07/30/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/30/2021 11:23

Filing by Investment Company (SEC Filing - 497K)

NORTHERN FUNDS Small Cap Core Fund

Summary Prospectus | July 31, 2021		Class K-NSCKX, Class I-NSGRX

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's complete Prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's complete Prospectus, reports to shareholders, and other information about the Fund online at northerntrust.com/prospectus. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 800-595-9111 or by sending an e-mail request to [email protected]. If you purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), the complete Prospectus and other information are also available from your financial intermediary. The Fund's complete Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, both dated July 31, 2021, as supplemented, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus and may be obtained, free of charge, at the website, phone number or e-mail address noted above.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation. Any income received is incidental to this objective.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Class K shares or Class I shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a financial intermediary for transactions in Class K or Class I shares, which are not reflected in the tables or the examples below.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
		Class K			Class I
Management Fees			0.47%			0.47%
Other Expenses			0.10%			0.20%
Transfer Agent Fees			0.04%			0.04%
Service Fees			None			0.10%
Other Operating Expenses			0.06%			0.06%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses			0.57%				0.67%
Expense Reimbursement(1)			(0.08)%				(0.08)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement(1)			0.49%			0.59%

(1)

Northern Trust Investments, Inc. ('NTI' or the 'Investment Adviser') has contractually agreed to reimburse a portion of the operating expenses of each of the Class K and Class I shares of the Fund (other than certain excepted expenses, i.e., Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses, service fees, as applicable, the compensation paid to each Independent Trustee of the Trust, expenses of third party consultants engaged by the Board of Trustees, membership dues paid to the Investment Company Institute and Mutual Fund Directors Forum, expenses in connection with the negotiation and renewal of the revolving credit facility, extraordinary expenses and interest) to the extent the 'Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses' exceed 0.49%. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before July 31, 2022 without the approval of the Board of Trustees

EXAMPLE

The following Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in Class K shares and Class I shares of the

Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Class K shares or Class I shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the expense reimbursement arrangement for one year). 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 K			$50				$175				$310				$706
Class I			$60				$206				$365				$827

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 and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. For the fiscal period from July 31, 2020 (commencement of share class operations) through March 31, 2021, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 26.59% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

In seeking long-term capital appreciation, the Fund will invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of small capitalization companies. Small capitalization companies generally are considered to be those whose market capitalization is, at the time the Fund makes an investment, within the range of the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000^® Index. Companies whose capitalization no longer meets this definition after purchase may continue to be considered small capitalization companies.

Using a quantitative analysis to evaluate financial data, NTI buys securities of small capitalization companies that it believes have favorable characteristics such as earnings quality and/or competitive returns on equity relative to their peers. The team may sell securities in order to maintain the desired portfolio characteristics of the Fund. In determining whether a company has favorable characteristics, NTI uses an evaluation process that includes, but is not limited to:

∎

Quantitative review of fundamental factors such as earnings metrics and capital deployment; and

∎

Systematic evaluations of new securities with attractive attributes and re-evaluations of portfolio holdings.

NTI also performs a risk management analysis in which NTI seeks to measure and manage risk exposures at the security, sector and portfolio levels through portfolio diversification. Final purchase decisions are made based on a quantitative review of each company and on the desired level of diversification.

Many of the companies in which the Fund invests retain their earnings to finance current and future growth. These companies generally pay little or no dividends. The Fund may use derivatives such as stock index futures contracts to equitize cash and enhance portfolio liquidity.

From time to time the Fund may focus its investments (i.e., invest more than 15% of its total assets) in one or more particular sectors.

NTI may engage in active trading, and will not consider portfolio turnover a limiting factor in making decisions for the Fund.

Frank Russell Company does not endorse any of the securities in the Russell 2000 Index. It is not a sponsor of the Small Cap Core Fund and is not affiliated with the Fund in any way.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

As with any investment, you could lose all or part of your investment in the Fund, and the Fund's performance could trail that of other investments. The Fund is subject to certain risks, including the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ('NAV'), total return and ability to meet its investment objective. Each risk noted below is considered a principal risk of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. The significance of each risk factor below may change over time and you should review each risk factor carefully.

MARKET RISK is the risk that the value of the Fund's investments may increase or decrease in response to expected, real or perceived economic, political or financial events in the U.S. or global markets. The frequency and magnitude of such changes in value cannot be predicted. Certain securities and other investments held by the Fund may experience increased volatility, illiquidity, or other potentially adverse effects in response to changing market conditions, inflation, changes in interest rates, lack of liquidity in the bond or equity markets, volatility in the equity markets, market disruptions caused by local or regional events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness (including epidemics and pandemics) or other public health issues, recessions or other events or adverse investor sentiment or other political, regulatory, economic and social developments, and developments that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market. These risks may be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide due to increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets. Market risk includes the risk that a particular style of investing, such as growth or value, may underperform the market generally.

