ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

Each Fund’s investment objective is described in the summary section for each Fund. The summary section also describes each Fund’s principal investment strategies, including the types of securities in which each Fund invests, and the principal risks of investing in each Fund. The principal investment strategies are not the only investment strategies available to each Fund, but they are the ones each Fund primarily uses to achieve its investment objective.

Except for Fundamental Restrictions described in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), the Board of Trustees may change any Fund's objective or investment strategies without a shareholder vote if it determines such a change is in the best interests of the Fund. If there is a material change to a Fund's investment objective or investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that a Fund will meet its objective.

Each Fund is designed to be a portion of an investor's portfolio. No Fund is intended to be a complete investment program. Investors should consider the risks of a Fund before making an investment; it is possible to lose money by investing in a Fund.

Holdings Disclosure

On each business day, before commencement of trading on the exchange, each Fund will disclose on www.principaletfs.com the identities and quantities of the Fund’s portfolio holdings that will form the basis for the Fund’s calculation of the Fund’s net asset value at the end of the business day.

Passive Management (Index Funds)

Index funds use a passive, or indexing, investment approach. The Funds that are pure index funds do not attempt to manage market volatility, use defensive strategies or reduce the effect of any long-term periods of poor stock or bond performance. Some index funds may attempt to fully replicate their relevant target index by investing primarily in the securities held by the index in approximately the same proportion of the weightings in the index. However, because of the difficulty of executing some relatively small securities trades, some index funds may use a "sampling" approach and may not be invested in the less heavily weighted securities held by the index. Some index funds may invest in index futures, swaps, and/or exchange traded funds on a daily basis in an effort to minimize tracking error relative to the benchmark.

It is unlikely that an index fund's performance will perfectly correlate with the performance of the fund's relevant index. An index fund's ability to match the performance of its index may be affected by many factors, such as fund expenses, the timing of cash flows into and out of the fund, changes in securities markets, and changes in the composition of the index.

More detailed information about each Fund's index methodology is provided in the prospectus under Fund Account Information.

Cash Management

Each Fund may have uninvested cash balances pending investment in other securities, pending payment of redemptions, or in other circumstances where liquidity is necessary or desirable. A Fund may hold uninvested cash; invest it in cash equivalents such as money market funds, including the Principal Funds, Inc. Government Money Market Fund; lend it to other Funds pursuant to the Funds' interfund lending facility; and/or invest in other instruments that those managing the Fund’s assets deem appropriate for cash management purposes. Generally, these types of investments offer less potential for gains than other types of securities. To attempt to provide returns similar to its benchmark, a Fund may invest uninvested cash in stock index futures contracts or exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), including Principal Exchange-Traded Funds ETFs. In selecting such investments, the Advisor may have conflicts of interest due to economic or other incentives to make or retain an investment in certain affiliated funds instead of in other investments that may be appropriate for the Fund.

Liquidity

Certain fund holdings may be deemed to be less liquid or illiquid because they cannot be readily sold without significantly impacting the value of the holdings. A fund is exposed to liquidity risk when trading volume, lack of a market maker, or legal restrictions impair its ability to sell particular securities or close derivative positions at an advantageous price. Funds with principal investment strategies that involve securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations, foreign securities, derivatives, high yield bonds and bank loans or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk tend to have the greatest exposure to liquidity risk.

Liquidity risk also refers to the risk of unusually high redemption requests, redemption requests by certain large shareholders such as institutional investors or asset allocators, or other unusual market conditions that may make it difficult for a fund to sell investments within the allowable time period to meet redemptions. Meeting such redemption requests could require a fund to sell securities at reduced prices or under unfavorable conditions, which would reduce the value of the fund.

Additional liquidity risks that apply to ETFs are described under "Market Trading Risks" below.

Market Volatility and Securities Issuers

The value of a Fund's portfolio securities may decrease in response to overall stock or bond market movements. Markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. Stocks tend to go up and down in value more than bonds. If a Fund's investments are concentrated in certain sectors, its performance could be worse than the overall market. The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of a security may decline for reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services. It is possible to lose money when investing in the Fund.

Temporary Defensive Measures

From time to time, as part of its investment strategy, a Fund may invest without limit in cash and cash equivalents for temporary defensive purposes in response to adverse market, economic, or political conditions. For this purpose, cash equivalents include: bank notes, bank certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, repurchase agreements, commercial paper, and commercial paper master notes, which are floating rate debt instruments without a fixed maturity. In addition, each Fund may purchase U.S. government securities, preferred stocks, and debt securities, whether or not convertible into or carrying rights for common stock. There is no limit on the extent to which a Fund may take temporary defensive measures. In taking such measures, a Fund may lose the benefit of upswings and may limit its ability to meet, or fail to achieve, its investment objective.

Trading Issues

Although the shares of the Fund are expected to be listed on the exchange identified in the fund summary for each Fund, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Shares on the exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on the exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the exchange's "circuit breaker" rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the exchange necessary to maintain the listing of a Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

Strategy and Risk Table

The following table identifies whether the strategies and risks discussed in this section (listed in alphabetical order) are principal or non-principal (meaning they are relevant to a Fund but to a lesser degree than those designated as principal) for each Fund. The SAI contains additional information about investment strategies and their related risks.

Equity Securities

Equity securities include common stocks, some convertible securities, preferred stock, depositary receipts, rights (an offering of common stock to investors who currently own shares which entitle them to buy subsequent issues at a discount from the offering price), and warrants (the right to purchase securities from the issuer at a specified price, normally higher than the current market price). Common stocks, the most familiar type, represent an equity (ownership) interest in a corporation. The value of a company's stock may fall as a result of factors directly relating to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company's products or services. A stock's value may also fall because of factors affecting not just the company, but also companies in the same industry or in a number of different industries, such as increases in production costs. The value of a company's stock may also be affected by changes in financial markets that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates or currency exchange rates. In addition, a company's stock generally pays dividends only after the company invests in its own business and makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of a company's stock will usually react more strongly than its bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company's financial condition or prospects.

Some funds focus their investments on certain market capitalization ranges. Market capitalization is defined as total current market value of a company's outstanding equity securities. The market capitalization of companies in each fund’s portfolios and their related indexes will change over time, and, except to the extent consistent with its principal investment strategies (for example, for an index fund that uses a replication strategy), a fund will not automatically sell a security just because it falls outside of the market capitalization range of its index(es).

Growth Stock

The prices of growth stocks may be based largely on expectations of future earnings, and their prices can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news about such factors as earnings, revenues, the economy, political developments, or other news. Growth stocks may underperform value stocks and stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors. As a result, a fund that holds substantial investments in growth stocks may underperform other funds that invest more broadly or favor different investment styles. Because growth companies typically reinvest their earnings, growth stocks typically do not pay dividends at levels associated with other types of stocks, if at all.

Small and Medium Market Capitalization Companies

Investments in companies with smaller market capitalizations may involve greater risks and price volatility (wide, rapid fluctuations) than investments in larger, more mature companies. Small company stocks may decline in price as large company stocks rise, or rise in price while larger company stocks decline. The net asset value of a fund that invests a substantial portion of its assets in small company stocks may therefore be more volatile than the shares of a fund that invests solely in larger company stocks. Small companies may be less significant within their industries and may be at a competitive disadvantage relative to their larger competitors. Smaller companies may be less mature than larger companies. At this earlier stage of development, the companies may have limited product lines, reduced market liquidity for their shares, limited financial resources, or less depth in management than larger or more established companies. While smaller companies may be subject to these additional risks, they may also realize more substantial growth than larger or more established companies.

Unseasoned issuers are companies with a record of less than three years continuous operation, including the operation of predecessors and parents. Many unseasoned issuers also may be small companies and involve the risks and price volatility associated with smaller companies. Unseasoned issuers by their nature have only a limited operating history that can be used for evaluating the company's growth prospects. As a result, these securities may place a greater emphasis on current or planned product lines and the reputation and experience of the company's management and less emphasis on fundamental valuation factors than would be the case for more mature growth companies.

Value Stock

Value stocks present the risk that they may decline in price or never reach their expected full market value because the market fails to recognize the stock's intrinsic worth. Value stocks may underperform growth stocks and stocks in other broad style categories (and the stock market as a whole) over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors. As a result, a fund that holds substantial investments in value stocks may underperform other funds that invest more broadly or favor different investment styles.

Foreign Currency

Certain of a Fund’s investments will be denominated in foreign currencies or traded in securities markets in which settlements are made in foreign currencies. Any income on such investments is generally paid to a fund in foreign currencies. In addition, funds may engage in foreign currency transactions for both hedging and investment purposes, as well as to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

The value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar varies continually, causing changes in the dollar value of a fund’s portfolio investments (even if the local market price of the investments is unchanged) and changes in the dollar value of a fund’s income available for distribution to its shareholders. The effect of changes in the dollar value of a foreign currency on the dollar value of a fund’s assets and on the net investment income available for distribution may be favorable or unfavorable. Transactions in non-U.S. currencies are also subject to many of the risks of investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities; for example, changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect a fund that has foreign currency exposure than a fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies and currency. There also may be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information. Transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency denominated debt and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.

A fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. In addition, a fund may be required to liquidate portfolio assets, or may incur increased currency conversion costs, to compensate for a decline in the dollar value of a foreign currency occurring between the time when a fund declares and pays a dividend, or between the time when a fund accrues and pays an operating expense in U.S. dollars. To protect against a change in the foreign currency exchange rate between the date on which a fund contracts to purchase or sell a security and the settlement date for the purchase or sale, to gain exposure to one or more foreign currencies or to “lock in” the equivalent of a dividend or interest payment in another currency, a fund might purchase or sell a foreign currency on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the prevailing spot rate.

Currency hedging involves some of the same general risks and considerations as other transactions with similar instruments (i.e., derivative instruments) and hedging. Currency transactions are also subject to additional risks. Because currency control is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic planning and policy, purchases and sales of currency and related instruments can be adversely affected by government exchange controls, limitations or restrictions on repatriation of currency, and manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments. These forms of governmental actions can result in losses to a fund if it is unable to deliver or receive currency or monies in settlement of obligations. They could also cause hedges the fund has entered into to be rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring transaction costs. Settlement of a currency forward contract for the purchase of most currencies must occur at a bank based in the issuing nation. The ability to establish and close out positions on trading options on currency futures contracts is subject to the maintenance of a liquid market that may not always be available.

Foreign Securities

The Fund considers a security to be tied economically to countries outside the U.S. (a “foreign security”) if the issuer of the security has its principal place of business or principal office outside the U.S., has its principal securities trading market outside the U.S., or derives a majority of its revenue from outside the U.S.

Foreign companies may not be subject to the same uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting practices as are required of U.S. companies. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company. Securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Commissions on foreign securities exchanges may be generally higher than those on U.S. exchanges.

Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures than those in U.S. markets. 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 these transactions. Delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of Fund assets is not invested and earning no return. If the Fund is unable to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems, the Fund may miss attractive investment opportunities. In addition, the Fund may incur a loss as a result of a decline in the value of its portfolio if it is unable to sell a security.

With respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political or social instability, or diplomatic developments that could affect the Fund's investments in those countries. In addition, the Fund may also suffer losses due to differing accounting practices and treatments.

Investments in foreign securities are subject to laws of the foreign country that may limit the amount and types of foreign investments. Changes of governments or of economic or monetary policies, in the U.S. or abroad, changes in dealings between nations, currency convertibility or exchange rates could result in investment losses for the Fund.

Foreign securities are often traded with less frequency and volume, and therefore may have greater price volatility than is the case with many U.S. securities. Brokerage commissions, custodial services, and other costs relating to investment in foreign countries are generally more expensive than in the U.S. Though the Fund intends to acquire the securities of foreign issuers where there are public trading markets, economic or political turmoil in a country in which the Fund has a significant portion of its assets or deterioration of the relationship between the U.S. and a foreign country may reduce the liquidity of the Fund's portfolio, and the Fund may have difficulty meeting a large number of redemption requests. Furthermore, there may be difficulties in obtaining or enforcing judgments against foreign issuers.

A fund may invest in a foreign company by purchasing depositary receipts. Depositary receipts are certificates of ownership of shares in a foreign-based issuer held by a bank or other financial institution. They are alternatives to purchasing the underlying security but are subject to the foreign securities risks to which they relate.

