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. 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 166.06% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities issued by large capitalization companies. Equity securities in which the Fund invests are primarily common stock. The Fund may also invest in equity securities of companies that are located outside the United States.
The subadviser invests in stocks using a dynamic, multidimensional investment process that combines human insight and intuition, finance and behavioral theory, and quantitative and statistical techniques. The subadviser's security evaluation process focuses on modeling a large number of stocks and proprietary factors, using financial statements, security analyst forecasts, corporate management signals, economic releases, and security prices. This investment approach is intended to seek diversification across market inefficiencies, securities, industries, and sectors, while managing known risk exposures relative to the S&P 500 Index. The range of models is designed to allow the portfolio to be diversified across exposures to numerous potential opportunities. Nevertheless, the Fund may invest in any economic sector and, at times, emphasize one or more particular industries or sectors.
The subadviser generally considers selling a stock when the return prediction generated by its models, adjusted for risk and expected transaction costs, is notably surpassed by another stock's return prediction. Partial sales may occur when the subadviser's investment process determines that these transactions could benefit portfolio performance or when, as a result of market action, a position has grown to a size that impinges on portfolio risk or liquidity limitations. Sales may also occur under special circumstances; for example, if a company agrees to be acquired, and trades as a merger arbitrage situation, its stock may be sold. Sales can be triggered when necessary valuation data are no longer available; for example, if all security analysts drop coverage of a stock, the position may be sold. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities.
Principal Risks
The Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective.
As with any fund, the value of the Fund's investments-and therefore, the value of Fund shares-may fluctuate. These changes may occur because of:
Equity securities risk- stock markets are volatile. The price of an equity security fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition and overall market and economic conditions.
Market risk - the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. This occurs due to numerous factors, including interest rates, the outlook for corporate profits, the health of the national and world economies, and the fluctuation of other securities markets around the world. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy.
Selection risk - the risk that the securities selected by the Fund's subadviser will underperform the markets, the relevant indexes or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies.
Quantitative analysis strategy risk - the success of the Fund's investment strategy depends in part on the effectiveness of the subadviser's quantitative tools for screening securities. These strategies may incorporate factors that are not predictive of a security's value. Additionally, a previously successful strategy may become outdated or inaccurate, possibly resulting in losses.
Sector risk - investments in particular industries or sectors may be more volatile than the overall stock market. Therefore, if the Fund emphasizes one or more industries or economic sectors, it will be more susceptible to financial, market or economic events affecting the particular issuers and industries participating in such sectors than funds that do not emphasize particular industries or sectors.
Model and data risk - the Fund's subadviser relies heavily on quantitative models and information and data supplied or made available by third parties ("Models and Data"). Models and Data are used to construct sets of transactions and investments and, to provide risk management insights.