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JULY 31, 2023 N-1A ADVISORS’ INNER CIRCLE FUND III

PROSPECTUS

August 1, 2023

 

 

GQG Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund

 

Investor Shares: GQGPX

Institutional Shares: GQGIX

R6 Shares: GQGRX

 

GQG Partners US Select Quality Equity Fund

 

Investor Shares: GQEPX

Institutional Shares: GQEIX

R6 Shares: GQERX

 

GQG Partners Global Quality Equity Fund

 

Investor Shares: GQRPX

Institutional Shares: GQRIX

R6 Shares: GQRRX

 

GQG Partners International Quality Dividend Income Fund

 

Investor Shares: GQJPX

Institutional Shares: GQJIX

 

GQG Partners US Quality Dividend Income Fund

 

Investor Shares: GQHPX

Institutional Shares: GQHIX

 

GQG Partners Global Quality Dividend Income Fund

 

Investor Shares: GQFPX

Institutional Shares: GQFIX

 

The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III

Investment Adviser:

GQG Partners LLC

 

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

About This Prospectus

 

This prospectus has been arranged into different sections so that you can easily review this important information. For detailed information about each Fund, please see:

 

 

   

Page

GQG Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund

1

Investment Objective

1

Fund Fees and Expenses

1

Principal Investment Strategies

2

Principal Risks

4

Performance Information

9

Investment Adviser

11

Portfolio Managers

12

GQG Partners US Select Quality Equity Fund

13

Investment Objective

13

Fund Fees and Expenses

13

Principal Investment Strategies

14

Principal Risks

16

Performance Information

21

Investment Adviser

22

Portfolio Managers

23

GQG Partners Global Quality Equity Fund

24

Investment Objective

24

Fund Fees and Expenses

24

Principal Investment Strategies

25

Principal Risks

28

Performance Information

33

Investment Adviser

35

Portfolio Managers

35

GQG Partners International Quality Dividend Income Fund

36

Investment Objective

36

Fund Fees and Expenses

36

Principal Investment Strategies

37

Principal Risks

40

Performance Information

47

Investment Adviser

48

Portfolio Managers

49

 

 

 

   

Page

GQG Partners US Quality Dividend Income Fund

50

Investment Objective

50

Fund Fees and Expenses

50

Principal Investment Strategies

51

Principal Risks

54

Performance Information

59

Investment Adviser

60

Portfolio Managers

61

GQG Partners Global Quality Dividend Income Fund

62

Investment Objective

62

Fund Fees and Expenses

62

Principal Investment Strategies

63

Principal Risks

66

Performance Information

73

Investment Adviser

74

Portfolio Managers

75

Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation

76

More Information about the Funds’ Investment Objectives and Strategies

78

More Information about Risk

79

Information about Portfolio Holdings

89

Investment Adviser

90

Portfolio Managers

92

Related Performance Data of the Adviser

93

Purchasing, Selling and Exchanging Fund Shares

99

Payments to Financial Intermediaries

110

Other Policies

112

Dividends and Distributions

116

Taxes

117

Additional Information

121

Financial Highlights

122

How to Obtain More Information About the Funds

Back Cover

 

 

 

GQGPX Investor Shares

GQGIX Institutional Shares

GQGRX R6 Shares

GQG Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund

 

Investment Objective

 

The GQG Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund (the “Emerging Markets Equity Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.

 

Fund Fees and Expenses

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell Investor Shares, Institutional Shares and R6 Shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

Investor
Shares

Institutional
Shares

R6
Shares

Management Fees

0.90%

0.90%

0.90%

Other Expenses

0.30%

0.08%

0.08%

Previously Waived Fees and/or Reimbursed Expenses Recovered1

0.01%

0.01%

0.01%

Shareholder Servicing Fees2

0.22%

None

None

Other Operating Expenses

0.07%

0.07%

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses3

1.20%

0.98%

0.98%

 

1

GQG Partners LLC (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other costs and expenses relating to the securities that are purchased and sold by the Fund, Shareholder Servicing Fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and non-routine expenses (collectively, “excluded expenses”)) from exceeding 0.98% of the average daily net assets of each of the Fund’s share classes until July 31, 2024 (the “contractual expense limit”). In addition, the Adviser may recoup all or a portion of its fee waivers or expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment to the extent that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) at the time of the recoupment are below the lower of (i) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement and (ii) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment. This agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III (the “Trust”), for any reason at any time; or (ii) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on July 31, 2024.

2 Shareholder Servicing Fees for Investor Shares have been restated to reflect amounts expected to be incurred during the current fiscal year.
3 The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses for Investor Shares in this fee table do not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s Financial Highlights because Shareholder Servicing Fees for Investor Shares have been restated to reflect amounts expected to be incurred during the current fiscal year.

 

1

 

 

 

Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in 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 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 (including one year of capped expenses in each period) remain the same. 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

Investor Shares

$122

$381

$657

$1,446

Institutional Shares

$100

$312

$539

$1,193

R6 Shares

$100

$312

$539

$1,193

 

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 total annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 88% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of emerging market companies. This investment policy may be changed by the Fund upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.

 

The equity securities in which the Fund invests are primarily publicly traded common stocks. For purposes of the Fund’s 80% investment policy, however, equity securities also include depositary receipts (including unsponsored depositary receipts and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)), which are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that represent ownership interests in securities of non-U.S. companies, and participation notes (“P-Notes”), which are derivative instruments designed to replicate equity exposure in certain

 

2

 

 

 

foreign markets where direct investment is either impossible or difficult due to local investment restrictions. The Fund may invest in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) and securities of companies with any market capitalization. The Fund may also invest in A Shares of companies based in the People’s Republic of China (“China”) that trade on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange through the Shanghai – Hong Kong and Shenzhen – Hong Kong Stock Connect programs (“Stock Connect”). Stock Connect is a mutual stock market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investments in China.

 

The Fund considers a company to be an emerging market company if: (i) at least 50% of the company’s assets are located in emerging market countries; (ii) at least 50% of the company’s revenue is generated in emerging market countries; (iii) the company is organized, conducts its principal operations, or maintains its principal place of business or principal manufacturing facilities in an emerging market country; (iv) the company’s securities are traded principally in an emerging market country; or (v) the Adviser otherwise believes that the company’s assets are exposed to the economic fortunes and risks of emerging market countries (because, for example, the Adviser believes that the company’s growth is dependent on emerging market countries). The Fund considers classifications by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the International Monetary Fund and the Fund’s benchmark index provider in determining whether a country is an emerging market country. Emerging market countries generally include every country in the world except the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and most of the countries in Western Europe. From time to time, the Fund may focus its investments in a particular country or geographic region.

 

In managing the Fund’s investments, the Adviser typically pursues a “growth style” of investing as it seeks to capture market inefficiencies which the Adviser believes are driven by investors’ propensity to be short-sighted and overly focused on quarter-to-quarter price movements rather than by a company’s fundamentals over a longer time horizon (5 years or more). The Adviser believes that this market inefficiency tends to lead investors to underappreciate the compounding potential of quality, growing companies. To identify this subset of companies, the Adviser generates investment ideas from a variety of sources, ranging from institutional knowledge and industry contacts, to the Adviser’s proprietary screening process that seeks to identify suitable companies based on several quality factors such as rates of return on equity and total capital, margin stability and profitability. Ideas are then subject to rigorous fundamental analysis as the Adviser seeks to identify and invest in companies that it believes reflect higher quality opportunities on a

 

3

 

 

 

forward-looking basis. Specifically, the Adviser seeks to buy companies that it believes are reasonably priced and have strong fundamental business characteristics and sustainable and durable earnings growth. The Adviser seeks to outperform peers over a full market cycle by seeking to capture market upside while limiting downside risk. For these purposes, a full market cycle can be measured from a point in the market cycle (e.g., a peak or trough) to the corresponding point in the next market cycle.

 

Many of the stocks in which the Fund invests may be considered to be “growth” stocks, in that they may have above-average rates of earnings growth and thus experience above-average increases in stock prices, subject to the Adviser’s criteria for quality. The Fund may also purchase stocks that would not fall into the traditional “growth” style box. In constructing the Fund’s portfolio of securities, the Adviser is not constrained by sector or industry weights in the Fund’s benchmark. The Fund may invest in any economic sector and, at times, emphasize one or more particular industries or sectors in the portfolio construction process. The Adviser relies on individual stock selection driven by a bottom-up research process rather than seeking to add value based on “top-down”, macro based criteria.

 

The Adviser may sell a company if the Adviser believes that the company’s long-term competitive advantage or relative earnings growth prospects have deteriorated, or the Adviser has otherwise lost conviction that the company reflects a higher quality opportunity than other available investments on a forward looking basis. The Adviser also may sell a company if the company has met its price target or is involved in a business combination, if the Adviser identifies a more attractive investment opportunity, or the Adviser wishes to reduce the Fund’s exposure to the company or a particular country or geographic region.

 

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

 

Principal Risks

 

As with all mutual funds, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency.

