GMO Trust

06/30/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/30/2026 14:31

Summary Prospectus by Investment Company (Form 497K)

GMO HIGH YIELD FUND
Summary Prospectus June 30, 2026
 
Share Class:
Class R6
Class I
Ticker:
-
GMOZX
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, statement of additional information and other information about the Fund online at https://www.gmo.com/americas/investment-capabilities/mutual-funds/. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1-617-346-7646, by sending an email request to [email protected], or by contacting your financial intermediary. The Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information, each dated June 30, 2026, each as may be revised and/or supplemented from time to time, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus.
Investment objective
Total return in excess of that of its benchmark, the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Index.
Fees and expenses
The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may bear for each class of shares if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Annual Fund operating expenses
(expenses that you bear each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) 
Class R6
Class I
Management fee
0.50%1
0.50%1
Other expenses
0.17%
0.27%2
Total annual fund operating expenses
0.67%
0.77%
Expense reimbursement/waiver
(0.21%)1
(0.30%)1,2
Total annual fund operating expenses after expense reimbursement/waiver
0.46%
0.47%
1 Includes both management fee of 0.35% and class-specific shareholder service fee, if any, for each class of shares. For additional information about the shareholder service fee applicable to each class of shares of the Fund, please see the table included in the section of the Prospectus entitled "Multiple Classes and Eligibility." Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co. LLC ("GMO") has contractually agreed to waive its fees with respect to and/or reimburse the Fund to the extent that the Fund's total annual fund operating expenses (after applying all other contractual and voluntary expense limitation arrangements in effect at the time) exceed the following amounts for each class of shares, in each case representing the average daily net assets for the indicated class of shares: 0.35% for Class R6 shares and 0.35% for Class I shares (each, an "Expense Cap"). Fees and expenses of the "non-interested" Trustees and legal counsel to the "non-interested" Trustees, investment-related costs (such as brokerage commissions, interest, and acquired fund fees and expenses), payments out of assets attributable to Class I shares for sub-transfer agency, recordkeeping and other administrative services provided by financial intermediaries, borrowing and borrowing-related costs (such as expenses incurred in establishing and maintaining a credit facility), taxes, litigation and indemnification expenses, judgments, and other extraordinary or non-recurring expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund's business (collectively, "Excluded Expenses"), are excluded from the Expense Cap. GMO is permitted to recover from the Fund, on a class-by-class basis, expenses it has borne or reimbursed pursuant to an Expense Cap (whether through reduction of its fees or otherwise) to the extent that the Fund's total annual fund operating expenses (excluding Excluded Expenses) later fall below that Expense Cap or any lower expense limit in effect when GMO seeks to recover the expenses. The Fund, however, is not obligated to pay any such amount more than three years after GMO bore or reimbursed an expense. Any such recovery will not cause the Fund to exceed the Expense Caps set forth above or any lower expense limits as is in effect at the time GMO seeks to recover expenses. GMO also has contractually agreed to waive or reduce the Fund's management fees and shareholder service fees to the extent necessary to offset the management fees and shareholder service fees paid to GMO that are directly or indirectly borne by the Fund or a class of shares of the Fund as a result of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in other series of GMO Trust and GMO-managed ETFs ("GMO Funds"). Management fees and shareholder service fees will not be waived below zero. The reimbursement and waiver arrangements described above, including the Expense Cap, will remain in effect through at least June 30, 2027 and may not be terminated prior to this date without the action or consent of the Trust's Board of Trustees.
2 Includes payments for sub-transfer agency, recordkeeping and other administrative services provided by financial intermediaries for the benefit of Class I shareholders. GMO has contractually agreed to waive its fees with respect to and/or reimburse Class I shares to the extent that amounts paid by the Fund out of the net assets attributable to Class I shares for sub-transfer agency, recordkeeping and other administrative services provided by financial intermediaries for the benefit of Class I shareholders exceed 0.10% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class I shares. This reimbursement will continue through at least June 30, 2027 and may not be terminated prior to this date without the action or consent of the Trust's Board of Trustees.