If a fund's portfolio is over-weighted in a certain geographic region, any negative development affecting that region will have a greater impact on the fund than a fund that is not over-weighted in that region.

Industry Concentration

A fund that concentrates its investments (invests more than 25% of its net assets) in a particular industry (or group of industries) is more exposed to the overall condition of the particular industry than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries. A particular industry could be affected by economic, business, supply-and-demand, political, or regulatory factors. Companies within the same industry could react similarly to such factors. As a result, a fund’s concentration in a particular industry would increase the possibility that the fund’s performance will be affected by such factors.

Market Trading Risks

The net asset value ("NAV") of the Shares generally will fluctuate with changes in the market value of a Fund's holdings. The market prices of the Shares generally will fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV, as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the respective exchanges, PGI cannot predict whether the Shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due largely to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for the Shares will be related, but not identical, to the forces influencing the prices of the securities held by the Fund (individually or in the aggregate) at any time.

Only authorized participants ("APs") may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with a Fund. (See "Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares-Generally.") The Fund has a limited number of institutions that may act as APs, none of which are or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable or unwilling to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund, and no other AP is able or willing to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, Fund shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting. Such disruptions to creations and redemptions or the existence of extreme market volatility may result in trading prices that differ significantly from NAV.

With respect to funds that invest in foreign securities, since foreign exchanges may be open on days when such a fund does not price its shares, the value of the fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the fund’s Shares, and may result in trading prices that differ significantly from NAV. Additionally, such funds may be subject to heightened risks since APs may be required to post collateral with such investments, which only certain APs are able to do. Moreover, to the extent that an AP is unable or unwilling to trade on an agency basis for foreign securities, there could be a diminished trading market for ETF shares, and shares may trade at a discount to NAV.

If a shareholder purchases at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses. Given that Shares can be created and redeemed only in Creation Units at NAV, PGI believes that large discounts and premiums should not be sustained over the long term.

Momentum Style

Investing in or having exposure to securities with positive momentum entails investing in securities that have had above-average recent returns.  These securities may be more volatile than a broad cross-section of securities.  Returns on securities that have previously exhibited momentum may be less than returns on other styles of investing or the overall stock market.  Momentum can turn quickly and cause significant variation from other types of investments, and stocks that previously exhibited high momentum may not experience continued positive momentum. 

In addition, there may be periods when the momentum style is out of favor, and during which the investment performance of the Fund using a momentum strategy may suffer.

Portfolio Turnover (Active Trading)

"Portfolio Turnover" is the term used in the industry for measuring the amount of trading that occurs in a fund's portfolio during the year. For example, a 100% turnover rate means that on average every security in the portfolio has been replaced once during the year. Funds with high turnover rates (more than 100%) are considered actively traded and often have higher transaction costs (which are paid by the Fund) that may lower the Fund's performance. High portfolio turnover can result in a lower capital gain distribution due to higher transaction costs added to the basis of the assets or can result in lower ordinary income distributions to shareholders when the transaction costs cannot be added to the basis of assets. Both events reduce fund performance.

Please consider all the factors when you compare the turnover rates of different funds.

Real Estate Investment Trusts ("REITs")

REITs involve certain unique risks in addition to the risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general (such as possible declines in the value of real estate, lack of availability of mortgage funds, or extended vacancies of property). REITs are characterized as: equity REITs, which primarily own property and generate revenue from rental income; mortgage REITs, which invest in real estate mortgages; and hybrid REITs, which combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified, and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, risks of default by borrowers, and self-liquidation. A fund that invests in a REIT is subject to the REIT’s expenses, including management fees, and will remain subject to the fund's advisory fees with respect to the assets so invested. REITs are also subject to the possibilities of failing to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded REITs under the Internal Revenue Code, and failing to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act.

Regular REIT dividends received by a Fund from a REIT will not qualify for the corporate dividends-received deduction and generally will not constitute qualified dividend income for U.S. income tax purposes. Any distribution of income attributable to regular REIT dividends from a Fund’s investment in a REIT will not qualify for the deduction that would be available to a non-corporate shareholder were the shareholder to own such REIT directly.

Investment in REITs also involves risks similar to those associated with investing in small market capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume, and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities.

Real Estate Securities

Investing in securities of companies in the real estate industry subjects a fund to the special risks associated with the real estate market and the real estate industry in general. Generally, companies in the real estate industry are considered to be those that have principal activity involving the development, ownership, construction, management or sale of real estate; have significant real estate holdings, such as hospitality companies, healthcare facilities, supermarkets, mining, lumber and/or paper companies; and/or provide products or services related to the real estate industry, such as financial institutions that make and/or service mortgage loans and manufacturers or distributors of building supplies. Securities of companies in the real estate industry are sensitive to factors such as loss to casualty or condemnation, changes in real estate values, property taxes, interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, occupancy rates, government regulations affecting zoning, land use and rents, and the management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Companies in the real estate industry may also be subject to liabilities under environmental and hazardous waste laws.

Redemption and Large Transaction Risk

Ownership of the fund's shares may be concentrated in one or a few large investors (such as funds of funds, institutional investors, and asset allocation programs) that may redeem or purchase shares in large quantities. These transactions may cause the fund to sell securities to meet redemptions or to invest additional cash at times it would not otherwise do so, which may result in increased transaction costs, increased expenses, changes to expense ratios, and adverse effects to fund performance. Such transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income if sales of portfolio securities result in gains.

Principal Global Investors, LLC ("PGI") is the advisor to the Principal Funds, Inc. ("PFI") and Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc. ("PVC") funds of funds, including the Strategic Asset Management ("SAM") Portfolios and each of their underlying funds, which may include Principal Exchange-Traded Funds. PGI is committed to minimizing the potential impact of underlying fund risk on underlying funds to the extent consistent with pursuing the investment objectives of the funds of funds that it manages. PGI may face conflicts of interest in fulfilling its responsibilities to all such funds.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

A description of each Fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of the Fund's portfolio securities is available in the SAI.

Other Investment Strategies and Risks

Convertible Securities

A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation’s common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer’s convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by a fund is called for redemption, the fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

Corporate Reorganizations

Each Fund may invest in securities for which a tender or exchange offer has been made or announced and in securities of companies for which a merger, consolidation, liquidation or reorganization proposal has been announced if, in the judgment of those managing the Fund's investments, there is a reasonable prospect of capital appreciation significantly greater than the brokerage and other transaction expenses involved. The primary risk of such investments is that if the contemplated transaction is abandoned, revised, delayed or becomes subject to unanticipated uncertainties, the market price of the securities may decline below the purchase price paid by a Fund.

In general, securities which are the subject of such an offer or proposal sell at a premium to their historic market price immediately prior to the announcement of the offer or proposal. However, the increased market price of such securities may discount what the stated or appraised value of the security would be if the contemplated transaction were approved or consummated. Such investments may be advantageous when the discount significantly overstates the risk of the contingencies involved; significantly undervalues the securities, assets or cash to be received by shareholders of the prospective company as a result of the contemplated transaction; or fails adequately to recognize the possibility that the offer or proposal may be replaced or superseded by an offer or proposal of greater value. The evaluation of such contingencies requires unusually broad knowledge and experience on the part of those managing the Fund's investments, which must appraise not only the value of the issuer and its component businesses, but also the financial resources and business motivation of the offer or proposal as well as the dynamics of the business climate when the offer or proposal is in process.

Cyber Security Issues

Each Fund and its service providers may be subject to cyber security risks. Those risks include, among others, theft, misuse or corruption of data maintained online or digitally; denial of service attacks on websites; the loss or unauthorized release of confidential and proprietary information; operational disruption; or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber-attacks against or security breakdowns of a Fund or its service providers may harm the Fund and its shareholders, potentially resulting in, among other things, financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, inability to calculate a fund’s NAV, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance and remediation costs. Cyber security risks may also affect issuers of securities in which a fund invests, potentially causing the fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. Despite risk management processes, there can be no guarantee that a fund will avoid losses relating to cyber security risks or other information security breaches.

Depositary Receipts

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 depend on the performance of a foreign security denominated in its home currency.

Each Fund may invest in foreign securities which means it may invest in:

Depositary Receipts may be issued by 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 of underlying unsponsored programs, and there may not be a correlation between the availability of such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.

Derivatives

Options on Securities and Securities Indices

Each Fund may engage in the practices described under this heading. Each Fund may write (sell) and purchase call and put options on securities in which it invests and on securities indices based on securities in which the Fund invests. Each Fund may engage in these transactions to hedge against a decline in the value of securities owned or an increase in the price of securities which the Fund plans to purchase, or to generate additional revenue.

Writing Call and Put Options . When a fund writes a call option, it gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy a specific security at a specified price at any time before the option expires. When a fund writes a put option, it gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell to the fund a specific security at a specified price at any time before the option expires. In both situations, the fund receives a premium from the purchaser of the option.

The premium received by a fund reflects, among other factors, the current market price of the underlying security, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price, the time period until the expiration of the option and interest rates. The premium generates additional income for the fund if the option expires unexercised or is closed out at a profit. By writing a call, a fund limits its opportunity to profit from any increase in the market value of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option, but it retains the risk of loss if the price of the security should decline. By writing a put, a fund assumes the risk that it may have to purchase the underlying security at a price that may be higher than its market value at time of exercise.

A Fund usually owns the underlying security covered by any outstanding call option. With respect to an outstanding put option, a Fund deposits and maintains with its custodian or segregates on the Fund's records, cash, or other liquid assets with a value at least equal to the market value of the option that was written.

Once a fund has written an option, it may terminate its obligation before the option is exercised. The fund executes a closing transaction by purchasing an option of the same series as the option previously written. The fund has a gain or loss depending on whether the premium received when the option was written exceeds the closing purchase price plus related transaction costs.

Purchasing Call and Put Options. When the fund purchases a call option, it receives, in return for the premium it pays, the right to buy from the writer of the option the underlying security at a specified price at any time before the option expires. A fund purchases call options in anticipation of an increase in the market value of securities that it intends ultimately to buy. During the life of the call option, the fund is able to buy the underlying security at the exercise price regardless of any increase in the market price of the underlying security. In order for a call option to result in a gain, the market price of the underlying security must exceed the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid, and transaction costs.

When a fund purchases a put option, it receives, in return for the premium it pays, the right to sell to the writer of the option the underlying security at a specified price at any time before the option expires. A fund purchases put options in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the underlying security. During the life of the put option, the fund is able to sell the underlying security at the exercise price regardless of any decline in the market price of the underlying security. In order for a put option to result in a gain, the market price of the underlying security must decline, during the option period, below the exercise price enough to cover the premium and transaction costs.

Once a fund purchases an option, it may close out its position by selling an option of the same series as the option previously purchased. The fund has a gain or loss depending on whether the closing sale price exceeds the initial purchase price plus related transaction costs.

Options on Securities Indices. Each Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on any securities index based on securities in which the Fund may invest. Securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. Each Fund engages in transactions in put and call options on securities indices for the same purposes as they engage in transactions in options on securities. When a Fund writes call options on securities indices, it holds in its portfolio underlying securities which, in the judgment of those managing the Fund's investments, correlate closely with the securities index and which have a value at least equal to the aggregate amount of the securities index options.

Risks Associated with Option Transactions. An option position may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for an option of the same series. A fund generally purchases or writes only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market. However, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange exists for any particular option, or at any particular time. If a fund is unable to effect closing sale transactions in options it has purchased, it has to exercise its options in order to realize any profit and may incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities. If the fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction for a covered option that it has written, it is not able to sell the underlying securities, or dispose of the assets held in a segregated account, until the option expires or is exercised. The fund's ability to terminate option positions established in the over-the-counter market may be more limited than for exchange-traded options and may also involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions might fail to meet their obligations.

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts

Each Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts of many types, including for example, futures contracts covering indexes, financial instruments, and foreign currencies. Each Fund may purchase and sell financial futures contracts and options on those contracts. Financial futures contracts are commodities contracts based on financial instruments such as U.S. Treasury bonds or bills or on securities indices such as the S&P 500 Index. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulates futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and the commodity exchanges on which they are traded. Through the purchase and sale of futures contracts and related options, a fund may seek to hedge against a decline in the value of securities owned by the fund or an increase in the price of securities that the fund plans to purchase. Each Fund may also purchase and sell futures contracts and related options to maintain cash reserves while simulating full investment in securities and to keep substantially all of its assets exposed to the market. Each Fund may enter into futures contracts and related options transactions both for hedging and non-hedging purposes.