 

Equity Risk – Since it purchases equity securities, the Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices may fall over short or extended periods of time. Historically, the equity market has moved in cycles, and the value of the

 

4

 

 

 

Fund’s securities may fluctuate from day to day. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a decline in response. These factors contribute to price volatility, which is the principal risk of investing in the Fund.

 

Market Risk – The risk that the market value of an investment may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector or the market as a whole. Markets for securities in which the Fund invests may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Similarly, extraordinary events outside the control of the Fund, including acts of God (e.g., flood, earthquake, hurricane or other natural disaster), acts of war, the impact of any epidemic or pandemic or widespread fear that such events may occur, could negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial performance of individual companies and sectors, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

Emerging Markets Securities Risk – The Fund’s investments in emerging markets securities, including A Shares of Chinese companies purchased through Stock Connect, are considered speculative and subject to heightened risks in addition to the general risks of investing in foreign securities. Unlike more established markets, emerging markets may have less stable governments, less developed economies and their securities markets may be more concentrated and less liquid. In addition, the securities markets of emerging market countries may consist of companies with smaller market capitalizations and may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; and possible restrictions on repatriation of investment income and capital. In certain emerging markets, governments have historically exercised substantial control over the economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership. Future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization or creation of government monopolies.

 

Foreign Company Risk – Investing in foreign companies, including direct investments and investments through depositary receipts and P-Notes, poses additional risks since political and economic events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These risks will not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the U.S. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the regulatory controls imposed on U.S. issuers and, as a consequence, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign securities than is available about domestic securities. Income from foreign securities owned by the Fund may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source. Foreign securities may also be more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, periodic U.S. Government restrictions on investments in issuers from certain foreign countries may require the Fund to sell such investments at inopportune times, which could result in losses to the Fund.

 

5

 

 

 

Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the investments selected and strategies employed by the Fund fail to produce the intended results, the Fund could underperform in comparison to other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

 

Sector and Industry Focus Risk – Because the Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors or industries, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors or industries. As a result, the Fund’s share price may at times fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors or industries.

 

Investment Style Risk – The Fund pursues a “growth style” of investing, meaning that the Fund invests in equity securities of companies that the Adviser believes will have above-average rates of relative earnings growth and which, therefore, may experience above-average increases in stock prices. Over time, a relative growth investing style may go in and out of favor, causing the Fund to sometimes underperform other equity funds that use differing investing styles.

 

6

 

 

 

Non-Diversification RiskThe Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. To the extent that the Fund invests its assets in a smaller number of issuers, the Fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers than a diversified fund. However, the Fund intends to satisfy the asset diversification requirements for qualifying as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

De-Globalization Risk – The Fund’s investments leave the Fund potentially susceptible to acute headline risk associated with Sino-U.S. trade tensions and the broader trend of de-globalization across the globe. Nationalism in the U.S. and abroad is on the rise, which presents risks to global commerce and the companies engaged in such commerce. For example, nationalistic trade policies that favor domestic companies as opposed to foreign competitors may become more likely. Such policies may lead to global supply chain and market disruptions, which could have an adverse effect on the companies in which the Fund invests and the performance of the Fund.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk – Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities, the Fund will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying security. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action. The prices of depositary receipts may differ from the prices of securities upon which they are based. Certain of the depositary receipts in which the Fund invests may be unsponsored depositary receipts. Unsponsored depositary receipts are issued by one or more depositaries in response to market demand, but without a formal agreement with the company that issues the underlying securities. Unsponsored depositary receipts may not provide as much information about the underlying issuer and may not carry the same voting privileges as sponsored depositary receipts. In addition, prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than those of sponsored depositary receipts.

 

Foreign Currency Risk – As a result of the Fund’s investments in securities denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign currencies, the Fund will be subject to currency risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar,

 

7

 

 

 

in which case the dollar value of an investment in the Fund would be adversely affected.

 

Geographic Focus Risk – To the extent that it focuses its investments in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers and countries within that country or geographic region. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk – The large capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may lag the performance of smaller capitalization companies because large capitalization companies may experience slower rates of growth than smaller capitalization companies and may not respond as quickly to market changes and opportunities.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk – The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. In particular, investments in these small- and mid-sized companies may pose additional risks, including liquidity risk, because these companies tend to have limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may depend upon a relatively small management group. Therefore, small- and mid-cap stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies. These securities may be traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.

 

Stock Connect Investing Risk – Trading through Stock Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect the Fund’s investments and returns, including a daily quota that limits the maximum net purchases under Stock Connect each day. In addition, investments made through Stock Connect are subject to relatively untested trading, clearance and settlement procedures. The Fund’s investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect are generally subject to Chinese securities regulations and listing rules and may only be sold or otherwise transferred through Stock Connect. While overseas investors currently are exempt from paying capital gains or value added taxes on income and gains from investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect, these tax rules could change, which could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund. Stock Connect operates only on days when both the China and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore, the Fund may be subject to the risk of price fluctuations of A Shares when Stock Connect is not trading.

 

8

 

 

 

Participation Notes Risk – The return on a P-Note is linked to the performance of the issuers of the underlying securities. The performance of P-Notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers that they seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. P-Notes are subject to counterparty risk since the notes constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the financial institutions issuing the notes, and the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such institutions and has no rights under the notes against the issuers of the underlying securities. In addition, P-Notes are subject to liquidity risk, which is described elsewhere in this section.

 

IPO Risk – The market value of shares issued in an IPO may fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about a company’s business model, quality of management, earnings growth potential, and other criteria used to evaluate its investment prospects. Accordingly, investments in IPO shares involve greater risks than investments in shares of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in IPO shares may also involve high transaction costs, and are subject to market risk and liquidity risk, which are described elsewhere in this section.

 

Large Purchase and Redemption Risk – Large purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s shares may force the Fund to purchase or sell securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, and may cause the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs to rise, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance and have adverse tax consequences for Fund shareholders.

 

Liquidity Risk – Certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.

 

Performance Information

 

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s Institutional Shares performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Of course, the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

9

 

 

 

 

Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.gqgpartners.com or by calling toll-free to 866-362-8333.

 

 

 

BEST QUARTER

WORST QUARTER

22.17%

(19.06)%

6/30/2020

3/31/2020

 

The performance information shown above is based on a calendar year. The Fund’s performance for Institutional Shares from 1/1/23 to 6/30/23 was 13.78%.

 

 

10

 

 

 

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2022

 

This table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns for the periods ended December 31, 2022 to those of an appropriate broad based index.

 

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 will 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 Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). After tax returns are shown for Institutional Shares only. After tax returns for Investor Shares and R6 Shares will vary.

 

Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may be higher than before-tax returns when a net capital loss occurs upon the redemption of Fund shares.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund

1 Year

5 Years

Since Inception
(12/28/16)

Fund Returns Before Taxes

     

Institutional Shares

(20.88)%

1.34%

6.02%

Investor Shares

(21.04)%

1.15%

5.80%

R6 Shares

(20.88)%

1.34%

6.02%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions

     

Institutional Shares

(21.94)%

0.81%

5.55%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

     

Institutional Shares

(11.70)%

1.08%

4.78%

MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

(20.09)%

(1.40)%

4.41%

MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

Investment Adviser

 

GQG Partners LLC

 

11

 

 

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Rajiv Jain, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2016.

 

Brian Kersmanc, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

Sudarshan Murthy, CFA, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2019.

 

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 76 of the prospectus.

 

12

 

 

 

 

GQEPX Investor Shares

GQEIX Institutional Shares

GQERX R6 Shares

S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

GQG Partners US Select Quality Equity Fund

 

Investment Objective

 

The GQG Partners US Select Quality Equity Fund (the “US Select Quality Equity Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.

 

Fund Fees and Expenses

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell Investor Shares, Institutional Shares and R6 Shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

Investor
Shares

Institutional
Shares

R6
Shares

Management Fees

0.45%

0.45%

0.45%

Other Expenses

0.27%

0.06%

0.06%

Shareholder Servicing Fees1

0.21%

None

None

Other Operating Expenses

0.06%

0.06%

0.06%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.72%

0.51%

0.51%

Less Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements3

(0.02)%

(0.02)%

(0.02)%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements2

0.70%

0.49%

0.49%

 

1 Shareholder Servicing Fees for Investor Shares have been restated to reflect amounts expected to be incurred during the current fiscal year.
2 The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses for Investor Shares in this fee table, both before and after fee reductions and/or expense reimbursements, do not correlate to the expense ratios in the Fund’s Financial Highlights because Shareholder Servicing Fees for Investor Shares have been restated to reflect amounts expected to be incurred during the current fiscal year.

3

GQG Partners LLC (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other costs and expenses relating to the securities that are purchased and sold by the Fund, Shareholder Servicing Fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and non-routine expenses (collectively, “excluded expenses”)) from exceeding 0.49% of the average daily net assets of each of the Fund’s share classes until July 31, 2024 (the “contractual expense limit”). In addition, the Adviser may recoup all or a portion of its fee waivers or expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment to the extent that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) at the time of the recoupment are below the lower of (i) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement and (ii) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment. This agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III (the “Trust”), for any reason at any time; or (ii) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on July 31, 2024.

