No. 002-16590) on October 28, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and VIA, made as of October 21, 2004, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.1.ii) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 79 (File No. 002-16590) on October 21, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

b) Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and VIA dated July 29, 2005, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.1.iii) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 (File No. 002-16590) on October 25, 2005, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

c) Third Amendment to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and VIA dated July 13, 2007, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.1.iv) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 (File No. 002-16590) on October 25, 2007, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

d) Fourth Amendment to Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and VIA dated March 10, 2008, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.1.v) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 (File No. 002-16590) on June 6, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

e) Fifth Amendment to Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and VIA dated June 22, 2009, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.1.vi) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 91 (File No. 002-16590) on June 22, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

f) Sixth Amendment to Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and VIA effective January 1, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.1.vii) with the Registration Statement (File No. 333-165702) on Form N-14 on March 25, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

 

 

g) Seventh Amendment to Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and VIA effective June 25, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.1.viii) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 (File No. 002-16590) on July 28, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

2. Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (“Kayne Anderson Rudnick”) dated March 10, 2008, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.4.a) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 (File No. 002-16590) on June 6, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) First Amendment to Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Kayne Anderson Rudnick dated June 22, 2009, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.4.b) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 91 (File No. 002-16590) on June 22, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

b) Second Amendment to Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Kayne Anderson Rudnick dated September 1, 2009, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.4.c) with the Registration Statement (File No. 333-163916) on Form N-14 on December 22, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

c) Third Amendment to Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Kayne Anderson Rudnick dated January 1, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.4.d) with the Registration Statement (File No. 333-165702) on Form N-14 on March 25, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

d) Fourth Amendment to Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Kayne Anderson Rudnick dated September 30, 2011, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.4.e) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 (File No. 002-16590) on July 27, 2012, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3. Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Kayne Anderson Rudnick dated February 22, 2012, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.4.f) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 (File No. 002-16590) on July 27, 2012, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

4. *Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Kayne Anderson Rudnick dated November 2, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.4) herewith.

 

5. Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Newfleet Asset Management, LLC (formerly SCM Advisors, LLC) (“Newfleet”) dated June 8, 2009, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.5.a) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 91 (File No. 002-16590) on June 22, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) First Amendment to Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Newfleet dated January 1, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.5.b) with the Registration Statement (File No. 333-165702) on Form N-14 on March 25, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

6. Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Sasco Capital, Inc. (“Sasco”) dated October 21, 2004, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.2.a) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 79 (File No. 002-16590) on October 21, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) First Amendment to Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Sasco, dated September 1, 2006, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.2.b) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 (File No. 002-16590) on October 27, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

b) Second Amendment to Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Sasco dated January 1, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.2.c) with the Registration Statement (File No. 333-165702) on Form N-14 on March 25, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

7. Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Rampart Investment Management Company, LLC (“Rampart”) dated December 8, 2014, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.7) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 (File No. 002-16590) on July 28, 2015, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

8. *Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. (“Duff & Phelps”) dated November 2, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit d.8) herewith.

 

(e) Underwriting Agreement
1. Underwriting Agreement between Registrant and VP Distributors, LLC (“VP Distributors”), made as of November 19, 1997, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit 6.1) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 64 (File No. 002-16590) on October 6, 1998, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

2. Form of Sales Agreement between VP Distributors and dealers, effective January 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit e.2) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registration Statement of Virtus Retirement Trust (“VRT”; formerly known as Virtus Institutional Trust) (File No. 033-80057) on January 8, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

 

 

a) Amended Annex A to Form of Sales Agreement between VP Distributors and dealers effective December 2016 filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit e.3.a) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 to the Registration Statement of Virtus Opportunities Trust (“VOT”) (033-65137) on January 20, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference .

 

b) Amended Annex A to Form of Sales Agreement between VP Distributors and dealers effective April/May 2017 to be filed by amendment.

 

(f) Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Program, effective February 9, 2017, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit f) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 (File No. 333-191940) to the Registration Statement of VAST on April 10, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(g) Custodian Agreement
1. Master Global Custody Agreement between each of Registrant, Virtus Insight Trust (“VIT”) and VOT (collectively, “Virtus Mutual Funds”) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., dated March 1, 2013, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit g.1) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to the Registration Statement of VIT (File No. 033-64915) on April 29, 2013, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) Amendment to Master Global Custody Agreement, containing a revised Schedule A, by and among Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., effective as of December 17, 2015, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit g.1.a) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to the Registration Statement of VOT (File No. 033-65137) on January 27, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(h) Other Material Contracts
1. Amended and Restated Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT, and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services, LLC (“Virtus Fund Services”)) dated January 1, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.6) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on February 25, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) Amendment to Amended and Restated Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) effective as of April 14, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.8) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

b) Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Transfer Agent and Service Agreement between the Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) effective as of March 15, 2011, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.16), with Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

c) Corrected Third Amendment to Amended and Restated Transfer Agent and Service Agreement between the Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and Virtus Fund Services, LLC, effective as of January 1, 2013, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.1.c) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (File No. 002-16590) on July 28, 2015, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

d) Fourth Amendment to Amended and Restated Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds and Virtus Fund Services, effective as of January 1, 2015, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.1.d) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (File No. 002-16590) on July 28, 2015, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

e) Fifth Amendment to Amended and Restated Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT, and Virtus Fund Services, effective as of January 8, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.1.e) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registration Statement of VRT (File No. 033-80057) on January 8, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

2. Sub-Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (“BNY Mellon”), dated April 15, 2011, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.6) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 54 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 27, 2012, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) Adoption and Amendment Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust (“VAST”), Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, dated as of March 21, 2014, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.2.b) with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 4 to VAST’s Registration Statement (File No. 333-191940) on April 4, 2014, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

b) Amendment to Sub-Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VAST, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, dated as of March 21, 2014, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit

 

 

 

 

h.2.a) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to VAST’s Registration Statement (File No. 333-191940) on September 8, 2014, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

c) Amendment to Sub-Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement among VAST, Virtus Mutual Funds, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon dated as of June 1, 2014, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.2.c) with Post-effective Amendment No. 92 to the Registration Statement of VOT (033-65137) on January 20, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

d) Amendment to Sub-Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VAST, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, dated as of November 12, 2014, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.2.c) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on January 22, 2015, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

e) Amendment to Sub-Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VAST, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, dated as of May 28, 2015, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.2.d) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 to VAST’s Registration Statement (File No. 333-191940) on June 5, 2015, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

f) Amendment to Sub-Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VAST, VRT, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, dated as of December 10, 2015, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.2.e) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registration Statement of VRT (File No. 033-80057) on January 8, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3. Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services), effective as of January 1, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.4) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on February 25, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) First Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) effective as of April 14, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.8) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

b) Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services), effective as of June 30, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.9) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

c) Third Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services), effective as of September 14, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.10), with Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

d) Fourth Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) effective as of January 1, 2011, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.11), with Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

e) Fifth Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) effective as of March 15, 2011, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.12), with Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

f) Sixth Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services), effective as of August 28, 2012, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.3.f) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 29, 2013, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

g) Seventh Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds and VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services), effective as of December 18, 2012, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.3.g) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 29, 2013, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

h) Eighth Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds and Virtus Fund Services, effective as of June 10, 2013, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.3.h), with Post-

 

 

 

 

Effective Amendment No. 64 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on June 10, 2013, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

i) Ninth Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds and Virtus Fund Services, effective as of December 18, 2013, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.3.i), with Post-Effective Amendment No. 70 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on January 27, 2014, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

j) Tenth Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds and Virtus Fund Services, effective as of November 13, 2014, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.3.j) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on November 12, 2014, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

k) Eleventh Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds and Virtus Fund Services, effective as of January 1, 2015, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.3.k) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on January 27, 2015, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

l) Twelfth Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds and Virtus Fund Services, effective as of March 19, 2015, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.3.l) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 82 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on March 13, 2015, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

m) Thirteenth Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT and Virtus Fund Services, effective as of January 8, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.3.m) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registration Statement of VRT (File No. 033-80057) on January 8, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

n) Fourteenth Amendment to Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Virtus Mutual Funds, and Virtus Fund Services, effective as of December 1, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.3.n) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 to the Registration Statement of VOT (033-65137) on January 20, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

4. Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT, VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) and BNY Mellon, effective as of January 1, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.5) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on February 25, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) First Amendment to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT, VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) and BNY Mellon, effective as of June 30, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.13) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

b) Second Amendment to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT, VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) and BNY Mellon, effective as of September 14, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.14) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

c) Third Amendment to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT, VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) and BNY Mellon, effective as of March 15, 2011, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.15) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 28, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

d) Fourth Amendment to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT, VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) and BNY Mellon, effective as of August 28, 2012, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.4.d) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 29, 2013, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

e) Fifth Amendment to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VP Distributors (since assigned to Virtus Fund Services) and BNY Mellon, effective as of December 18, 2012, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.4.e) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to VIT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-64915) on April 29, 2013, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

f) Sixth Amendment to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, effective as of June 10, 2013, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.4.f)

 

 

 

 

with Post-Effective Amendment No. 64 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on June 10, 2013, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

g) Seventh Amendment to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, effective as of December 18, 2013, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.4.g) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 70 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on January 27, 2014, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

h) Joinder Agreement and Amendment to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VAST, Virtus Variable Insurance Trust (“VVIT”), VATS Offshore Fund, Ltd. (“VATS”), Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, dated February 24, 2014, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.4.h) with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to VAST’s Registration Statement (File No. 333-191940) on March 28, 2014, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

i) Joinder Agreement to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VRT, VVIT, VAST, VATS, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon, dated December 10, 2015, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.4.i) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registration Statement of VRT (File No. 033-80057) on January 8, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

j) Amendment to Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement among Virtus Mutual Funds, VVIT, VRT, VAST, VATS, Virtus Fund Services and BNY Mellon dated July 27, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.4.j) with Post-effective Amendment No. 31 (File No. 333-191940) to the Registration Statement of VAST on April 10, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

5. *Fourteenth Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement between Registrant and VIA effective as of April 10, 2017, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.5) herewith.

 

6. Amended and Restated Fee Waiver Agreement between Registrant and VP Distributors effective as of June 30, 2011, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.6) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 (File No. 002-16590) on July 27, 2012, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

7. Fee Waiver Agreement between Registrant and VIA effective as of October 26, 2012, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.8) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 (File No. 002-16590) on July 26, 2013, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

8. Form of Indemnification Agreement with each trustee of Registrant, effective as of October 24, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit h.9) with Post-effective Amendment No. 92 (File No. 033-65137) to the Registration Statement of VOT on January 20, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(i) Legal Opinion
1. Opinion as to legality of the shares filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit i.1) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 102 (File No. 002-16590) on November 12, 2014, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

2. Opinion of Counsel as to legality of shares dated October 24, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit i.2) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 (File No. 002-16590) on November 1, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3. *Opinion of Counsel as to legality of the shares dated April 5, 2017, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit i.3) herewith.

 

4. *Consent of Sullivan & Worcester LLP filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit i.4) herewith.

 

(j) Other Opinions
1. *Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit j.1) herewith.

 

(k) Not applicable.

 

(l) Not applicable.

 

(m) Rule 12b-1 Plans
1. Class A Shares Amended and Restated Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), effective March 1, 2007, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit m.1) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 (File No. 002-16590) on October 25, 2007, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

 

 

a) Amendment No. 1 to Class A Shares Amended and Restated Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act effective March 10, 2008, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit m.4) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 (File No. 002-16590) on March 10, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

b) Amendment No. 2 to Class A Shares Amended and Restated Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act dated June 22, 2009, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit m.7) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 91 (File No. 002-16590) on June 22, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

2. Class B Shares Amended and Restated Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act effective March 1, 2007, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit m.3) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 (File No. 002-16590) on March 10, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) Amendment No. 1 to Class B Shares Amended and Restated Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act effective March 10, 2008, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit m.5) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 (File No. 002-16590) on March 10, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3. Class C Shares Amended and Restated Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act effective March 1, 2007, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit m.2) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 (File No. 002-16590) on October 25, 2007, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

a) Amendment No. 1 to Class C Shares Amended and Restated Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act effective March 10, 2008, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit m.6) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 (File No. 002-16590) on March 10, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

b) Amendment No. 2 to Class C Shares Amended and Restated Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act effective June 22, 2009, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit m.8) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 91 (File No. 002-16590) on June 22, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

4. *Class T Shares Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit m.4) herewith.

 

(n) Rule 18f-3 Plan
1. Amended and Restated Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 effective as of April 10, 2017, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit n) with Post-effective Amendment No. 31 (File No. 333-191940) to the Registration Statement of VAST on April 10, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(o) Reserved

 

(p) Codes of Ethics
1. Amended and Restated Code of Ethics of the Virtus Mutual Funds effective August 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit p.1) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on September 23, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

2. Amended and Restated Code of Ethics of VIA, VP Distributors and other Virtus Affiliates (including Duff & Phelps, Kayne Anderson Rudnick, Newfleet and Rampart) dated June 30, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit p.2) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 88 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on September 23, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

3. Code of Ethics of Sasco filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit p.3) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 (File No. 002-16590) on July 27, 2012, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(q) Powers of Attorney
1. Power of Attorney for Trustees George R. Aylward, Leroy Keith, Jr., Philip R. McLoughlin, Geraldine M. McNamara, James M. Oates, Richard E. Segerson and Ferdinand L.J. Verdonck, dated June 2, 2010, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit q) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 (File No. 002-16590) on July 28, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

2. Power of Attorney for Trustee Hassell H. McClellan, dated January 21, 2015, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit r) with VOT’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 82 (File 033-65137) on March 13, 2015, and incorporated by reference.