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated, regardless of whether or not you redeem your shares at the end of such periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same as those shown in the table. The one year amounts shown reflect the expense reimbursement and waiver noted in the expense table. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be: 
 1 Year 
 3 Years 
 5 Years 
 10 Years 
Class R6
$47
$193
$352
$815
GMO HIGH YIELD FUND
 1 Year 
 3 Years 
 5 Years 
 10 Years 
Class I
$48
$216
$398
$926
Portfolio turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities. A higher portfolio turnover rate may result in higher transaction costs and, for holders of Fund shares subject to U.S. taxes, higher income taxes. These transaction costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During its fiscal year ended February 28, 2026, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate (excluding short-term investments) was 160% of the average value of its portfolio securities.
Principal investment strategies
The Fund's investment objective is total return (net of fees) in excess of the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Index. GMO seeks to achieve the Fund's investment objective by applying a systematic approach to portfolio construction. GMO's research-based investment process is designed to take advantage of structural inefficiencies GMO has identified within the high yield bond market by dynamically allocating Fund assets across high yield bond market sectors. GMO uses quantitative models, index sampling techniques and diversification, liquidity and cost management considerations to make investment decisions for the Fund.
The Fund invests in U.S. high yield bonds, commonly referred to as "junk bonds," and other instruments providing high yield bond exposure, including fallen angel bonds (bonds originally issued as investment grade that have since been downgraded to below investment grade), short-dated bonds (bonds with short terms to maturity), exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), and swaps on high yield bond indices (such as the credit default swap index (CDX) and the Fund's benchmark) and ETFs. The Fund may sell (write) put options and take short positions on the CDX and other high yield bond indices. The Fund also may invest in non-U.S. high yield bonds and other instruments providing non-U.S. high yield bond exposure. In addition, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities.
In addition to the bonds and derivative instruments indicated above, the Fund may invest in a wide variety of exchange-traded and over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives for investment exposure or hedging purposes, including, without limitation, reverse repurchase agreements, repurchase agreements, options, futures, swap contracts, swaptions, and foreign currency contracts. The Fund is not limited in its use of derivatives or in the total notional value of its derivative positions. Leverage is not a principal component of the Fund's investment strategy. However, because of its derivative positions, the Fund may at times have gross investment exposure in excess of its net assets (i.e., the Fund may be leveraged) and, therefore, may be subject to higher risk of loss during those times than if the Fund were not leveraged. The Fund's performance can depend substantially on the performance of assets or indices underlying its derivatives even though it does not own those assets or indices.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests directly and indirectly (e.g., through derivatives and ETFs) at least 80% of its assets in high yield bonds (see "Name Policies"). The term "bond" includes (i) obligations of an issuer to make payments on future dates of principal, interest (whether fixed or variable) or both and (ii) synthetic debt instruments created by GMO by investing in derivatives. "High yield bonds" generally include those bonds rated BB+ and lower by S&P Global Ratings or Ba1 and lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. They also may include unrated bonds that GMO determines are of similar quality to bonds with those ratings.
The Fund also may invest in U.S. Treasury Fund, in money market funds unaffiliated with GMO, directly in the types of investments typically held by money market funds, and in fixed income securities issued by non-U.S. developed countries and their agencies and instrumentalities.
Principal risks of investing in the Fund
The value of the Fund's shares changes with the value of the Fund's investments. Many factors can affect this value, and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency. References to investments include those held directly by the Fund and indirectly through the Fund's investments in any underlying funds in which it invests. The Fund is a non-diversified investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and therefore a decline in the market price of a particular security held by the Fund may affect the Fund's performance more than if the Fund were a diversified investment company. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. For a more complete discussion of these risks, including those risks to which the Fund is exposed as a result of its investments in any underlying funds, see "Additional Information about the Funds' Investment Strategies, Risks, and Expenses" and "Description of Principal Risks."
●
Management and Operational Risk - The Fund runs the risk that GMO's investment techniques will fail to produce intended results. GMO uses quantitative models as part of its investment process. GMO's models may not accurately predict future market movements. In addition, GMO's models rely on assumptions and data that are subject to limitations (e.g., inaccuracies, staleness) that could adversely affect their predictive value. The Fund also runs the risk that GMO's assessment of an investment, including a security's fundamental fair (or intrinsic) value, is wrong or that deficiencies in GMO's or another service provider's internal systems or controls will cause losses for the Fund or impair Fund operations.