SMALL CAP STOCK RISK is the risk that stocks of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies. Small companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group, and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater the risk.

INVESTMENT STYLE RISK is the risk that different investment styles (e.g., 'growth', 'value' or 'quantitative') tend to shift in and out of favor, depending on market and economic conditions as well as investor sentiment. The Fund may outperform or underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but employ a different investment style. The Fund may also employ a combination of styles that impacts its risk characteristics.

∎

QUANTITATIVE INVESTING RISK is the risk that the value of securities or other investments selected using quantitative analysis can perform differently from the market as a whole or from their expected performance and the Fund may realize a loss. This may be as a result of the factors used in building a multifactor quantitative model, the weights placed on each factor, the accuracy of historical data utilized, and changing sources of market returns. Whenever a model is used, there is also a risk that the model will not work as planned.

MANAGEMENT RISK is the risk that a strategy used by the Fund's investment adviser may fail to produce the intended results or that imperfections, errors or limitations in the tools and data used by the investment adviser may cause unintended results.

SECTOR RISK is the risk that companies in similar businesses may be similarly affected by particular economic or market events, which may, in certain circumstances, cause the value of securities of all companies in a particular sector of the market to decrease.

∎

HEALTH CARE SECTOR RISK is the risk that health care companies may be negatively affected by scientific or technological developments, research and development costs, increased competition within the health care sector, rapid product obsolescence and patent expirations. The price of securities of health care companies may fluctuate widely due to changes in legislation or other government regulations, including uncertainty regarding health care reform and its long-term impact, reductions in government funding and the unpredictability of winning government approvals.

DERIVATIVES RISK is the risk that derivatives may pose risks in addition to and greater than those associated with investing directly in securities, currencies and other instruments, may be illiquid or less liquid, more volatile, more difficult to value and leveraged so that small changes in the value of the underlying instrument may produce disproportionate losses to the Fund. Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the transaction will not perform its contractual obligations. The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with investments in more traditional securities and instruments.

∎

FUTURES CONTRACTS RISK is the risk that there will be imperfect correlation between the change in market value of the Fund's securities and the price of futures contracts, which may result in the strategy not working as intended; the possible inability of the Fund to sell or close out a

futures contract at the desired time or price; losses due to unanticipated market movements, which potentially are unlimited; and the possible inability of the Fund's investment adviser to correctly predict the direction of securities' prices, interest rates, currency exchange rates and other economic factors, which may make the Fund's returns more volatile or increase the risk of loss.

As with any mutual fund, it is possible to lose money on an investment in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, any other government agency, or The Northern Trust Company, its affiliates, subsidiaries or any other bank.

FUND PERFORMANCE

The bar chart and table that follow provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing: (A) changes in the performance of the Fund from year to year and (B) how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to those of a broad-based securities market index.

The returns shown for periods ending prior to July 31, 2020 are those of the Shares Class shares of the Fund. Effective July 31, 2020, Shares Class shares of the Fund were converted into Class K shares and Class I shares. Prior to July 31, 2020, there were no Class K shares and Class I shares outstanding for the Fund. Class K and Class I shares' returns of the Fund will be different from the returns of the Shares Class shares' returns of the Fund as they have different expenses.

Effective February 17, 2010, the Fund's investment strategy changed from an active small cap growth investment strategy to a quantitative small cap core investment style. The performance shown prior to that date represents performance of the Fund's prior active small cap growth investment strategy.

The Fund's past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Updated performance information for the Fund is available and may be obtained on the Fund's website at northerntrust.com/funds or by calling 800-595-9111.

CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURN (CLASS K SHARES)*

* Year to date total return for the six months ended June 30, 2021 is 18.28%. For the periods shown in the bar chart above, the highest quarterly return was 28.37% in the fourth quarter of 2020, and the lowest quarterly return was (29.37)% in the first quarter of 2020.

The total return from January 1, 2011 through July 30, 2020 reflects the performance of the Fund's Shares Class. As of July 31, 2020, the Shares Class converted to Class I and Class K share classes. Performance information from July 31, 2020 through December 31, 2020 reflects that of the Fund's Class K share class.

