for companies that have some or all of the following attributes:
•a presence in expanding industries
•a superior and pragmatic growth strategy
•proprietary products, processes or services
•a potential for above-average unit and earnings growth
In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund has the discretion to purchase some securities that do not meet its normal investment criteria. In particular, the Fund may invest in companies that are not now "blue chip" companies, but which the Fund's investment adviser believes have the potential to become "blue chip" companies. These include:
•leading companies in smaller industries
•lesser known companies moving from a lower to a higher market share position within their industry group
The Fund's investment adviser will generally sell a portfolio security when the investment adviser believes:
•the security has achieved its value potential
•changing fundamentals signal a deteriorating value potential
•other securities have a better performance potential
While this sell discipline may result in higher annual portfolio turnover rates for the Fund, it also causes the Fund to keep seeking better alternatives.
Principal Risks
Investors in the Fund may lose money. There are risks associated with investments in the types of securities in which the Fund invests. These risks include:
•Market Risk - The prices of the securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. The impact of any epidemic, pandemic or natural disaster, or widespread fear that such events may occur, could also negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial performance of individual companies and sectors, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. The risk of trade disputes with other countries, the possibility of changes to some international trade agreements, and government or regulatory actions, including the
imposition of tariffs or other protectionist actions, could affect the economies of many nations, including the United States, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. The price declines of common stocks, in particular, may be steep, sudden and/or prolonged. Price and liquidity changes may occur in the market as a whole, or they may occur in only a particular company, industry, sector, or geographical region of the market. These effects could negatively impact the Fund's performance.
•Growth Investing Risk - The investment adviser may be wrong in its assessment of a company's potential for growth and the growth stocks the Fund holds may not grow as the investment adviser anticipates. Finally, there are periods when investing in growth stocks falls out of favor with investors and these stocks may underperform.
•Technology Companies Risk - Technology companies may be subject to greater business risks and may be more sensitive to changes in economic conditions than other companies. The earnings of technology companies may fluctuate more than those of other companies because of short product cycles (technological obsolescence) and competitive pricing. Finally, there are periods when investing in stocks of technology companies falls out of favor with investors and these stocks may underperform.
•Consumer Discretionary Companies Risk - The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of the overall domestic and international economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence. The earnings of such companies may also be closely tied to disposable household income and consumer spending.
•Medium Capitalization Companies Risk - There is a risk that the securities of medium capitalization companies may have limited liquidity and greater price volatility than securities of large capitalization companies, which can negatively affect the Fund's ability to sell these securities at quoted market prices.
•Smaller Capitalization Companies Risk - Small capitalization companies typically have relatively lower revenues, limited product lines and lack of management depth, and may have a smaller share of the market for their products or services, as compared to large and medium capitalization companies. There is a risk that the securities of small capitalization companies may have limited liquidity and greater price