Futures Contracts . Each Fund may purchase or sell a futures contract to gain exposure to a particular market asset without directly purchasing that asset. When a fund sells a futures contract based on a financial instrument, the fund is obligated to deliver that kind of instrument at a specified future time for a specified price. When a fund purchases that kind of contract, it is obligated to take delivery of the instrument at a specified time and to pay the specified price. In most instances, these contracts are closed out by entering into an offsetting transaction before the settlement date. The fund realizes a gain or loss depending on whether the price of an offsetting purchase plus transaction costs are less or more than the price of the initial sale or on whether the price of an offsetting sale is more or less than the price of the initial purchase plus transaction costs. Although the fund usually liquidates futures contracts on financial instruments, by entering into an offsetting transaction before the settlement date, they may make or take delivery of the underlying securities when it appears economically advantageous to do so.

A futures contract based on a securities index provides for the purchase or sale of a group of securities at a specified future time for a specified price. These contracts do not require actual delivery of securities but result in a cash settlement. The amount of the settlement is based on the difference in value of the index between the time the contract was entered into and the time it is liquidated (at its expiration or earlier if it is closed out by entering into an offsetting transaction).

When a fund purchases or sells a futures contract, it pays a commission to the futures commission merchant through which the fund executes the transaction. When entering into a futures transaction, the fund does not pay the execution price, as it does when it purchases a security, or a premium, as it does when it purchases an option. Instead, the fund deposits an amount of cash or other liquid assets (generally about 5% of the futures contract amount) with its futures commission merchant. This amount is known as "initial margin." In contrast to the use of margin account to purchase securities, the fund's deposit of initial margin does not constitute the borrowing of money to finance the transaction in the futures contract. The initial margin represents a good faith deposit that helps assure the fund's performance of the transaction. The futures commission merchant returns the initial margin to the fund upon termination of the futures contract if the fund has satisfied all its contractual obligations.

Subsequent payments to and from the futures commission merchant, known as "variation margin," are required to be made on a daily basis as the price of the futures contract fluctuates, a process known as "marking to market." The fluctuations make the long or short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable. If the position is closed out by taking an opposite position prior to the settlement date of the futures contract, a final determination of variation margin is made. Any additional cash is required to be paid to or released by the broker and the fund realizes a loss or gain.

In using futures contracts, a fund may seek to establish with more certainty than would otherwise be possible the effective price of or rate of return on portfolio securities or securities that the fund proposes to acquire. A fund, for example, sells futures contracts in anticipation of a rise in interest rates that would cause a decline in the value of its debt investments. When this kind of hedging is successful, the futures contract increases in value when the fund's debt securities decline in value and thereby keeps the fund's net asset value from declining as much as it otherwise would. A fund may also sell futures contracts on securities indices in anticipation of or during a stock market decline in an endeavor to offset a decrease in the market value of its equity investments. When a fund is not fully invested and anticipates an increase in the cost of securities it intends to purchase, it may purchase financial futures contracts.

When increases in the prices of equities are expected, a fund may purchase futures contracts on securities indices in order to gain rapid market exposure that may partially or entirely offset increases in the cost of the equity securities it intends to purchase.

With respect to futures contracts that settle in cash, a Fund will cover (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) liquid assets that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. When entering into futures contracts that do not settle in cash (physically-settled futures contracts), a Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) liquid assets that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the full notional value of the contract. Physically-settled futures contracts (and written options on such contracts) will be treated like cash-settled futures contracts when a Fund has entered into a contractual arrangement with a third party futures commission merchant or other counterparty to offset the Fund’s exposure under the contract and, failing that, to assign its delivery obligation under the contract to the counterparty.

Options on Futures Contracts . Each Fund may also purchase and write call and put options on futures contracts. A call option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to purchase a futures contract (assume a long position) at a specified exercise price at any time before the option expires. A put option gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to sell a futures contract (assume a short position), for a specified exercise price, at any time before the option expires.

Upon the exercise of a call, the writer of the option is obligated to sell the futures contract (to deliver a long position to the option holder) at the option exercise price, which will presumably be lower than the current market price of the contract in the futures market. Upon exercise of a put, the writer of the option is obligated to purchase the futures contract (deliver a short position to the option holder) at the option exercise price, which will presumably be higher than the current market price of the contract in the futures market. However, as with the trading of futures, most options are closed out prior to their expiration by the purchase or sale of an offsetting option at a market price that reflects an increase or a decrease from the premium originally paid. Options on futures can be used to hedge substantially the same risks addressed by the direct purchase or sale of the underlying futures contracts. For example, if a fund anticipates a rise in interest rates and a decline in the market value of the debt securities in its portfolio, it might purchase put options or write call options on futures contracts instead of selling futures contracts.

If a Fund purchases an option on a futures contract, it may obtain benefits similar to those that would result if it held the futures position itself. But in contrast to a futures transaction, the purchase of an option involves the payment of a premium in addition to transaction costs. In the event of an adverse market movement, however, the Fund is not subject to a risk of loss on the option transaction beyond the price of the premium it paid plus its transaction costs.

When a Fund writes an option on a futures contract, the premium paid by the purchaser is deposited with the Fund's custodian. The Fund must maintain with its futures commission merchant all or a portion of the initial margin requirement on the underlying futures contract. It assumes a risk of adverse movement in the price of the underlying futures contract comparable to that involved in holding a futures position. Subsequent payments to and from the futures commission merchant, similar to variation margin payments, are made as the premium and the initial margin requirements are marked to market daily. The premium may partially offset an unfavorable change in the value of portfolio securities, if the option is not exercised, or it may reduce the amount of any loss incurred by the Fund if the option is exercised.

Risks Associated with Futures Transactions . There are many risks associated with transactions in futures contracts and related options. The value of the assets that are the subject of the futures contract may not move in the anticipated direction. A Fund's successful use of futures contracts is subject to the ability of those managing the Fund's investments to predict correctly the factors affecting the market values of the Fund's portfolio securities. For example, if the Fund is hedged against the possibility of an increase in interest rates which would adversely affect debt securities held by the Fund and the prices of those debt securities instead increases, the Fund loses part or all of the benefit of the increased value of its securities it hedged because it has offsetting losses in its futures positions. Other risks include imperfect correlation between price movements in the financial instrument or securities index underlying the futures contract, on the one hand, and the price movements of either the futures contract itself or the securities held by the Fund, on the other hand. If the prices do not move in the same direction or to the same extent, the transaction may result in trading losses.

Prior to exercise or expiration, a position in futures may be terminated only by entering into a closing purchase or sale transaction. This requires a secondary market on the relevant contract market. A Fund enters into a futures contract or related option only if there appears to be a liquid secondary market. There can be no assurance, however, that such a liquid secondary market exists for any particular futures contract or related option at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close out a futures position once it has been established. Under such circumstances, the Fund continues to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin in the event of adverse price movements. In such situations, if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may be required to sell portfolio securities to meet daily variation margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, the Fund may be required to perform under the terms of the futures contracts it holds. The inability to close out futures positions also could have an adverse impact on the Fund's ability effectively to hedge its portfolio.

Most United States futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. This daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of contract, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.

Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements

Each Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps, to the extent permitted by its investment restrictions. To the extent a Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it may also invest in currency swap agreements and currency exchange rate swap agreements. Each Fund may also enter into options on swap agreements (“swap options”).

Each Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as for the purpose of attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets; to protect against currency fluctuations; as a duration management technique; to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date; to gain exposure to one or more securities, currencies, or interest rates; to take advantage of perceived mispricing in the securities markets; or to gain exposure to certain markets in the most economical way possible.

Swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods 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, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally 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 or commodities representing a particular index.

Each Fund may invest in derivative instruments that provide exposure to one or more credit default swaps. For example, a Fund may invest in a derivative instrument known as the Loan-Only Credit Default Swap Index (“LCDX”), a tradable index with 100 equally-weighted underlying single-name loan-only credit default swaps (“LCDS”). Each underlying LCDS references an issuer whose loans trade in the secondary leveraged loan market. A Fund can either buy the index (take on credit exposure) or sell the index (pass credit exposure to a counterparty). While investing in these types of derivatives will increase the universe of debt securities to which the Fund is exposed, such investments entail additional risks that are not typically associated with investments in other debt securities. Credit default swaps and other derivative instruments related to loans are subject to the risks associated with loans generally, as well as the risks of derivative transactions.

Obligations under Swap Agreements. The swap agreements a Fund enters into settle in cash and, therefore, provide for calculation of the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a “net basis.” Consequently, a Fund's current obligations (or rights) under such a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the “net amount”). A Fund's current obligations under such a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by the segregation of assets determined to be liquid by those managing the Fund's investments in accordance with procedures established by the Board, to avoid any potential leveraging of the Fund's portfolio. In cases where a Fund is a seller of a credit default swap contract, the Fund will segregate liquid assets equal to the notional amount of the contract. Obligations under swap agreements for which a Fund segregates assets will not be construed to be “senior securities” for purposes of a Fund's investment restriction concerning senior securities.

Risks Associated with Swap Agreements. Swaps can be highly volatile and may have a considerable impact on a Fund’s performance, as the potential gain or loss on any swap transaction is not subject to any fixed limit. Whether a Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective of total return will depend on the ability of those managing the Fund's investments to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Because they are two party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid. Moreover, a Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Funds will enter into swap agreements only with counterparties that present minimal credit risks, as determined by those managing the Fund's investments. Certain restrictions imposed on each Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit a Fund’s ability to use swap agreements.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, a Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When a Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Liquidity of Swap Agreements . Some swap markets have grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, these swap markets have become relatively liquid. The liquidity of swap agreements will be determined by those managing the Fund's investments based on various factors, including:

Such determination will govern whether a swap will be deemed to be within a Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

Valuing Swap Agreements. For purposes of applying a Fund’s investment policies and restrictions (as stated in the Prospectuses and this Statement of Additional Information) swap agreements are generally valued by the Fund at market value. In the case of a credit default swap, however, in applying certain of the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions the Fund will value the credit default swap at its notional value or its full exposure value (i.e., the sum of the notional amount for the contract plus the market value), but may value the credit default swap at market value for purposes of applying certain of the Fund’s other investment policies and restrictions. For example, a Fund may value credit default swaps at full exposure value for purposes of the Fund’s credit quality guidelines because such value reflects the Fund’s actual economic exposure during the term of the credit default swap agreement. In this context, both the notional amount and the market value may be positive or negative depending on whether the fund is selling or buying protection through the credit default swap. The manner in which certain securities or other instruments are valued by a Fund for purposes of applying investment policies and restrictions may differ from the manner in which those investments are valued by other types of investors.

Permissible Uses of Futures and Options on Futures Contracts

Each Fund may enter into futures contracts and related options transactions, for hedging purposes and for other appropriate risk management purposes, and to modify the Fund's exposure to various currency, commodity, equity, or fixed-income markets. Each Fund may engage in futures trading in an effort to generate returns. When using futures contracts and options on futures contracts for hedging or risk management purposes, the Fund determines that the price fluctuations in the contracts and options are substantially related to price fluctuations in securities held by the Fund or which it expects to purchase. In pursuing traditional hedging activities, the Fund may sell futures contracts or acquire puts to protect against a decline in the price of securities that the Fund owns. Each Fund may purchase futures contracts or calls on futures contracts to protect the Fund against an increase in the price of securities the Fund intends to purchase before it is in a position to do so. When a Fund purchases a futures contract, or writes a call option on a futures contract, it segregates liquid assets that, when added to the value of assets deposited with the futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the contract.

Limitations on the Use of Futures, Options on Futures Contracts, and Swaps

A fund that utilizes futures contracts, options on futures contracts or swaps has claimed an exclusion from the definition of a “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act and is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission amended rule 4.5 “Exclusion for certain otherwise regulated persons from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator.” Rule 4.5 provides that an investment company does not meet the definition of “commodity pool operator” if its use of futures contracts, options on futures contracts and swaps is sufficiently limited that the fund can fall within one of two exclusions set out in rule 4.5. Each Fund intends to limit its use of futures contracts, options on futures contracts and swaps to the degree necessary to fall within one of the two exclusions. If a Fund is unable to do so, it may incur expenses that are necessary to comply with the Commodity Exchange Act and rules the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has adopted under it.

Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives

It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent a fund from using such instruments as a part of its investment strategy, and could ultimately prevent a fund from being able to achieve its investment objective. It is difficult to predict the effects future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of a fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. For instance, in December 2015, the SEC proposed new regulations applicable to a mutual fund’s use of derivatives and related instruments.

If adopted as proposed, these regulations could significantly limit or impact a fund's ability to invest in derivatives and related instruments, limit a fund's ability to employ certain strategies that use derivatives and/or adversely affect the fund's performance, efficiency in implementing strategies, and ability to pursue their investment objectives. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the funds engage in derivative transactions could also prevent the funds from using certain instruments.

Fixed-Income Securities

Inflation-Indexed Bonds

Some Funds may invest in inflation-indexed bonds or inflation protected debt securities, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon. Inflation-indexed securities issued by the U.S. Treasury (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities or TIPS) have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (CPI-U), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

Step-Coupon Securities

Each Fund may invest in step-coupon securities. Step-coupon securities trade at a discount from their face value and pay coupon interest. The coupon rate is low for an initial period and then increases to a higher coupon rate thereafter. Market values of these types of securities generally fluctuate in response to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than conventional interest-paying securities of comparable term and quality. Under many market conditions, investments in such securities may be illiquid, making it difficult for a Fund to dispose of them or determine their current value.

“Stripped” Securities

Each Fund may invest in stripped securities, which are usually structured with two or more classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distribution on a pool of U.S. government or foreign government securities or mortgage assets. In some cases, 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). Stripped securities commonly have greater market volatility than other types of fixed-income securities. In the case of stripped mortgage securities, if the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated payments of principal, a Fund may fail to recoup fully its investments in IOs. Stripped securities may be illiquid. Stripped securities may be considered derivative securities.

Zero-Coupon Securities

Each Fund may invest in zero-coupon securities. Zero-coupon securities have no stated interest rate and pay only the principal portion at a stated date in the future. They usually trade at a substantial discount from their face (par) value. Zero-coupon securities are subject to greater market value fluctuations in response to changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities that make distributions of interest in cash.

Foreign Currency Transactions

Options on Foreign Currencies

In addition, each Fund may buy and write options on foreign currencies in a manner similar to that in which futures or forward contracts on foreign currencies will be utilized. Each Fund may use options on foreign currencies to hedge against adverse changes in foreign currency conversion rates. For example, a decline in the U.S. dollar value of a foreign currency in which portfolio securities are denominated will reduce the U.S. dollar value of such securities, even if their value in the foreign currency remains constant. In order to protect against such diminutions in the value of the portfolio securities, a Fund may buy put options on the foreign currency. If the value of the currency declines, the Fund will have the right to sell such currency for a fixed amount in U.S. dollars, thereby offsetting, in whole or in part, the adverse effect on its portfolio. Conversely, when a rise in the U.S. dollar value of a currency in which securities to be acquired are denominated is projected, thereby increasing the cost of such securities, the Fund may buy call options on the foreign currency. The purchase of such options could offset, at least partially, the effects of the adverse movements in exchange rates. As in the case of other types of options, however, the benefit to the Fund from purchases of foreign currency options will be reduced by the amount of the premium and related transaction costs. In addition, if currency exchange rates do not move in the direction or to the extent desired, the Fund could sustain losses or lesser gains on transactions in foreign currency options that would require the Fund to forgo a portion or all of the benefits of advantageous changes in those rates.

Each Fund also may write options on foreign currencies. For example, to hedge against a potential decline in the U.S. dollar due to adverse fluctuations in exchange rates, a Fund could, instead of purchasing a put option, write a call option on the relevant currency. If the decline expected by the Fund occurs, the option will most likely not be exercised and the diminution in value of portfolio securities will be offset at least in part by the amount of the premium received. Similarly, instead of purchasing a call option to hedge against a potential increase in the U.S. dollar cost of securities to be acquired, a Fund could write a put option on the relevant currency which, if rates move in the manner projected by the Fund, will expire unexercised and allow the Fund to hedge the increased cost up to the amount of the premium. If exchange rates do not move in the expected direction, the option may be exercised and the Fund would be required to buy or sell the underlying currency at a loss, which may not be fully offset by the amount of the premium. Through the writing of options on foreign currencies, a Fund also may lose all or a portion of the benefits that might otherwise have been obtained from favorable movements in exchange rates.

Futures on Currency

A foreign currency future provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of foreign currency at a specified price and time. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of foreign currencies. Currency futures contracts are exchange-traded and change in value to reflect movements of a currency or a basket of currencies. Settlement must be made in a designated currency.

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

Each Fund may, but is not obligated to, enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts. Currency transactions include forward currency contracts and exchange listed or over-the-counter options on currencies. A forward currency contract involves a privately negotiated obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a specified future date at a price set at the time of the contract.

The typical use of a forward contract is to "lock in" the price of a security in U.S. dollars or some other foreign currency which a Fund is holding in its portfolio. By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed amount of dollars or other currency, of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying security transactions, the Fund may be able to protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar or other currency which is being used for the security purchase and the foreign currency in which the security is denominated in or exposed to during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received.

Those managing the Fund's investments also may from time to time utilize forward contracts for other purposes. For example, they may be used to hedge a foreign security held in the portfolio or a security which pays out principal tied to an exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency, against a decline in value of the applicable foreign currency. They also may be used to lock in the current exchange rate of the currency in which those securities anticipated to be purchased are denominated in or exposed to. At times, each Fund may enter into "cross-currency" hedging transactions involving currencies other than those in which securities are held or proposed to be purchased are denominated.

Each Fund segregates liquid assets in an amount equal to (1) at least its daily marked-to-market (net) obligation (i.e., its daily net liability, if any) with respect to forward currency contracts that are cash settled and (2) the net notional value with respect to forward currency contracts that are not cash settled. It should be noted that the use of forward foreign currency exchange contracts does not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. It simply establishes a rate of exchange between the currencies that can be achieved at some future point in time. Additionally, although such contracts 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 that might result if the value of the currency increases.

Foreign Securities

Investing in foreign securities carries political and economic risks distinct from those associated with investing in the United States. Investments in foreign securities also involve the risk of possible adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitation on or delays in the removal of funds or other assets of a fund, political or financial instability or diplomatic and other developments that could affect such investments. Foreign investments may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of U.S. investors, including the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on U.S. investment or on the ability to repatriate assets or to convert currency into U.S. Dollars. There may be a greater possibility of default by foreign governments or foreign-government sponsored enterprises. Investments in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political, economic or social instability, military action or unrest or adverse diplomatic developments.

Asia-Pacific Countries

In addition to the risks of foreign investing and the risks of investing in emerging markets, the developing market Asia-Pacific countries in which a Fund may invest are subject to certain additional or specific risks. In the Asia-Pacific markets, there is a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Many of these markets also may be affected by developments with respect to more established markets in the region, such as Japan and Hong Kong. Brokers in developing market Asia-Pacific countries typically are fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in the United States.

Many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States and Western European countries. Such instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision- making, including changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; and/or (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection. In addition, the governments of many of such countries, such as Indonesia, have a heavy role in regulating and supervising the economy.

An additional risk common to most such countries is that the economy is heavily export-oriented and, accordingly, is dependent upon international trade. The existence of overburdened infrastructure and obsolete financial systems also present risks in certain countries, as do environmental problems. Certain economies also depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities and, therefore, are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices that, in turn, may be affected by a variety of factors. The legal systems in certain developing market Asia-Pacific countries also may have an adverse impact on a Fund. The rights of investors in developing market Asia-Pacific companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a developing market Asia-Pacific country.

China

Investing in China involves special considerations, including: the risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets or confiscatory taxation; greater governmental involvement in and control over the economy, interest rates and currency exchange rates; controls on foreign investment and limitations on repatriation of invested capital; greater social, economic and political uncertainty; dependency on exports and the corresponding importance of international trade; and currency exchange rate fluctuations. The government of China maintains strict currency controls in support of economic, trade and political objectives and regularly intervenes in the currency market. The government's actions in this respect may not be transparent or predictable. Furthermore, it is difficult for foreign investors to directly access money market securities in China because of investment and trading restrictions. These and other factors may decrease the value and liquidity of a fund's investments.

Investments in Stock Connect and Bond Connect

Funds may invest in China A shares, which are shares of certain Chinese companies listed and traded through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs (“Stock Connect”). Stock Connect is a securities trading and clearing program established by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, the Shanghai Stock Exchange ("SSE"), the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("SZSE") and China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited, which seeks to provide mutual stock market access between Mainland China and Hong Kong. Trading through Stock Connect is subject to numerous restrictions and risks that could impair the Fund’s ability to invest in or sell China A shares and adversely affect the Fund’s performance, such as the following:

Funds may also invest in China Interbank bonds traded on the China Interbank Bond Market (“CIBM”) through the China - Hong Kong Bond Connect program (“Bond Connect”). In China, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Central Money Markets Unit holds Bond Connect securities on behalf of investors (such as the Fund) in accounts maintained with maintained with a China-based custodian (either the China Central Depository & Clearing Co. or the Shanghai Clearing House). Investments using Bond Connect are subject to risks similar to those described above with respect to Stock Connect.

Europe

The economies and markets of European countries are often closely connected and interdependent, and events in one European country can have an adverse impact on other European countries. Certain funds may invest in securities of issuers that are domiciled in, or have significant operations in, member countries of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (the “EU”), which requires member countries to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls. Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro (the common currency of certain EU countries), the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member country may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member countries and their trading partners, including some or all of the emerging markets countries. Although certain European countries do not use the euro, many of these countries are obliged to meet the criteria for joining the euro zone. Consequently, these countries must comply with many of the restrictions noted above. The European financial markets have experienced volatility and adverse trends in recent years due to concerns about economic downturns, rising government debt levels and the possible default of government debt in several European countries. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and other entities of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. In addition, one or more countries may abandon the euro and/or withdraw from the EU, including, with respect to the latter, the United Kingdom (the "UK"), which is a significant market in the global economy. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching and could adversely impact the value of investments in the region.

The UK’s referendum vote to leave the EU (referred to as "Brexit") could cause business disruptions and uncertainty and thus adversely impact the financial results and operations of various European companies and economies.

Although the precise time frame for Brexit is uncertain, it is currently expected that the UK will seek to withdraw from the EU with an anticipated completion date within two years after notifying the European Council of the UK’s intention to withdraw. The effects of Brexit will largely depend on any agreements the UK makes to retain access to EU markets either during a transitional period or more permanently. Brexit could lead to legal and tax uncertainty and potentially divergent national laws and regulations as the UK determines which EU laws to replace or replicate. Additionally, Brexit could lead to global economic uncertainty and result in significant volatility in the global stock markets and currency exchange rate fluctuations.

Japan

Japanese investments may be significantly affected by events influencing Japan’s economy and the exchange rate between the Japanese yen and the U.S. Dollar. Japan’s economy fell into a long recession in the 1990s. After a few years of mild recovery in the mid-2000s, Japan’s economy fell into another recession as a result of the recent global economic crisis. Japan is heavily dependent on exports and foreign oil. Japan is located in a seismically active area, and in 2011 experienced an earthquake of a sizable magnitude and a tsunami that significantly affected important elements of its infrastructure and resulted in a nuclear crisis. Since these events, Japan’s financial markets have fluctuated dramatically. The full extent of the impact of these events on Japan’s economy and on foreign investment in Japan is difficult to estimate. Japan’s economic prospects may be affected by the political and military situations of its near neighbors, notably North and South Korea, China, and Russia.