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN

(For the periods ended December 31, 2020)

		Inception Date			1-Year			5-Year			10-Year			Since Inception
Class K Shares(1)			7/31/20
Returns before taxes				14.50	%			11.58	%			10.83	%			7.80	%
Returns after taxes on distributions				13.20	%			10.66	%			9.90	%			7.01	%
Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares				9.51	%			9.12	%			8.75	%			6.33	%
Class I Shares(2)			7/31/20				14.46	%			11.57	%			10.82	%			7.80	%
Russell 2000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)				19.96	%			13.26	%			11.20	%			8.91	%

(1)

Performance shown prior to the inception date is that of the Fund's Shares Class shares, which are no longer offered by the Fund, at net asset value ('NAV'). The inception date of the Fund's Shares Class is September 30, 1999. Performance reflects any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

(2)	Performance shown prior to the inception date is that of the Fund's Shares Class shares, which are no longer offered by the Fund, at NAV. The inception date of the Fund's Shares Class is September 30, 1999. Performance reflects any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

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 an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class K Shares. After-tax returns for other classes will vary.

In calculating the federal income taxes due on redemptions, capital gains taxes resulting from redemptions are subtracted from the redemption proceeds and the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from the redemptions are added to the redemption proceeds.

MANAGEMENT

INVESTMENT ADVISER AND PORTFOLIO MANAGERS. NTI, an indirect subsidiary of Northern Trust Corporation, serves as the investment adviser of the Small Cap Core Fund. Robert H. Bergson, CFA, Senior Vice President of NTI, has been a manager of the Fund since February 2010 and Michael R. Hunstad, PhD, Senior Vice President of NTI has been a manager of the Fund since July 31, 2020. The Northern Trust Company, an affiliate of NTI, serves as transfer agent, custodian and sub-administrator to the Fund.

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

You may purchase Class I shares of the Fund only through an authorized intermediary. There is no minimum initial or subsequent investment amounts for Class I shares imposed by the Fund.

You may purchase Class K shares of the Fund by opening an account directly with Northern Funds (the 'Trust') with a minimum initial investment of $2,500 in the Fund ($500 for an IRA; $250 under the Automatic Investment Plan; and $500 for employees of Northern Trust and its affiliates). The minimum subsequent investment is $50 for Class K shares (except for reinvestments of distributions for which there is no minimum). The Fund reserves the right to waive these minimums. You may also purchase Class K shares of the Fund through an account at Northern Trust (or an affiliate) or an authorized intermediary.

If you purchase, sell (redeem) or exchange Class K or Class I shares through an authorized intermediary, you may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the intermediary. In addition, an authorized intermediary may impose different investment minimums than those set forth above. The Fund is not responsible for any investment minimums imposed by authorized intermediaries or for notifying shareholders of any changes to them.

On any business day, you may sell (redeem) or exchange shares through your account by contacting your Northern Trust account representative or authorized intermediary. If you purchase shares directly from the Trust, you may sell (redeem) or exchange your shares in one of the following ways:

∎

By Mail - Send a written request to: Northern Funds, P.O. Box 75986, Chicago, Illinois 60675-5986.

∎

By Telephone - Authorize the telephone privilege on your New Account Application. Call 800-595-9111 to use the telephone privilege.

∎

By Wire - Authorize wire redemptions on your New Account Application and have proceeds sent by federal wire transfer to a previously designated bank account (the minimum redemption amount by this method is $250). You will be charged $15 for each wire redemption unless the designated bank account is maintained at Northern Trust or an affiliated bank. Call 800-595-9111 for instructions.

∎

By Systematic Withdrawal - If you own Class K shares of the Fund with a minimum value of $10,000, you may elect to have a fixed sum redeemed at regular intervals and distributed in cash or reinvested in the same share class of one or more other funds of the Trust that offers that share class. Call 800-595-9111 for an application form and additional information. The minimum amount is $250 per withdrawal.

∎

By Exchange - Complete the Exchange Privilege section of your New Account Application to exchange Class K shares of the Fund for the Class K shares or Shares class shares of another fund in the Trust. Class K shares being exchanged must have a value of at least $1,000 ($2,500 if a new account is being established by the exchange, $500 if the new account is an IRA). Call 800-595-9111 for more information.

∎

By Internet - You may initiate transactions between Northern Trust banking and Fund accounts by using Northern Trust Private Passport. For details and to sign up for this service, go to northerntrust.com/funds or contact your Relationship Manager.

TAX INFORMATION

The Fund's distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, capital gains, or a combination of the three, unless you are investing through a tax-exempt or tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Distributions may be taxable upon withdrawal from tax-advantaged accounts.

PAYMENTS TO BROKERS-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

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