bottom-up research is generated by a team of skilled analysts specifically dedicated to the U.S. real estate investment trust ("REIT") sector. The subadviser's investment philosophy is built upon the belief that security selection has a higher probability of repeatability and success in different market environments. Accurately forecasting companies' future cash flow growth can help drive strong returns and benchmark outperformance. Additionally, identifying stocks that are dislocated from the market on relative fundamental and valuation bases can also help generate returns.
The Portfolio is non-diversified, which means that it may invest its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified portfolio. The Portfolio, from time to time, may have significant investments in one or more countries or in particular sectors.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Portfolio
As with any mutual fund, there can be no assurance that the Portfolio's investment goal will be met or that the net return on an investment in the Portfolio will exceed what could have been obtained through other investment or savings vehicles. Shares of the Portfolio are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by any bank, government entity or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. If the value of the assets of the Portfolio goes down, you could lose money.
The following is a summary of the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio.
Equity Securities Risk. The Portfolio invests principally in equity securities and is therefore subject to the risk that stock prices will fall and may underperform other asset classes. Individual stock prices fluctuate from day-to-day and may decline significantly.
Real Estate Industry Risk. The Portfolio is subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate. These risks include declines in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, fluctuations in rental income, changes in neighborhood values, changes in the appeal of properties to tenants and increases in interest rates. The Portfolio also could be subject to the risks of direct ownership as a result of a default on a debt security it may own. If the Portfolio has rental income or income from the disposition of real property, the receipt of such income may adversely affect its ability to retain its tax status as a regulated investment company. Most of the Portfolio's investments are, and
likely will continue to be, interests in REITs. REITs may be leveraged, which increases risk.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Portfolio is organized as a "non-diversified" fund. A non-diversified fund may invest a larger portion of assets in the securities of a single company than a diversified fund. By concentrating in a smaller number of issuers, the Portfolio's risk may be increased because the effect of each security on the Portfolio's performance is greater.
Sector or Industry Focus Risk. To the extent the Portfolio invests a significant portion of its assets in one or more sectors or industries at a time, the Portfolio will face a greater risk of loss due to factors affecting sectors or industries than if the Portfolio always maintained wide diversity among the sectors and industries in which it invests.
Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons directly related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer's goods and services.
Management Risk. The Portfolio is subject to management risk because it is an actively-managed investment portfolio. The Portfolio's portfolio managers apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions or the individual securities selected by the portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
Market Risk. The Portfolio's share price or the market as a whole can decline for many reasons or be adversely affected by a number of factors, including, without limitation: weakness in the broad market, a particular industry, or specific holdings; adverse political, regulatory or economic developments in the United States or abroad; changes in investor psychology; heavy institutional selling; military confrontations, war, terrorism and other armed conflicts, disease/virus outbreaks and epidemics; recessions; taxation and international tax treaties; currency, interest rate and price fluctuations; and other conditions or events. In addition, the subadviser's assessment of securities held in the Portfolio may prove incorrect, resulting in losses or poor performance even in a rising market.
Affiliated Fund Rebalancing Risk. The Portfolio may be an investment option for other mutual funds for which SunAmerica Asset Management, LLC ("SunAmerica") serves as investment adviser that are managed as "funds of funds." From time to time, the Portfolio may experience relatively large redemptions or investments due to the rebalancing of a fund of funds. In the event of such