deficits, consumer confidence and low domestic
consumption, currency volatility, certain corporate structural weaknesses, an unstable financial sector, government policy, an aging demographic, a declining population and/or geopolitical conflicts,
including with neighboring countries. The performance of the global economy could have a major
impact upon equity returns in Japan. Japan has also experienced natural disasters, such as
earthquakes and tsunamis, of varying degrees of severity, which could negatively affect the Fund’s investments.
Large Shareholder Transactions Risk. The Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund.
Such large shareholder redemptions, which may occur rapidly or unexpectedly, may cause the
Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may
negatively impact the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash or
otherwise maintains a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase
transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in the Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense
ratio.
Management Risk. A strategy used by the Investment Adviser may fail to produce the intended results. The Investment Adviser attempts to execute a complex strategy for the
Fund using proprietary quantitative models. Investments selected using these models may perform
differently than expected as a result of the factors used in the models, the weight placed on
each factor, changes from the factors’ historical trends, and technical and other issues in the construction, implementation and maintenance of the models (including, for example, data problems, unauthorized changes
and/or software issues). There is no guarantee that the Investment Adviser’s use of these quantitative models will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund. Additionally, commonality of holdings
across quantitative money managers may amplify losses.
Market Risk. The value of the securities in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular sectors, governments or
countries and/or general economic conditions throughout the world due to increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets. Events such as war, military conflict, geopolitical disputes, acts
of terrorism, social or political unrest, natural disasters, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes, supply chain disruptions, tariffs and other restrictions on trade, sanctions or the spread of
infectious illness or other public health threats, or the threat or potential of one or more such events and developments, could also significantly impact the Fund and its investments.
Option Writing Risk. Writing (selling) call options limits the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market value of stocks in exchange for up-front cash (the
premium) at the time of selling the call
option. In a sharp rising market, the Fund could significantly underperform the market. Furthermore,
premium received from the Fund’s call option writing strategies may not fully protect it against market declines because the Fund will continue to bear the risk of a decline in the value of its portfolio
securities. In a sharply-falling equity market, the Fund will likely also experience sharp declines in its NAV.
Stock Risk. Stock prices have historically risen and fallen in periodic cycles. U.S. and foreign stock markets
have experienced periods of substantial price volatility in the past and may do so again in
the future.
Tax-Managed Investment Risk. Because the Investment Adviser balances investment considerations and tax considerations, the pretax
performance of the Fund may be lower than the performance of similar funds that are not
tax-managed. Even though tax-managed strategies are being used, they may not reduce the amount of taxable income and capital gains distributed by the Fund to shareholders. A high percentage of the Fund’s NAV may
consist of unrealized capital gains, which represent a potential future tax liability to
shareholders.
The bar chart and table below provide an indication of the risks of
investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund’s Class P
Shares from year to year; and (b) how the average annual total returns of the Fund’s Class P Shares compare to those of broad-based securities market indices. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the
Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost at am.gs.com or by calling the appropriate phone number on the back cover of the Prospectus.
Performance reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the periods shown.
During the periods shown in the chart above:
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