2
GMO HIGH YIELD FUND
●
Market Risk - Fixed Income - The market price of a fixed income investment can decline due to market-related factors, including rising interest or inflation rates and widening credit spreads, or decreased liquidity due, for example, to market uncertainty about the value of a fixed income investment (or class of fixed income investments).
●
Credit Risk - The Fund runs the risk that the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income investment (including a sovereign or quasi-sovereign debt issuer) or the obligor of an obligation underlying an asset-backed security will be unable or unwilling to satisfy its obligation to pay principal and interest or otherwise to honor its obligations in a timely manner or at all. The market price of a fixed income investment will normally decline as a result of the failure of an issuer, guarantor, or obligor to meet its payment obligations or in anticipation of such a failure. Below investment grade investments (commonly referred to as high yield or "junk" bonds) have speculative characteristics and are subject to greater credit risk than other fixed income investments. Negative changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to impair the ability of issuers of below investment grade investments to make principal and interest payments than issuers of investment grade investments. Investments in distressed or defaulted or other low quality debt investments generally are considered speculative and are subject to substantial risks not normally associated with investments in higher quality securities, including adverse business, financial or economic conditions that lead to their issuers' payment defaults and insolvency proceedings. In particular, distressed or defaulted obligations might be repaid, if at all, only after lengthy workout or bankruptcy proceedings during which the issuer might not make any interest or other payments, and the Fund may incur additional expenses in its effort to be repaid. If GMO's assessment of the eventual recovery value of a distressed or defaulted debt investment proves incorrect, the Fund may lose a substantial portion or all of its original investment or may be required to accept cash or instruments worth less than its original investment.
●
Derivatives and Short Sales Risk - The use of derivatives involves the risk that their value may not change as expected relative to changes in the value of the underlying assets, pools of assets, rates, currencies or indices. Derivatives also present other risks, including market risk, illiquidity risk, currency risk, credit risk, leveraging risk, commodities risk and counterparty risk. The market price of an option is affected by many factors, including changes in the market prices or dividend rates of underlying securities (or in the case of indices, the securities in such indices); the time remaining before expiration; changes in interest rates or exchange rates; and changes in the actual or perceived volatility of the relevant index or underlying securities. The Fund typically creates short investment exposure by selling securities short or by taking a derivative position in which the value of the derivative moves in the opposite direction from the price of an underlying asset, pool of assets, rate, currency or index. Specifically, the net asset value of the Fund's shares will be adversely affected if the securities or other assets that are the subject of the Fund's short exposures appreciate in value. The risk of loss associated with derivatives that provide short investment exposure and short sales of securities is theoretically unlimited.
●
Illiquidity Risk - Low trading volume, lack of a market maker, large position size, or legal restrictions increase the risk that the Fund or an underlying fund is limited or prevented from selling particular securities or closing derivative positions at desirable prices at a particular time or at all.
●
Focused Investment Risk - Investments in countries, regions, asset classes, sectors, industries, currencies, or issuers that are subject to the same or similar risk factors and investments whose market prices are closely correlated are subject to higher overall risk than investments that are more diversified or whose market prices are not as closely correlated.
●
Counterparty Risk - The Fund runs the risk that the counterparty to a derivatives contract or a clearing member used by the Fund to hold a cleared derivatives contract is unable or unwilling to make timely settlement payments, return the Fund's collateral or otherwise honor its obligations.
●
Fund of Funds Risk - The Fund is indirectly exposed to all of the risks of an investment in the underlying funds in which it invests, including the risk that those underlying funds will not perform as expected.
●
Currency Risk - Fluctuations in exchange rates can adversely affect the market value of the Fund's foreign currency holdings and investments denominated in foreign currencies.
●
Market Disruption and Geopolitical Risk - Geopolitical and other events (e.g., wars, pandemics, sanctions, terrorism, diplomatic tensions, dramatic changes in regulatory and/or foreign policy, cyberattacks, and rapid technological developments such as artificial intelligence) often disrupt securities markets and adversely affect the general economy or particular economies and markets. Those events, as well as other changes in non-U.S. and U.S. economic and political conditions, could exacerbate other risks or otherwise reduce the value of the Fund's investments.
●
Non-U.S. Investment Risk - The market prices of many non-U.S. securities fluctuate more than those of U.S. securities. Many non-U.S. securities markets are less stable, smaller, less liquid, and less regulated than U.S. securities markets, and the cost of trading in those markets often is higher than in U.S. securities markets. In addition, non-U.S. securities issuers often are not subject to as much regulation as U.S. issuers, and the reporting, recordkeeping, accounting, custody, and auditing standards to which those issuers are subject often are not as rigorous as U.S. standards. In addition, the Fund is subject to taxation by countries other than the United States, including potentially on a retroactive basis, on (i) capital gains it realizes or dividends, interest, or other amounts it realizes or accrues in respect of non-U.S. investments; (ii) transactions in those investments; and (iii) repatriation of proceeds generated from the sale or other disposition of those investments. Also, the Fund needs a license to invest directly in securities
3
GMO HIGH YIELD FUND
traded in many non-U.S. securities markets, and the Fund is subject to the risk that its license is terminated or suspended. In some non-U.S. securities markets, prevailing custody and trade settlement practices (e.g., the requirement to pay for securities prior to receipt) expose the Fund to credit and other risks. Further, adverse changes in investment regulations, capital requirements or exchange controls could adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments. The risks above (such as substantial price fluctuations and market instability, illiquidity and lack of regulation) and other risks (e.g., nationalization, expropriation or other confiscation of assets of non-U.S. issuers, difficulties enforcing legal judgments or contractual rights and geopolitical risks) tend to be higher for investments in the securities of issuers tied economically to emerging countries. The economies of emerging countries often depend predominantly on only a few industries or commodities and often are more volatile than the economies of developed countries.
●
Large Transactions Risk - To the extent that a large number of shares of the Fund is held by a single shareholder (e.g., an institutional investor or another GMO Fund) or a group of shareholders with a common investment strategy (e.g., GMO asset allocation accounts), the Fund is subject to the risk that a redemption by (or caused by) that shareholder or group will require the Fund to sell investments at disadvantageous prices, disrupt the Fund's operations, lead to temporary overexposure to the Fund's intended investment program or force the Fund's liquidation. The Fund also may be subject to these effects when a number of shareholders collectively redeem or sell a large amount of Fund shares.
●
Leveraging Risk - The use of derivatives, short sales and securities lending can create leverage. Leverage increases the Fund's losses when the value of its investments (including derivatives) declines. In addition, the Fund's portfolio will be leveraged if it exercises its right to delay payment on a redemption and the value of the Fund's assets declines between the time a redemption request is treated as being received by the Fund and the time the Fund liquidates assets to fund that redemption.
●
Futures Contracts Risk - The loss to the Fund resulting from its use of futures contracts is potentially unlimited. Futures markets are highly volatile, and the use of futures contracts increases the volatility of the Fund's net asset value. A liquid market may not exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time, and the Fund may be unable when it wishes to terminate its exposure under that contract. When the Fund uses futures contracts for hedging purposes, it runs the risk that changes in the prices of the contracts will not correlate perfectly with changes in the securities, index, or other asset underlying the contracts or movements in the prices of the Fund's investments that are subject to the hedge. In addition, the Fund may be unable to recover or may be delayed in recovering margin or other amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant or futures clearinghouse. Foreign futures contracts are often less liquid and more volatile than U.S. futures contracts.
4
GMO HIGH YIELD FUND
Performance
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's annual total returns from year to year for the periods indicated and by comparing the Fund's average annual total returns for different calendar periods with those of the Fund's benchmark and a broad-based securities market index intended solely to represent, in satisfaction of regulatory requirements, the overall domestic fixed income market. Share classes not shown would have substantially similar annual returns to those below because all share classes invest in the same portfolio of securities. Annual returns vary among share classes to the extent that they bear different expenses. Share classes that bear higher expenses than the share classes shown below would have lower returns. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you are tax-exempt or if you hold your Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements (such as a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account). After-tax returns are shown for Class VI shares only; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. Updated performance information for the Fund is available at https://www.gmo.com/americas/investment-capabilities/mutual-funds/. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.
Annual Total Returns/Class VI Shares
Years Ending December 31
  
Highest Quarter:
7.50%
4Q 2023
Lowest Quarter:
-11.21%
1Q 2020
Year-to-Date:
-0.70%
As of
3/31/2026
Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ending December 31, 2025 
1 Year
5 Years
10 Years
Incept.
Class VI
6/25/2018
Return Before Taxes
9.39%
5.19%
N/A
5.93%
Return After Taxes on
Distributions
6.98%
1.54%
N/A
2.71%
Return After Taxes on
Distributions and Sale of Fund
Shares
5.55%
2.33%
N/A
3.12%
Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High
Yield Index (Fund benchmark)
(returns reflect no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes, but are net
of withholding tax on dividend
reinvestments)
8.83%
4.34%
N/A
5.07%
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate
Index (reflects no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes)
7.30%
-0.36%
N/A
2.10%
Class I
4/13/2023
Return Before Taxes
9.27%
N/A
N/A
9.19%
Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High
Yield Index (Fund benchmark)
(returns reflect no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes, but are net
of withholding tax on dividend
reinvestments)
8.83%
N/A
N/A
9.18%
Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate
Index (reflects no deduction for
fees, expenses, or taxes)
7.30%
N/A
N/A
3.86%
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser: Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co. LLC
Investment Team and Senior Members of GMO primarily responsible for portfolio management of the Fund: 
Investment Team
Senior Member (Length of Service with Fund)
Title
Structured Products
Joe Auth (since the Fund's inception in 2018)
Head, Developed Fixed Income, GMO.
Structured Products
Rachna Ramachandran (since 2023)
Portfolio Manager, Structured Products Team, GMO.
Purchase and sale of Fund shares
Under ordinary circumstances, you may purchase the Fund's shares on days when both (i) the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is open for business and (ii) the U.S. bond markets are also open for business. Purchase orders should be submitted directly to GMO Trust (the "Trust") or through a broker or agent authorized to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Funds' behalf. Investors who have entered into agreements with the Trust may purchase shares of the Fund through the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC").
Class R6 shares and Class I shares are available for purchase by (i) eligible retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans), (ii) section 529 plans, and (iii) other investors whose accounts are maintained by the Fund through third-party platforms or intermediaries. Purchases of Class R6 shares or Class I shares are not subject to any minimum dollar amount.
Fund shares are redeemable. Under ordinary circumstances, you may redeem the Fund's shares on days when both (i) the NYSE is open for business and (ii) the U.S. bond markets are also open for business. Redemption orders should be submitted directly to the Trust
5
GMO HIGH YIELD FUND
unless the Fund shares to be redeemed were purchased through a broker or agent, in which case the redemption order should be submitted to that broker or agent. Investors who have entered into agreements with the Trust may redeem shares of the Fund through the NSCC. For instructions on redeeming shares directly, call the Trust at 1-617-346-7646 or send an email to [email protected].
U.S. tax information
The Fund intends to qualify and be treated each year, as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") for U.S. federal income tax purposes and to distribute net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to shareholders. These distributions are taxable as ordinary income or capital gain to U.S. shareholders that are not exempt from U.S. income tax or that are not investing through a tax-advantaged account. U.S. shareholders who are investing through a tax-advantaged account may be taxed upon withdrawals from that account.
Financial intermediary compensation
The Fund makes payments out of the net assets attributable to Class I shares for sub-transfer agency, recordkeeping and other administrative services provided by financial intermediaries for the benefit of Class I shareholders. In addition, GMO pays brokers, agents, or other financial intermediaries for transfer agency and related services. These payments create a conflict of interest by creating a financial incentive for the broker, agent or other financial intermediary and salesperson to recommend the purchase of Fund shares over another investment. GMO also makes payments to financial intermediaries for the purchase of Fund shares, which creates a similar conflict of interest. Ask your salesperson or consult your financial intermediary's website for more information.
6
GMO Trust published this content on June 30, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via EDGAR on June 30, 2026 at 20:31 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]