09/12/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/12/2025 11:43
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Summary Prospectus |
Allspring Innovation Fund
Class A - WFSTX; Class C - WFTCX; Institutional Class - WFTIX |
Link to Prospectus |
Link to SAI |
Effective at the close of business on September 29, 2025, Class C of the Fund will be closed to new investors and additional investments from existing shareholders. Effective on or about the close of business on November 14, 2025, all Class C shares of the Fund will automatically convert to Class A shares of the Fund.
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's prospectus, reports to shareholders and other information about the Fund online at allspringglobal.com/reports. You can also get information at no cost by calling 1-800-222-8222, or by sending an email request to [email protected]. The current prospectus ("Prospectus") and statement of additional information ("SAI"), dated August 1, 2025, as supplemented from time to time, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus. The Fund's SAI may be obtained, free of charge, in the same manner as the Prospectus.
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses
These tables are intended to help you understand the various costs and expenses you will pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the aggregate in specified classes of certain Allspring Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in "Share Class Features" and "Reductions and Waivers of Sales Charges" on pages 33 and 34 of the Prospectus and "Additional Purchase and Redemption Information" on page 75 of the Statement of Additional Information. Investors who purchase through certain intermediaries may be subject to different sales charge discounts than those outlined shares in these sections. Please see Appendix A on page 53 for further information.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
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A |
C |
Institutional |
|
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) |
5.75% |
None |
None |
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |
None1 |
1.00% |
None |
1. | Investments of $1 million or more are not subject to a front-end sales charge but generally will be subject to a deferred sales charge of 1.00% if redeemed within 18 months from the date of purchase. |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)1 |
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A |
C |
Institutional |
|
Management Fees |
0.80% |
0.80% |
0.80% |
Distribution (12b-1) Fees |
0.00% |
0.75% |
0.00% |
Other Expenses |
0.50% |
0.50% |
0.18% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
1.30% |
2.05% |
0.98% |
Fee Waivers |
(0.08)% |
(0.08)% |
(0.08)% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers2 |
1.22% |
1.97% |
0.90% |
1. | Expenses have been adjusted as necessary from amounts incurred during the Fund's most recent fiscal year to reflect current fees and expenses. |
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2. | The Manager has contractually committed through July 31, 2026, to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to cap Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver at 1.22% for Class A, 1.97% for Class C and 0.90% for Institutional class. Brokerage commissions, stamp duty fees, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the expense cap. Prior to or after the commitment expiration date, the cap may be increased or the commitment to maintain the cap may be terminated only with the approval of the Board of Trustees. |
Example of Expenses
The example below is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in other funds. The example assumes a $10,000 initial investment, 5% annual total return, and that fees and expenses remain the same as in the tables above. To the extent that the Manager is waiving fees or reimbursing expenses, the example assumes that such waiver or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Allspring Innovation Fund |
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Assuming you sold your shares, you would pay: |
After 1 Year |
After 3 Years |
After 5 Years |
After 10 Years |
Class A |
$692 |
$956 |
$1,240 |
$2,046 |
Class C |
$300 |
$635 |
$1,096 |
$2,373 |
Institutional Class |
$92 |
$304 |
$534 |
$1,194 |
Assuming you held your shares, you would pay: |
After 1 Year |
After 3 Years |
After 5 Years |
After 10 Years |
Class C |
$200 |
$635 |
$1,096 |
$2,373 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 35% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, we invest:
■ | at least 80% of the Fund's net assets in equity securities; and |
■ | up to 25% of the Fund's total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers, including up to 15% of the Fund's total assets in equity securities of emerging markets issuers, directly or through ADRs and similar investments. |
Under normal circumstances, we invest primarily in equity securities of companies of any market capitalization that we believe offer the potential for capital growth and are relevant to the Fund's investment theme of innovation. We believe that companies relevant to this theme are those that derive a portion of their revenue from technology products or services, which we believe offers companies attractive opportunities for future growth through technological innovation. In selecting from this universe, we seek to identify companies that have, among other characteristics, the ability to develop or benefit from new products, services, or technological advancements that disrupt, or are expected to disrupt, existing markets or processes. We believe such companies can foster technological advancements to maximize efficiencies, establish pricing advantages, and gain market share from competitors. We believe innovation found in companies on the "right side of change" is often mispriced in today's public equity markets and is a frequent signal or anomaly that we seek to exploit through our investment process. An important criteria for "right side of change" companies is that they are benefitting from changes in technological, demographic, lifestyle, or environmental trends. These companies will generally be part of the following industries or sectors: computer, software, communications equipment and services, internet retail, semi-conductor, health care, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, defense and aerospace, energy equipment and services, nanotechnology, electric manufacturing services, transaction and payment processing services, information technology or communication services.
We may also invest in equity securities of foreign issuers, including emerging market issuers, through ADRs and similar investments. In order to capture opportunities from the broadening impact of innovation, we do not limit the fund's exposure to any single industry or sector. We may invest in any sector, and at times the Fund may emphasize one or more particular sectors, and because we retain the flexibility to invest in a relatively small number of stocks, the Fund is also considered to be non-diversified. The Fund will invest at least 25% of the Fund's assets in the technology sector.