Latin America

Most Latin American countries have experienced, at one time or another, severe and persistent levels of inflation, including, in some cases, hyperinflation. This has, in turn, led to high interest rates, extreme measures by governments to keep inflation in check, and a generally debilitating effect on economic growth. Although inflation in many countries has lessened, there is no guarantee it will remain at lower levels. In addition, the political history of certain Latin American countries has been characterized by political uncertainty, intervention by the military in civilian and economic spheres, and political corruption. Such developments, if they were to reoccur, could reverse favorable trends toward market and economic reform, privatization, and removal of trade barriers, and result in significant disruption in securities markets. Certain Latin American countries may also have managed currencies which are maintained at artificial levels to the U.S. Dollar rather than at levels determined by the market. This type of system can lead to sudden and large adjustments in the currency which, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors. There is no significant foreign exchange market for many currencies and it would, as a result, be difficult for the Fund to engage in foreign currency transactions designed to protect the value of the Fund’s interests in securities denominated in such currencies. Finally, a number of Latin American countries are among the largest debtors of developing countries. There have been moratoria on, and reschedulings of, repayment with respect to these debts. Such events can restrict the flexibility of these debtor nations in the international markets and result in the imposition of onerous conditions on their economies.

High Yield Securities

Each Fund may invest a portion of its assets in bonds that are rated below investment grade (sometimes called “high yield bonds” or "junk bonds") which are rated at the time of purchase Ba1 or lower by Moody's and BB+ or lower by S&P Global (if the bond has been rated by only one of those agencies, that rating will determine whether the bond is below investment grade; if the bond has not been rated by either of those agencies, those managing the Fund's investments will determine whether the bond is of a quality comparable to those rated below investment grade). Lower rated bonds involve a higher degree of credit risk, which is the risk that the issuer will not make interest or principal payments when due. In the event of an unanticipated default, a Fund would experience a reduction in its income and could expect a decline in the market value of the bonds so affected. Issuers of high yield securities may be involved in restructurings or bankruptcy proceedings that may not be successful. If an issuer defaults, it may not be able to pay all or a portion of interest and principal owed to the fund, it may exchange the high yield securities owned by the fund for other securities, including equities, and/or the fund may incur additional expenses while seeking recovery of its investment. Some funds may also invest in unrated bonds of foreign and domestic issuers. Unrated bonds, while not necessarily of lower quality than rated bonds, may not have as broad a market. Because of the size and perceived demand of the issue, among other factors, certain municipalities may not incur the expense of obtaining a rating. Those managing the Fund's investments will analyze the creditworthiness of the issuer, as well as any financial institution or other party responsible for payments on the bond, in determining whether to purchase unrated bonds. Unrated bonds will be included in the limitation a Fund has with regard to high yield bonds unless those managing the Fund's investments deem such securities to be the equivalent of investment grade bonds. Some of the high yield securities consist of Rule 144A securities. High yield securities may contain any type of interest rate payment or reset terms, including fixed rate, adjustable rate, zero coupon, contingent, deferred, payment-in-kind and those with auction rate features.

Initial Public Offerings ("IPOs")

An IPO is a company's first offering of stock to the public. IPO risk is that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading, and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. In addition, the market for IPO shares can be speculative and/or inactive for extended periods. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may make it more difficult for a fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Investors in IPO shares can be affected by substantial dilution in the value of their shares by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders. When a fund's asset base is small, a significant portion of the fund's performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs because such investments would have a magnified impact on the fund. As the fund's assets grow, the effect of the fund's investments in IPOs on the fund's performance probably will decline, which could reduce the fund's performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, a fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period. This may increase the turnover of the fund's portfolio and lead to increased expenses to the fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. By selling IPO shares, the fund may realize taxable gains it will subsequently distribute to shareholders.

Inverse Floating Rate and Other Variable and Floating Rate Instruments

Each Fund may purchase variable and floating rate instruments. These instruments may include variable amount master demand notes that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary in addition to providing for periodic adjustments in the interest rate. These instruments may also include leveraged inverse floating rate debt instruments, or “inverse floaters”. The interest rate of an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest on a security or interest to which it is related. An inverse floater may be considered to be leveraged to the extent that its interest rate varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the change in the index rate of interest, and is subject to many of the same risks as derivatives. The higher degree of leverage inherent in inverse floaters is associated with greater volatility in their market values. Certain of these investments may be illiquid. The absence of an active secondary market with respect to these investments could make it difficult for a Fund to dispose of a variable or floating rate note if the issuer defaulted on its payment obligation or during periods that the Fund is not entitled to exercise its demand rights, and the Fund could, for these or other reasons, suffer a loss with respect to such instruments.

Master Limited Partnerships (“MLPs”)

An MLP is an entity that is generally taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and that derives each year at least 90% of its gross income from "Qualifying Income". Qualifying Income includes interest, dividends, real estate rents, gain from the sale or disposition of real property, income and gain from commodities or commodity futures, and income and gain from mineral or natural resources activities that generate Qualifying Income. MLP interests (known as units) are traded on securities exchanges or over-the-counter. An MLP's organization as a partnership and compliance with the Qualifying Income rules generally eliminates federal tax at the entity level.

An MLP has one or more general partners (who may be individuals, corporations, or other partnerships) which manage the partnership, and limited partners, which provide capital to the partnership but have no role in its management. Typically, the general partner is owned by company management or another publicly traded sponsoring corporation. When an investor buys units in an MLP, the investor becomes a limited partner. Holders of MLP units have limited control and voting rights on matters affecting the partnership and are exposed to a remote possibility of liability for all of the obligations of that MLP in the event that a court determines that the rights of the holders of MLP units to vote to remove or replace the general partner of that MLP, to approve amendments to that MLP’s partnership agreement, or to take other action under the partnership agreement of that MLP would constitute “control” of the business of that MLP, or a court or governmental agency determines that the MLP is conducting business in a state without complying with the partnership statute of that state. Holders of MLP units are also exposed to the risk that they will be required to repay amounts to the MLP that are wrongfully distributed to them.

The business of certain MLPs is affected by supply and demand for energy commodities because such MLPs derive revenue and income based upon the volume of the underlying commodity produced, transported, processed, distributed, and/ or marketed. Pipeline MLPs have indirect commodity exposure to oil and gas price volatility because, although they do not own the underlying energy commodity, the general level of commodity prices may affect the volume of the commodity the MLP delivers to its customers and the cost of providing services such as distributing natural gas liquids. The costs of natural gas pipeline MLPs to perform services may exceed the negotiated rates under “negotiated rate” contracts. Processing MLPs may be directly affected by energy commodity prices. Propane MLPs own the underlying energy commodity, and therefore have direct exposure to energy commodity prices. The MLP industry in general could be hurt by market perception that MLP's performance and valuation are directly tied to commodity prices.

Pipeline MLPs are common carrier transporters of natural gas, natural gas liquids (primarily propane, ethane, butane and natural gasoline), crude oil or refined petroleum products (gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel). Pipeline MLPs also may operate ancillary businesses such as storage and marketing of such products. Pipeline MLPs derive revenue from capacity and transportation fees. Historically, pipeline output has been less exposed to cyclical economic forces due to its low cost structure and government-regulated nature. In addition, most pipeline MLPs have limited direct commodity price exposure because they do not own the product being shipped.

Processing MLPs are gatherers and processors of natural gas as well as providers of transportation, fractionation and storage of natural gas liquids ("NGLs"). Processing MLPs derive revenue from providing services to natural gas producers, which require treatment or processing before their natural gas commodity can be marketed to utilities and other end user markets. Revenue for the processor is fee based, although it is not uncommon to have some participation in the prices of the natural gas and NGL commodities for a portion of revenue.

Propane MLPs are distributors of propane to homeowners for space and water heating. Propane MLPs derive revenue from the resale of the commodity on a margin over wholesale cost. The ability to maintain margin is a key to profitability. Propane serves approximately 3% of the household energy needs in the United States, largely for homes beyond the geographic reach of natural gas distribution pipelines. Approximately 70% of annual cash flow is earned during the winter heating season (October through March). Accordingly, volumes are weather dependent, but have utility type functions similar to electricity and natural gas.

MLPs operating interstate pipelines and storage facilities are subject to substantial regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC"), which regulates interstate transportation rates, services and other matters regarding natural gas pipelines including: the establishment of rates for service; regulation of pipeline storage and liquified natural gas facility construction; issuing certificates of need for companies intending to provide energy services or constructing and operating interstate pipeline and storage facilities; and certain other matters. FERC also regulates the interstate transportation of crude oil, including: regulation of rates and practices of oil pipeline companies; establishing equal service conditions to provide shippers with equal access to pipeline transportation; and establishment of reasonable rates for transporting petroleum and petroleum products by pipeline.

MLPs are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and health and safety laws as well as laws and regulations specific to their particular activities. These laws and regulations address: health and safety standards for the operation of facilities, transportation systems and the handling of materials; air and water pollution requirements and standards; solid waste disposal requirements; land reclamation requirements; and requirements relating to the handling and disposition of hazardous materials. MLPs are subject to the costs of compliance with such laws applicable to them, and changes in such laws and regulations may adversely affect their results of operations.

MLPs may be subject to liability relating to the release of substances into the environment, including liability under federal “Superfund” and similar state laws for investigation and remediation of releases and threatened releases of hazardous materials, as well as liability for injury and property damage for accidental events, such as explosions or discharges of materials causing personal injury and damage to property. Such potential liabilities could have a material adverse effect upon the financial condition and results of operations of MLPs.

MLPs are subject to numerous business related risks, including: deterioration of business fundamentals reducing profitability due to development of alternative energy sources, consumer sentiment with respect to global warming, changing demographics in the markets served, unexpectedly prolonged and precipitous changes in commodity prices and increased competition that reduces the MLP’s market share; the lack of growth of markets requiring growth through acquisitions; disruptions in transportation systems; the dependence of certain MLPs upon the energy exploration and development activities of unrelated third parties; availability of capital for expansion and construction of needed facilities; a significant decrease in natural gas production due to depressed commodity prices or otherwise; the inability of MLPs to successfully integrate recent or future acquisitions; and the general level of the economy.

Municipal Obligations and AMT-Subject Bonds

Municipal Obligations are obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories, and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, including municipal utilities, or multi-state agencies or authorities. The interest on Municipal Obligations is exempt from federal income tax in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer. Three major classifications of Municipal Obligations are: Municipal Bonds, that generally have a maturity at the time of issue of one year or more; Municipal Notes, that generally have a maturity at the time of issue of six months to three years; and Municipal Commercial Paper, that generally has a maturity at the time of issue of 30 to 270 days.

The term "Municipal Obligations" includes debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including the construction of a wide range of public facilities such as airports, bridges, highways, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, streets, water and sewer works, and electric utilities. Other public purposes for which Municipal Obligations are issued include refunding outstanding obligations, obtaining funds for general operating expenses, and lending such funds to other public institutions and facilities. To the extent that a fund invests a significant portion of its assets in municipal obligations issued in connection with a single project, the fund likely will be affected by the economic, business or political environment of the project.

AMT-Subject Bonds are industrial development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to provide for the construction, equipment, repair or improvement of privately operated housing facilities, sports facilities, convention or trade show facilities, airport, mass transit, industrial, port or parking facilities, air or water pollution control facilities, and certain local facilities for water supply, gas, electricity, or sewage or solid waste disposal. They are considered to be Municipal Obligations if the interest paid thereon qualifies as exempt from federal income tax in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, even though the interest may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax for individual income tax purposes.

Municipal Bonds

Municipal Bonds may be either "general obligation" or "revenue" issues. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds are payable from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue source (e.g., the user of the facilities being financed), but not from the general taxing power. Industrial development bonds and pollution control bonds in most cases are revenue bonds and generally do not carry the pledge of the credit of the issuing municipality. The payment of the principal and interest on industrial revenue bonds depends solely on the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds to meet its financial obligations and the pledge, if any, of real and personal property so financed as security for such payment. Funds may also invest in "moral obligation" bonds that are normally issued by special purpose public authorities. If an issuer of moral obligation bonds is unable to meet its obligations, the repayment of the bonds becomes a moral commitment but not a legal obligation of the state or municipality in question.

Municipal Commercial Paper

Municipal Commercial Paper refers to short-term obligations of municipalities that may be issued at a discount and may be referred to as Short-Term Discount Notes. Municipal Commercial Paper is likely to be used to meet seasonal working capital needs of a municipality or interim construction financing. Generally they are repaid from general revenues of the municipality or refinanced with long-term debt. In most cases Municipal Commercial Paper is backed by letters of credit, lending agreements, note repurchase agreements or other credit facility agreements offered by banks or other institutions.

