The Fund may invest in debt instruments of any maturity and does not seek to maintain a particular dollar-weighted average maturity.
The Fund may invest in privately placed and other securities or instruments that are purchased and sold pursuant to Rule 144A or other exemptions under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, subject to certain regulatory restrictions.
The Fund may invest in derivatives, such as futures (including interest rate futures) to manage duration and yield curve exposure and to manage exposure to movements in interest rates.The Fund's use of derivatives creates leverage (market exposure in excess of the Fund's assets) in the Fund's portfolio.
The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Such securities may include mortgage-backed securities acquired or sold in the "to be announced" (TBA) market and those in a dollar roll transaction.
The Fund's investment strategy may involve the frequent trading of portfolio securities.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund involves risks, including Mortgage- and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk, Interest Rate Risk, Changing Distribution Level Risk, Credit Risk, and Market Risk, among others. Descriptions of these and other principal risks of investing in the Fund are provided below. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and you may lose money. The value of the Fund's holdings may decline, and the Fund's net asset value (NAV) and share price may go down. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The significance of any specific risk to an investment in the Fund will vary over time depending on the composition of the Fund's portfolio, market conditions, and other factors. You should read all of the risk information below carefully, because any one or more of these risks may result in losses to the Fund.
Active Management Risk. Due to its active management, the Fund could underperform its benchmark index and/or other funds with similar investment objectives and/or strategies.
Changing Distribution Level Risk. The Fund normally expects to receive income which may include interest, dividends and/or capital gains, depending upon its investments. The distribution amounts paid by the Fund will vary and generally depend on the amount of income the Fund earns (less expenses) on its portfolio holdings, and capital gains or losses it recognizes. A decline in the Fund's income or net capital gains arising from its investments may reduce its distribution level.
Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty to a transaction in a financial instrument held by the Fund or by a special purpose or structured vehicle invested in by the Fund may become insolvent or otherwise fail to perform its obligations. As a result, the Fund may obtain no or limited recovery of its investment, and any recovery may be significantly delayed.
Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that the value of debt instruments may decline if the issuer thereof defaults or otherwise becomes unable or unwilling, or is perceived to be unable or unwilling, to honor its financial obligations, such as making payments to the Fund when due. Credit rating agencies, such as S&P Global Ratings, Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (Moody's), Fitch Ratings, Inc. (Fitch), Morningstar DBRS (DBRS) and Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA), assign credit ratings to certain debt instruments to indicate their credit risk. A rating downgrade by such agencies can negatively impact the value of such instruments. Lower-rated or unrated instruments held by the Fund may present increased credit risk as compared to higher-rated instruments. Non-investment grade debt instruments may be subject to greater price fluctuations and are more likely to experience a default than investment grade debt instruments and therefore may expose the Fund to increased credit risk. If the Fund purchases unrated instruments, or if the ratings of instruments held by the Fund are lowered after purchase, the Fund will depend on analysis of credit risk more heavily than usual.
Derivatives Risk. Derivatives may involve significant risks. Derivatives are financial instruments with a value in relation to, or derived from, the value of an underlying asset(s) or other reference, such as an index, rate or other economic indicator (each an underlying reference). Derivatives may include those that are privately placed or otherwise exempt from SEC registration, including certain Rule 144A eligible securities. Derivatives could result in Fund losses if the underlying reference does not perform as anticipated. Use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that can involve investment techniques, risks, and tax planning different from those associated with more traditional investment instruments. The Fund's derivatives strategy may not be successful and use of certain derivatives could result in substantial, potentially unlimited, losses to the Fund regardless of the Fund's actual investment. A relatively small movement in the price, rate or other economic indicator associated with the underlying reference may result in substantial losses for the Fund. Derivatives may be more volatile than other types of investments. The value of derivatives may be influenced by a variety of factors, including national and international