 

3. Power of Attorney for Trustees Thomas J. Brown, Donald C. Burke, Roger A. Gelfenbien and John R. Mallin, dated June 30, 2016, filed via EDGAR (as Exhibit q.3) with Post-Effective Amendment No. 87 to VOT’s Registration Statement (File No. 033-65137) on July 8, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

 

 

Item 29.         Persons Controlled By or Under Common Control with the Fund

 

None.

 

Item 30.         Indemnification

 

The indemnification of Registrant’s principal underwriter against certain losses is provided for in Section 16 of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit e.1. Indemnification of Registrant’s Custodian is provided for in section 7, among others, of the Master Global Custody Agreement incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit g.1. The indemnification of Registrant’s Transfer Agent is provided for in Article 6 of the Amended and Restated Transfer Agency and Service Agreement incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit h.1. The Trust has entered into Indemnification Agreements with each trustee, the form of which is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit h.8, whereby the Registrant shall indemnify the trustee for expenses incurred in any proceeding in connection with the trustee’s service to the Registrant subject to certain limited exceptions.

 

In addition, Article VII sections 2 and 3 of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated herein by reference to Exhibits a.1-4, provides in relevant part as follows:

 

“A Trustee, when acting in such capacity, shall not be personally liable to any Person, other than the Trust or a Shareholder to the extent provided in this Article VII, for any act, omission or obligation of the Trust, of such Trustee or of any other Trustee. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, Manager or Principal Underwriter of the Trust. The Trust (i) may indemnify an agent of the Trust or any Person who is serving or has served at the Trust’s request as an agent of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise and (ii) shall indemnify each Person who is, or has been, a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust and any Person who is serving or has served at the Trust’s request as a director, officer, trustee, or employee of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise, in the case of (i) and (ii), to the fullest extent consistent with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and in the manner provided in the By-Laws; provided that such indemnification shall not be available to any of the foregoing Persons in connection with a claim, suit or other proceeding by any such Person against the Trust or a Series (or Class) thereof.

 

All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trust or the Trustees shall look only to the assets of the appropriate Series (or Class thereof if the Trustees have included a Class limitation on liability in the agreement with such person as provided below), or, if the Trustees have yet to establish Series, of the Trust for payment under such credit, contract or claim; and neither the Trustees nor the Shareholders, nor any of the Trust’s officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor.

 

Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees by any of them in connection with the Trust shall conclusively be deemed to have been executed or done only in or with respect to his or their capacity as Trustee or Trustees, and such Trustee or Trustees shall not be personally liable thereon. …

 

… A Trustee shall be liable to the Trust and to any Shareholder solely for her or his own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust, and shall be under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice nor for failing to follow such advice.”

 

In addition, Article III section 7 of such Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides for the indemnification of shareholders of the Registrant as follows: “If any Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be exposed to liability by reason of a claim or demand relating to such Person being or having been a Shareholder, and not because of such Person's acts or omissions, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or such Person's heirs, executors, administrators, or other legal representatives or in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled to be held harmless from and indemnified out of the assets of the Trust against all cost and expense reasonably incurred in connection with such claim or demand, but only out of the assets held with respect to the particular Series of Shares of which such Person is or was a Shareholder and from or in relation to which such liability arose. The Trust may, at its option and shall, upon request by the Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against the Shareholder for any act or obligation of the Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets held with respect to the particular series.”

 

Article VI Section 2 of the Registrant’s Bylaws incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit B.1 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 27, 2006, provides in relevant part, subject to certain exceptions and limitations, “every agent shall be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against all liabilities and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him or her in connection with any proceeding in which he or she becomes

 

 

 

 

involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his or her being or having been an agent.” Such indemnification would not apply in the case of any liability to which the Registrant would otherwise be subject by reason of or for willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of such person’s duties.

 

The Investment Advisory Agreement, Subadvisory Agreements, Master Global Custody Agreement, Sub-Administration Agreement and Sub-Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, each as amended, respectively provide that the Registrant will indemnify the other party (or parties, as the case may be) to the agreement for certain losses. Similar indemnities to those listed above may appear in other agreements to which the Registrant is a party.

 

The Registrant, in conjunction with VIA, the Registrant’s Trustees, and other registered investment management companies managed by VIA, maintains insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Registrant, or who is or was serving at the request of the Registrant as a trustee, director, officer, employee or agent of another trust or corporation, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by him or arising out of his position. However, in no event will Registrant maintain insurance to indemnify any such person for any act for which the Registrant itself is not permitted to indemnify him.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

Item 31.         Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser and Subadvisers

 

See “Management of the Funds” in the Prospectus and “Investment Advisory and Other Services” and “Management of the Trust” in the Statement of Additional Information which is included in this Post-Effective Amendment. For information as to the business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature of directors and officers of the Adviser and Subadvisers, reference is made to the Adviser’s and each Subadviser’s current Form ADV filed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Adviser   SEC File
No.:
VIA   801-5995
Duff & Phelps   801-14813
Kayne Anderson Rudnick   801-24241
Newfleet   801-51559
Rampart   028-16791
Sasco   801-25958

 

Item 32.          Principal Underwriter

 

(a) VP Distributors, LLC serves as the principal underwriter for the following registrants: Virtus Alternative Solutions Trust, Virtus Equity Trust, Virtus Opportunities Trust, Virtus Variable Insurance Trust and Virtus Retirement Trust.

 

(b) Directors and executive officers of VP Distributors, 100 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103 are as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

Name and Principal
Business Address 		Positions and Offices with Distributor Positions and Offices
with Registrant
     
George R. Aylward Executive Vice President President and Trustee
     
Kevin J. Carr Vice President, Counsel and Secretary Senior Vice President,  Chief Legal Officer, Counsel and Secretary
     
Nancy J. Engberg Vice President and Assistant Secretary Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer
     
David Hanley Vice President and Treasurer None
     
David C. Martin Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer None
     
Barry Mandinach President None
     
Francis G. Waltman Executive Vice President Executive Vice President

 

(c) To the best of the Registrant’s knowledge, no commissions or other compensation was received by any principal underwriter who is not an affiliated person of the Registrant or an affiliated person of such affiliated person, directly or indirectly, from the Registrant during the Registrant’s last fiscal year.

 

Item  33.         Location of Accounts and Records

 

Persons maintaining physical possession of accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the 1940 Act and the Rules promulgated thereunder include:

 

Secretary of the Trust:   Principal Underwriter:
Kevin J. Carr, Esq.
100 Pearl Street
Hartford, CT 06103 		  VP Distributors, LLC
100 Pearl Street
Hartford, CT 06103
     
Investment Adviser:   Custodian:
Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc.
100 Pearl Street
Hartford, CT 06103 		  JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association
One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 19 th Floor
New York, NY 10005
     
Fund Accountant, Sub-Administrator, Sub-Transfer
Agent and Dividend Dispersing Agent: 		  Administrator and Transfer Agent:
BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
301 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, DE 19809 		  Virtus Fund Services, LLC
100 Pearl Street
Hartford, CT 06103
     
Subadviser to: Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund (f/k/a Balanced Fund) and Tactical Allocation Fund   Subadviser to: Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund (f/k/a Balanced Fund) and Tactical Allocation Fund
Newfleet Asset Management, LLC
100 Pearl Street
Hartford, CT 06103 		  Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.
200 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60606
   
Subadviser to: Enhanced Core Equity Fund (f/k/a Growth & Income Fund)   Subadviser to: Mid-Cap Core Fund, Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Global Quality Dividend Fund, Quality Small-Cap Fund, Small-Cap Core Fund, Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund, Strategic Growth Fund, Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund (f/k/a Balanced Fund) and Tactical Allocation Fund
Rampart Investment Management Company, LLC   Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management,

 

 

 

 

One International Place, 14 th Floor
Boston, MA 02110 		  LLC
1800 Avenue of the Stars, 2 nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067
     
Subadviser to: Contrarian Value Fund    
Sasco Capital, Inc.
10 Sasco Hill Road
Fairfield, CT 06824 		   

 

Item  34.         Management Services

 

Not applicable.

 

Item  35.         Undertakings

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

 

PART C — OTHER INFORMATION

 

Exhibit List

 

a.4 Third Amendment to the Declaration of Trust
d.4 Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Kayne Anderson Rudnick
d.8 Subadvisory Agreement between VIA and Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.
h.5 Fourteenth Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement
i.3 Opinion of Counsel
i.4 Consent of Sullivan & Worcester LLP
j.1 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
m.4 Class T Shares Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940

 

 

 

  

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness for this registration statement under Rule 485(b) of the Securities Act and has duly caused this amendment to the registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Hartford and the State of Connecticut on the 10 th day of April, 2017.  

 

VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST  
     
By: /s/ George R. Aylward  
  George R. Aylward  
  President  

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this amendment to the registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 10 th day of April, 2017. 

 

Signature   Title
     
/s/ George R. Aylward    
George R. Aylward   Trustee and President (principal executive officer)
     
/s/ W. Patrick Bradley    
W. Patrick Bradley   Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
    (principal financial and accounting officer)
/s/ Thomas J. Brown  
Thomas J. Brown*   Trustee
     
/s/ Donald C. Burke    
Donald C. Burke*   Trustee
     
/s/ Roger A. Gelfenbien    
Roger A. Gelfenbien*   Trustee
     
/s/ John R. Mallin    
John R. Mallin*   Trustee
     
/s/ Hassell H. McClellan    
Hassell H. McClellan*   Trustee
     
/s/ Philip R. McLoughlin    
Philip R. McLoughlin*   Trustee and Chairman
     
/s/ Geraldine M. McNamara    
Geraldine M. McNamara*   Trustee
     
/s/ James M. Oates    
James M. Oates*   Trustee
     
/s/ Richard E. Segerson    
Richard E. Segerson*   Trustee
     
/s/ Ferdinand L.J. Verdonck    
Ferdinand L.J. Verdonck*   Trustee

 

*By: /s/ George R. Aylward  
  *George R. Aylward, Attorney-in-Fact, pursuant to a power of attorney  

 

 

 

 

Exhibit a.4

 

VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST

 

(the “Trust”)

 

Third Amendment dated November 17, 2016 to the Declaration of Trust

 

The following paragraph is hereby added to ARTICLE VIII, Miscellaneous

 

Section 9. Voting Powers. In connection with, and in furtherance of, Article V, Section 1 of this Declaration of Trust, each reference in this Declaration of Trust to the voting of Shares and to the Shares required to constitute a quorum or minimum for shareholder action, shall mean the voting power of such Shares rather than the number of such Shares.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit d.4

 

VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST

VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND

VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND

 

SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

November 2, 2016

 

Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC

1800 Avenue of the Stars, 2nd Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90067

 

RE: Subadvisory Agreement

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Virtus Equity Trust (the “Fund”) is an open-end investment company of the series type registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”), as amended, and is subject to the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The shares of the Fund are offered or may be offered in several series, including Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund and Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund (sometimes hereafter referred to as the “Series”).

 

Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (the “Adviser”) evaluates and recommends series advisers for the Series and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Series.

 

1. Employment as a Subadviser . The Adviser, being duly authorized, hereby employs Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC (the “Subadviser”) as a discretionary series adviser to invest and reinvest that discrete portion of the assets of the Series designated by the Adviser (the “Allocated Portion”) as set forth on Schedule F attached hereto on the terms and conditions set forth herein. It is acknowledged and agreed that the Adviser may appoint from time to time other subadvisers in addition to the Subadviser to manage the assets of the Series that do not constitute the Allocated Portion and nothing in this Agreement shall be construed or interpreted to grant the Subadviser an exclusive arrangement to act as the sole subadviser to the Series. It is further acknowledged and agreed that the Adviser makes no commitment to designate any portion of the Series assets to the Subadviser of the Allocated Portion.

 

2. Acceptance of Employment; Standard of Performance . The Subadviser accepts its employment as a discretionary series adviser of the Allocated Portion of the Series and agrees to use its best professional judgment to make investment decisions for the Allocated Portion of the Series in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and as set forth in Schedule D attached hereto and made a part hereof.

 

3. Services of Subadviser . In providing management services to the Allocated Portion of the Series, the Subadviser shall be subject to the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Fund as they apply to the Series and as set forth in the Fund’s then current prospectus (“Prospectus”) and statement of additional information (“Statement of Additional Information”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as part of the Fund’s Registration Statement, as may be periodically amended and provided to the Subadviser by the Adviser, and to the investment restrictions set forth in the Act and the Rules thereunder, to the supervision and control of the Trustees of the Fund (the “Trustees”), and to instructions from the Adviser. The Subadviser shall not, without the Fund’s prior written approval, effect any transactions that would cause the Allocated Portion of the Series at the time of the transaction to be out of compliance with any of such restrictions or policies. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Subadviser shall not be responsible for aspects of the Series’ investment program other than managing the Allocated Portion of the Series in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including without limitation the requirements of this Section 3 and Schedule D of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

4. Transaction Procedures . All series transactions for the Allocated Portion of the Series shall be consummated by payment to, or delivery by, the Custodian(s) from time to time designated by the Fund (the “Custodian”), or such depositories or agents as may be designated by the Custodian in writing, of all cash and/or securities due to or from the Series. The Subadviser shall not have possession or custody of such cash and/or securities or any responsibility or liability with respect to such custody. The Subadviser shall advise the Custodian and confirm in writing to the Fund all investment orders for the Allocated Portion of the Series placed by it with brokers and dealers at the time and in the manner set forth in Schedule A hereto (as amended from time to time). The Fund shall issue to the Custodian such instructions as may be appropriate in connection with the settlement of any transaction initiated by the Subadviser. The Fund shall be responsible for all custodial arrangements and the payment of all custodial charges and fees, and, upon giving proper instructions to the Custodian, the Subadviser shall have no responsibility or liability with respect to custodial arrangements or the act, omissions or other conduct of the Custodian.