Municipal Notes

Municipal Notes usually are general obligations of the issuer and are sold in anticipation of a bond sale, collection of taxes, or receipt of other revenues. Payment of these notes is primarily dependent upon the issuer's receipt of the anticipated revenues. Other notes include "Construction Loan Notes" issued to provide construction financing for specific projects, and "Bank Notes" issued by local governmental bodies and agencies to commercial banks as evidence of borrowings. Some notes ("Project Notes") are issued by local agencies under a program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Project Notes are secured by the full faith and credit of the United States.

Other Municipal Obligations

Other kinds of Municipal Obligations are occasionally available in the marketplace, and the fund may invest in such other kinds of obligations to the extent consistent with its investment objective and limitations. Such obligations may be issued for different purposes and with different security than those mentioned.

Stand-By Commitments

Each Fund may acquire stand-by commitments with respect to municipal obligations held in its portfolios. Under a stand-by commitment, a broker-dealer, dealer, or bank would agree to purchase, at the Fund’s option, a specified municipal security at a specified price. Thus, a stand-by commitment may be viewed as the equivalent of a put option acquired by a fund with respect to a particular municipal security held in the Fund's portfolio.

The amount payable to a Fund upon its exercise of a stand-by commitment normally would be 1) the acquisition cost of the municipal security (excluding any accrued interest that the fund paid on the acquisition), less any amortized market premium or plus any amortized market or original issue discount during the period the fund owned the security, plus, 2) all interest accrued on the security since the last interest payment date during the period the security was owned by the fund. Absent unusual circumstances, the fund would value the underlying municipal security at amortized cost. As a result, the amount payable by the broker-dealer, dealer or bank during the time a stand-by commitment is exercisable would be substantially the same as the value of the underlying municipal obligation.

A Fund’s right to exercise a stand-by commitment would be unconditional and unqualified. Although the Fund could not transfer a stand-by commitment, it could sell the underlying municipal security to a third party at any time. It is expected that stand-by commitments generally will be available to the Fund without the payment of any direct or indirect consideration. The Fund may, however, pay for stand-by commitments if such action is deemed necessary. In any event, the total amount paid for outstanding stand-by commitments held in the Fund's portfolio would not exceed 0.50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets calculated immediately after each stand-by commitment is acquired.

Each Fund intends to enter into stand-by commitments only with broker-dealers, dealers, or banks that those managing the Fund's investments believe present minimum credit risks. A Fund’s ability to exercise a stand-by commitment will depend upon the ability of the issuing institution to pay for the underlying securities at the time the stand-by commitment is exercised. The credit of each institution issuing a stand-by commitment to a fund will be evaluated on an ongoing basis by those managing the Fund's investments.

Each Fund intends to acquire stand-by commitments solely to facilitate portfolio liquidity and does not intend to exercise its right thereunder for trading purposes. The acquisition of a stand-by commitment would not affect the valuation of the underlying municipal security. Each stand-by commitment will be valued at zero in determining net asset value. Should a Fund pay directly or indirectly for a stand-by commitment, its costs will be reflected in realized gain or loss when the commitment is exercised or expires. The maturity of a municipal security purchased by a Fund will not be considered shortened by any stand-by commitment to which the obligation is subject. Thus, stand-by commitments will not affect the dollar-weighted average maturity of a Fund's portfolio.

Variable and Floating Rate Obligations

Certain Municipal Obligations, obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities, and debt instruments issued by domestic banks or corporations may carry variable or floating rates of interest. Such instruments bear interest at rates which are not fixed, but which vary with changes in specified market rates or indices, such as a bank prime rate or tax-exempt money market index. Variable rate notes are adjusted to current interest rate levels at certain specified times, such as every 30 days. A floating rate note adjusts automatically whenever there is a change in its base interest rate adjustor, e.g., a change in the prime lending rate or specified interest rate indices. Typically such instruments carry demand features permitting the fund to redeem at par.

The fund's right to obtain payment at par on a demand instrument upon demand could be affected by events occurring between the date the fund elects to redeem the instrument and the date redemption proceeds are due which affects the ability of the issuer to pay the instrument at par value. Those managing the Fund's investments monitor on an ongoing basis the pricing, quality, and liquidity of such instruments and similarly monitor the ability of an issuer of a demand instrument, including those supported by bank letters of credit or guarantees, to pay principal and interest on demand. Although the ultimate maturity of such variable rate obligations may exceed one year, the fund treats the maturity of each variable rate demand obligation as the longer of a) the notice period required before the fund is entitled to payment of the principal amount through demand or b) the period remaining until the next interest rate adjustment. Floating rate instruments with demand features are deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand.

Each Fund may purchase participation interests in variable rate Municipal Obligations (such as industrial development bonds). A participation interest gives the purchaser an undivided interest in the Municipal Obligation in the proportion that its participation interest bears to the total principal amount of the Municipal Obligation. Each Fund has the right to demand payment on seven days' notice, for all or any part of the Fund's participation interest in the Municipal Obligation, plus accrued interest. Each participation interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of a bank. Banks will retain a service and letter of credit fee and a fee for issuing repurchase commitments in an amount equal to the excess of the interest paid on the Municipal Obligations over the negotiated yield at which the instruments were purchased by the Fund.

Risks of Municipal Obligations

The yields on Municipal Obligations are dependent on a variety of factors, including general economic and monetary conditions, money market factors, conditions in the Municipal Obligations market, size of a particular offering, maturity of the obligation, and rating of the issue. Each Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective also depends on the continuing ability of the issuers of the Municipal Obligations in which it invests to meet its obligation for the payment of interest and principal when due.

Municipal Obligations are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Act. They are also subject to federal or state laws, if any, which extend the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or impose other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or upon municipalities to levy taxes. The power or ability of issuers to pay, when due, principal of and interest on Municipal Obligations may also be materially affected by the results of litigation or other conditions.

From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress for the purpose of restricting or eliminating the federal income tax exemption for interest on Municipal Obligations. It may be expected that similar proposals will be introduced in the future. If such a proposal was enacted, the ability of a Fund to pay "exempt interest" dividends may be adversely affected. The Fund would reevaluate its investment objective and policies and consider changes in its structure.

Pay-in-Kind Securities

Each Fund may invest in pay-in-kind securities. Pay-in-kind securities pay dividends or interest in the form of additional securities of the issuer, rather than in cash. These securities are usually issued and traded at a discount from their face amounts. The amount of the discount varies depending on various factors, such as the time remaining until maturity of the securities, prevailing interest rates, the liquidity of the security and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. The market prices of pay-in-kind securities generally are more volatile than the market prices of securities that pay interest periodically and are likely to respond to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than are other types of securities having similar maturities and credit quality.

Portfolio Turnover (Active Trading)

Portfolio turnover is a measure of how frequently a portfolio's securities are bought and sold. The portfolio turnover rate is generally calculated as the dollar value of the lesser of a portfolio's purchases or sales of shares of securities during a given year, divided by the monthly average value of the portfolio securities during that year (excluding securities whose maturity or expiration at the time of acquisition were less than one year). For example, a portfolio reporting a 100% portfolio turnover rate would have purchased and sold securities worth as much as the monthly average value of its portfolio securities during the year.

It is not possible to predict future turnover rates with accuracy. Many variable factors are outside the control of a portfolio manager. The investment outlook for the securities in which a portfolio may invest may change as a result of unexpected developments in securities markets, economic or monetary policies, or political relationships. High market volatility may result in a portfolio manager using a more active trading strategy than might otherwise be employed. Each portfolio manager considers the economic effects of portfolio turnover but generally does not treat the portfolio turnover rate as a limiting factor in making investment decisions.

Sale of shares by investors may require the liquidation of portfolio securities to meet cash flow needs. In addition, changes in a particular portfolio's holdings may be made whenever the portfolio manager considers that a security is no longer appropriate for the portfolio or that another security represents a relatively greater opportunity. Such changes may be made without regard to the length of time that a security has been held.

Higher portfolio turnover rates generally increase transaction costs that are expenses of the Account. Active trading may generate short-term gains (losses) for taxable shareholders.

The following Funds had significant variation in portfolio turnover rates over the two most recently completed fiscal years:

Preferred Securities

Preferred securities can include: traditional preferred securities, hybrid-preferred securities, $25 par hybrid preferred securities, baby bonds, U.S. dividend received deduction (“DRD”) preferred stock, fixed rate and floating rate adjustable preferred securities, step-up preferred securities, public and 144A $1000 par capital securities including U.S. agency subordinated debt issues, trust originated preferred securities, monthly income preferred securities, quarterly income bond securities, quarterly income debt securities, quarterly income preferred securities, corporate trust securities, public income notes, and other trust preferred securities.

Preferred securities may be issued by trusts (likely one that is wholly-owned by a financial institution or other corporate entity, typically a bank holding company) or other special purpose entities established by operating companies, and are therefore not direct obligations of operating companies. The financial institution creates the trust and owns the trust’s common securities. The trust uses the sale proceeds of its preferred securities to purchase, for example, subordinated debt issued by the financial institution. The financial institution uses the proceeds from the subordinated debt sale to increase its capital while the trust receives periodic interest payments from the financial institution for holding the subordinated debt. The trust uses the funds received to make dividend payments to the holders of the trust preferred securities. The primary advantage of this structure may be that the trust preferred securities are treated by the financial institution as debt securities for tax purposes and as equity for the calculation of capital requirements.

Trust preferred securities typically bear a market rate coupon comparable to interest rates available on debt of a similarly rated issuer. Typical characteristics include long-term maturities, early redemption by the issuer, periodic fixed or variable interest payments, and maturities at face value. Holders of trust preferred securities have limited voting rights to control the activities of the trust and no voting rights with respect to the financial institution. The market value of trust preferred securities may be more volatile than those of conventional debt securities. Trust preferred securities may be issued in reliance on Rule 144A under the 1933 Act and subject to restrictions on resale. There can be no assurance as to the liquidity of trust preferred securities and the ability of holders, such as the Funds, to sell its holdings. The condition of the financial institution can be looked to identify the risks of trust preferred securities as the trust typically has no business operations other than to issue the trust preferred securities. If the financial institution defaults on interest payments to the trust, the trust will not be able to make dividend payments to holders of its securities, such as the Funds.

If a portion of a Fund’s income consists of dividends paid by U.S. corporations, a portion of the dividends paid by the fund may be eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders. In addition, distributions reported by a Fund as derived from qualified dividend income (“QDI”) will be taxed in the hands of individuals at the reduced rates applicable to net capital gains, provided certain holding period and other requirements are met by both the shareholder and the fund. Dividend income that a Fund receives from REITs, if any, will generally not be treated as QDI and will not qualify for the corporate dividends-received deduction. It is unclear the extent to which distributions a Fund receives from investments in certain preferred securities will be eligible for treatment as QDI or for the corporate dividends-received deduction. The Funds cannot predict at this time what portion, if any, of their dividends will qualify for the corporate dividends-received deduction or be eligible for the reduced rates of taxation applicable to QDI.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”)

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest in income producing real estate, real estate related loans, or other types of real estate interests. U.S. REITs are allowed to eliminate corporate level federal tax so long as they meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. Foreign REITs ("REIT-like") entities may have similar tax treatment in their respective countries. Equity real estate investment trusts own real estate properties, while mortgage real estate investment trusts make and/or invests in construction, development, and long-term mortgage loans. Their value may be affected by changes in the underlying property of the trusts, the creditworthiness of the issuer, property taxes, interest rates, and tax and regulatory requirements, such as those relating to the environment. Both types of trusts are not diversified, are dependent upon management skill, are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free status of income under the Internal Revenue Code and failing to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. In addition, foreign REIT-like entities will be subject to foreign securities risks. (See "Foreign Securities").