 

13

 

 

 

Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in 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 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 (including one year of capped expenses in each period) remain the same. 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

Investor Shares

$72

$228

$399

$893

Institutional Shares

$50

$162

$283

$639

R6 Shares

$50

$162

$283

$639

 

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 total annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 211% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of U.S. companies. This investment policy may be changed by the Fund upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. The Fund also may invest in equity securities of foreign companies in both developed and emerging markets.

 

The equity securities in which the Fund invests are primarily publicly traded common stocks. The Fund may invest in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) and securities of companies with any market capitalization. The Fund considers a company to be a U.S. company if: (i) at least 50% of the company’s assets are located in the U.S.; (ii) at least 50% of the company’s revenue is generated in the U.S.; (iii) the company is organized, conducts its principal operations, or maintains its principal place of business or

 

14

 

 

 

principal manufacturing facilities in the U.S.; (iv) the company’s securities are traded principally in the U.S.; or (v) the Adviser otherwise believes that the company’s assets are exposed to the economic fortunes and risks of the U.S. (because, for example, the Adviser believes that the company’s growth is dependent on the U.S.).

 

The Fund’s equity investments also may include depositary receipts (including unsponsored depositary receipts and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)), which are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that represent ownership interests in securities of non-U.S. companies, and participation notes (“P-Notes”), which are derivative instruments designed to replicate equity exposure in certain foreign markets where direct investment is either impossible or difficult due to local investment restrictions. The Fund may also invest in U.S. Treasury securities.

 

In managing the Fund’s investments, the Adviser typically pursues a “growth style” of investing as it seeks to capture market inefficiencies which the Adviser believes are driven by investors’ propensity to be short-sighted and overly focused on quarter-to-quarter price movements rather than on a company’s fundamentals over a longer time horizon (5 years or more). The Adviser believes that this market inefficiency tends to lead investors to underappreciate the compounding potential of quality, growing companies. To identify this subset of companies, the Adviser generates investment ideas from a variety of sources, ranging from institutional knowledge and industry contacts, to the Adviser’s proprietary screening process that seeks to identify suitable companies based on several quality factors such as rates of return on equity and total capital, margin stability and profitability. Ideas are then subject to rigorous fundamental analysis as the Adviser seeks to identify and invest in companies that it believes reflect higher quality opportunities on a forward-looking basis. Specifically, the Adviser seeks to buy companies that it believes are reasonably priced and have strong fundamental business characteristics and sustainable and durable earnings growth. The Adviser seeks to outperform peers over a full market cycle by seeking to capture market upside while limiting downside risk. For these purposes, a full market cycle can be measured from a point in the market cycle (e.g., a peak or trough) to the corresponding point in the next market cycle.

 

Many of the stocks in which the Fund invests may be considered to be “growth” stocks, in that they may have above-average rates of earnings growth and thus experience above-average increases in stock prices, subject to the Adviser’s criteria for quality. The Fund may also purchase stocks that would not fall into the traditional “growth” style

 

15

 

 

 

box. In constructing the Fund’s portfolio of securities, the Adviser is not constrained by sector or industry weights in the Fund’s benchmark. The Fund may invest in any economic sector and, at times, emphasize one or more particular industries or sectors in the portfolio construction process. The Adviser relies on individual stock selection driven by a bottom-up research process rather than seeking to add value based on “top-down”, macro based criteria.

 

The Adviser may sell a company if the Adviser believes that the company’s long-term competitive advantage or relative earnings growth prospects have deteriorated, or the Adviser has otherwise lost conviction that the company reflects a higher quality opportunity than other available investments on a forward looking basis. The Adviser also may sell a company if the company has met its price target or is involved in a business combination, if the Adviser identifies a more attractive investment opportunity, or the Adviser wishes to reduce the Fund’s exposure to the company or a particular country or geographic region.

 

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

 

Due to its investment strategy, the Fund may buy and sell securities frequently.

 

Principal Risks

 

As with all mutual funds, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency.

 

Equity Risk – Since it purchases equity securities, the Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices may fall over short or extended periods of time. Historically, the equity market has moved in cycles, and the value of the Fund’s securities may fluctuate from day to day. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a decline in response. These factors contribute to price volatility, which is the principal risk of investing in the Fund.

 

Market Risk – The risk that the market value of an investment may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector or the market as a whole. Markets for securities in which the Fund invests may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Similarly, extraordinary events outside the control of the Fund, including acts of God (e.g., flood, earthquake, hurricane or other natural disaster), acts of war, the impact of any epidemic or pandemic or widespread fear that such events may occur, could negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial performance of individual companies and sectors, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

16

 

 

 

Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the investments selected and strategies employed by the Fund fail to produce the intended results, the Fund could underperform in comparison to other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

 

Sector and Industry Focus Risk – Because the Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors or industries, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors or industries. As a result, the Fund’s share price may at times fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors or industries.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk – The large capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may lag the performance of smaller capitalization companies because large capitalization companies may experience slower rates of growth than smaller capitalization companies and may not respond as quickly to market changes and opportunities.

 

Investment Style Risk – The Fund pursues a “growth style” of investing, meaning that the Fund invests in equity securities of companies that the Adviser believes will have above-average rates of relative earnings growth and which, therefore, may experience above-average increases in stock prices. Over time, a relative growth investing style may go in and out of favor, causing the Fund to sometimes underperform other equity funds that use differing investing styles.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk – Due to its investment strategy, the Fund may buy and sell securities frequently. This may result in higher transaction costs and additional capital gains tax liabilities, which may affect the Fund’s performance.

 

17

 

 

 

Non-Diversification Risk – The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. To the extent that the Fund invests its assets in a smaller number of issuers, the Fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers than a diversified fund. However, the Fund intends to satisfy the asset diversification requirements for qualifying as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code.

 

Investing in the United States Risk – The Fund focuses its investments in the United States. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers within the United States, and may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss, than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

De-Globalization Risk – The Fund’s investments leave the Fund potentially susceptible to acute headline risk associated with Sino-U.S. trade tensions and the broader trend of de-globalization across the globe. Nationalism in the U.S. and abroad is on the rise, which presents risks to global commerce and the companies engaged in such commerce. For example, nationalistic trade policies that favor domestic companies as opposed to foreign competitors may become more likely. Such policies may lead to global supply chain and market disruptions, which could have an adverse effect on the companies in which the Fund invests and the performance of the Fund.

 

Foreign Company Risk –Investing in foreign companies, including direct investments and investments through depositary receipts and P-Notes, poses additional risks since political and economic events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These risks will not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the U.S. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the regulatory controls imposed on U.S. issuers and, as a consequence, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign securities than is available about domestic securities. Income from foreign securities owned by the Fund may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source. Foreign securities may also be more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, periodic U.S. Government restrictions on investments in issuers from certain foreign countries may require the Fund to sell such investments at inopportune times, which could result in losses to the Fund.

 

18

 

 

 

Emerging Markets Securities Risk – The Fund’s investments in emerging markets securities are considered speculative and subject to heightened risks in addition to the general risks of investing in foreign securities. Unlike more established markets, emerging markets may have less stable governments, less developed economies and their securities markets may be more concentrated and less liquid. In addition, the securities markets of emerging market countries may consist of companies with smaller market capitalizations and may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; and possible restrictions on repatriation of investment income and capital. Future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization or creation of government monopolies.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk – Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities, the Fund will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying security. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action. The prices of depositary receipts may differ from the prices of securities upon which they are based. Certain of the depositary receipts in which the Fund invests may be unsponsored depositary receipts. Unsponsored depositary receipts are issued by one or more depositaries in response to market demand, but without a formal agreement with the company that issues the underlying securities. Unsponsored depositary receipts may not provide as much information about the underlying issuer and may not carry the same voting privileges as sponsored depositary receipts. In addition, prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than those of sponsored depositary receipts.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk – The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. In particular, investments in these small- and mid-sized companies may pose additional risks, including liquidity risk, because these companies tend to have limited product lines, markets

 

19

 

 

 

and financial resources, and may depend upon a relatively small management group. Therefore, small- and mid-cap stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies. These securities may be traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.

 

Participation Notes Risk – The return on a P-Note is linked to the performance of the issuers of the underlying securities. The performance of P-Notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers that they seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. P-Notes are subject to counterparty risk since the notes constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the financial institutions issuing the notes, and the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such institutions and has no rights under the notes against the issuers of the underlying securities. In addition, P-Notes are subject to liquidity risk, which is described elsewhere in this section.

 

Large Purchase and Redemption Risk – Large purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s shares may force the Fund to purchase or sell securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, and may cause the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs to rise, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance and have adverse tax consequences for Fund shareholders.

 

Foreign Currency Risk – As a result of the Fund’s investments in securities denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign currencies, the Fund will be subject to currency risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, in which case the dollar value of an investment in the Fund would be adversely affected.

 

Liquidity Risk – Certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.