 

5. Allocation of Brokerage . The Subadviser shall have authority and discretion to select brokers and dealers to execute the transactions for the Allocated Portion of the Series initiated by the Subadviser, and to select the markets on or in which the transactions will be executed.

 

A. In placing orders for the sale and purchase of securities for the Allocated Portion of the Series, the Subadviser’s primary responsibility shall be to seek the best execution of orders at the most favorable prices. However, this responsibility shall not obligate the Subadviser to solicit competitive bids for each transaction or to seek the lowest available commission cost to the Allocated Portion of the Series, so long as the Subadviser reasonably believes that the broker or dealer selected by it can be expected to obtain a “best execution” market price on the particular transaction and determines in good faith that the commission cost is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services (as defined in Section 28(e)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) provided by such broker or dealer to the Subadviser, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or of the Subadviser’s overall responsibilities with respect to its clients, including the Allocated Portion of the Series, as to which the Subadviser exercises investment discretion, notwithstanding that the Allocated Portion of the Series may not be the direct or exclusive beneficiary of any such services or that another broker may be willing to charge the Allocated Portion of the Series a lower commission on the particular transaction.

 

B. The Subadviser may manage other portfolios and expects that the Allocated Portion of the Series and other portfolios the Subadviser manages will, from time to time, purchase or sell the same securities. The Subadviser may aggregate orders for the purchase or sale of securities on behalf of the Allocated Portion of the Series with orders on behalf of other portfolios the Subadviser manages. Securities purchased or proceeds of securities sold through aggregated orders, as well as expenses incurred in the transaction, shall be allocated to the account of each portfolio managed by the Subadviser that bought or sold such securities in a manner considered by the Subadviser to be equitable and consistent with the Subadviser’s fiduciary obligations in respect of the Allocated Portion of the Series and to such other accounts.

 

C. The Subadviser shall not execute any Series transactions for the Allocated Portion of the Series with a broker or dealer that is (i) an “affiliated person” (as defined in the Act) of the Fund, the Subadviser, any subadviser to any other Series of the Fund, or the Adviser; (ii) a principal underwriter of the Fund’s shares; or (iii) an affiliated person of such an affiliated person or principal underwriter; in each case, unless such transactions are permitted by applicable law or regulation and carried out in compliance with any applicable policies and procedures of the Fund. The Fund shall provide the Subadviser with a list of brokers and dealers that are “affiliated persons” of the Fund or the Adviser, and applicable policies and procedures.

 

D. Consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund in respect of the Allocated Portion of the Series and the requirements of best price and execution, the Subadviser may, under certain

 

2

 

 

circumstances, arrange to have purchase and sale transactions effected directly between the Allocated Portion of the Series and another account managed by the Subadviser (“cross transactions”), provided that such transactions are carried out in accordance with applicable law or regulation and any applicable policies and procedures of the Fund. The Fund shall provide the Subadviser with applicable policies and procedures.

 

6. Proxies .

 

A. Unless the Adviser or the Fund gives the Subadviser written instructions to the contrary, the Subadviser, or a third party designee acting under the authority and supervision of the Subadviser, shall review all proxy solicitation materials and be responsible for voting and handling all proxies in relation to the assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series. Unless the Adviser or the Fund gives the Subadviser written instructions to the contrary, the Subadviser will, in compliance with the proxy voting procedures of the Allocated Portion of the Series then in effect, vote or abstain from voting, all proxies solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series may be invested. The Adviser shall cause the Custodian to forward promptly to the Subadviser all proxies upon receipt, so as to afford the Subadviser a reasonable amount of time in which to determine how to vote such proxies. The Subadviser agrees to provide the Adviser in a timely manner with a record of votes cast containing all of the voting information required by Form N-PX in an electronic format to enable the Fund to file Form N-PX as required by Rule 30b1-4 under the Act.

 

B. The Subadviser is authorized to deal with reorganizations, exchange offers and other voluntary corporate actions with respect to securities held in the Allocated Portion of the Series in such manner as the Subadviser deems advisable, unless the Fund or the Adviser otherwise specifically directs in writing. With the Adviser’s approval, the Subadviser shall also have the authority to: (i) identify, evaluate and pursue legal claims, including commencing or defending suits, affecting the securities held at any time in the Allocated Portion of the Series, including claims in bankruptcy, class action securities litigation and other litigation; (ii) participate in such litigation or related proceedings with respect to such securities as the Subadviser deems appropriate to preserve or enhance the value of the Allocated Portion of the Series, including filing proofs of claim and related documents and serving as “lead plaintiff” in class action lawsuits; (iii) exercise generally any of the powers of an owner with respect to the supervision and management of such rights or claims, including the settlement, compromise or submission to arbitration of any claims, the exercise of which the Subadviser deems to be in the best interest of the Allocated Portion of the Series or required by applicable law, including ERISA, and (iv) employ suitable agents, including legal counsel, and to pay their reasonable fees, expenses and related costs from the Allocated Portion of the Series.

 

7. Prohibited Conduct . In providing the services described in this Agreement, the Subadviser’s responsibility regarding investment advice hereunder is limited to the Allocated Portion of the Series, and the Subadviser will not consult with any other investment advisory firm that provides investment advisory services to the Fund or any other investment company sponsored by Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. regarding transactions for the Fund in securities or other assets. The Fund shall provide the Subadviser with a list of investment companies sponsored by Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. and the Subadviser shall be in breach of the foregoing provision only if the investment company is included in such a list provided to the Subadviser prior to such prohibited action. In addition, the Subadviser shall not, without the prior written consent of the Fund and the Adviser, delegate any obligation assumed pursuant to this Agreement to any affiliated or unaffiliated third party.

 

8. Information and Reports .

 

A. The Subadviser shall keep the Fund and the Adviser informed of developments relating to its duties as Subadviser of which the Subadviser has, or should have, knowledge that would materially affect the Allocated Portion of the Series. In this regard, the Subadviser shall provide

 

3

 

 

the Fund, the Adviser and their respective officers with such periodic reports concerning the obligations the Subadviser has assumed under this Agreement as the Fund and the Adviser may from time to time reasonably request. In addition, prior to each meeting of the Trustees, the Subadviser shall provide the Adviser and the Trustees with reports regarding the Subadviser’s management of the Allocated Portion of the Series during the most recently completed quarter, which reports: (i) shall include Subadviser’s representation that its performance of its investment management duties hereunder is in compliance with the Fund’s investment objectives and practices, the Act and applicable rules and regulations under the Act, and the diversification and minimum “good income” requirements of Subchapter M under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and (ii) otherwise shall be in such form as may be mutually agreed upon by the Subadviser and the Adviser.

 

B. Each of the Adviser and the Subadviser shall provide the other party with a list, to the best of the Adviser’s or the Subadviser’s respective knowledge, of each affiliated person (and any affiliated person of such an affiliated person) of the Adviser or the Subadviser, as the case may be, and each of the Adviser and Subadviser agrees promptly to update such list whenever the Adviser or the Subadviser becomes aware of any changes that should be added to or deleted from the list of affiliated persons.

 

C. The Subadviser shall also provide the Adviser with any information reasonably requested by the Adviser regarding its management of the Allocated Portion of the Series required for any shareholder report, amended registration statement, or Prospectus supplement to be filed by the Fund with the SEC.

 

9. Fees for Services . The compensation of the Subadviser for its services under this Agreement shall be calculated and paid by the Adviser in accordance with the attached Schedule C. Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Fund and the Adviser, the Adviser is solely responsible for the payment of fees to the Subadviser.

 

10. Limitation of Liability . Except as otherwise stated in this Agreement, the Subadviser shall not be liable for any action taken, omitted or suffered to be taken by it in its best professional judgment, in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Agreement, or in accordance with specific directions or instructions from the Fund, provided, however, that such acts or omissions shall not have constituted a material breach of the investment objectives, policies and restrictions applicable to the Allocated Portion of the Series as defined in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, or a material breach of any laws, rules, regulations or orders applicable to the Allocated Portion of the Series, and that such acts or omissions shall not have resulted from the Subadviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder.

 

11. Confidentiality . Subject to the duty of the Subadviser and the Fund to comply with applicable law, including any demand of any regulatory or taxing authority having jurisdiction, the parties hereto shall treat as confidential all information pertaining to the Allocated Portion of the Series and the actions of the Subadviser and the Fund in respect thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund and the Adviser agree that the Subadviser may (i) disclose in marketing materials and similar communications that the Subadviser has been engaged to manage assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series pursuant to this Agreement, and (ii) include performance statistics regarding the Allocated Portion of the Series in composite performance statistics regarding one or more groups of Subadviser's clients published or included in any of the foregoing communications, provided that the Subadviser does not identify any performance statistics as relating specifically to the Series.

 

12. Assignment . This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the Act. The Subadviser shall notify the Fund and the Adviser in writing sufficiently in advance of any proposed change of control, as defined in Section 2(a)(9) of the Act, as will

 

4

 

 

enable the Fund to consider whether an assignment as defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the Act will occur, and to take the steps necessary to enter into a new contract with the Subadviser.

 

13. Representations, Warranties and Agreements

 

A. The Subadviser represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

1. It is registered as an “investment adviser” under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”).

 

2. It will maintain, keep current and preserve such records on behalf of the Fund, in the manner required or permitted by the Act and the Rules thereunder as are required of an investment adviser of a registered investment company (to the extent applicable). The Subadviser agrees that such records are the property of the Fund, and shall be surrendered to the Fund or to the Adviser as agent of the Fund promptly upon request of either. The Fund acknowledges that Subadviser may retain copies of all records required to meet the record retention requirements imposed by law and regulation.

 

3. It shall maintain a written code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) complying with the requirements of Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and Rule 17j-l under the Act and shall provide the Fund and the Adviser with a copy of the Code of Ethics and evidence of its adoption. It shall institute procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons (as defined in Rule 17j-1) from violating its Code of Ethics. The Subadviser acknowledges receipt of the written code of ethics adopted by and on behalf of the Fund. Each calendar quarter while this Agreement is in effect, a duly authorized compliance officer of the Subadviser shall certify to the Fund and to the Adviser that the Subadviser has complied with the requirements of Rules 204A-1 and 17j-l during the previous calendar quarter and that there has been no material violation of its Code of Ethics, or of Rule 17j-1(b), or that any persons covered under its Code of Ethics has divulged or acted upon any material, non-public information, as such term is defined under relevant securities laws, and if such a violation has occurred or the code of ethics of the Fund, or if such a violation of its Code of Ethics has occurred, that appropriate action was taken in response to such violation. Annually, the Subadviser shall furnish to the Fund and the Adviser a written report which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 concerning the Subadviser’s Code of Ethics. The Subadviser shall permit the Fund and the Adviser to examine the reports required to be made by the Subadviser under Rules 204A-1(b) and 17j-l(d)(1) and this subparagraph.

 

4. It has adopted and implemented, and throughout the term of this Agreement shall maintain in effect and implement, written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violation, by it and its supervised persons, of the Advisers Act and the rules that the SEC has adopted under the Advisers Act. Throughout the term of this Agreement, the Subadviser shall provide the Adviser with any certifications, information and access to personnel and resources (including those resources that will permit testing of Subadviser’s compliance policies by the Adviser) that the Adviser may reasonably request to enable the Fund to comply with Rule 38a-1 under the Act. The Subadviser has provided the Fund with true and complete copies of its policies and procedures (or summaries thereof) and related information reasonably requested by the Fund and/or the Adviser. The Subadviser agrees to cooperate with periodic reviews by the Fund’s and/or the Adviser’s compliance personnel of the Subadviser’s policies and procedures, their operation and implementation and other compliance matters and to provide to the Fund and/or the Adviser from time to time such additional information and certifications in respect of the Subadviser’s policies and procedures, compliance by the Subadviser with federal securities laws and related matters as the Fund’s and/or the Adviser’s compliance personnel may reasonably request. The Subadviser agrees to

 

5

 

 

promptly notify the Adviser of any compliance violations which affect the Allocated Portion of the Series.

 

5. The Subadviser will immediately notify the Fund and the Adviser of the occurrence of any event which would disqualify the Subadviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the Act or otherwise. The Subadviser will also immediately notify the Fund and the Adviser if it is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, involving the affairs of the Allocated Portion of the Series.

 

B. The Fund represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

1. the Fund is a statutory trust established pursuant to the laws of State of Delaware;

 

2. the Fund is duly registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act;

 

3. the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement are within the Fund’s powers, have been and remain duly authorized by all necessary action (including without limitation all necessary approvals and other actions required under the 1940 Act) and will not violate or constitute a default under any applicable law or regulation or of any decree, order, judgment, agreement or instrument binding on the Fund;

 

4. no consent of any applicable governmental authority or body is necessary, except for such consents as have been obtained and are in full force and effect, and all conditions of which have been duly complied with; and

 

5. this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against the Fund in accordance with its terms.

 

C. The Adviser represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

1. The Adviser is a corporation duly established, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction where the failure to so qualify would have a material adverse effect on its business;

 

2. Adviser is duly registered as an “investment adviser” under the Advisers Act;

 

3. Adviser has been duly appointed by the Trustees and shareholders of the Fund to provide investment services to the Fund as contemplated by the advisory contract;

 

4. the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement are within Adviser’s powers, have been and remain duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not violate or constitute a default under any applicable law or regulation or of any decree, order, judgment, agreement or instrument binding on Adviser;

 

5. no consent of any applicable governmental authority or body is necessary, except for such consents as have been obtained and are in full force and effect, and all conditions of which have been duly complied with; and

 

6. this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against Adviser.