Repurchase and Reverse Repurchase Agreements, Mortgage Dollar Rolls and Sale-Buybacks

Each Fund may invest in repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements typically involve the purchase of debt securities from a financial institution such as a bank, savings and loan association, or broker-dealer. A repurchase agreement provides that the fund sells back to the seller and that the seller repurchases the underlying securities at a specified price on a specific date. Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans by a fund collateralized by the underlying securities. This arrangement results in a fixed rate of return that is not subject to market fluctuation while the fund holds the security. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the affected fund bears a risk of loss. To minimize such risks, the fund enters into repurchase agreements only with parties those managing the fund's investments deem creditworthy (those that are large, well-capitalized, and well-established financial institutions). In addition, the value of the securities collateralizing the repurchase agreement is, and during the entire term of the repurchase agreement remains, at least equal to the acquisition price the Funds pay to the seller of the securities.

In a repurchase agreement, the Fund purchases a security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon date within a number of days (usually not more than seven) from the date of purchase. The resale price consists of the purchase price plus an amount that is unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased security. A repurchase agreement involves the obligation of the seller to pay the agreed upon price, which obligation is in effect secured by the value (at least equal to the amount of the agreed upon resale price and marked-to-market daily) of the underlying security or "collateral." A risk associated with repurchase agreements is the failure of the seller to repurchase the securities as agreed, which may cause the Fund to suffer a loss if the market value of such securities declines before they can be liquidated on the open market. In the event of bankruptcy or insolvency of the seller, the Fund may encounter delays and incur costs in liquidating the underlying security. Repurchase agreements that mature in more than seven days are subject to the Fund's limit on illiquid investments. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions, it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase agreements to those parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by those managing the Fund's investments.

Each Fund may use reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls, and economically similar transactions to obtain cash to satisfy unusually heavy redemption requests or for other temporary or emergency purposes without the necessity of selling portfolio securities, or to earn additional income on portfolio securities, such as Treasury bills or notes. In a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund sells a portfolio security to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in return for cash and agrees to repurchase the instrument at a particular price and time. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, the Fund will maintain cash or appropriate liquid assets to cover its obligation under the agreement. A Fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only with parties that those managing the Fund's investments deem creditworthy. 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. This technique may also have a leveraging effect on a Fund, although the Fund's intent to segregate assets in the amount of the reverse repurchase obligation minimizes this effect.

A “mortgage dollar roll” is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a “dollar roll” transaction a Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association, to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a pre-determined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are “substantially identical.” To be considered “substantially identical,” the securities returned to the Fund generally must: 1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; 2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; 3) have a similar original stated maturity; 4) have identical net coupon rates; 5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and 6) satisfy “good delivery” requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

A Fund's obligations under a dollar roll agreement must be covered by segregated liquid assets equal in value to the securities subject to repurchase by the Fund.

Each Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as “sale-buybacks.” A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty who purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security. A Fund's obligations under a sale-buyback typically would be segregated by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund's forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

Restricted and Illiquid Securities

A fund may experience difficulty in valuing and selling illiquid securities and, in some cases, may be unable to value or sell certain illiquid securities for an indefinite period of time. Illiquid securities may include a wide variety of investments, such as (1) repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days (unless the agreements have demand/redemption features), (2) OTC options contracts and certain other derivatives (including certain swap agreements), (3) fixed time deposits that are not subject to prepayment or do not provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits), (4) loan interests and other direct debt instruments, (5) certain municipal lease obligations, (6) commercial paper issued pursuant to Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act, (7) thinly-traded securities, and (8) securities whose resale is restricted under the federal securities laws or contractual provisions (including restricted, privately placed securities that, under the federal securities laws, generally may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers). Generally, restricted securities may be sold only in a public offering for which a registration statement has been filed and declared effective or in a transaction that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933. When registration is required, a fund that owns restricted securities may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a restricted security. If adverse market conditions were to develop during such a period, the fund might obtain a less favorable price than existed when it decided to sell.

Illiquid and restricted securities are priced at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Trustees. Each Fund has adopted investment restrictions that limit its investments in illiquid securities to no more than 15% of its net assets. The Trustees have adopted procedures to determine the liquidity of Rule 4(2) short-term paper and of restricted securities that may be resold under Rule 144A. Securities determined to be liquid under these procedures are excluded from the preceding investment restriction.

Securitized Products (Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities)

The yield characteristics of the mortgage- and asset-backed securities in which a Fund may invest differ from those of traditional debt securities. Among the major differences are that the interest and principal payments are made more frequently on mortgage- and asset-backed securities (usually monthly) and that principal may be prepaid at any time because the underlying mortgage loans or other assets generally may be prepaid at any time. As a result, if a Fund purchases those securities at a premium, a prepayment rate that is faster than expected will reduce their yield, while a prepayment rate that is slower than expected will have the opposite effect of increasing yield. If a Fund purchases these securities at a discount, faster than expected prepayments will increase their yield, while slower than expected prepayments will reduce their yield. Amounts available for reinvestment by a Fund are likely to be greater during a period of declining interest rates and, as a result, are likely to be reinvested at lower interest rates than during a period of rising interest rates.

In general, the prepayment rate for mortgage-backed securities decreases as interest rates rise and increases as interest rates fall. However, rising interest rates will tend to decrease the value of these securities. In addition, an increase in interest rates may affect the volatility of these securities by effectively changing a security that was considered a short-term security at the time of purchase into a long-term security. Long-term securities generally fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates than short- or medium-term securities.

The market for privately issued mortgage- and asset-backed securities is smaller and less liquid than the market for U.S. government mortgage-backed securities. A collateralized mortgage obligation (“CMO”) may be structured in a manner that provides a wide variety of investment characteristics (yield, effective maturity, and interest rate sensitivity). As market conditions change, and especially during periods of rapid market interest rate changes, the ability of a CMO to provide the anticipated investment characteristics may be greatly diminished. Increased market volatility and/or reduced liquidity may result.

Each Fund may invest in each of collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”), other collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”) and other similarly structured securities. CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. Other CDOs are trusts backed by other types of assets representing obligations of various parties. CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

Short Sales

A short sale involves the sale by a fund of a security that it does not own with the expectation of covering settlement by purchasing the same security at a later date at a lower price. A fund may also enter into a short position by using a derivative instrument, such as a future, forward, or swap agreement. If the price of the security or derivative increases prior to the time the fund is required to replace the borrowed security, then the fund will incur a loss equal to the increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any premiums and interest paid to the broker. Therefore, short sales involve the risk that losses may be exaggerated, potentially losing more money than the value of the investment.

A “short sale against the box” is a technique that involves selling either a security owned by a fund, or a security equivalent in kind and amount to the security sold short that the fund has the right to obtain, at no additional cost, for delivery at a specified date in the future. Each Fund may enter into a short sale against the box to hedge against anticipated declines in the market price of portfolio securities. If the value of the securities sold short against the box increases prior to the scheduled delivery date, a fund will lose money.

Supranational Entities

Each Fund may invest in obligations of supranational entities. A supranational entity is an entity designated or supported by national governments to promote economic reconstruction, development or trade amongst nations. Examples of supranational entities include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (also known as the World Bank) and the European Investment Bank. Obligations of supranational entities are subject to the risk that the governments on whose support the entity depends for its financial backing or repayment may be unable or unwilling to provide that support. Obligations of a supranational entity that are denominated in foreign currencies will also be subject to the risks associated with investments in foreign currencies.

Temporary Defensive Measures/Money Market Instruments

Each Fund may make money market investments (cash equivalents), without limit, pending other investment or settlement, for liquidity, or in adverse market conditions. Following are descriptions of the types of money market instruments that each Fund may purchase:

Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Others, such as those issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association, are supported by discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality. Still others, such as those issued by the Student Loan Marketing Association, are supported only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality.

Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

Obligations of foreign banks and obligations of overseas branches of U.S. banks are subject to somewhat different regulations and risks than those of U.S. domestic banks. For example, an issuing bank may be able to maintain that the liability for an investment is solely that of the overseas branch which could expose a Fund to a greater risk of loss. In addition, obligations of foreign banks or of overseas branches of U.S. banks may be affected by governmental action in the country of domicile of the branch or parent bank. Examples of adverse foreign governmental actions include the imposition of currency controls, the imposition of withholding taxes on interest income payable on such obligations, interest limitations, seizure or nationalization of assets, or the declaration of a moratorium. Deposits in foreign banks or foreign branches of U.S. banks are not covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any United States Government agency or instrumentality. The Funds only buy short-term instruments where the risks of adverse governmental action are believed by those managing the Fund's investments to be minimal. The Funds consider these factors, along with other appropriate factors, in making an investment decision to acquire such obligations. A Fund only acquires those which, in the opinion of management, are of an investment quality comparable to other debt securities bought by the Fund.

A certificate of deposit is issued against funds deposited in a bank or savings and loan association for a definite period of time, at a specified rate of return. Normally they are negotiable. However, a Fund occasionally may invest in certificates of deposit which are not negotiable. Such certificates may provide for interest penalties in the event of withdrawal prior to their maturity. A bankers' acceptance is a short-term credit instrument issued by corporations to finance the import, export, transfer, or storage of goods. They are termed "accepted" when a bank guarantees their payment at maturity and reflect the obligation of both the bank and drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument at maturity.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Overall responsibility for directing the business and affairs of the Trust rests with the Board of Trustees, who are elected by the Trust's shareholders. In addition to serving on the Board, each Trustee also serves on the Board of Principal Funds, Inc. (“PFI”) and the Board of Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc. (“PVC”). The Board is responsible for overseeing the operations of the Trust in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, other applicable laws and the Trust’s charter. The Board elects the officers of the Trust to supervise its day-to-day operations. The Board meets in regularly scheduled meetings eight times throughout the year. Board meetings may occur in-person or by telephone. In addition, the Board holds special in-person or telephonic meetings or informal conference calls to discuss specific matters that may arise or require action between regular meetings. Board members who are Independent Trustees meet annually to consider renewal of the Trust's advisory contracts. The Board is currently composed of twelve members, nine of whom are Independent Trustees. Each Trustee has significant prior senior management and/or board experience.

The Chairman is an interested person of the Trust. The Independent Trustees of the Trust have appointed a lead Independent Trustee whose role is to review and approve, with the Chairman, the agenda for each Board meeting and facilitate communication among the Trust's Independent Trustees as well as communication between the Independent Trustees, management of the Trust and the full Board. The Trust has determined that the Board's leadership structure is appropriate given the characteristics and circumstances of the Trust, including such items as the number of series or portfolios that comprise the Trust, the net assets of the Trust, the committee structure of the Board and the distribution arrangements of the Trust. The appropriateness of this structure is enhanced by the Trust’s Board Committees, which are described below, and the allocation of responsibilities among them.

The Trustees were selected to serve and continue on the Board based upon their skills, experience, judgment, analytical ability, diligence and ability to work effectively with other Board members, a commitment to the interests of shareholders and, for each Independent Trustee, a demonstrated willingness to take an independent and questioning view of management. In addition to these general qualifications, the Board seeks members who will build upon the diversity of the Board. In addition to those qualifications, the following is a brief discussion of the specific education, experience, qualifications, or skills that led to the conclusion that each person identified below should serve as a Trustee for the Trust. As required by rules the SEC has adopted under the 1940 Act, the Trust's Independent Trustees select and nominate all candidates for Independent Trustee positions.

Independent Trustees

Elizabeth Ballantine. Ms. Ballantine has served as a Trustee of the Trust since 2014 and Director of PFI and PVC since 2004. Through her professional training and experience as an attorney and her experience as a director and investment consultant, Ms. Ballantine is experienced in financial, investment and regulatory matters.

Leroy T. Barnes, Jr. Mr. Barnes has served as a Trustee of the Trust since 2014 and Director of PFI and PVC since 2012. From 2001-2005, Mr. Barnes served as Vice President and Treasurer of PG&E Corporation. From 1997-2001, Mr. Barnes served as Vice President and Treasurer of Gap, Inc. Through his education and employment experience and experience as a director, Mr. Barnes is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.

Craig Damos. Mr. Damos has served as a Trustee of the Trust since 2014 and Director of PFI and PVC since 2008. Since 2011, Mr. Damos has served as the President of C.P. Damos Consulting LLC dba Craig Damos Consulting. Mr. Damos served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Weitz Company from 2006-2010 and Vertical Growth Officer from 2004-2006. From 2000-2004, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of Weitz Company. From 2005-2008, Mr. Damos served as a director of West Bank. Through his education, experience as a director of Principal Funds and employment experience, Mr. Damos is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.