 

IPO Risk – The market value of shares issued in an IPO may fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about a company’s business model, quality of management, earnings growth potential, and other criteria used to evaluate its investment prospects. Accordingly, investments in IPO shares involve greater risks than investments in shares of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in IPO shares may also involve high transaction costs, and are subject to market risk and liquidity risk, which are described elsewhere in this section.

 

20

 

 

 

U.S. Treasury Securities Risk – A security backed by the U.S. Treasury or the full faith and credit of the United States is guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity, but the market prices for such securities are not guaranteed and will fluctuate.

 

Performance Information

 

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s Institutional Shares performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for 1 year and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Of course, the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.gqgpartners.com or by calling toll-free to 866-362-8333.

 

 

 

BEST QUARTER

WORST QUARTER

19.85%

(10.90)%

6/30/2020

9/30/2022

 

The performance information shown above is based on a calendar year. The Fund’s performance for Institutional Shares from 1/1/23 to 6/30/23 was 7.65%.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2022

 

This table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns for the periods ended December 31, 2022 to those of an appropriate broad based index.

 

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.

 

21

 

 

 

Actual after-tax returns will 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 Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). After tax returns are shown for Institutional Shares only. After tax returns for Investor Shares and R6 Shares will vary.

 

Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may be higher than before-tax returns when a net capital loss occurs upon the redemption of Fund shares.

 

US Select Quality Equity Fund

1 Year

Since Inception
(9/28/18)

Fund Returns Before Taxes

   

Institutional Shares

(2.67)%

13.08%

Investor Shares

(2.78)%

12.97%

R6 Shares

(2.66)%

13.09%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions

   

Institutional Shares

(3.68)%

12.59%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

Institutional Shares

(0.87)%

10.36%

S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

(18.11)%

8.57%

 

Investment Adviser

 

GQG Partners LLC

 

22

 

 

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Rajiv Jain, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2018.

 

Brian Kersmanc, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

Sudarshan Murthy, CFA, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 76 of the prospectus.

 

23

 

 

 

 

GQRPX Investor Shares

GQRIX Institutional Shares

GQRRX R6 Shares

MSCI All Country World Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

GQG Partners Global Quality Equity Fund

 

Investment Objective

 

The GQG Partners Global Quality Equity Fund (the “Global Quality Equity Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.

 

Fund Fees and Expenses

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell Investor Shares, Institutional Shares and R6 Shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

Investor
Shares

Institutional
Shares

R6
Shares

Management Fees

0.65%

0.65%

0.65%

Other Expenses

0.30%

0.10%

0.10%

Shareholder Servicing Fees1

0.20%

None

None

Previously Waived Fees and/or Reimbursed Expenses Recovered2

0.03%

0.03%

0.03%

Other Operating Expenses

0.07%

0.07%

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses3

0.95%

0.75%

0.75%

 

1 Shareholder Servicing Fees for Investor Shares have been restated to reflect amounts expected to be incurred during the current fiscal year.

2

GQG Partners LLC (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other costs and expenses relating to the securities that are purchased and sold by the Fund, Shareholder Servicing Fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and non-routine expenses (collectively, “excluded expenses”)) from exceeding 0.75% of the average daily net assets of each of the Fund’s share classes until July 31, 2024 (the “contractual expense limit”). In addition, the Adviser may recoup all or a portion of its fee waivers or expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment to the extent that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) at the time of the recoupment are below the lower of (i) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement and (ii) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment. This agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III (the “Trust”), for any reason at any time; or (ii) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on July 31, 2024.

3 The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses for Investor Shares in this fee table do not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s Financial Highlights because Shareholder Servicing Fees for Investor Shares have been restated to reflect amounts expected to be incurred during the current fiscal year.

 

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Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in 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 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 (including one year of capped expenses in each period) remain the same. 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

Investor Shares

$97

$303

$519

$1,140

Institutional Shares

$77

$240

$410

$903

R6 Shares

$77

$240

$410

$903

 

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 total annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 139% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities. This investment policy may be changed by the Fund upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.

 

The equity securities in which the Fund invests are primarily publicly traded common stocks. For purposes of the Fund’s 80% investment policy, however, equity securities also include preferred stocks, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) with economic characteristics similar to equity securities, depositary receipts (including unsponsored depositary receipts and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)), which are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that represent ownership interests in securities of non-U.S. companies,

 

25

 

 

 

and participation notes (“P-Notes”), which are derivative instruments designed to replicate equity exposure in certain foreign markets where direct investment is either impossible or difficult due to local investment restrictions. The Fund may invest in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) and securities of companies with any market capitalization. The Fund may also invest in U.S. Treasury securities, and in ETFs that attempt to track the price movements of commodities, including gold.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests in at least five countries, which may include the United States, and invests at least 40% of its total assets in securities of non-U.S. companies or, if conditions are not favorable, invests at least 30% of its total assets in securities of non-U.S. companies. The Fund considers a company to be a non-U.S. company if: (i) at least 50% of the company’s assets are located outside of the U.S.; (ii) at least 50% of the company’s revenue is generated outside of the U.S.; (iii) the company is organized, conducts its principal operations, or maintains its principal place of business or principal manufacturing facilities outside of the U.S.; (iv) the company’s securities are traded principally outside of the U.S.; or (v) the Adviser otherwise believes that the company’s assets are exposed to the economic fortunes and risks of a non-U.S. country (because, for example, the Adviser believes that the company’s growth is dependent on the country). The Fund may invest in equity securities of companies in both developed and emerging markets and may focus its investments in a particular country or geographic region, including the United States. Emerging market countries generally include every country in the world except the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and most of the countries in Western Europe.

 

The Fund may also invest in A Shares of companies based in the People’s Republic of China (“China”) that trade on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange through the Shanghai - Hong Kong and Shenzhen - Hong Kong Stock Connect programs (“Stock Connect”). Stock Connect is a mutual stock market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investments in China.

 

In managing the Fund’s investments, the Adviser typically pursues a “growth style” of investing as it seeks to capture market inefficiencies which the Adviser believes are driven by investors’ propensity to be short-sighted and overly focused on quarter-to-quarter price movements rather than on a company’s fundamentals over a longer time horizon (5 years or more). The Adviser believes that this market inefficiency tends

 

26

 

 

 

to lead investors to underappreciate the compounding potential of quality, growing companies. To identify this subset of companies, the Adviser generates investment ideas from a variety of sources, ranging from institutional knowledge and industry contacts, to the Adviser’s proprietary screening process that seeks to identify suitable companies based on several quality factors such as rates of return on equity and total capital, margin stability and profitability. Ideas are then subject to rigorous fundamental analysis as the Adviser seeks to identify and invest in companies that it believes reflect higher quality opportunities on a forward-looking basis. Specifically, the Adviser seeks to buy companies that it believes are reasonably priced and have strong fundamental business characteristics and sustainable and durable earnings growth. The Adviser seeks to outperform peers over a full market cycle by seeking to capture market upside while limiting downside risk. For these purposes, a full market cycle can be measured from a point in the market cycle (e.g., a peak or trough) to the corresponding point in the next market cycle.

 

Many of the stocks in which the Fund invests may be considered to be “growth” stocks, in that they may have above-average rates of earnings growth and thus experience above-average increases in stock prices, subject to the Adviser’s criteria for quality. The Fund may also purchase stocks that would not fall into the traditional “growth” style box. In constructing the Fund’s portfolio of securities, the Adviser is not constrained by sector or industry weights in the Fund’s benchmark. The Fund may invest in any economic sector and, at times, emphasize one or more particular industries or sectors in the portfolio construction process. The Adviser relies on individual stock selection driven by a bottom-up research process rather than seeking to add value based on “top-down”, macro based criteria.

 

The Adviser may sell a company if the Adviser believes that the company’s long-term competitive advantage or relative earnings growth prospects have deteriorated, or the Adviser has otherwise lost conviction that the company reflects a higher quality opportunity than other available investments on a forward looking basis. The Adviser also may sell a company if the company has met its price target or is involved in a business combination, if the Adviser identifies a more attractive investment opportunity, or the Adviser wishes to reduce the Fund’s exposure to the company or a particular country or geographic region.

 

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

 

27

 

 

 

Principal Risks

 

As with all mutual funds, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency.

 

Equity Risk – Since it purchases equity securities, the Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices may fall over short or extended periods of time. Historically, the equity market has moved in cycles, and the value of the Fund’s securities may fluctuate from day to day. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a decline in response. These factors contribute to price volatility, which is the principal risk of investing in the Fund.

 

Market Risk – The risk that the market value of an investment may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector or the market as a whole. Markets for securities in which the Fund invests may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Similarly, extraordinary events outside the control of the Fund, including acts of God (e.g., flood, earthquake, hurricane or other natural disaster), acts of war, the impact of any epidemic or pandemic or widespread fear that such events may occur, could negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial performance of individual companies and sectors, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

Foreign Company Risk – Investing in foreign companies, including direct investments and investments through depositary receipts and P-Notes, poses additional risks since political and economic events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These risks will not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the U.S. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the regulatory controls imposed on U.S. issuers and, as a consequence, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign securities than is available about domestic securities. Income from foreign securities owned by the Fund may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source. Foreign securities may also be more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, periodic U.S. Government restrictions on investments in issuers from certain foreign countries may require the Fund to sell such investments at inopportune times, which could result in losses to the Fund.