 

6

 

 

14. No Personal Liability . Reference is hereby made to the Declaration of Trust establishing the Fund, a copy of which has been filed with the Secretary of the State of Delaware and elsewhere as required by law, and to any and all amendments thereto so filed with the Secretary of the State of Delaware and elsewhere as required by law, and to any and all amendments thereto so filed or hereafter filed. The name “Virtus Equity Trust” refers to the Trustees under said Declaration of Trust, as Trustees and not personally, and no Trustee, shareholder, officer, agent or employee of the Fund shall be held to any personal liability in connection with the affairs of the Fund; only the trust estate under said Declaration of Trust is liable. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, neither the Subadviser nor any of its officers, directors, partners, shareholders or employees shall, under any circumstances, have recourse or cause or willingly permit recourse to be had directly or indirectly to any personal, statutory, or other liability of any shareholder, Trustee, officer, agent or employee of the Fund or of any successor of the Fund, whether such liability now exists or is hereafter incurred for claims against the trust estate.

 

15. Entire Agreement; Amendment . This Agreement, together with the Schedules attached hereto, constitutes the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior written or oral agreements pertaining to the subject matter of this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended at any time, but only by written agreement among the Subadviser, the Adviser and the Fund, which amendment, other than amendments to Schedules A, B, D, E and F, is subject to the approval of the Trustees and the shareholders of the Series as and to the extent required by the Act, subject to any applicable orders of exemption issued by the SEC.

 

16. Effective Date; Term . This Agreement shall become effective on the date set forth on the first page of this Agreement, and shall continue in effect until December 31, 2017. This agreement shall continue from year to year thereafter only so long as its continuance has been specifically approved at least annually by the Trustees in accordance with Section 15(a) of the Act, and by the majority vote of the disinterested Trustees in accordance with the requirements of Section 15(c) thereof.

 

17. Termination . This Agreement may be terminated at any time without payment of any penalty (i) by the Board, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the Act), upon 30 days’ prior written notice to the Adviser and the Subadviser, (ii) by the Subadviser upon 30 days’ prior written notice to the Adviser and the Fund, or (iii) by the Adviser upon 30 days’ written notice to the Subadviser. This Agreement may also be terminated, without the payment of any penalty, by the Adviser or the Board immediately upon the material breach by the Subadviser of this Agreement or by the Subadviser immediately upon the material breach by the Adviser of this Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate automatically and immediately upon termination of the Advisory Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its assignment, as such term is defined in and interpreted under the terms of the Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Provisions of this Agreement relating to indemnification shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

18. Applicable Law . To the extent that state law is not preempted by the provisions of any law of the United States heretofore or hereafter enacted, as the same may be amended from time to time, this Agreement shall be administered, construed and enforced according to the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

19. Severability . If any term or condition of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable to any extent or in any application, then the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and each and every term and condition of this Agreement shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

20. Notices. Any notice or other communication required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed duly given if delivered personally or by overnight delivery service or mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested and postage prepaid, or sent by facsimile addressed to the parties at their respective addresses set forth below, or at such other address as shall be designated by any party in a written notice to the other party.

 

(a) To Virtus or the Fund at:

 

7

 

 

Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc.

100 Pearl Street
Hartford, Connecticut 06103
Attn: Kevin J. Carr
Telephone: (860) 263-4791
Facsimile: (860) 241-1024
E-mail: kevin.carr@virtus.com

 

(b) To the Subadviser at:

 

Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC

1800 Avenue of the Stars, 2 nd Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90067

Attn: Judy Ridder, Chief Compliance Officer
Telephone: (310) 712-2909
Facsimile: (310) 282-2959
Email: JRidder@Kayne.com

 

21. Certifications . The Subadviser hereby warrants and represents that it will provide the requisite certifications reasonably requested by the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Fund necessary for those named officers to fulfill their reporting and certification obligations on Form N-CSR and Form N-Q as required under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to the extent that such reporting and certifications relate to the Subadviser’s duties and responsibilities under this Agreement. Subadviser shall provide a quarterly certification in a form substantially similar to that attached as Schedule E.

 

22. Indemnification . The Subadviser shall indemnify and hold harmless the Adviser from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, or damages (including reasonable attorney’s fees and other related expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) arising from the Subadviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties under this Agreement in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that the Subadviser’s obligation under this Paragraph shall be reduced to the extent that the claim against, or the loss, liability, or damage experienced by the Adviser, is caused by or is otherwise directly related to (i) any breach by the Adviser of its representations or warranties made herein, (ii) any willful misconduct, bad faith, reckless disregard or negligence of the Adviser in the performance of any of its duties or obligations hereunder, or (iii) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus or SAI, proxy materials, reports, advertisements, sales literature, or other materials pertaining to the Fund(s) or the omission to state therein a material fact known to the Adviser that was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Subadviser or the Trust, or the omission of such information, by the Adviser for use therein.

 

The Adviser shall indemnify and hold harmless the Subadviser from and against any and all Losses arising from the Adviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties under this Agreement in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that the Adviser’s obligation under this Paragraph 6 shall be reduced to the extent that the claim against, or the loss, liability, or damage experienced by the Subadviser, is caused by or is otherwise directly related to (i) any breach by the Subadviser of its representations or warranties made herein, (ii) any willful misconduct, bad faith, reckless disregard or negligence of the Subadviser in the performance of any of its duties or obligations hereunder, or (iii) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus or SAI, proxy materials, reports, advertisements, sales literature, or other materials pertaining to the Fund(s) or the omission to state therein a material fact known to the Subadviser that was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Adviser or the Trust, or the omission of such information, by the Subadviser for use therein.

 

8

 

 

A party seeking indemnification hereunder (the “Indemnified Party”) will (i) provide prompt notice to the other of any claim (“Claim”) for which it intends to seek indemnification, (ii) grant control of the defense and /or settlement of the Claim to the other party, and (iii) cooperate with the other party in the defense thereof. The Indemnified Party will have the right at its own expense to participate in the defense of any Claim, but will not have the right to control the defense, consent to judgment or agree to the settlement of any Claim without the written consent of the other party. The party providing the indemnification will not consent to the entry of any judgment or enter any settlement which (i) does not include, as an unconditional term, the release by the claimant of all liabilities for Claims against the Indemnified Party or (ii) which otherwise adversely affects the rights of the Indemnified Party.

 

No party will be liable to another party for consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement.

 

23. Relationship of Parties . By virtue of this Agreement, the Adviser, the Fund and Subadviser are not partners or joint venturers with each other and nothing in this Agreement shall be construed so as to make them partners or joint venturers or impose any liability as such on either of them. Subadviser shall perform its duties under this Agreement as an independent contractor and not as an agent of the Fund, the Trustees or the Adviser.

 

24. Receipt of Disclosure Document . The Fund and the Adviser acknowledge receipt, at least 48 hours prior to entering into this Agreement, of a copy of Part II of the Subadviser’s Form ADV containing certain information concerning the Subadviser and the nature of its business.

 

25. Counterparts; Fax Signatures . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (including executed counterparts delivered and exchanged by facsimile transmission) with the same effect as if all signing parties had originally signed the same document, and all counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute the same instrument. For all purposes, signatures delivered and exchanged by facsimile transmission shall be binding and effective to the same extent as original signatures.

 

[signature page follows]

 

9

 

 

  VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST
     
  By: /s/ W. Patrick Bradley
    Name:  W. Patrick Bradley
    Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
     
  VIRTUS INVESTMENT ADVISERS, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Francis G. Waltman
    Name:  Francis G. Waltman
    Title: Executive Vice President

 

ACCEPTED:  
   
KAYNE ANDERSON RUDNICK INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
     
By: /s/ Jeannine Vanian  
  Name:  Jeannine Vanian  
  Title:  COO  

 

SCHEDULES: A. Operational Procedures
  B. Record Keeping Requirements
  C. Fee Schedule
  D. Subadviser Functions
  E. Form of Sub-Certification
  F. Allocated Portion of the Series

 

10

 

 

SCHEDULE A

 

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

 

In order to minimize operational problems, it will be necessary for trade information to be supplied in a secure manner by the Subadviser to the Fund’s Service Providers, including: JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (the “Custodian”), Virtus Fund Services (the “Fund Administrator”) BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc., (the “Sub-Accounting Agent”), any Prime Broker to the Series, and all other Counterparties/Brokers as required. The Subadviser must furnish the Fund’s service providers with required daily information as to executed trades in a format and time-frame agreed to by the Subadviser, Custodian, Fund Administrator, Sub-Accounting Agent and Prime Broker/Counterparties and designated persons of the Fund. Trade information sent to the Custodian, Fund Administrator, Sub-Accounting Agent and Prime Broker/Counterparties must include all necessary data within the required timeframes to allow such parties to perform their obligations to the Series.

 

The Sub-Accounting Agent specifically requires a daily trade blotter with a summary of all trades, in addition to trade feeds, including, if no trades are executed, a report to that effect. Daily information as to executed trades for same-day settlement and future trades must be sent to the Sub-Accounting Agent no later than 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the day of the trade each day the Fund is open for business. All other executed trades must be delivered to the Sub-Accounting Agent on Trade Date plus 1 by Noon (Eastern Time) to ensure that they are part of the Series’ NAV calculation. (The Subadviser will be responsible for reimbursement to the Fund for any loss caused by the Subadviser’s failure to comply with the requirements of this Schedule A.) On fiscal quarter ends and calendar quarter ends, all trades must be delivered to the Sub-Accounting Agent by 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) for inclusion in the financial statements of the Series. The data to be sent to the Sub-Accounting Agent and/or Fund Administrator will be as agreed by the Subadviser, Fund Administrator, Sub-Accounting Agent and designated persons of the Fund and shall include (without limitation) the following:

 

1. Transaction type (e.g., purchase, sale, open, close, put call);
2. Security type (e.g., equity, fixed income, swap, future, option, short, long);
3. Security name;
4. Exchange identifier (e.g., CUSIP, ISIN, Sedol, OCC Symbol) (as applicable);
5. Number of shares and par, original face, contract amount, notional amount;
6. Transaction price per share (clean if possible);
7. Strike price;
8. Aggregate principal amount;
9. Executing broker;
10. Settlement agent;
11. Trade date;
12. Settlement date;
13. Aggregate commission or if a net trade;
14. Interest purchased or sold from interest bearing security;
15. Net proceeds of the transaction;
16. Trade commission reason: best execution, soft dollar or research (to be provided quarterly);
17. Derivative terms;
18. Non-deliverable forward classification (to be provided quarterly);
19. Maturity/expiration date; and
20. Details of margin and collateral movement.

 

11

 

 

SCHEDULE B

 

RECORDS TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE SUBADVISER

 

1. (Rule 31a-1(b)(5) and (6)) A record of each brokerage order, and all other series purchases and sales, given by the Subadviser on behalf of the Fund for, or in connection with, the purchase or sale of securities, whether executed or unexecuted. Such records shall include:

 

A. The name of the broker;
B. The terms and conditions of the order and of any modifications or cancellations thereof;
C. The time of entry or cancellation;
D. The price at which executed;
E. The time of receipt of a report of execution; and
F. The name of the person who placed the order on behalf of the Fund.

 

2. (Rule 31a-1(b)(9)) A record for each fiscal quarter, completed within ten (10) days after the end of the quarter, showing specifically the basis or bases upon which the allocation of orders for the purchase and sale of series securities to named brokers or dealers was effected, and the division of brokerage commissions or other compensation on such purchase and sale orders. Such record:

 

A. Shall include the consideration given to:
(i) The sale of shares of the Fund by brokers or dealers.
(ii) The supplying of services or benefits by brokers or dealers to:
(a) The Fund,
(b) The Adviser,
(c) The Subadviser, and
(d) Any person other than the foregoing.
(iii) Any other consideration other than the technical qualifications of the brokers and dealers as such.
B. Shall show the nature of the services or benefits made available.
C. Shall describe in detail the application of any general or specific formula or other determinant used in arriving at such allocation of purchase and sale orders and such division of brokerage commissions or other compensation.
D. Shall show the name of the person responsible for making the determination of such allocation and such division of brokerage commissions or other compensation.

 

3. (Rule 31a-1(b)(10)) A record in the form of an appropriate memorandum identifying the person or persons, committees or groups authorizing the purchase or sale of series securities. Where a committee or group makes an authorization, a record shall be kept of the names of its members who participate in the authorization. There shall be retained as part of this record: any memorandum, recommendation or instruction supporting or authorizing the purchase or sale of series securities and such other information as is appropriate to support the authorization. *

 

4. (Rule 31a-1(f)) Such accounts, books and other documents as are required to be maintained by registered investment advisers by rule adopted under Section 204 of the Advisers Act, to the extent such records are necessary or appropriate to record the Subadviser’s transactions for the Fund.

 

5. Records as necessary under Board approved Virtus Mutual Funds policies and procedures, including without limitation those related to valuation determinations.

 

 

* Such information might include: current financial information, annual and quarterly reports, press releases, reports by analysts and from brokerage firms (including their recommendations, i.e., buy, sell, hold) or any internal reports or subadviser review.

 

12

 

 

SCHEDULE C

 

SUBADVISORY FEE

 

(a)          For services provided to the Fund, the Adviser will pay to the Subadviser a fee, payable monthly in arrears, at the annual rate stated below. The fee shall be prorated for any month during which this Agreement is in effect for only a portion of the month. In computing the fee to be paid to the Subadviser, the net asset value of the Allocated Portion of the Series shall be valued as set forth in the then current registration statement of the Fund.