We seek to identify companies that have the prospect for strong sales and earnings growth rates, that enjoy a competitive advantage (for example, dominant market share) and that we believe have effective management with a history of making investments that are in the best interests of shareholders (for example, companies with a history of
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earnings and sales growth that are in excess of total asset growth). We pay particular attention to how management teams allocate capital in order to drive future cash flow. This includes the allocation of human capital, financial capital, and social capital. We believe successful allocation of such resources has a correlation with key indicators of future performance. In addition to meeting with management, we take a surround-the-company approach by surveying a company's vendors, distributors, competitors and customers to obtain multiple perspectives that help us make better investment decisions. Portfolio holdings are continuously monitored for changes in fundamentals. Price objectives are determined based on industry-specific valuation methodologies, including relative price-to-earnings multiples, price-to-book value, operating profit margin trends, enterprise value to EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and free cash flow yield. The team seeks a favorable risk/reward relationship to fair valuation, which we define as the value of the company (i.e., our price target for the stock) relative to where the stock is currently trading.
Principal Investment Risks
An investment in the Fund may lose money, is not a deposit of a bank or its affiliates, is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, and is primarily subject to the risks briefly summarized below.
Market Risk. The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to general market conditions or other factors, including those directly involving the issuers of such securities. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments.
Equity Securities Risk. The values of equity securities may experience periods of substantial price volatility and may decline significantly over short time periods. In general, the values of equity securities are more volatile than those of debt securities. Equity securities fluctuate in value and price in response to factors specific to the issuer of the security, such as management performance, financial condition, and market demand for the issuer's products or services, as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic and political conditions. Different parts of a market, industry and sector may react differently to adverse issuer, market, regulatory, political, and economic developments.
Technology Sector Risk. A Fund that concentrates its investments in the technology sector may be more susceptible to financial, economic or market events impacting the technology sector than a fund that invests its assets more broadly. Specifically, such investments may experience greater volatility due to rapid product cycles and significant competitive pressures, and products or processes may become obsolete at a faster pace than for other companies.
Non-Diversification Risk. A Fund that is considered "non-diversified" under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, is more vulnerable to market or economic events impacting issuers of individual portfolio securities than a "diversified" fund. Default by the issuer of an individual security in such a Fund's portfolio may have a greater negative effect on the Fund's return or net asset value than it would on the return or net asset value of a "diversified" fund.
Emerging Markets Risk. Emerging market securities typically present even greater exposure to the risks described under "Foreign Investment Risk" and may be particularly sensitive to global economic conditions. Emerging market securities are also typically less liquid than securities of developed countries and could be difficult to sell, particularly during a market downturn.
Foreign Investment Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to lower liquidity, greater price volatility and risks related to adverse political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Foreign investments may involve exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and may be subject to higher withholding and other taxes.
Growth/Value Investing Risk. Securities that exhibit growth or value characteristics tend to perform differently and shift into and out of favor with investors depending on changes in market and economic sentiment and conditions.
Management Risk. Investment decisions, techniques, analyses or models implemented by a Fund's manager or sub-adviser in seeking to achieve the Fund's investment objective may not produce expected returns, may cause the Fund's shares to lose value or may cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives.
Smaller Company Securities Risk. Securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations tend to be more volatile and less liquid than those of larger companies.
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Performance
The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year. The Fund's average annual total returns are compared to the performance of one or more indices. Past performance before and after taxes is no guarantee of future results. Current month-end performance is available on the Fund's website at www.allspringglobal.com.
Calendar Year Total Returns for Class A as of 12/31 each year |
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Highest Quarter: |
+35.51% |
Lowest Quarter: |
-26.34% |
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Year-to-date total return as of June 30, 2025 is +8.40% |
Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended 12/31/2024 (returns reflect applicable sales charges)1 |
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Inception Date of Share Class |
1 Year |
5 Year |
10 Year |
|
Class A (before taxes) |
9/18/2000 |
9.67% |
11.46% |
14.13% |
Class A (after taxes on distributions) |
9/18/2000 |
7.74% |
7.68% |
10.63% |
Class A (after taxes on distributions and the sale of Fund Shares) |
9/18/2000 |
7.25% |
8.52% |
10.71% |
Class C (before taxes) |
9/18/2000 |
14.46% |
11.94% |
14.13% |
Institutional Class (before taxes) |
10/31/2016 |
16.68% |
13.13% |
15.12% |
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
25.02% |
14.53% |
13.10% |
1. | Historical performance shown for the Institutional Class shares prior to their inception reflects the performance of the former Administrator Class shares, and is not adjusted to reflect the Institutional Class expenses. If these expenses had been included, returns for the Institutional Class shares would be higher. |
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state, local or foreign taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to tax-exempt investors or investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) Plans or Individual Retirement Accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class of shares. After-tax returns for any other class will vary.
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Fund Management
Manager |
Sub-Adviser |
Portfolio Manager, Title/Managed Since |
Allspring Funds Management, LLC |
Allspring Global Investments, LLC |
Nicholas Birk, Portfolio Manager / 2024 |
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
In general, you can buy or sell shares of the Fund online or by mail, phone or wire on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open for regular trading. You also may buy and sell shares through a financial professional, or if applicable, your retirement plan sponsor.
Eligibility requirements may vary by class; please see "Share Class Eligibility" in the Prospectus for more information.
Minimum Investments |
Additional Investments |
|
Class A and Class C |
Regular Accounts: $1,000 |
Regular Accounts, IRAs, IRA Rollovers, Roth IRAs: $100 |
Institutional Class |
$1 million (this amount may be reduced or eliminated for certain eligible investors) |
None |
To Buy or Sell Shares |
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Class A, Class C, and Institutional Class |
Mail: Allspring Funds |
Tax Information
Any distributions you receive from the Fund may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan. However, subsequent withdrawals from such a tax-advantaged investment plan may be subject to federal income tax. You should consult your tax adviser about your specific tax situation.
Payments to Intermediaries
If you purchase a Fund through an intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the intermediary and your financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Consult your financial professional or visit your intermediary's website for more information.
Link to Prospectus |
Link to SAI |
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©2025 Allspring Global Investments Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved. |
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