 

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Emerging Markets Securities Risk – The Fund’s investments in emerging markets securities, including A Shares of Chinese companies purchased through Stock Connect, are considered speculative and subject to heightened risks in addition to the general risks of investing in foreign securities. Unlike more established markets, emerging markets may have less stable governments, less developed economies and their securities markets may be more concentrated and less liquid. In addition, the securities markets of emerging market countries may consist of companies with smaller market capitalizations and may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; and possible restrictions on repatriation of investment income and capital. In certain emerging markets, governments have historically exercised substantial control over the economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership. Future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization or creation of government monopolies.

 

Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the investments selected and strategies employed by the Fund fail to produce the intended results, the Fund could underperform in comparison to other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

 

Sector and Industry Focus Risk – Because the Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors or industries, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors or industries. As a result, the Fund’s share price may at times fluctuate more widely than the value

 

29

 

 

 

of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors or industries.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk – The large capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may lag the performance of smaller capitalization companies because large capitalization companies may experience slower rates of growth than smaller capitalization companies and may not respond as quickly to market changes and opportunities.

 

Investment Style Risk – The Fund pursues a “growth style” of investing, meaning that the Fund invests in equity securities of companies that the Adviser believes will have above-average rates of relative earnings growth and which, therefore, may experience above-average increases in stock prices. Over time, a relative growth investing style may go in and out of favor, causing the Fund to sometimes underperform other equity funds that use differing investing styles.

 

Non-Diversification Risk – The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. To the extent that the Fund invests its assets in a smaller number of issuers, the Fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers than a diversified fund. However, the Fund intends to satisfy the asset diversification requirements for qualifying as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code.

 

Geographic Focus Risk – To the extent that it focuses its investments in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers and countries within that country or geographic region. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

Investing in the United States Risk. The Fund focuses its investments in the United States. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers within the United States, and may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss, than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

De-Globalization Risk – The Fund’s investments leave the Fund potentially susceptible to acute headline risk associated with Sino-U.S. trade tensions and the broader trend of de-globalization across the globe. Nationalism in the U.S. and abroad is on the rise, which presents risks to global commerce and the companies engaged in such commerce. For example, nationalistic trade policies that favor domestic

 

30

 

 

 

companies as opposed to foreign competitors may become more likely. Such policies may lead to global supply chain and market disruptions, which could have an adverse effect on the companies in which the Fund invests and the performance of the Fund.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk – Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities, the Fund will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying security. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action. The prices of depositary receipts may differ from the prices of securities upon which they are based. Certain of the depositary receipts in which the Fund invests may be unsponsored depositary receipts. Unsponsored depositary receipts are issued by one or more depositaries in response to market demand, but without a formal agreement with the company that issues the underlying securities. Unsponsored depositary receipts may not provide as much information about the underlying issuer and may not carry the same voting privileges as sponsored depositary receipts. In addition, prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than those of sponsored depositary receipts.

 

Stock Connect Investing Risk – Trading through Stock Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect the Fund’s investments and returns, including a daily quota that limits the maximum net purchases under Stock Connect each day. In addition, investments made through Stock Connect are subject to relatively untested trading, clearance and settlement procedures. The Fund’s investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect are generally subject to Chinese securities regulations and listing rules and may only be sold or otherwise transferred through Stock Connect. While overseas investors currently are exempt from paying capital gains or value added taxes on income and gains from investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect, these tax rules could change, which could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund. Stock Connect operates only on days when both the China and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore, the Fund may be subject to the risk of price fluctuations of A Shares when Stock Connect is not trading.

 

Foreign Currency Risk – As a result of the Fund’s investments in securities denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign

 

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currencies, the Fund will be subject to currency risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, in which case the dollar value of an investment in the Fund would be adversely affected.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk – The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. In particular, investments in these small- and mid-sized companies may pose additional risks, including liquidity risk, because these companies tend to have limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may depend upon a relatively small management group. Therefore, small- and mid-cap stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies. These securities may be traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.

 

Participation Notes Risk – The return on a P-Note is linked to the performance of the issuers of the underlying securities. The performance of P-Notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers that they seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. P-Notes are subject to counterparty risk since the notes constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the financial institutions issuing the notes, and the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such institutions and has no rights under the notes against the issuers of the underlying securities. In addition, P-Notes are subject to liquidity risk, which is described elsewhere in this section.

 

Large Purchase and Redemption Risk – Large purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s shares may force the Fund to purchase or sell securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, and may cause the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs to rise, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance and have adverse tax consequences for Fund shareholders.

 

Liquidity Risk – Certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.

 

IPO Risk – The market value of shares issued in an IPO may fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about a company’s business model, quality of management, earnings growth potential, and other criteria used to evaluate its investment prospects. Accordingly, investments in IPO

 

32

 

 

 

shares involve greater risks than investments in shares of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in IPO shares may also involve high transaction costs, and are subject to market risk and liquidity risk, which are described elsewhere in this section.

 

Preferred Stock Risk – Preferred stocks in which the Fund may invest are sensitive to interest rate changes, and are also subject to equity risk, which is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a company’s assets in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights associated with a company’s debt securities.

 

ETF Risk – ETFs are pooled investment vehicles, such as registered investment companies and grantor trusts, whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. To the extent that the Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities in which the ETF invests, and the value of the Fund’s investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the ETF’s holdings. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund’s investments in ETFs will result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the ETFs’ operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses.

 

U.S. Treasury Securities Risk – A security backed by the U.S. Treasury or the full faith and credit of the United States is guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity, but the market prices for such securities are not guaranteed and will fluctuate.

 

Commodities Risk – The prices of physical commodities (such as energy, metals, minerals, or agricultural products) may be affected by factors such as natural disasters, weather, and U.S. and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of commodities can also fluctuate due to supply and demand disruptions in major producing or consuming regions, as well as temporary distortions in the commodities markets due to, among other factors, lack of liquidity, the participation of speculators, and government regulation and other actions.

 

Performance Information

 

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s Institutional Shares performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for 1 year and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance.

 

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Of course, the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.gqgpartners.com or by calling toll-free to 866-362-8333.

 

 

 

BEST QUARTER

WORST QUARTER

19.55%

(13.39)%

6/30/2020

3/31/2020

 

The performance information shown above is based on a calendar year. The Fund’s performance for Institutional Shares from 1/1/23 to 6/30/23 was 7.60%.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2022

 

This table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns for the periods ended December 31, 2022 to those of an appropriate broad based index.

 

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 will 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 Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). After tax returns are shown for Institutional Shares only. After tax returns for Investor Shares and R6 Shares will vary.

 

Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may be higher than before-tax returns when a net capital loss occurs upon the redemption of Fund shares.

 

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Global Quality Equity Fund

1 Year

Since Inception
(3/29/19)

Fund Returns Before Taxes

   

Institutional Shares

(3.65)%

10.61%

Investor Shares

(3.79)%

10.43%

R6 Shares

(3.65)%

10.59%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions

   

Institutional Shares

(4.41)%

10.24%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

Institutional Shares

(1.78)%

8.29%

MSCI All Country World Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

(18.36)%

6.56%

 

Investment Adviser

 

GQG Partners LLC

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Rajiv Jain, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2019.

 

Brian Kersmanc, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

Sudarshan Murthy, CFA, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 76 of the prospectus.

 

35

 

 

 

 

GQJPX Investor Shares

GQJIX Institutional Shares

MSCI ACWI ex USA High Dividend Yield Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

GQG Partners International Quality Dividend Income Fund

 

Investment Objective

 

The GQG Partners International Quality Dividend Income Fund (the “International Quality Dividend Income Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation and dividend income.

 

Fund Fees and Expenses

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Shares and Institutional Shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

Investor
Shares

Institutional
Shares

Management Fees1

0.60%

0.60%

Other Expenses

0.43%

0.31%

Shareholder Servicing Fee

0.12%

None

Other Operating Expenses

0.31%

0.31%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

1.03%

0.91%

Less Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements2

(0.23)%

(0.23)%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements

0.80%

0.68%

 

1

Management Fees have been restated to reflect current fees.