 

(b)

 

Name of Series   Proposed Subadvisory Fee to be Paid
by VIA to Kayne Anderson Rudnick
Investment Management, LLC
Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund   50% of the net advisory fee applicable to the assets indicated by Schedule F
Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund   50% of the net advisory fee applicable to the assets indicated by Schedule F

 

For this purpose, the “net advisory fee” means the advisory fee paid to the Adviser after accounting for any applicable fee waiver and/or expense limitation agreement, which shall not include reimbursement of the Adviser for any expenses or recapture of prior waivers.  In the event that the Adviser waives its entire fee and also assumes expenses of the Allocated Portion of the Series pursuant to an applicable expense limitation agreement, the Subadviser will similarly waive its entire fee and will share in the expense assumption by contributing 50% of the assumed amount.  However, because the Subadviser shares the fee waiver and/or expense assumption equally with the Adviser, if during the term of this Agreement the Adviser later recaptures some or all of the fees so waived or expenses so assumed by the Adviser and the Subadviser together, the Adviser shall pay to the Subadviser 50% of the amount recaptured.

 

13

 

 

SCHEDULE D

 

SUBADVISER FUNCTIONS

 

With respect to managing the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series, the Subadviser shall provide, at its own expense:

 

(a) An investment program for the Allocated Portion of the Series consistent with its investment objectives based upon the development, review and adjustment of buy/sell strategies approved from time to time by the Board of Trustees and the Adviser in paragraph 3 of this Subadvisory Agreement and implementation of that program;

 

(b) Periodic reports, on at least a quarterly basis, in form and substance acceptable to the Adviser, with respect to: i) compliance with the Code of Ethics and the Fund’s code of ethics; ii) compliance with procedures adopted from time to time by the Trustees of the Fund relative to securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; iii) diversification of assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series in accordance with the then prevailing Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information pertaining to the Allocated Portion of the Series and governing laws, regulations, rules and orders; iv) compliance with governing restrictions relating to the fair valuation of securities for which market quotations are not readily available or considered "illiquid" for the purposes of complying with the Allocated Portion of the Series’ limitation on acquisition of illiquid securities; v) any and all other reports reasonably requested in accordance with or described in this Agreement; and vi) the implementation of the Allocated Portion of the Series’ investment program, including, without limitation, analysis of Allocated Portion of the Series performance;

 

(c) Promptly after filing with the SEC an amendment to its Form ADV, a copy of such amendment to the Adviser and the Trustees;

 

(d) Attendance by appropriate representatives of the Subadviser at meetings requested by the Adviser or Trustees at such time(s) and location(s) as reasonably requested by the Adviser or Trustees; and

 

(e) Notice to the Trustees and the Adviser of the occurrence of any event which would disqualify the Subadviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act or otherwise.

 

(f) Provide reasonable assistance in the valuation of securities including the participation of appropriate representatives at fair valuation committee meetings.

 

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SCHEDULE E

 

FORM OF SUB-CERTIFICATION

 

To:

 

Re: Subadviser’s Form N-CSR and Form N-Q Certification for the [Name of Series].

 

From: [Name of Subadviser]

 

Representations in support of Investment Company Act Rule 30a-2 certifications of Form N-CSR and Form N-Q.

 

[Name of Series].

 

In connection with your certification responsibility under Rule 30a-2 and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, I have reviewed the following information presented in the schedule of investments for the period ended [Date of Reporting Period] (the “Report”) which forms part of the N-CSR or N-Q, as applicable, for the Fund.

 

Schedule of Investments

 

Our organization has designed, implemented and maintained internal controls and procedures, designed for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy and completeness of relevant portfolio trade data transmitted to those responsible for the preparation of the Schedule of Investments. As of the date of this certification there have been no material modifications to these internal controls and procedures.

 

In addition, our organization has:

 

a. Designed such internal controls and procedures to ensure that material information is made known to the appropriate groups responsible for servicing the above-mentioned mutual fund.

 

b. Evaluated the effectiveness of our internal controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the date of this certification and we have concluded that such controls and procedures are effective.

 

c. In addition, to the best of my knowledge, there has been no fraud, whether or not material, that involves our organization’s management or other employees who have a significant role in our organization’s control and procedures as they relate to our duties as subadviser to the Series.

 

I have read the draft of the Report which I understand to be current as of [Date of Reporting Period] and based on my knowledge, such draft of the Report does not, with respect to the Series, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the information contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which such information is presented, not misleading with respect to the period covered by such draft Report.

 

I have disclosed, based on my most recent evaluation, to the Series’ Chief Accounting Officer:

 

a. All significant changes, deficiencies and material weakness, if any, in the design or operation of the Subadviser’s internal controls and procedures which could adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data with respect to the Series in a timely fashion;

 

b. Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves the Subadviser’s management or other employees who have a significant role in the Subadviser’s internal controls and procedures for financial reporting.

 

I certify that to the best of my knowledge:

 

15

 

 

a. The Subadviser’s Portfolio Manager(s) has/have complied with the restrictions and reporting requirements of the Code of Ethics (the “Code”). The term Portfolio Manager is as defined in the Code.

 

b. The Subadviser has complied with the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the Series and the Policies and Procedures of the Series as adopted by the Series Board of Trustees.

 

c. I have no knowledge of any compliance violations except as disclosed in writing to the Virtus Compliance Department by me or by the Subadviser’s compliance administrator.

 

d. The Subadviser has complied with the rules and regulations of the 33 Act and 40 Act, and such other regulations as may apply to the extent those rules and regulations pertain to the responsibilities of the Subadviser with respect to the Series as outlined above.

 

e. Since the submission of our most recent certification there have not been any divestments of securities of issuers that conduct or have direct investments in business operations in Sudan.

 

This certification relates solely to the Series named above and may not be relied upon by any other fund or entity.

 

The Subadviser does not maintain the official books and records of the above Series. The Subadviser’s records are based on its own portfolio management system, a record-keeping system that is not intended to serve as the Series official accounting system. The Subadviser is not responsible for the preparation of the Report.

 

       
[Name of Subadviser]   Date  
[Name of Authorized Signer]      
[Title of Authorized Signer]      

 

16

 

 

SCHEDULE F

 

SERIES

 

Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund (domestic equity portion only)

Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund (domestic equity portion only)

 

17

 

 

Exhibit d.8

 

VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST

VIRTUS STRATEGIC ALLOCATION FUND

VIRTUS TACTICAL ALLOCATION FUND

 

SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

November 2, 2016

 

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

200 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 500

Chicago, IL 60606

 

RE: Subadvisory Agreement

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Virtus Equity Trust (the “Fund”) is an open-end investment company of the series type registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”), as amended, and is subject to the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The shares of the Fund are offered or may be offered in several series, including Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund and Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund (sometimes hereafter referred to as the “Series”).

 

Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. (the “Adviser”) evaluates and recommends series advisers for the Series and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Series.

 

1. Employment as a Subadviser . The Adviser, being duly authorized, hereby employs Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. (the “Subadviser”) as a discretionary series adviser to invest and reinvest that discrete portion of the assets of the Series designated by the Adviser (the “Allocated Portion”) as set forth on Schedule F attached hereto on the terms and conditions set forth herein. It is acknowledged and agreed that the Adviser may appoint from time to time other subadvisers in addition to the Subadviser to manage the assets of the Series that do not constitute the Allocated Portion and nothing in this Agreement shall be construed or interpreted to grant the Subadviser an exclusive arrangement to act as the sole subadviser to the Series. It is further acknowledged and agreed that the Adviser makes no commitment to designate any portion of the Series assets to the Subadviser of the Allocated Portion.

 

2. Acceptance of Employment; Standard of Performance . The Subadviser accepts its employment as a discretionary series adviser of the Allocated Portion of the Series and agrees to use its best professional judgment to make investment decisions for the Allocated Portion of the Series in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and as set forth in Schedule D attached hereto and made a part hereof.

 

3. Services of Subadviser . In providing management services to the Allocated Portion of the Series, the Subadviser shall be subject to the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Fund as they apply to the Series and as set forth in the Fund’s then current prospectus (“Prospectus”) and statement of additional information (“Statement of Additional Information”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as part of the Fund’s Registration Statement, as may be periodically amended and provided to the Subadviser by the Adviser, and to the investment restrictions set forth in the Act and the Rules thereunder, to the supervision and control of the Trustees of the Fund (the “Trustees”), and to instructions from the Adviser. The Subadviser shall not, without the Fund’s prior written approval, effect any transactions that would cause the Allocated Portion of the Series at the time of the transaction to be out of compliance with any of such restrictions or policies. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, the Subadviser shall not be responsible for aspects of the Series’ investment program other than managing the Allocated Portion of the Series in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including without limitation the requirements of this Section 3 and Schedule D of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

4. Transaction Procedures . All series transactions for the Allocated Portion of the Series shall be consummated by payment to, or delivery by, the Custodian(s) from time to time designated by the Fund (the “Custodian”), or such depositories or agents as may be designated by the Custodian in writing, of all cash and/or securities due to or from the Series. The Subadviser shall not have possession or custody of such cash and/or securities or any responsibility or liability with respect to such custody. The Subadviser shall advise the Custodian and confirm in writing to the Fund all investment orders for the Allocated Portion of the Series placed by it with brokers and dealers at the time and in the manner set forth in Schedule A hereto (as amended from time to time). The Fund shall issue to the Custodian such instructions as may be appropriate in connection with the settlement of any transaction initiated by the Subadviser. The Fund shall be responsible for all custodial arrangements and the payment of all custodial charges and fees, and, upon giving proper instructions to the Custodian, the Subadviser shall have no responsibility or liability with respect to custodial arrangements or the act, omissions or other conduct of the Custodian.

 

5. Allocation of Brokerage . The Subadviser shall have authority and discretion to select brokers and dealers to execute the transactions for the Allocated Portion of the Series initiated by the Subadviser, and to select the markets on or in which the transactions will be executed.

 

A. In placing orders for the sale and purchase of securities for the Allocated Portion of the Series, the Subadviser’s primary responsibility shall be to seek the best execution of orders at the most favorable prices. However, this responsibility shall not obligate the Subadviser to solicit competitive bids for each transaction or to seek the lowest available commission cost to the Allocated Portion of the Series, so long as the Subadviser reasonably believes that the broker or dealer selected by it can be expected to obtain a “best execution” market price on the particular transaction and determines in good faith that the commission cost is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services (as defined in Section 28(e)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) provided by such broker or dealer to the Subadviser, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or of the Subadviser’s overall responsibilities with respect to its clients, including the Allocated Portion of the Series, as to which the Subadviser exercises investment discretion, notwithstanding that the Allocated Portion of the Series may not be the direct or exclusive beneficiary of any such services or that another broker may be willing to charge the Allocated Portion of the Series a lower commission on the particular transaction.

 

B. The Subadviser may manage other portfolios and expects that the Allocated Portion of the Series and other portfolios the Subadviser manages will, from time to time, purchase or sell the same securities. The Subadviser may aggregate orders for the purchase or sale of securities on behalf of the Allocated Portion of the Series with orders on behalf of other portfolios the Subadviser manages. Securities purchased or proceeds of securities sold through aggregated orders, as well as expenses incurred in the transaction, shall be allocated to the account of each portfolio managed by the Subadviser that bought or sold such securities in a manner considered by the Subadviser to be equitable and consistent with the Subadviser’s fiduciary obligations in respect of the Allocated Portion of the Series and to such other accounts.

 

C. The Subadviser shall not execute any Series transactions for the Allocated Portion of the Series with a broker or dealer that is (i) an “affiliated person” (as defined in the Act) of the Fund, the Subadviser, any subadviser to any other Series of the Fund, or the Adviser; (ii) a principal underwriter of the Fund’s shares; or (iii) an affiliated person of such an affiliated person or principal underwriter; in each case, unless such transactions are permitted by applicable law or regulation and carried out in compliance with any applicable policies and procedures of the Fund. The Fund shall provide the Subadviser with a list of brokers and dealers that are “affiliated persons” of the Fund or the Adviser, and applicable policies and procedures.

 

D. Consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund in respect of the Allocated Portion of the Series and the requirements of best price and execution, the Subadviser may, under certain circumstances, arrange to have purchase and sale transactions effected directly between the

 

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Allocated Portion of the Series and another account managed by the Subadviser (“cross transactions”), provided that such transactions are carried out in accordance with applicable law or regulation and any applicable policies and procedures of the Fund. The Fund shall provide the Subadviser with applicable policies and procedures.

 

6. Proxies .

 

A. Unless the Adviser or the Fund gives the Subadviser written instructions to the contrary, the Subadviser, or a third party designee acting under the authority and supervision of the Subadviser, shall review all proxy solicitation materials and be responsible for voting and handling all proxies in relation to the assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series. Unless the Adviser or the Fund gives the Subadviser written instructions to the contrary, the Subadviser will, in compliance with the proxy voting procedures of the Allocated Portion of the Series then in effect, vote or abstain from voting, all proxies solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series may be invested. The Adviser shall cause the Custodian to forward promptly to the Subadviser all proxies upon receipt, so as to afford the Subadviser a reasonable amount of time in which to determine how to vote such proxies. The Subadviser agrees to provide the Adviser in a timely manner with a record of votes cast containing all of the voting information required by Form N-PX in an electronic format to enable the Fund to file Form N-PX as required by Rule 30b1-4 under the Act.

 

B. The Subadviser is authorized to deal with reorganizations, exchange offers and other voluntary corporate actions with respect to securities held in the Allocated Portion of the Series in such manner as the Subadviser deems advisable, unless the Fund or the Adviser otherwise specifically directs in writing. With the Adviser’s approval, the Subadviser shall also have the authority to: (i) identify, evaluate and pursue legal claims, including commencing or defending suits, affecting the securities held at any time in the Allocated Portion of the Series, including claims in bankruptcy, class action securities litigation and other litigation; (ii) participate in such litigation or related proceedings with respect to such securities as the Subadviser deems appropriate to preserve or enhance the value of the Allocated Portion of the Series, including filing proofs of claim and related documents and serving as “lead plaintiff” in class action lawsuits; (iii) exercise generally any of the powers of an owner with respect to the supervision and management of such rights or claims, including the settlement, compromise or submission to arbitration of any claims, the exercise of which the Subadviser deems to be in the best interest of the Allocated Portion of the Series or required by applicable law, including ERISA, and (iv) employ suitable agents, including legal counsel, and to pay their reasonable fees, expenses and related costs from the Allocated Portion of the Series.

