The Portfolio Managers employ a research driven approach to stock selection, with a long term perspective that combines both quantitative analysis and qualitative judgment. The Portfolio Managers generally seek to identify what they believe to be faster-growing companies or quality growth companies with key attributes that may include characteristics such as attractive sales growth, higher earnings visibility, or competitive returns on equity relative to their peers. In doing so, the Portfolio Managers analyze such factors as: balance sheet metrics; profit margin profiles; market share and competitive leadership of the company's products; sales; cash flow and earnings growth relative to competitors; and market valuation in comparison to a stock's own historical norms and the stocks of other large-capitalization companies.
As part of their fundamental investment analysis the Portfolio Managers consider environmental, social and governance factors they believe are financially material to individual investments, where applicable. While this analysis is inherently subjective and may be informed by both internally generated and third-party metrics, data and other information, the Portfolio Managers believe that the consideration of financially material environmental, social and governance factors, alongside traditional financial metrics, may enhance the Fund's overall investment process. The consideration of environmental, social and governance factors does not apply to certain instruments, such as certain derivative instruments, other registered investment companies, cash and cash equivalents. The consideration of environmental, social and governance factors as part of the investment process does not mean that the Fund pursues a specific "impact" or "sustainable" investment strategy.
The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it can invest more of its assets in fewer companies than a diversified fund. Although the Fund invests primarily in domestic stocks, it may also invest in stocks of foreign companies.
The Fund may also use options, including, but not limited to, buying and selling (writing) put and call options on individual stocks, to attempt to enhance returns. The Fund will only sell (write) call options on individual stocks if it simultaneously holds an equivalent position in the stock underlying the option ("covered call option").
The Fund seeks to reduce risk by investing across many companies, sectors and industries. At times, the Portfolio Managers may emphasize certain sectors or industries that they believe may benefit from market or economic trends.
The Portfolio Managers follow a disciplined selling strategy that utilizes a process analyzing macroeconomic and/or security-specific circumstances, and may sell a security when it reaches a target price, if a company's business fails to perform as expected, or when other opportunities appear more attractive.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS
Most of the Fund's performance depends on what happens in the stock market, the Portfolio Managers' evaluation of those developments, and the success of the Portfolio Managers in implementing the Fund's investment strategies. The market's behavior can be difficult to predict, particularly in the short term. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its goal. The Fund may take temporary defensive and cash management positions; to the extent it does, it will not be pursuing its principal investment strategies.
The actual risk exposure taken by the Fund in its investment program will vary over time, depending on various factors including the Portfolio Managers' evaluation of issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. There can be no guarantee that the Portfolio Managers will be successful in their attempts to manage the risk exposure of the Fund or will appropriately evaluate or weigh the multiple factors involved in investment decisions, including issuer, market and/or instrument-specific analysis, valuation and financially material environmental, social and governance factors.
The Fund is not a bank deposit, and is not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.
Each of the following risks, which are described in alphabetical order and not in order of any presumed importance, can significantly affect the Fund's performance. The relative importance of, or potential exposure as a result of, each of these risks will vary based on market and other investment-specific considerations.
Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. To the extent that the Fund invests in securities or other instruments denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, changes in currency exchange rates could adversely impact investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time and can be affected unpredictably by various factors, including investor perception and changes in interest rates; intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks, or supranational entities; or by currency controls or political or regulatory developments in the U.S. or abroad.