2

GQG Partners LLC (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other costs and expenses relating to the securities that are purchased and sold by the Fund, Shareholder Servicing Fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and non-routine expenses (collectively, “excluded expenses”)) from exceeding 0.68% of the average daily net assets of each of the Fund’s share classes until July 31, 2024 (the “contractual expense limit”). In addition, the Adviser may recoup all or a portion of its fee waivers or expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment to the extent that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) at the time of the recoupment are below the lower of (i) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement and (ii) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment. This agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III (the “Trust”), for any reason at any time; or (ii) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on July 31, 2024. Prior to August 1, 2023, the Fund’s contractual expense limit was 0.79% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

 

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Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in 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 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 (including one year of capped expenses in each period) remain the same. 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

Investor Shares

$82

$305

$546

$1,239

Institutional Shares

$69

$267

$481

$1,098

 

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 total annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 80% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, the Adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing primarily in dividend-paying securities of non-U.S. companies, including those in emerging market countries. The Adviser considers a company’s historical dividend records and current prospects to determine whether an investment satisfies the Fund’s criteria for dividend-paying securities, for instance, whether it has a history of paying a dividend. Stocks of companies that have reduced dividends in the past or are not currently paying dividends may be considered for purchase by the Fund if the Adviser believes that the dividend payment or dividend growth is likely to be restored. Securities are selected based on a variety of factors, such as a company’s consistent effort to maintain or increase dividends over time while maintaining sufficient profitability. The Fund will generally hold securities of between 25 to 70 issuers that are primarily located outside the U.S., including

 

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emerging markets countries, that the Adviser believes are undervalued by the market.

 

The Fund will invest primarily in publicly traded common stocks but may also invest in preferred stocks, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), depositary receipts (including unsponsored depositary receipts and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)), which are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that represent ownership interests in securities of non-U.S. companies, and participation notes (“P-Notes”), which are derivative instruments designed to replicate equity exposure in certain foreign markets where direct investment is either impossible or difficult due to local investment restrictions. The Fund’s portfolio allocations to common and preferred stocks are determined by the Adviser based upon current and relative yield and the potential total return of these securities relative to their investable universe. The Adviser would typically invest in an ETF rather than directly in underlying investments when the Adviser believes that doing so would provide more efficient exposure, liquidity or market access. The Adviser would also typically invest in depositary receipts when local trading in certain non-US. companies is restricted, for added liquidity or if there is a significant discount to the locally traded shares.

 

The Fund may also invest in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) and securities of companies with any market capitalization. IPOs are considered for purchase by the Fund if the Adviser believes that the applicable company meets the same criteria as any other Fund investment in terms of appreciation and income opportunities. The Fund may also invest in U.S. Treasury securities, and in ETFs that attempt to track the price movements of commodities, including gold. Treasuries are considered as alternatives to holding cash if at a given time the Adviser believes that treasuries offer better yields. Commodity ETFs are considered if the Adviser believes that they offer exposure that cannot be met with individual company securities or exposure to markets to which the Fund does not have direct access.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests in at least five countries, and invests at least 40% of its total assets in securities of non-U.S. companies or, if conditions are not favorable, invests at least 30% of its total assets in securities of non-U.S. companies. The Fund considers a company to be a non-U.S. company if: (i) at least 50% of the company’s assets are located outside of the U.S.; (ii) at least 50% of the company’s revenue is generated outside of the U.S.; (iii) the company is organized, conducts its principal operations, or maintains its principal place of business or principal manufacturing facilities outside of the U.S.; (iv) the

 

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company’s securities are traded principally outside of the U.S; or (v) the Adviser otherwise believes that the company’s assets are exposed to the economic fortunes and risks of a non-U.S. country (because, for example, the Adviser believes that the company’s growth is dependent on the country). The Fund may invest in equity securities of companies in both developed and emerging markets. The Fund considers classifications by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the International Monetary Fund and the Fund’s benchmark index provider in determining whether a country is an emerging market country. Emerging market countries generally include every country in the world except the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and most of the countries in Western Europe.

 

The Fund may also invest in A Shares of companies based in the People’s Republic of China (“China”) that trade on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange through the Shanghai – Hong Kong and Shenzhen – Hong Kong Stock Connect programs (“Stock Connect”). China A Shares are considered if they meet the same criteria for inclusion in the Fund’s portfolio as any other Fund investment. Stock Connect is a mutual stock market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investments in China.

 

The Adviser seeks to focus on investments in dividend-paying companies located outside of the U.S. In managing the Fund’s investments the Adviser focuses on equity securities that are expected to pay dividends and typically pursues a “growth style” of investing as it seeks to capture market inefficiencies which the Adviser believes are driven by investors’ propensity to be short-sighted and overly focused on quarter-to-quarter price movements rather than on a company’s fundamentals over a longer time horizon (5 years or more). The Adviser believes that this market inefficiency tends to lead investors to underappreciate the compounding potential of quality, growing companies. To identify this subset of companies, the Adviser generates investment ideas from a variety of sources, ranging from institutional knowledge and industry contacts, to the Adviser’s proprietary screening process that seeks to identify suitable companies based on several quality factors such as rates of return on equity and total capital, margin stability and profitability. Ideas are then subject to rigorous fundamental analysis as the Adviser seeks to identify and invest in companies that it believes reflect higher quality opportunities on a forward-looking basis. Specifically, the Adviser seeks to buy companies that it believes are reasonably priced and have strong fundamental business characteristics and sustainable and durable earnings growth. When making purchase and sale decisions between similarly priced investment opportunities with comparable

 

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fundamentals, the Adviser seeks to identify relatively higher quality companies with strong financial positions, capable management, higher barriers to entry, more opportunity for growth and more durable earnings growth, based on the Adviser’s analyses of a company’s financial statements, economic health, competitors and the markets that it serves. The Adviser seeks to outperform the Fund’s benchmark index over a full market cycle by seeking to capture market upside while limiting downside risk. For these purposes, a full market cycle can be measured from a point in the market cycle (e.g., a peak or trough) to the corresponding point in the next market cycle.

 

Many of the stocks in which the Fund invests may be considered to be “growth” stocks, in that they may have above-average rates of earnings growth and thus experience above-average increases in stock prices, subject to the Adviser’s criteria for quality. In constructing the Fund’s portfolio of securities, the Adviser is not constrained by sector or industry weights in the Fund’s benchmark. The Fund may invest in any economic sector and, at times, emphasize one or more particular industries or sectors in the portfolio construction process. The Adviser relies on individual stock selection driven by a bottom-up research process rather than seeking to add value based on “top-down”, macro based criteria.

 

The Adviser may sell a company if the Adviser believes that the company’s long-term competitive advantage or relative earnings growth prospects have deteriorated, or the Adviser has otherwise lost conviction that the company reflects a higher quality opportunity than other available investments on a forward looking basis. The Adviser also may sell a company if the company has met its price target or is involved in a business combination, if the Adviser identifies a more attractive investment opportunity, or the Adviser wishes to reduce the Fund’s exposure to the company or a particular country or geographic region or if the Adviser expects that the company will not make acceptable dividend payments.

 

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

 

Principal Risks

 

As with all mutual funds, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency.

 

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Equity Risk – Since it purchases equity securities, the Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices may fall over short or extended periods of time. Historically, the equity market has moved in cycles, and the value of the Fund’s securities may fluctuate from day to day. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a decline in response. These factors contribute to price volatility, which is the principal risk of investing in the Fund.

 

Dividend-Paying Investments Risk – The Fund’s investments in dividend-paying securities could cause the Fund to underperform other funds. Securities that pay dividends, as a group, can fall out of favor with the market, causing such securities to underperform securities that do not pay dividends. Depending upon market conditions and political and legislative responses to such conditions, dividend-paying securities that meet the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors. In addition, issuers that have paid regular dividends or distributions to shareholders may not continue to do so at the same level or at all in the future.

 

Market Risk – The risk that the market value of an investment may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector or the market as a whole. Markets for securities in which the Fund invests may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Similarly, extraordinary events outside the control of the Fund, including acts of God (e.g., flood, earthquake, hurricane or other natural disaster), acts of war, the impact of any epidemic or pandemic or widespread fear that such events may occur, could negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial performance of individual companies and sectors, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

Foreign Company Risk – Investing in foreign companies, including direct investments and investments through depositary receipts and P-Notes, poses additional risks since political and economic events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These risks will not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the U.S. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the regulatory controls imposed on U.S. issuers and, as a consequence, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign securities than is available about domestic securities. Income from foreign securities owned by the Fund may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source. Foreign securities may also be more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, periodic U.S. Government restrictions on investments in issuers from certain foreign countries may require the Fund to sell such investments at inopportune times, which could result in losses to the Fund.

 

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Emerging Markets Securities Risk – The Fund’s investments in emerging markets securities, including A Shares of Chinese companies purchased through Stock Connect, are considered speculative and subject to heightened risks in addition to the general risks of investing in foreign securities. Unlike more established markets, emerging markets may have less stable governments, less developed economies and their securities markets may be more concentrated and less liquid. In addition, the securities markets of emerging market countries may consist of companies with smaller market capitalizations and may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; and possible restrictions on repatriation of investment income and capital. In certain emerging markets, governments have historically exercised substantial control over the economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership. Future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization or creation of government monopolies.

 

Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the investments selected and strategies employed by the Fund fail to produce the intended results, the Fund could underperform in comparison to other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

 

Sector and Industry Focus Risk – Because the Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors or industries, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors or industries. As a result, the

 

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Fund’s share price may at times fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors or industries.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk – The large capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may lag the performance of smaller capitalization companies because large capitalization companies may experience slower rates of growth than smaller capitalization companies and may not respond as quickly to market changes and opportunities.

 

Investment Style Risk – The Fund pursues a “growth style” of investing, meaning that the Fund invests in equity securities of companies that the Adviser believes will have above-average rates of relative earnings growth and which, therefore, may experience above-average increases in stock prices. Over time, a relative growth investing style may go in and out of favor, causing the Fund to sometimes underperform other equity funds that use differing investing styles.

 

Proprietary Model Risk – Proprietary models that may be used to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on certain assumptions concerning the interplay of market factors and may not adequately take into account certain factors and may result in the Fund having a lower return than if the Fund were managed using another model or investment strategy. The markets or prices of individual securities may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

 

Non-Diversification Risk – The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. To the extent that the Fund invests its assets in a smaller number of issuers, the Fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers than a diversified fund.

 

Geographic Focus Risk – To the extent that it focuses its investments in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers and countries within that country or geographic region. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

De-Globalization Risk – The Fund’s investments may expose the Fund to disruptions associated with “de-globalization” trends in some parts of the world. Nationalism in the U.S. and abroad is on the rise, which presents risks to global commerce and the companies engaged in such commerce. For example, nationalistic trade policies that favor domestic

 

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companies as opposed to foreign competitors may become more likely. Such policies may lead to global supply chain and market disruptions, which could have an adverse effect on the companies in which the Fund invests and the performance of the Fund.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk – Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities, the Fund will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying security. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action. The prices of depositary receipts may differ from the prices of securities upon which they are based. Certain of the depositary receipts in which the Fund invests may be unsponsored depositary receipts. Unsponsored depositary receipts are issued by one or more depositaries in response to market demand, but without a formal agreement with the company that issues the underlying securities. Unsponsored depositary receipts may not provide as much information about the underlying issuer and may not carry the same voting privileges as sponsored depositary receipts. In addition, prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than those of sponsored depositary receipts.

 

Stock Connect Investing Risk – Trading through Stock Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect the Fund’s investments and returns, including a daily quota that limits the maximum net purchases under Stock Connect each day. In addition, investments made through Stock Connect are subject to relatively untested trading, clearance and settlement procedures. The Fund’s investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect are generally subject to Chinese securities regulations and listing rules and may only be sold or otherwise transferred through Stock Connect. While overseas investors currently are exempt from paying capital gains or value added taxes on income and gains from investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect, these tax rules could change, which could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund. Stock Connect operates only on days when both the China and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore, the Fund may be subject to the risk of price fluctuations of A Shares when Stock Connect is not trading.

 

Foreign Currency Risk – As a result of the Fund’s investments in securities denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign

 

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currencies, the Fund will be subject to currency risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, in which case the dollar value of an investment in the Fund would be adversely affected.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk – The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. In particular, investments in these small- and mid-sized companies may pose additional risks, including liquidity risk, because these companies tend to have limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may depend upon a relatively small management group. Therefore, small- and mid-cap stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies. These securities may be traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.

 

Participation Notes Risk – The return on a P-Note is linked to the performance of the issuers of the underlying securities. The performance of P-Notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers that they seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. P-Notes are subject to counterparty risk since the notes constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the financial institutions issuing the notes, and the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such institutions and has no rights under the notes against the issuers of the underlying securities. In addition, P-Notes are subject to liquidity risk, which is described elsewhere in this section.

 

Large Purchase and Redemption Risk – Large purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s shares may force the Fund to purchase or sell securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, and may cause the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs to rise, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance and have adverse tax consequences for Fund shareholders.

 

Liquidity Risk – Certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance. Adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

IPO Risk – The market value of shares issued in an IPO may fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market,

 

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unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about a company’s business model, quality of management, earnings growth potential, and other criteria used to evaluate its investment prospects. Accordingly, investments in IPO shares involve greater risks than investments in shares of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in IPO shares may also involve high transaction costs, and are subject to market risk and liquidity risk, which are described elsewhere in this section.

 

Preferred Stock Risk – Preferred stocks in which the Fund may invest are sensitive to interest rate changes, and are also subject to equity risk, which is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a company’s assets in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights associated with a company’s debt securities.

 

ETF Risk – ETFs are pooled investment vehicles, such as registered investment companies and grantor trusts, whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. To the extent that the Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities in which the ETF invests, and the value of the Fund’s investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the ETF’s holdings. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund’s investments in ETFs will result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the ETFs’ operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses.

 

Investing in the United States Risk – To the extent the Fund invests in issuers within the United States, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers within the United States, and may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss, than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

U.S. Treasury Securities Risk – A security backed by the U.S. Treasury or the full faith and credit of the United States is guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity, but the market prices for such securities are not guaranteed and will fluctuate.

 

Commodities Risk – The prices of physical commodities (such as energy, metals, minerals, or agricultural products) may be affected by factors such as natural disasters, weather, and U.S. and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of commodities

 

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can also fluctuate due to supply and demand disruptions in major producing or consuming regions, as well as temporary distortions in the commodities markets due to, among other factors, lack of liquidity, the participation of speculators, and government regulation and other actions.

 

Performance Information

 

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s Institutional Shares performance for the 2022 calendar year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for 1 year and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Of course, the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.gqgpartners.com or by calling toll-free to 866-362-8333.

 

 

 

BEST QUARTER

WORST QUARTER

9.37%

(8.00)%

12/31/2022

6/30/2022

 

The performance information shown above is based on a calendar year. The Fund’s performance for Institutional Shares from 1/1/23 to 6/30/23 was 8.07%.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2022

 

This table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns for the periods ended December 31, 2022 to those of an appropriate broad based index.

 

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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 will 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 Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). After tax returns are shown for Institutional Shares only. After-tax returns for Investor Shares will vary.

 

Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may be higher than before-tax returns when a net capital loss occurs upon the redemption of Fund shares.

 

International Quality Dividend Income Fund

1 Year

Since Inception
(6/30/21)

Fund Returns Before Taxes

   

Institutional Shares

(10.50)%

(6.46)%

Investor Shares

(10.50)%

(6.46)%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions

   

Institutional Shares

(11.60)%

(7.52)%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

Institutional Shares

(5.35)%

(4.88)%

MSCI ACWI ex USA High Dividend Yield Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

(6.27)%

(4.15)%

 

Investment Adviser

 

GQG Partners LLC

 

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Portfolio Managers

 

Rajiv Jain, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2021.

 

Brian Kersmanc, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2021.

 

Sudarshan Murthy, CFA, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 76 of the prospectus.

 

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GQHPX Investor Shares

GQHIX Institutional Shares

MSCI USA High Dividend Yield Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

GQG Partners US Quality Dividend Income Fund

 

Investment Objective

 

The GQG Partners US Quality Dividend Income Fund (the “US Quality Dividend Income Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation and dividend income.

 

Fund Fees and Expenses

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Shares and Institutional Shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

Investor
Shares

Institutional
Shares

Management Fees

0.45%

0.45%

Other Expenses

0.25%

0.17%

Shareholder Servicing Fee

0.08%

None

Other Operating Expenses

0.17%

0.17%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.70%

0.62%

Less Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements1

(0.13)%

(0.13)%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements

0.57%

0.49%

 

1

GQG Partners LLC (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other costs and expenses relating to the securities that are purchased and sold by the Fund, Shareholder Servicing Fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and non-routine expenses (collectively, “excluded expenses”)) from exceeding 0.49% of the average daily net assets of each of the Fund’s share classes until July 31, 2024 (the “contractual expense limit”). In addition, the Adviser may recoup all or a portion of its fee waivers or expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment to the extent that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) at the time of the recoupment are below the lower of (i) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement and (ii) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment. This agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III (the “Trust”), for any reason at any time; or (ii) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on July 31, 2024.

 

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Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in 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 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 (including one year of capped expenses in each period) remain the same. 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

Investor Shares

$58

$211

$377

$858

Institutional Shares

$50

$185

$333

$762

 

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 total annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 103% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in instruments that are tied economically to the U.S. This investment policy may be changed by the Fund upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. The Fund will generally hold securities of between 25 to 70 issuers that are primarily located in the U.S. that the Adviser believes are undervalued by the market.

 

The Fund will invest primarily in dividend-paying securities of U.S. companies but may also invest in the securities of foreign companies in developed markets. The Adviser considers a company’s historical dividend records and current prospects to determine whether an investment satisfies the Fund’s criteria for dividend-paying securities, for instance, whether it has a history of paying a dividend. Stocks of companies that have reduced dividends in the past or are not currently

 

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paying dividends may be considered for purchase by the Fund if the Adviser believes that the dividend payment or dividend growth is likely to be restored. Securities are selected based on a variety of factors, such as a company’s consistent effort to maintain or increase dividends over time while maintaining sufficient profitability.

 

The securities in which the Fund invests are primarily publicly traded common stocks, but the Fund may also invest in preferred stocks. The Fund’s portfolio allocations to common and preferred stocks are determined by the Adviser based upon current and relative yield and the potential total return of these securities relative to their investable universe.

