The Portfolio may invest in emerging markets but will normally limit such investments to
20% of its net assets, measured at the time of purchase. The adviser normally invests the Portfolio’s assets primarily in foreign common stocks
and American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and other depositary receipts. While the adviser normally allocates the Portfolio’s assets across
different countries and regions, the Portfolio may invest a relatively large percentage of its assets in a single country, a small number of countries,
or a particular geographic region. The Portfolio invests primarily in large capitalization companies, but may invest in companies of any size. Although the Portfolio primarily invests its assets in issuers located outside the U.S., it also invests in U.S. issuers.
Growth companies, as defined by the adviser, are those
included in a third-party growth index or classified as a growth company by a third-party vendor or those that exhibit certain financial characteristics
(e.g., projected earnings per share growth, sales growth per share, free cash flow growth, or trailing earnings per share growth; research and
development expenses relative to other expenses; or capital investments to grow or expand its business) determined by the adviser to indicate the
company has above-average growth potential (e.g., sales, revenue or earnings growth that may outpace peer averages or the overall market). For this
purpose, a third-party growth index is an index developed, calculated, and maintained by a third-party that measures the performance of growth stocks. In buying and selling securities for the Portfolio, the adviser relies on fundamental analysis, which involves a “bottom up” assessment of a company’s potential for success in light of factors such as its financial condition, earnings outlook, strategy, management, industry position, and economic and market conditions. While the Portfolio does not seek to focus its investments in any particular sector, the Portfolio may at times have a relatively high percentage of its assets invested in a particular sector as a result of the adviser’s stock selection process.
The Portfolio may reduce or sell its position in a
particular holding when the adviser believes a stock is fully valued, the conditions upon which the adviser based its original investment thesis no longer holds true,
or due to portfolio construction considerations.
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.
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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.
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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, and other similar depositary receipts, 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 or other depositary receipts. 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.
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Emerging Markets Risk – Investing in emerging market securities increases
foreign investing risk, and may subject the Portfolio to more rapid and extreme changes in the value of its holdings compared with investments made in U.S. securities
or in foreign, developed countries. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to political, economic, legal, market, and currency risks. Emerging market securities trade in smaller markets which may experience significant price and market volatility, fluctuations in currency values, interest rates and commodity prices, higher transaction costs, and the increased likelihood of the occurrence of trading difficulties, such as delays in executing, clearing and settling Portfolio transactions or in receiving payment of dividends. Special risks associated with investments in emerging market issuers may include a lack of publicly available information, a lack of uniform disclosure, accounting, financial reporting, and recordkeeping standards, and more limited investor protection provisions when compared with developed economies. Emerging market risks also may include unpredictable and changing political, economic and tax policies, the imposition of capital controls and/or foreign investment limitations by a country, nationalization of businesses, and the imposition of sanctions or restrictions in certain investments by other countries, such as the United States.
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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.
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Foreign Currency Risk – The risk that foreign (non-U.S. dollar) currency denominated securities, or derivatives that provide exposure to foreign currencies, may be adversely affected by decreases in foreign currency values relative to the U.S. dollar. Investments in securities subject to foreign currency risk may have more rapid and extreme changes in value or more losses than investments in U.S. dollar denominated securities.