 

7. Prohibited Conduct . In providing the services described in this Agreement, the Subadviser’s responsibility regarding investment advice hereunder is limited to the Allocated Portion of the Series, and the Subadviser will not consult with any other investment advisory firm that provides investment advisory services to the Fund or any other investment company sponsored by Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. regarding transactions for the Fund in securities or other assets. The Fund shall provide the Subadviser with a list of investment companies sponsored by Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. and the Subadviser shall be in breach of the foregoing provision only if the investment company is included in such a list provided to the Subadviser prior to such prohibited action. In addition, the Subadviser shall not, without the prior written consent of the Fund and the Adviser, delegate any obligation assumed pursuant to this Agreement to any affiliated or unaffiliated third party.

 

8. Information and Reports .

 

A. The Subadviser shall keep the Fund and the Adviser informed of developments relating to its duties as Subadviser of which the Subadviser has, or should have, knowledge that would materially affect the Allocated Portion of the Series. In this regard, the Subadviser shall provide the Fund, the Adviser and their respective officers with such periodic reports concerning the

 

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obligations the Subadviser has assumed under this Agreement as the Fund and the Adviser may from time to time reasonably request. In addition, prior to each meeting of the Trustees, the Subadviser shall provide the Adviser and the Trustees with reports regarding the Subadviser’s management of the Allocated Portion of the Series during the most recently completed quarter, which reports: (i) shall include Subadviser’s representation that its performance of its investment management duties hereunder is in compliance with the Fund’s investment objectives and practices, the Act and applicable rules and regulations under the Act, and the diversification and minimum “good income” requirements of Subchapter M under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and (ii) otherwise shall be in such form as may be mutually agreed upon by the Subadviser and the Adviser.

 

B. Each of the Adviser and the Subadviser shall provide the other party with a list, to the best of the Adviser’s or the Subadviser’s respective knowledge, of each affiliated person (and any affiliated person of such an affiliated person) of the Adviser or the Subadviser, as the case may be, and each of the Adviser and Subadviser agrees promptly to update such list whenever the Adviser or the Subadviser becomes aware of any changes that should be added to or deleted from the list of affiliated persons.

 

C. The Subadviser shall also provide the Adviser with any information reasonably requested by the Adviser regarding its management of the Allocated Portion of the Series required for any shareholder report, amended registration statement, or Prospectus supplement to be filed by the Fund with the SEC.

 

9. Fees for Services . The compensation of the Subadviser for its services under this Agreement shall be calculated and paid by the Adviser in accordance with the attached Schedule C. Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Fund and the Adviser, the Adviser is solely responsible for the payment of fees to the Subadviser.

 

10. Limitation of Liability . Except as otherwise stated in this Agreement, the Subadviser shall not be liable for any action taken, omitted or suffered to be taken by it in its best professional judgment, in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Agreement, or in accordance with specific directions or instructions from the Fund, provided, however, that such acts or omissions shall not have constituted a material breach of the investment objectives, policies and restrictions applicable to the Allocated Portion of the Series as defined in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, or a material breach of any laws, rules, regulations or orders applicable to the Allocated Portion of the Series, and that such acts or omissions shall not have resulted from the Subadviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder.

 

11. Confidentiality . Subject to the duty of the Subadviser and the Fund to comply with applicable law, including any demand of any regulatory or taxing authority having jurisdiction, the parties hereto shall treat as confidential all information pertaining to the Allocated Portion of the Series and the actions of the Subadviser and the Fund in respect thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund and the Adviser agree that the Subadviser may (i) disclose in marketing materials and similar communications that the Subadviser has been engaged to manage assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series pursuant to this Agreement, and (ii) include performance statistics regarding the Allocated Portion of the Series in composite performance statistics regarding one or more groups of Subadviser's clients published or included in any of the foregoing communications, provided that the Subadviser does not identify any performance statistics as relating specifically to the Series.

 

12. Assignment . This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the Act. The Subadviser shall notify the Fund and the Adviser in writing sufficiently in advance of any proposed change of control, as defined in Section 2(a)(9) of the Act, as will enable the Fund to consider whether an assignment as defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the Act will occur, and to take the steps necessary to enter into a new contract with the Subadviser.

 

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13. Representations, Warranties and Agreements

 

A. The Subadviser represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

1. It is registered as an “investment adviser” under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”).

 

2. It will maintain, keep current and preserve such records on behalf of the Fund, in the manner required or permitted by the Act and the Rules thereunder as are required of an investment adviser of a registered investment company (to the extent applicable). The Subadviser agrees that such records are the property of the Fund, and shall be surrendered to the Fund or to the Adviser as agent of the Fund promptly upon request of either. The Fund acknowledges that Subadviser may retain copies of all records required to meet the record retention requirements imposed by law and regulation.

 

3. It shall maintain a written code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) complying with the requirements of Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and Rule 17j-l under the Act and shall provide the Fund and the Adviser with a copy of the Code of Ethics and evidence of its adoption. It shall institute procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons (as defined in Rule 17j-1) from violating its Code of Ethics. The Subadviser acknowledges receipt of the written code of ethics adopted by and on behalf of the Fund. Each calendar quarter while this Agreement is in effect, a duly authorized compliance officer of the Subadviser shall certify to the Fund and to the Adviser that the Subadviser has complied with the requirements of Rules 204A-1 and 17j-l during the previous calendar quarter and that there has been no material violation of its Code of Ethics, or of Rule 17j-1(b), or that any persons covered under its Code of Ethics has divulged or acted upon any material, non-public information, as such term is defined under relevant securities laws, and if such a violation has occurred or the code of ethics of the Fund, or if such a violation of its Code of Ethics has occurred, that appropriate action was taken in response to such violation. Annually, the Subadviser shall furnish to the Fund and the Adviser a written report which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 concerning the Subadviser’s Code of Ethics. The Subadviser shall permit the Fund and the Adviser to examine the reports required to be made by the Subadviser under Rules 204A-1(b) and 17j-l(d)(1) and this subparagraph.

 

4. It has adopted and implemented, and throughout the term of this Agreement shall maintain in effect and implement, written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violation, by it and its supervised persons, of the Advisers Act and the rules that the SEC has adopted under the Advisers Act. Throughout the term of this Agreement, the Subadviser shall provide the Adviser with any certifications, information and access to personnel and resources (including those resources that will permit testing of Subadviser’s compliance policies by the Adviser) that the Adviser may reasonably request to enable the Fund to comply with Rule 38a-1 under the Act. The Subadviser has provided the Fund with true and complete copies of its policies and procedures (or summaries thereof) and related information reasonably requested by the Fund and/or the Adviser. The Subadviser agrees to cooperate with periodic reviews by the Fund’s and/or the Adviser’s compliance personnel of the Subadviser’s policies and procedures, their operation and implementation and other compliance matters and to provide to the Fund and/or the Adviser from time to time such additional information and certifications in respect of the Subadviser’s policies and procedures, compliance by the Subadviser with federal securities laws and related matters as the Fund’s and/or the Adviser’s compliance personnel may reasonably request. The Subadviser agrees to promptly notify the Adviser of any compliance violations which affect the Allocated Portion of the Series.

 

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5. The Subadviser will immediately notify the Fund and the Adviser of the occurrence of any event which would disqualify the Subadviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the Act or otherwise. The Subadviser will also immediately notify the Fund and the Adviser if it is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, involving the affairs of the Allocated Portion of the Series.

 

B. The Fund represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

1. the Fund is a statutory trust established pursuant to the laws of State of Delaware;

 

2. the Fund is duly registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act;

 

3. the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement are within the Fund’s powers, have been and remain duly authorized by all necessary action (including without limitation all necessary approvals and other actions required under the 1940 Act) and will not violate or constitute a default under any applicable law or regulation or of any decree, order, judgment, agreement or instrument binding on the Fund;

 

4. no consent of any applicable governmental authority or body is necessary, except for such consents as have been obtained and are in full force and effect, and all conditions of which have been duly complied with; and

 

5. this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against the Fund in accordance with its terms.

 

C. The Adviser represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

1. The Adviser is a corporation duly established, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction where the failure to so qualify would have a material adverse effect on its business;

 

2. Adviser is duly registered as an “investment adviser” under the Advisers Act;

 

3. Adviser has been duly appointed by the Trustees and shareholders of the Fund to provide investment services to the Fund as contemplated by the advisory contract;

 

4. the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement are within Adviser’s powers, have been and remain duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not violate or constitute a default under any applicable law or regulation or of any decree, order, judgment, agreement or instrument binding on Adviser;

 

5. no consent of any applicable governmental authority or body is necessary, except for such consents as have been obtained and are in full force and effect, and all conditions of which have been duly complied with; and

 

6. this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against Adviser.

 

14. No Personal Liability . Reference is hereby made to the Declaration of Trust establishing the Fund, a copy of which has been filed with the Secretary of the State of Delaware and elsewhere as required by law, and

 

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to any and all amendments thereto so filed with the Secretary of the State of Delaware and elsewhere as required by law, and to any and all amendments thereto so filed or hereafter filed. The name “Virtus Equity Trust” refers to the Trustees under said Declaration of Trust, as Trustees and not personally, and no Trustee, shareholder, officer, agent or employee of the Fund shall be held to any personal liability in connection with the affairs of the Fund; only the trust estate under said Declaration of Trust is liable. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, neither the Subadviser nor any of its officers, directors, partners, shareholders or employees shall, under any circumstances, have recourse or cause or willingly permit recourse to be had directly or indirectly to any personal, statutory, or other liability of any shareholder, Trustee, officer, agent or employee of the Fund or of any successor of the Fund, whether such liability now exists or is hereafter incurred for claims against the trust estate.

 

15. Entire Agreement; Amendment . This Agreement, together with the Schedules attached hereto, constitutes the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior written or oral agreements pertaining to the subject matter of this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended at any time, but only by written agreement among the Subadviser, the Adviser and the Fund, which amendment, other than amendments to Schedules A, B, D, E and F, is subject to the approval of the Trustees and the shareholders of the Series as and to the extent required by the Act, subject to any applicable orders of exemption issued by the SEC.

 

16. Effective Date; Term . This Agreement shall become effective on the date set forth on the first page of this Agreement, and shall continue in effect until December 31, 2017. This agreement shall continue from year to year thereafter only so long as its continuance has been specifically approved at least annually by the Trustees in accordance with Section 15(a) of the Act, and by the majority vote of the disinterested Trustees in accordance with the requirements of Section 15(c) thereof.

 

17. Termination . This Agreement may be terminated at any time without payment of any penalty (i) by the Board, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the Act), upon 30 days’ prior written notice to the Adviser and the Subadviser, (ii) by the Subadviser upon 30 days’ prior written notice to the Adviser and the Fund, or (iii) by the Adviser upon 30 days’ written notice to the Subadviser. This Agreement may also be terminated, without the payment of any penalty, by the Adviser or the Board immediately upon the material breach by the Subadviser of this Agreement or by the Subadviser immediately upon the material breach by the Adviser of this Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate automatically and immediately upon termination of the Advisory Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its assignment, as such term is defined in and interpreted under the terms of the Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Provisions of this Agreement relating to indemnification shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

18. Applicable Law . To the extent that state law is not preempted by the provisions of any law of the United States heretofore or hereafter enacted, as the same may be amended from time to time, this Agreement shall be administered, construed and enforced according to the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

19. Severability . If any term or condition of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable to any extent or in any application, then the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and each and every term and condition of this Agreement shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

20. Notices. Any notice or other communication required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed duly given if delivered personally or by overnight delivery service or mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested and postage prepaid, or sent by facsimile addressed to the parties at their respective addresses set forth below, or at such other address as shall be designated by any party in a written notice to the other party.

 

(a) To Virtus or the Fund at:

 

Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc.

 

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100 Pearl Street
Hartford, Connecticut 06103
Attn: Kevin J. Carr
Telephone: (860) 263-4791
Facsimile: (860) 241-1024
E-mail: kevin.carr@virtus.com

 

(b) To the Subadviser at:

 

Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

200 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 500

Chicago, IL 60606

Attn: Joyce Riegel, Chief Compliance Officer

Telephone: (312) 917-6541

Facsimile: (312) 876-1057

Email: Joyce.Riegel@dpimc.com

 

21. Certifications . The Subadviser hereby warrants and represents that it will provide the requisite certifications reasonably requested by the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the Fund necessary for those named officers to fulfill their reporting and certification obligations on Form N-CSR and Form N-Q as required under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to the extent that such reporting and certifications relate to the Subadviser’s duties and responsibilities under this Agreement. Subadviser shall provide a quarterly certification in a form substantially similar to that attached as Schedule E.

 

22. Indemnification . The Subadviser shall indemnify and hold harmless the Adviser from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, or damages (including reasonable attorney’s fees and other related expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) arising from the Subadviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties under this Agreement in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that the Subadviser’s obligation under this Paragraph shall be reduced to the extent that the claim against, or the loss, liability, or damage experienced by the Adviser, is caused by or is otherwise directly related to (i) any breach by the Adviser of its representations or warranties made herein, (ii) any willful misconduct, bad faith, reckless disregard or negligence of the Adviser in the performance of any of its duties or obligations hereunder, or (iii) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus or SAI, proxy materials, reports, advertisements, sales literature, or other materials pertaining to the Fund(s) or the omission to state therein a material fact known to the Adviser that was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Subadviser or the Trust, or the omission of such information, by the Adviser for use therein.