Mark A. Grimmett. Mr. Grimmett has served as a Trustee and Lead Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2014 and Director of PFI and PVC since 2004. He is a Certified Public Accountant. From 1996-2015, Mr. Grimmett served as the Chief Financial Officer for Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc. Through his service as a director of Principal Funds, his education and his employment experience, Mr. Grimmett is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.

Fritz S. Hirsch. Mr. Hirsch has served as a Trustee of the Trust since 2014 and Director of PFI and PVC since 2005. From 1983-1985, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Sassy, Inc. From 1986-2009, Mr. Hirsch served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Sassy, Inc. From 2011-2015, Mr. Hirsch served as CEO of MAM USA. Through his experience as a director of the Principal Funds and employment experience, Mr. Hirsch is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.

Tao Huang. Mr. Huang has served as a Trustee of the Trust since 2014 and Director of PFI and PVC since 2012. From 1996-2000, Mr. Huang served as Chief Technology Officer of Morningstar, Inc. and from 1998-2000 as President of the International Division of Morningstar. From 2000-2011, Mr. Huang served as Chief Operating Officer of Morningstar. Through his education and employment experience, Mr. Huang is experienced with technology, financial, regulatory and investment matters.

Karen (“Karrie”) McMillan. Ms. McMillan has served as a Trustee of the Trust since 2014 and Director of PFI and PVC since 2014. From 2007-2014, Ms. McMillan served as general counsel to the Investment Company Institute. Prior to that (from 1999-2007), she worked as an attorney in private practice, specializing in the mutual fund industry. From 1991-1999, she served in various roles as counsel at the Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Investment Management, including as Assistant Chief Counsel. Through her professional education and experience as an attorney, she is experienced in financial, investment and regulatory matters.

Elizabeth A. Nickels. Ms. Nickels has served as a Trustee of the Trust since 2015 and Director of PFI and PVC since 2015. Ms. Nickels currently serves as a director of SpartanNash. From 2008 to 2017, she served as a director of the not-for-profit Spectrum Health Systems; from 2014 to 2016, she served as a director of Charlotte Russe; from 2014 to 2015, she served as a director of Follet Corporation; and from 2013 to 2015, she served as a director of PetSmart. Ms. Nickels was formerly employed by Herman Miller, Inc. in several capacities: from 2012 to 2014, as the Executive Director of the Herman Miller Foundation; from 2007 to 2012, as President of Herman Miller Healthcare; and from 2000 to 2007, as Chief Financial Officer. Through her education and employment experience, she is experienced with financial, accounting and regulatory matters.

Mary M. (“Meg”) VanDeWeghe. Ms. VanDeWeghe has served as a Trustee of the Trust and Director of PFI and PVC since 2018. She is CEO and President of Forte Consulting, Inc., a management and financial consulting firm, and was previously employed as a Finance Professor at Georgetown University from 2009-2016, Senior Vice President - Finance at Lockheed Martin Corporation from 2006-2009, a Finance Professor at the University of Maryland from 1996-2006, and in various positions at J.P. Morgan from 1983-1996. Ms. VanDeWeghe served as a director of Brown Advisory from 2003-2018, B/E Aerospace from 2014-2017, WP Carey from 2014-2017, and Nalco (and its successor Ecolab) from 2009-2014. Through her education and employment experience, and her experience as a director, she is experienced with financial, investment and regulatory matters.

Interested Trustees

Michael J. Beer. Mr. Beer has served as a Trustee of the Trust since 2013 and Director of PFI and PVC since 2012. Mr. Beer has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Trust, PFI and PVC since 2015. Mr. Beer previously served as Executive Vice President of PFI and PVC (2001-2015) and the Trust (2014-2015). Mr. Beer also served as Executive Vice President (2008-2015), Chief Operating Officer (2008-2015) and director of Principal Management Corporation ("PMC") (2006-2017), prior to PMC's merger with and into Principal Global Investors, LLC ("PGI"). Mr. Beer has also served as the President and a director of PSI and PSS. Mr. Beer serves as Executive Director - Funds and Director of PGI. Prior to working for PMC, Mr. Beer worked for Wells Fargo and Deloitte Touche. Through his education and employment experience, Mr. Beer is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.

Timothy M. Dunbar. Mr. Dunbar has served as Chair and Trustee of the Trust and as Chair and Director of PFI and PVC since 2019. Mr. Dunbar serves as President of Global Asset Management for Principal ^® , overseeing all of Principal’s asset management capabilities, including with respect to PGI, PLIC, and PFSI, among others. He also serves on numerous boards of directors of Principal ^® subsidiaries, including PGI and Post. He has served in various other positions since joining Principal ^® in 1986. Through his education and employment experience, Mr. Dunbar is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory, and investment matters.

Patrick G. Halter. Mr. Halter has served as a Trustee of the Trust and Director of PFI and PVC since 2017. Mr. Halter also serves as Chief Executive Officer, President and director of PGI, and Chief Executive Officer and Chair of Principal Real Estate Investors ("Principal - REI"). He has served in various other positions since joining Principal ^® in 1984. Through his education and employment experience, Mr. Halter is experienced with financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters.

Risk oversight forms part of the Board's general oversight of the Trust and is addressed as part of various Board and Committee activities. As part of its regular oversight of the Trust, the Board, directly or through a Committee, interacts with and reviews reports from, among others, Fund management, sub-advisors, the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust, and internal auditors for PGI or its affiliates, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Trust. The Board, with the assistance of Fund management and PGI, reviews investment policies and risks in connection with its review of the Trust's performance. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer who oversees the implementation and testing of the Trust's compliance

program and reports to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Trust and its principal service providers. In addition, as part of the Board's periodic review of the Trust's advisory, sub-advisory, and other service provider agreements, the Board may consider risk management aspects of their operations and the functions for which they are responsible. With respect to valuation, the Board oversees a PGI valuation committee and has approved and periodically reviews valuation policies applicable to valuing the Trust's shares.

The Board has established the following committees and the membership of each committee to assist in its oversight functions, including its oversight of the risks the Trust faces.

Committee membership is identified on the following pages. Each committee must report its activities to the Board on a regular basis. As used in this SAI, the “Fund Complex” refers to all series of the Trust, PFI and PVC.

15(c) Committee

The Committee’s primary purpose is to assist the Board in performing the annual review of the Trust’s advisory and sub-advisory agreements pursuant to Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act. The Committee responsibilities include requesting and reviewing materials. The 15(c) Committee held five meetings during the last fiscal year.

Audit Committee

The primary purpose of the Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling certain of its responsibilities. The Audit Committee serves as an independent and objective party to monitor the Fund Complex's accounting policies, financial reporting and internal control system, as well as the work of the independent registered public accountants. The Audit Committee assists Board oversight of 1) the integrity of the Fund Complex's financial statements; 2) the Fund Complex's compliance with certain legal and regulatory requirements; 3) the independent registered public accountants' qualifications and independence; and 4) the performance of the Fund Complex's independent registered public accountants. The Audit Committee also provides an open avenue of communication among the independent registered public accountants, the Manager's internal auditors, Fund Complex management, and the Board. The Audit Committee held seven meetings during the last fiscal year.

Executive Committee

The Committee's primary purpose is to exercise certain powers of the Board when the Board is not in session. When the Board is not in session, the Committee may exercise all powers of the Board in the management of the business of the Fund Complex except the power to 1) issue stock, except as permitted by law; 2) recommend to the stockholders any action which requires stockholder approval; 3) amend the bylaws; or 4) approve any merger or share exchange which does not require stockholder approval. The Executive Committee held no meetings during the last fiscal year.

Nominating and Governance Committee

The Committee’s primary purpose is to oversee the structure and efficiency of the Board and the committees established by the Board. The Committee responsibilities include evaluating Board membership and functions, committee membership and functions, insurance coverage, and legal matters. The nominating functions of the Nominating and Governance Committee include selecting and nominating all candidates who are not "interested persons" of the Fund Complex for election to the Board. Generally, the Committee requests trustee nominee suggestions from the committee members and management. In addition, the Committee will consider Trustee candidates recommended by shareholders of the Fund Complex. Recommendations should be submitted in writing to Principal Exchange-Traded Funds at 711 High Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50392. When evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as an Independent Trustee, the Committee will generally consider, among other factors: age; education; relevant business experience; geographical factors; whether the person is "independent" and otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a trustee; and whether the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for attendance at meetings and the performance of the duties of an independent trustee. The Committee also meets personally with the nominees and conducts a reference check. The final decision is based on a combination of factors, including the strengths and the experience an individual may bring to the Board. The Committee believes the Board generally benefits from diversity of background, experience and views among its members, and considers these factors in evaluating the composition of the Board. The Board does not use regularly the services of any professional search firms to identify or evaluate or assist in identifying or evaluating potential candidates or nominees. The Nominating and Governance Committee held five meetings during the last fiscal year.

Operations Committee

The Committee's primary purpose is to oversee the provision of administrative and distribution services to the Fund Complex, communications with the Fund Complex's shareholders, and review and oversight of the Fund Complex's operations. The Operations Committee held four meetings during the last fiscal year.

Management Information

The following table presents certain information regarding the Trustees of the Trust, including their principal occupations which, unless specific dates are shown, are of more than five years duration. In addition, the table includes information concerning other directorships held by each Trustee in reporting companies under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or registered investment companies under the 1940 Act. Information is listed separately for those Trustees who are “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust (the “Interested Trustees”) and those Trustees who are Independent Trustees. All Trustees serve also serve as directors for the other investment companies sponsored by Principal Life Insurance Company (“Principal Life”): PFI and PVC.

The following Trustees are considered to be Independent Trustees.

Name, Address, and Year of Birth	Position(s) Held with the Trust and Length of Time Served as Trustee	Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years	Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee	Other Directorships Held by Trustee During Past 5 Years
Elizabeth Ballantine 711 High Street Des Moines, IA 50392 1948	Trustee (since 2014) Member Nominating and Governance Committee	Principal, EBA Associates (consulting and investments)	131	Durango Herald, Inc.; McClatchy Newspapers, Inc.
Leroy T. Barnes, Jr. 711 High Street Des Moines, IA 50392 1951	Trustee (since 2014) Member, Audit Committee	Retired	131	McClatchy Newspapers, Inc.; Herbalife Ltd.; Frontier Communications, Inc.
Craig Damos 711 High Street Des Moines, IA 50392 1954	Trustee (since 2014) Member 15(c) Committee Member Audit Committee	President, C.P. Damos Consulting LLC	131	None
Mark A. Grimmett 711 High Street Des Moines, IA 50392 1960	Lead Independent Trustee, Trustee (since 2014) Member 15(c) Committee Member Executive Committee Member Nominating and Governance Committee	Formerly, Executive Vice President and CFO, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc. (cosmetics manufacturing)	131	None
Fritz S. Hirsch 711 High Street Des Moines, IA 50392 1951	Trustee (since 2014) Member 15(c) Committee Member Operations Committee	Formerly CEO, MAM USA (manufacturer of infant and juvenile products).	131	MAM USA
Tao Huang 711 High Street Des Moines, IA 50392 1962	Trustee (since 2014) Member 15(c) Committee Member Operations Committee	Retired	131	Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (manufacturing) and Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc.
Karen (“Karrie”) McMillan 711 High Street Des Moines, IA 50392 1961	Trustee (since 2014) Member Operations Committee	Managing Director, Patomak Global Partners, LLC (financial services consulting). Formerly, General Counsel, Investment Company Institute	131	None
Elizabeth A. Nickels 711 High Street Des Moines, IA 50392 1962	Trustee (since 2015) Member Audit Committee	Formerly Executive Director, Herman Miller Foundation; Formerly President Herman Miller Healthcare	131	SpartanNash; formerly: Charlotte Russe, Follet Corporation, PetSmart, Spectrum Health Systems
Mary M. (“Meg”) VanDeWeghe 711 High Street Des Moines, IA 50392 1959	Trustee (since 2018) Member Operations Committee	CEO and President, Forte Consulting, Inc. (financial and management consulting)	131	Denbury Resources Inc. and Helmerich & Payne; Formerly: Brown Advisory; B/E Aerospace; WP Carey; Nalco (and its successor Ecolab)

The following Trustees are considered to be Interested Trustees because they are affiliated persons of Principal Global Investors, LLC (“PGI” or the “Manager”).

**   Abbreviations used: