In managing the Portfolio, the adviser allocates the Portfolio’s assets across a
variety of industries, selecting companies in each industry based on the research of a team of global industry analysts. The Portfolio typically seeks
to maintain representation in each major industry represented by broad-based, large cap U.S. equity indices.
In analyzing a prospective investment for the Portfolio,
the adviser utilizes a “bottom-up” approach, which is the use of fundamental analysis to identify specific securities for purchase or sale.
Fundamental analysis of a company involves the assessment of a variety of factors, including the company’s business environment, management
quality, balance sheet, income statement, anticipated earnings, revenues and dividends, and other related measures or indicators of valuation and growth
potential. The Portfolio’s sector exposures generally conform with the sector weights present in the Portfolio’s benchmark index and as a
result, in combination with the Portfolio’s reliance on fundamental company analysis, and based upon market or economic conditions, the Portfolio
may at times have a relatively high percentage of its assets invested in a particular sector of the market, such as the information technology sector. Further, the Portfolio may hold and maintain large positions in a single or small number of securities as a result of the adviser’s investment strategy.
The Portfolio invests primarily in U.S. common stocks. Up to 20% of the Portfolio’s net assets may be invested in foreign based companies listed on foreign exchanges, either directly or through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). The Portfolio may also invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs).
The Portfolio may sell a security for a variety of reasons, including a significant adverse change in the company’s business fundamentals, if the company has become significantly overvalued in terms of earnings, assets or growth prospects, or more attractive alternatives exist.
Portfolio shares will rise and fall in value and there is a risk you could lose money by investing in the Portfolio. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio will achieve its objective. The main risks of investing in this
Portfolio are identified below.
•
Active Management Risk – The adviser’s investment strategies and
techniques may not perform as expected which could cause the Portfolio to underperform other mutual funds or lose money.
•
ADR Risk – ADRs are receipts representing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer held by a U.S. bank or similar financial institution that entitle the holder to dividends and capital gains on the underlying foreign shares. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. They are subject to many of the risks associated with direct investments in foreign securities, such as currency risk, political and economic risk and market risk, because their values depend on the performance of the non-dollar denominated underlying foreign securities. The Portfolio is also subject to fees and the credit risk of the financial institution holding the ADRs. ADRs may be “sponsored,” meaning that they are implemented by a financial institution in collaboration with the issuing foreign company, or “unsponsored,” meaning that the financial institution created the instrument without the sponsorship or direct involvement of the foreign company. Differing registration requirements apply to each type of ADR. ADRs may transact on exchanges or on over-the-counter markets (“OTC”). Conducting transactions in OTC markets may result in higher costs, a lack of pricing transparency and lower liquidity when compared with exchange-based transactions. Risks associated with different ADR types will vary, based upon differences in registration, reporting and disclosure requirements that apply to such ADRs and the characteristics of the market in which transactions for the particular ADR are conducted.
•
Equity Securities Risk – The value of equity securities, such as common stocks, could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Portfolio is invested in declines or if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate. Equity securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed income securities.
•
Foreign Investing Risk – Investing in foreign securities may subject the
Portfolio to more rapid and extreme changes in value or more losses than a fund that invests exclusively in U.S. securities. This risk is due to potentially smaller
markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political and economic conditions, or diplomatic developments. Foreign securities may be adversely affected by decreases in foreign currency values relative to the U.S. dollar and may be less liquid, more volatile, and harder to value than U.S. securities.
•
Investment Style Risk – A portfolio managed using a particular style of investing, such as growth or value or a combination of both, may underperform when the market does not favor the particular style used by the Portfolio. Different investment styles tend to shift in and out of favor, depending on market conditions and investor sentiment.
•
Large Cap Company Risk – Investing in large cap stocks could cause the Portfolio to underperform in markets favoring faster
growing companies. Large cap stocks tend to be more mature with fewer opportunities to grow and may not have the same growth potential as stocks with smaller capitalizations.
•
Large Position Risk – Based upon the implementation of the adviser’s investment strategy, although the Portfolio is considered “diversified” under applicable law, the Portfolio may hold and maintain large positions in a single or small number of securities. From time to time, such holdings may, on an aggregate basis, constitute a considerable percentage of Portfolio assets. As a result, the Portfolio’s performance could be significantly affected by changes in the value of a single security or small number of securities, and holding such positions may increase the overall volatility of Portfolio performance.