 

The Adviser shall indemnify and hold harmless the Subadviser from and against any and all Losses arising from the Adviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties under this Agreement in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that the Adviser’s obligation under this Paragraph 6 shall be reduced to the extent that the claim against, or the loss, liability, or damage experienced by the Subadviser, is caused by or is otherwise directly related to (i) any breach by the Subadviser of its representations or warranties made herein, (ii) any willful misconduct, bad faith, reckless disregard or negligence of the Subadviser in the performance of any of its duties or obligations hereunder, or (iii) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus or SAI, proxy materials, reports, advertisements, sales literature, or other materials pertaining to the Fund(s) or the omission to state therein a material fact known to the Subadviser that was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Adviser or the Trust, or the omission of such information, by the Subadviser for use therein.

 

A party seeking indemnification hereunder (the “Indemnified Party”) will (i) provide prompt notice to the other of any claim (“Claim”) for which it intends to seek indemnification, (ii) grant control of the defense

 

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and /or settlement of the Claim to the other party, and (iii) cooperate with the other party in the defense thereof. The Indemnified Party will have the right at its own expense to participate in the defense of any Claim, but will not have the right to control the defense, consent to judgment or agree to the settlement of any Claim without the written consent of the other party. The party providing the indemnification will not consent to the entry of any judgment or enter any settlement which (i) does not include, as an unconditional term, the release by the claimant of all liabilities for Claims against the Indemnified Party or (ii) which otherwise adversely affects the rights of the Indemnified Party.

 

No party will be liable to another party for consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement.

 

23. Relationship of Parties . By virtue of this Agreement, the Adviser, the Fund and Subadviser are not partners or joint venturers with each other and nothing in this Agreement shall be construed so as to make them partners or joint venturers or impose any liability as such on either of them. Subadviser shall perform its duties under this Agreement as an independent contractor and not as an agent of the Fund, the Trustees or the Adviser.

 

24. Receipt of Disclosure Document . The Fund and the Adviser acknowledge receipt, at least 48 hours prior to entering into this Agreement, of a copy of Part II of the Subadviser’s Form ADV containing certain information concerning the Subadviser and the nature of its business.

 

25. Counterparts; Fax Signatures . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (including executed counterparts delivered and exchanged by facsimile transmission) with the same effect as if all signing parties had originally signed the same document, and all counterparts shall be construed together and shall constitute the same instrument. For all purposes, signatures delivered and exchanged by facsimile transmission shall be binding and effective to the same extent as original signatures.

 

[signature page follows]

 

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  VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST
     
  By: /s/ W. Patrick Bradley
    Name:  W. Patrick Bradley
    Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
     
  VIRTUS INVESTMENT ADVISERS, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Francis G. Waltman
    Name:  Francis G. Waltman
    Title: Executive Vice President

 

ACCEPTED:  
   

DUFF & PHELPS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CO.

 
     
By: /s/ Nathan Partain  
  Name:  Nathan Partain  
  Title:  President & CIO  

 

SCHEDULES: A. Operational Procedures
  B. Record Keeping Requirements
  C. Fee Schedule
  D. Subadviser Functions
  E. Form of Sub-Certification
  F. Allocated Portion of the Series

 

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SCHEDULE A

 

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

 

In order to minimize operational problems, it will be necessary for trade information to be supplied in a secure manner by the Subadviser to the Fund’s Service Providers, including: JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (the “Custodian”), Virtus Fund Services (the “Fund Administrator”) BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc., (the “Sub-Accounting Agent”), any Prime Broker to the Series, and all other Counterparties/Brokers as required. The Subadviser must furnish the Fund’s service providers with required daily information as to executed trades in a format and time-frame agreed to by the Subadviser, Custodian, Fund Administrator, Sub-Accounting Agent and Prime Broker/Counterparties and designated persons of the Fund. Trade information sent to the Custodian, Fund Administrator, Sub-Accounting Agent and Prime Broker/Counterparties must include all necessary data within the required timeframes to allow such parties to perform their obligations to the Series.

 

The Sub-Accounting Agent specifically requires a daily trade blotter with a summary of all trades, in addition to trade feeds, including, if no trades are executed, a report to that effect. Daily information as to executed trades for same-day settlement and future trades must be sent to the Sub-Accounting Agent no later than 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the day of the trade each day the Fund is open for business. All other executed trades must be delivered to the Sub-Accounting Agent on Trade Date plus 1 by Noon (Eastern Time) to ensure that they are part of the Series’ NAV calculation. (The Subadviser will be responsible for reimbursement to the Fund for any loss caused by the Subadviser’s failure to comply with the requirements of this Schedule A.) On fiscal quarter ends and calendar quarter ends, all trades must be delivered to the Sub-Accounting Agent by 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) for inclusion in the financial statements of the Series. The data to be sent to the Sub-Accounting Agent and/or Fund Administrator will be as agreed by the Subadviser, Fund Administrator, Sub-Accounting Agent and designated persons of the Fund and shall include (without limitation) the following:

 

1. Transaction type (e.g., purchase, sale, open, close, put call);
2. Security type (e.g., equity, fixed income, swap, future, option, short, long);
3. Security name;
4. Exchange identifier (e.g., CUSIP, ISIN, Sedol, OCC Symbol) (as applicable);
5. Number of shares and par, original face, contract amount, notional amount;
6. Transaction price per share (clean if possible);
7. Strike price;
8. Aggregate principal amount;
9. Executing broker;
10. Settlement agent;
11. Trade date;
12. Settlement date;
13. Aggregate commission or if a net trade;
14. Interest purchased or sold from interest bearing security;
15. Net proceeds of the transaction;
16. Trade commission reason: best execution, soft dollar or research (to be provided quarterly);
17. Derivative terms;
18. Non-deliverable forward classification (to be provided quarterly);
19. Maturity/expiration date; and
20. Details of margin and collateral movement.

 

11

 

 

SCHEDULE B

 

RECORDS TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE SUBADVISER

 

1. (Rule 31a-1(b)(5) and (6)) A record of each brokerage order, and all other series purchases and sales, given by the Subadviser on behalf of the Fund for, or in connection with, the purchase or sale of securities, whether executed or unexecuted. Such records shall include:

 

A. The name of the broker;
B. The terms and conditions of the order and of any modifications or cancellations thereof;
C. The time of entry or cancellation;
D. The price at which executed;
E. The time of receipt of a report of execution; and
F. The name of the person who placed the order on behalf of the Fund.

 

2. (Rule 31a-1(b)(9)) A record for each fiscal quarter, completed within ten (10) days after the end of the quarter, showing specifically the basis or bases upon which the allocation of orders for the purchase and sale of series securities to named brokers or dealers was effected, and the division of brokerage commissions or other compensation on such purchase and sale orders. Such record:

 

A. Shall include the consideration given to:
(i) The sale of shares of the Fund by brokers or dealers.
(ii) The supplying of services or benefits by brokers or dealers to:
(a) The Fund,
(b) The Adviser,
(c) The Subadviser, and
(d) Any person other than the foregoing.
(iii) Any other consideration other than the technical qualifications of the brokers and dealers as such.
B. Shall show the nature of the services or benefits made available.
C. Shall describe in detail the application of any general or specific formula or other determinant used in arriving at such allocation of purchase and sale orders and such division of brokerage commissions or other compensation.
D. Shall show the name of the person responsible for making the determination of such allocation and such division of brokerage commissions or other compensation.

 

3. (Rule 31a-1(b)(10)) A record in the form of an appropriate memorandum identifying the person or persons, committees or groups authorizing the purchase or sale of series securities. Where a committee or group makes an authorization, a record shall be kept of the names of its members who participate in the authorization. There shall be retained as part of this record: any memorandum, recommendation or instruction supporting or authorizing the purchase or sale of series securities and such other information as is appropriate to support the authorization. *

 

4. (Rule 31a-1(f)) Such accounts, books and other documents as are required to be maintained by registered investment advisers by rule adopted under Section 204 of the Advisers Act, to the extent such records are necessary or appropriate to record the Subadviser’s transactions for the Fund.

 

5. Records as necessary under Board approved Virtus Mutual Funds policies and procedures, including without limitation those related to valuation determinations.

 

 

* Such information might include: current financial information, annual and quarterly reports, press releases, reports by analysts and from brokerage firms (including their recommendations, i.e., buy, sell, hold) or any internal reports or subadviser review.

 

12

 

 

SCHEDULE C

 

SUBADVISORY FEE

 

(a)          For services provided to the Fund, the Adviser will pay to the Subadviser a fee, payable monthly in arrears, at the annual rate stated below. The fee shall be prorated for any month during which this Agreement is in effect for only a portion of the month. In computing the fee to be paid to the Subadviser, the net asset value of the Allocated Portion of the Series shall be valued as set forth in the then current registration statement of the Fund.

 

(b)

 

Name of Series   Proposed Subadvisory Fee to be Paid
by VIA to Duff & Phelps Investment
Management Co.
Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund   50% of the net advisory fee applicable to the assets indicated by Schedule F
Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund   50% of the net advisory fee applicable to the assets indicated by Schedule F

 

For this purpose, the “net advisory fee” means the advisory fee paid to the Adviser after accounting for any applicable fee waiver and/or expense limitation agreement, which shall not include reimbursement of the Adviser for any expenses or recapture of prior waivers.  In the event that the Adviser waives its entire fee and also assumes expenses of the Allocated Portion of the Series pursuant to an applicable expense limitation agreement, the Subadviser will similarly waive its entire fee and will share in the expense assumption by contributing 50% of the assumed amount.  However, because the Subadviser shares the fee waiver and/or expense assumption equally with the Adviser, if during the term of this Agreement the Adviser later recaptures some or all of the fees so waived or expenses so assumed by the Adviser and the Subadviser together, the Adviser shall pay to the Subadviser 50% of the amount recaptured.

 

13

 

 

SCHEDULE D

 

SUBADVISER FUNCTIONS

 

With respect to managing the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series, the Subadviser shall provide, at its own expense:

 

(a) An investment program for the Allocated Portion of the Series consistent with its investment objectives based upon the development, review and adjustment of buy/sell strategies approved from time to time by the Board of Trustees and the Adviser in paragraph 3 of this Subadvisory Agreement and implementation of that program;

 

(b) Periodic reports, on at least a quarterly basis, in form and substance acceptable to the Adviser, with respect to: i) compliance with the Code of Ethics and the Fund’s code of ethics; ii) compliance with procedures adopted from time to time by the Trustees of the Fund relative to securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; iii) diversification of assets of the Allocated Portion of the Series in accordance with the then prevailing Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information pertaining to the Allocated Portion of the Series and governing laws, regulations, rules and orders; iv) compliance with governing restrictions relating to the fair valuation of securities for which market quotations are not readily available or considered "illiquid" for the purposes of complying with the Allocated Portion of the Series’ limitation on acquisition of illiquid securities; v) any and all other reports reasonably requested in accordance with or described in this Agreement; and vi) the implementation of the Allocated Portion of the Series’ investment program, including, without limitation, analysis of Allocated Portion of the Series performance;

 

(c) Promptly after filing with the SEC an amendment to its Form ADV, a copy of such amendment to the Adviser and the Trustees;

 

(d) Attendance by appropriate representatives of the Subadviser at meetings requested by the Adviser or Trustees at such time(s) and location(s) as reasonably requested by the Adviser or Trustees; and

 

(e) Notice to the Trustees and the Adviser of the occurrence of any event which would disqualify the Subadviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act or otherwise.

 

(f) Provide reasonable assistance in the valuation of securities including the participation of appropriate representatives at fair valuation committee meetings.

 

14

 

 

SCHEDULE E

 

FORM OF SUB-CERTIFICATION

 

To:

 

Re: Subadviser’s Form N-CSR and Form N-Q Certification for the [Name of Series].

 

From: [Name of Subadviser]

 

Representations in support of Investment Company Act Rule 30a-2 certifications of Form N-CSR and Form N-Q.

 

[Name of Series].

 

In connection with your certification responsibility under Rule 30a-2 and Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, I have reviewed the following information presented in the schedule of investments for the period ended [Date of Reporting Period] (the “Report”) which forms part of the N-CSR or N-Q, as applicable, for the Fund.

 

Schedule of Investments

 

Our organization has designed, implemented and maintained internal controls and procedures, designed for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy and completeness of relevant portfolio trade data transmitted to those responsible for the preparation of the Schedule of Investments. As of the date of this certification there have been no material modifications to these internal controls and procedures.

 

In addition, our organization has:

 

a. Designed such internal controls and procedures to ensure that material information is made known to the appropriate groups responsible for servicing the above-mentioned mutual fund.

 

b. Evaluated the effectiveness of our internal controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the date of this certification and we have concluded that such controls and procedures are effective.

 

c. In addition, to the best of my knowledge, there has been no fraud, whether or not material, that involves our organization’s management or other employees who have a significant role in our organization’s control and procedures as they relate to our duties as subadviser to the Series.

 

I have read the draft of the Report which I understand to be current as of [Date of Reporting Period] and based on my knowledge, such draft of the Report does not, with respect to the Series, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the information contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which such information is presented, not misleading with respect to the period covered by such draft Report.

 

I have disclosed, based on my most recent evaluation, to the Series’ Chief Accounting Officer:

 

a. All significant changes, deficiencies and material weakness, if any, in the design or operation of the Subadviser’s internal controls and procedures which could adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data with respect to the Series in a timely fashion;

 

b. Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves the Subadviser’s management or other employees who have a significant role in the Subadviser’s internal controls and procedures for financial reporting.

 

I certify that to the best of my knowledge:

 

15

 

 

a. The Subadviser’s Portfolio Manager(s) has/have complied with the restrictions and reporting requirements of the Code of Ethics (the “Code”). The term Portfolio Manager is as defined in the Code.

 

b. The Subadviser has complied with the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the Series and the Policies and Procedures of the Series as adopted by the Series Board of Trustees.

 

c. I have no knowledge of any compliance violations except as disclosed in writing to the Virtus Compliance Department by me or by the Subadviser’s compliance administrator.

 

d. The Subadviser has complied with the rules and regulations of the 33 Act and 40 Act, and such other regulations as may apply to the extent those rules and regulations pertain to the responsibilities of the Subadviser with respect to the Series as outlined above.

 

e. Since the submission of our most recent certification there have not been any divestments of securities of issuers that conduct or have direct investments in business operations in Sudan.

 

This certification relates solely to the Series named above and may not be relied upon by any other fund or entity.

 

The Subadviser does not maintain the official books and records of the above Series. The Subadviser’s records are based on its own portfolio management system, a record-keeping system that is not intended to serve as the Series official accounting system. The Subadviser is not responsible for the preparation of the Report.

 

       
[Name of Subadviser]   Date  
[Name of Authorized Signer]      
[Title of Authorized Signer]      

 

16

 

 

SCHEDULE F

 

SERIES

 

Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund (international equity portion only)

Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund (international equity portion only)

 

17

 

 

Exhibit h.5

 

FOURTEENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED

EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT

 

VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST

 

This Fourteenth Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement (the “Agreement”), effective as of April 10, 2017, amends and restates that certain Amended & Restated Expense Limitation Agreement effective as of September 1, 2015, by and between Virtus Equity Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Registrant”), on behalf of each series of the Registrant listed in Appendix A (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) and the Adviser of each of the Funds, Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (the “Adviser”).

 

WHEREAS, the Adviser renders advice and services to the Funds pursuant to the terms and provisions of one or more Investment Advisory Agreements entered into between the Registrant and the Adviser (the “Advisory Agreement”);

 

WHEREAS, the Adviser desires to maintain the expenses of each Fund at a level below the level to which each such Fund might otherwise be subject; and

 

WHEREAS, the Adviser understands and intends that the Registrant will rely on this Agreement in accruing the expenses of the Registrant for purposes of calculating net asset value and for other purposes, and expressly permits the Registrant to do so.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1. Limit on Fund Expenses. The Adviser has agreed to limit the respective rate of Total Fund Operating Expenses (“Expense Limit”) for each Fund as specified in Appendix A of this Agreement, for the time period indicated.

 

2. Definitions.

 

2.1. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Total Fund Operating Expenses” with respect to a Fund is defined to include all expenses necessary or appropriate for the operation of the Fund including the Adviser’s investment advisory or management fee under the Advisory Agreement and other expenses described in the Advisory Agreement that the Fund is responsible for and have not been assumed by the Adviser, but excludes front-end or contingent deferred loads, taxes, leverage expenses, interest, brokerage commissions, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, unusual or infrequently occurring expenses (such as litigation), acquired fund fees and expenses, and dividend expenses, if any.

 

3. Recoupment and Recapture of Fees and Expenses. Each Fund has agreed to reimburse the Adviser and/or certain of its affiliates (collectively, “Virtus”) out of assets belonging to the relevant class of the Fund for any Total Fund Operating Expenses of the relevant class of the Fund in excess of the Expense Limit paid, waived or assumed by Virtus for that Fund, provided that Virtus would not be entitled to reimbursement for any amount that would cause Total Fund Operating Expenses to exceed either the Expense Limit in place at the time of the applicable waiver or assumption of expenses by Virtus or, if less, any contractual Expense Limit in place at the time that the reimbursement would be made, and provided further that no amount would be reimbursed by the Fund more than three years after the date on which it was incurred or waived by Virtus. The terms, conditions and rights of this section shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

4. Term, Termination and Modification. This Agreement is effective for the time period indicated on Appendix A, unless sooner terminated as provided below in this Paragraph. This Agreement may be terminated by mutual agreement of the parties at any time or by the Registrant on behalf of any one or more of the Funds upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the Adviser. In addition, this Agreement shall terminate with respect to a Fund upon termination of the Advisory Agreement with respect to such Fund.

 

5. Assignment. This Agreement and all rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned without the written consent of the other party.

 

6. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute or rule, or shall otherwise be rendered invalid, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.

 

7. Captions. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

 

8. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Delaware without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles thereof; provided that nothing herein shall be construed to preempt, or to be inconsistent with, any Federal securities law, regulation or rule, including the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

9. Computation. If the fiscal year-to-date Total Fund Operating Expenses of a Fund or Other Expenses, as applicable, at the end of any month during which this Agreement is in effect exceed the Expense Limit for that Fund (the “Excess Amount”), the Adviser shall (at its option) waive or reduce its fee under the Advisory Agreement and/or remit to that Fund an amount that is sufficient to pay the Excess Amount computed on the last day of the month.

 

10. Liability. Virtus agrees that it shall look only to the assets of the relevant class of each respective relevant Fund for performance of this Agreement and for payment of any claim Virtus may have hereunder, and neither any other Fund (including the other series of the Registrant) or class of the Fund, nor any of the Registrant’s trustees, officers, employees, agents or shareholders, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor.

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their duly authorized officers.

 

VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST   VIRTUS INVESTMENT ADVISERS, INC.
         
By: /s/ W. Patrick Bradley   By: /s/ Francis G. Waltman
  W. Patrick Bradley     Francis G. Waltman
  Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer     Executive Vice President
  and Treasurer      

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

Contractual Expense Limitations*

 

Virtus Mutual Fund   Total Fund Operating Expense Limit   Term
    Class
A 		  Class
C 		  Class
I 		  Class
R6 		  Class
T 		   
                                   
Virtus Contrarian Value Fund     1.48 %     2.23 %     1.23 %     1.06 %     1.48 %   Through April 10, 2018
Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund     1.25 %     2.00 %     1.00 %     —       1.25 %   Through April 10, 2018
Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund     1.35 %     2.10 %     1.10 %     —       1.35 %   Through April 10, 2018
Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund     1.20 %     1.95 %     0.95 %     —       1.20 %   Through April 10, 2018
Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund     1.40 %     2.15 %     1.15 %     —       1.40 %   Through April 10, 2018
Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund     1.42 %     2.17 %     1.17 %     1.06 %     1.42 %   Through April 10, 2018
Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund     1.50 %     2.25 %     1.25 %     —       1.50 %   Through April 10, 2018
Virtus Strategic Growth Fund     1.47 %     2.22 %     1.22 %     —       1.47 %   Through April 10, 2018

 

*Following the contractual period, VIA may discontinue these arrangements at any time. Under certain conditions, the adviser may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under these arrangements for a period of three years after the date on which it was incurred or waived by Virtus.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit i.3

 

     
100 Pearl Street 800.248.7971 VIRTUS.COM
Hartford, CT 06103    
     

 

April 5, 2017

 

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street, NE

Washington, DC 20549

 

Re: Virtus Equity Trust (the “Trust”)
  Post-Effective Amendment No. 108
  to Registration Statement 002-16590

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This opinion is furnished in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of shares (the “Shares”) of the above-referenced Trust. In rendering this opinion, I have examined such documents, records and matters of law as deemed necessary for purposes of this opinion. I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures of all parties, the authenticity of all documents submitted as originals, the correctness of all copies and the correctness of all written or oral statements made to me.

 

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is my opinion that the Shares that will be issued by the Trust when sold will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

My opinion is rendered solely in connection with the Registration Statement on Form N1-A under which the Shares will be registered and may not be relied upon for any other purpose without my written consent. I hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to such Registration Statement.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Kevin J. Carr

 

Kevin J. Carr

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, Counsel and Secretary

Virtus Equity Trust

 

Securities distributed by VP Distributors, LLC

 

 

 

Exhibit i.4

 

CONSENT OF SULLIVAN & WORCESTER LLP

 

We hereby consent to the use of our name and any reference to our firm in the Statement of Additional Information of Virtus Equity Trust (the “Trust”), included as part of Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 002-16590). In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

 

/s/ Sullivan & Worcester LLP

Sullivan & Worcester LLP

 

 

Washington, DC

April 10, 2017

 

Exhibit j.1

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated May 19, 2016, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights, which appears in Virtus Equity Trust’s Annual Report on Form N-CSR for the year ended March 31, 2016. We also consent to the references to us under the headings “Glossary”, “Non-Public Holdings Information”, “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm”, “Financial Statements” and “Financial Highlights” in such Registration Statement.

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

April 10, 2017

 

 

 

Exhibit m.4

 

VIRTUS EQUITY TRUST

(the "Fund")

 

CLASS T SHARES

DISTRIBUTION PLAN PURSUANT TO RULE 12b-1

under the

INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

 

1. Introduction

 

The Fund, on behalf of its series listed in Appendix A, as may be amended from time to time, and VP Distributors, LLC (the "Distributor"), a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, have entered into an Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which the Distributor acts as principal underwriter of each series and class of shares of the Fund for sale to the permissible purchasers. The Trustees of the Fund have determined to adopt this Distribution Plan (the "Plan"), in accordance with the requirements of Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Act") with respect to Class T shares of the Fund and have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Fund and its Class T shareholders.

 

2. Rule 12b-1 Fees

 

The Fund shall pay to the Distributor, at the end of each month, an amount on an annual basis equal to 0.25% of the average daily value of the net assets of any series of the Fund's Class T shares, as compensation for the Distributor’s services as distributor of Class T Shares in connection with any activities or expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of the Class T Shares. Expenses may include, but are not limited to, payment of compensation, including incentive compensation to securities dealers and financial institutions and organizations to obtain various distribution related and/or shareholder services for the investors in the Class T Shares; payment of compensation to and expenses of personnel of the Distributor who support the distribution of the Class T Shares; expenses related to the cost of financing or providing such financing from the Distributor’s or an affiliate’s resources in connection with the Distributor’s payment of such distribution expenses and the payment of other direct distribution costs such as the cost of sales literature, advertising and prospectuses. Shareholder services include, but are not limited to, transmitting prospectuses, statements of additional information, shareholder reports, proxy statements and other materials to shareholders; providing educational materials; providing facilities to answer questions about the Funds; receiving and answering correspondence; assisting shareholders in completing application forms and selecting dividend and other account options and providing such other information and services as the Distributor or Fund may reasonably request.

 

3. Reports

 

At least quarterly in each year this Plan remains in effect, the Fund's Principal Accounting Officer or Treasurer, or such other person authorized to direct the disposition of monies paid or payable by the Fund, shall prepare and furnish to the Trustees of the Fund for their review, and the Trustees shall review, a written report complying with the requirements of Rule 12b-1 under the Act regarding the amounts expended under this Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.

 

4. Required Approval

 

This plan shall not take effect until it, together with any related agreement, has been approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Fund's Trustees as well as a vote of at least a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons (as defined in the Act) of the Fund and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or in any related agreement (the "Disinterested

 

  1  

 

 

 

Trustees"), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on this Plan or any related agreement and this Plan.

 

5. Term

 

This Plan shall remain in effect for one year from the date of its adoption and may be continued thereafter if specifically approved at least annually by a vote of at least a majority of the Trustees of the Fund as well as a majority of the Disinterested Trustees. This Plan may be amended at any time, provided that (a) the Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the distribution expenses without the approval of at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Act) of the Class T shares of the Fund and (b) all material amendments to this Plan must be approved by a majority vote of the Trustees of the Fund and of the Disinterested Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of such vote.

 

6. Selection of Disinterested Trustees

 

While this Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of Trustees who are not interested persons (as defined in the Act) of the Fund shall be committed to the discretion of the Disinterested Trustees then in office.

 

7. Related Agreements

 

Any related agreement shall be in writing and shall provide that (a) such agreement shall be subject to termination, without penalty, by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Act) of the Class T shares of the Fund on not more than 60 days' written notice to the other party to the agreement and (b) such agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.

 

8. Termination

 

This Plan may be terminated at any time by a vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Act) of the Class T shares of the Fund. In the event this Plan is terminated or otherwise discontinued, no further payments hereunder will be made hereunder.

 

9. Records

 

The Fund shall preserve copies of this Plan and any related agreements and all reports made pursuant to Paragraph 3 hereof, and any other information, estimates, projections and other materials that serve as a basis therefor, considered by the Trustees of the Fund, for a period of not less than six years from the date of this Plan, the agreement or report, as the case may be, the first two years in an easily accessible place.

 

10. Non-Recourse

 

The Trust is a statutory trust established under the laws of the State of Delaware pursuant to its Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”). The Declaration of Trust refers to the Trustees collectively as Trustees, but not as individuals or personally, and no Trustee, shareholder, officer, employee or agent of the Fund may be held to any personal liability, nor may any resort be had to their private property for the satisfaction of any obligation or claim or otherwise in connection with the affairs of the Fund but the Fund property only shall be liable.

 

Adopted as of: March 1, 2017

 

  2  

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

Virtus Contrarian Value Fund

 

Virtus Enhanced Core Equity Fund (fka Virtus Growth & Income Fund)

 

Virtus Global Quality Dividend Fund

 

Virtus Mid-Cap Core Fund

 

Virtus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

 

Virtus Quality Small-Cap Fund

 

Virtus Small-Cap Core Fund

 

Virtus Small-Cap Sustainable Growth Fund

 

Virtus Strategic Allocation Fund (fka Virtus Balanced Fund)

 

Virtus Strategic Growth Fund

 

Virtus Tactical Allocation Fund

 

  3