The Portfolio invests primarily in investment grade securities, but may invest up to 20% of its assets in high yield securities ("junk bonds") rated B or higher by Moody's Investor Services ("Moody's"), or equivalently rated by Standard & Poor's ("S&P") or Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch") or, if unrated, determined by PIMCO to be of comparable quality (except that within such 20% limitation, the Portfolio may invest in mortgage-related securities rated below B). In the event that ratings services assign different ratings to the same security, PIMCO will use the highest rating as the credit rating for that security. The Portfolio may invest, subject to applicable law, without limit in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, securities denominated in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, and U.S. dollar denominated securities of foreign issuers. The Portfolio may invest without limit in investment grade sovereign debt denominated in the relevant country's local currency with less than 1 year remaining to maturity ("short-term investment grade sovereign debt"), including short-term investment grade sovereign debt issued by emerging market issuers. The Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its total assets in securities of issuers economically tied to "emerging market" countries other than investments in short-term investment grade sovereign debt issued by emerging market issuers, where as noted above there is no limit.
The Portfolio may invest in instruments of any maturity. The average portfolio duration of the Portfolio is expected to vary and may range anywhere from relatively short (e.g., less than two years) to relatively long (e.g., more than ten years) based on PIMCO's forecast for interest rates.
The Portfolio may invest without limit in derivative instruments, such as options, futures contracts or swap agreements, which may relate to fixed income securities, interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates, commodities, real estate and other assets, and related indices. Although the Portfolio may invest in derivatives of any kind, it expects to invest in futures contracts, swaps and forward foreign currency contracts and to write (sell) put and call options on securities for hedging, risk management or other purposes, including for the purpose or having the effect of creating leverage. The Portfolio may lend its securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions to earn income. The Portfolio may, without limitation, seek to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls).
The Portfolio will not change its policy to, under normal circumstances, invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in U.S. and foreign fixed income instruments unless the Portfolio provides shareholders with the notice required by Rule 35d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as it may be amended or interpreted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") from time to time (the "1940 Act").
Principal Risks
It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. The principal risks of investing in the Portfolio, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return, are listed below:
Interest Rate Risk:the risk that fixed income securities will fluctuate in value because of a change in interest rates; a portfolio with a longer average portfolio duration will be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than a portfolio with a shorter average portfolio duration
Credit Risk:the risk that the Portfolio could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a fixed income security, or the counterparty to a derivative contract, or the issuer or guarantor of collateral, is unable or unwilling, or is perceived (whether by market participants, rating agencies, pricing services or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to meet its financial obligations
Market Risk:the risk that the value of securities owned by the Portfolio may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries
Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investment Risk:the risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a portfolio that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, increased risk of delayed settlement of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates of portfolio securities, and the risk of unfavorable foreign government actions, including nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, diplomatic developments or the imposition of sanctions and other similar measures. Foreign securities may also be less liquid and more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers
Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk:the risks of investing in mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, including interest rate risk, extension risk, prepayment risk and credit risk. The Portfolio may invest in any tranche or mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, including junior and/or equity tranches (to the extent consistent with the other of the Portfolio's guidelines), which generally carry higher levels of the foregoing risks
Emerging Markets Risk:the risk of investing in emerging market securities, primarily increased foreign (non-U.S.) investment risk
Focused Investment Risk:the risk that, to the extent that the Portfolio focuses its investments in a particular sector, it may be susceptible to loss due to adverse developments affecting that sector. Furthermore, the Portfolio may invest a substantial portion of its assets in companies in related sectors that may share common characteristics, are often subject to similar business risks and regulatory burdens, and whose securities may react similarly to market developments, which will subject the Portfolio to greater risk. The Portfolio also will be subject to focused investment risk to the extent that it invests a substantial portion of its assets in a particular issuer, market, asset class, country or geographic region
Derivatives Risk:the risk of investing in derivative instruments (such as forwards, futures, swaps and structured securities) and other similar investments, including leverage, liquidity, interest rate, market, counterparty (including credit), operational, legal and management risks, and valuation complexity. Changes in the value of a derivative or