 

The Fund may invest in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) and securities of companies with any market capitalization. IPOs are considered for purchase by the Fund if the Adviser believes that the company meets the same criteria as any other Fund investment in terms of appreciation and income opportunities. The Fund considers a company to be a U.S. company if: (i) at least 50% of the company’s assets are located in the U.S.; (ii) at least 50% of the company’s revenue is generated in the U.S.; (iii) the company is organized, conducts its principal operations, or maintains its principal place of business or principal manufacturing facilities in the U.S.; (iv) the company’s securities are traded principally in the U.S.; or (v) the Adviser otherwise believes that the company’s assets are exposed to the economic fortunes and risks of the U.S. (because, for example, the Adviser believes that the company’s growth is dependent on the U.S.).

 

Although the Fund will invest primarily in securities of U.S. issuers, the Fund may also invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers, and is expected to typically do so by purchasing depositary receipts (including unsponsored depositary receipts and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)), which are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that represent ownership interests in securities of non-U.S. companies. The Fund may also invest in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and U.S. Treasury securities. Treasuries are considered as alternatives to holding cash if at a given time the Adviser believes that treasuries offer better yields. The Adviser would typically invest in an ETF rather than directly in underlying investments when the Adviser believes that doing so would provide more efficient exposure, liquidity or market access. The Adviser would also typically invest in depositary receipts when local trading in certain non-US. companies is restricted, for added liquidity or if there is a significant discount to the locally traded shares.

 

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The Adviser seeks to focus on investments in dividend-paying companies located within the U.S. In managing the Fund’s investments, the Adviser focuses on equity securities that are expected to pay dividends and typically pursues a “growth style” of investing as it seeks to capture market inefficiencies which the Adviser believes are driven by investors’ propensity to be short-sighted and overly focused on quarter-to-quarter price movements rather than on a company’s fundamentals over a longer time horizon (5 years or more). The Adviser believes that this market inefficiency tends to lead investors to underappreciate the compounding potential of quality, growing companies. To identify this subset of companies, the Adviser generates investment ideas from a variety of sources, ranging from institutional knowledge and industry contacts, to the Adviser’s proprietary screening process that seeks to identify suitable companies based on several quality factors such as rates of return on equity and total capital, margin stability and profitability. Ideas are then subject to rigorous fundamental analysis as the Adviser seeks to identify and invest in companies that it believes reflect higher quality opportunities on a forward-looking basis. Specifically, the Adviser seeks to buy companies that it believes are reasonably priced and have strong fundamental business characteristics and sustainable and durable earnings growth. When making purchase and sale decisions between similarly priced investment opportunities with comparable fundamentals, the Adviser seeks to identify relatively higher quality companies with strong financial positions, capable management, higher barriers to entry, more opportunity for growth and more durable earnings growth, based on the Adviser’s analyses of a company’s financial statements, economic health, competitors and the markets that it serves. The Adviser seeks to outperform the Fund’s benchmark index over a full market cycle by seeking to capture market upside while limiting downside risk. For these purposes, a full market cycle can be measured from a point in the market cycle (e.g., a peak or trough) to the corresponding point in the next market cycle.

 

Many of the stocks in which the Fund invests may be considered to be “growth” stocks, in that they may have above-average rates of earnings growth and thus experience above-average increases in stock prices, subject to the Adviser’s criteria for quality. In constructing the Fund’s portfolio of securities, the Adviser is not constrained by sector or industry weights in the Fund’s benchmark. The Fund may invest in any economic sector and, at times, emphasize one or more particular industries or sectors in the portfolio construction process. The Adviser relies on individual stock selection driven by a bottom-up research process rather than seeking to add value based on “top-down”, macro based criteria.

 

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The Adviser may sell a company if the Adviser believes that the company’s long-term competitive advantage or relative earnings growth prospects have deteriorated, or the Adviser has otherwise lost conviction that the company reflects a higher quality opportunity than other available investments on a forward looking basis. The Adviser also may sell a company if the company has met its price target or is involved in a business combination, if the Adviser identifies a more attractive investment opportunity, if the Adviser wishes to reduce the Fund’s exposure to the company or a particular country or geographic region or if the Adviser expects that the company will not make acceptable dividend payments.

 

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

 

Principal Risks

 

As with all mutual funds, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency.

 

Equity Risk – Since it purchases equity securities, the Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices may fall over short or extended periods of time. Historically, the equity market has moved in cycles, and the value of the Fund’s securities may fluctuate from day to day. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a decline in response. These factors contribute to price volatility, which is the principal risk of investing in the Fund.

 

Dividend-Paying Investments Risk – The Fund’s investments in dividend-paying securities could cause the Fund to underperform other funds. Securities that pay dividends, as a group, can fall out of favor with the market, causing such securities to underperform securities that do not pay dividends. Depending upon market conditions and political and legislative responses to such conditions, dividend-paying securities that meet the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors. In addition, issuers that have paid regular dividends or distributions to shareholders may not continue to do so at the same level or at all in the future.

 

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Market Risk – The risk that the market value of an investment may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector or the market as a whole. Markets for securities in which the Fund invests may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Similarly, extraordinary events outside the control of the Fund, including acts of God (e.g., flood, earthquake, hurricane or other natural disaster), acts of war, the impact of any epidemic or pandemic or widespread fear that such events may occur, could negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial performance of individual companies and sectors, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the investments selected and strategies employed by the Fund fail to produce the intended results, the Fund could underperform in comparison to other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

 

Sector and Industry Focus Risk – Because the Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors or industries, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors or industries. As a result, the Fund’s share price may at times fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors or industries.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk – The large capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may lag the performance of smaller capitalization companies because large capitalization companies may experience slower rates of growth than smaller capitalization companies and may not respond as quickly to market changes and opportunities.

 

Investment Style Risk – The Fund pursues a “growth style” of investing, meaning that the Fund invests in equity securities of companies that the Adviser believes will have above-average rates of relative earnings growth and which, therefore, may experience above-average increases in stock prices. Over time, a relative growth investing style may go in and out of favor, causing the Fund to sometimes underperform other equity funds that use differing investing styles.

 

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Investing in the United States Risk – The Fund focuses its investments in the United States. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers within the United States, and may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss, than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

De-Globalization Risk – The Fund’s investments may expose the Fund to disruptions associated with “de-globalization” trends in some parts of the world. Nationalism in the U.S. and abroad is on the rise, which presents risks to global commerce and the companies engaged in such commerce. For example, nationalistic trade policies that favor domestic companies as opposed to foreign competitors may become more likely. Such policies may lead to global supply chain and market disruptions, which could have an adverse effect on the companies in which the Fund invests and the performance of the Fund.

 

Non-Diversification RiskThe Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. To the extent that the Fund invests its assets in a smaller number of issuers, the Fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers than a diversified fund.

 

Foreign Company Risk – Investing in foreign companies, including direct investments and investments through depositary receipts and P-Notes, poses additional risks since political and economic events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These risks will not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the U.S. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the regulatory controls imposed on U.S. issuers and, as a consequence, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign securities than is available about domestic securities. Income from foreign securities owned by the Fund may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source. Foreign securities may also be more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, periodic U.S. Government restrictions on investments in issuers from certain foreign countries may require the Fund to sell such investments at inopportune times, which could result in losses to the Fund.

 

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Depositary Receipts Risk – Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities, the Fund will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying security. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action. The prices of depositary receipts may differ from the prices of securities upon which they are based. Certain of the depositary receipts in which the Fund invests may be unsponsored depositary receipts. Unsponsored depositary receipts are issued by one or more depositaries in response to market demand, but without a formal agreement with the company that issues the underlying securities. Unsponsored depositary receipts may not provide as much information about the underlying issuer and may not carry the same voting privileges as sponsored depositary receipts. In addition, prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than those of sponsored depositary receipts.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk – The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. In particular, investments in these small- and mid-sized companies may pose additional risks, including liquidity risk, because these companies tend to have limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may depend upon a relatively small management group. Therefore, small- and mid-cap stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies. These securities may be traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.

 

Large Purchase and Redemption Risk – Large purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s shares may force the Fund to purchase or sell securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, and may cause the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs to rise, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance and have adverse tax consequences for Fund shareholders.

 

Foreign Currency Risk – As a result of the Fund’s investments in securities denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign currencies, the Fund will be subject to currency risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar,

 

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in which case the dollar value of an investment in the Fund would be adversely affected.

 

Proprietary Model Risk – Proprietary models that may be used to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on certain assumptions concerning the interplay of market factors and may not adequately take into account certain factors and may result in the Fund having a lower return than if the Fund were managed using another model or investment strategy. The markets or prices of individual securities may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

 

Liquidity Risk – Certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance. Adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

IPO Risk – The market value of shares issued in an IPO may fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about a company’s business model, quality of management, earnings growth potential, and other criteria used to evaluate its investment prospects. Accordingly, investments in IPO shares involve greater risks than investments in shares of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in IPO shares may also involve high transaction costs, and are subject to market risk and liquidity risk, which are described elsewhere in this section.

 

Preferred Stock Risk – Preferred stocks in which the Fund may invest are sensitive to interest rate changes, and are also subject to equity risk, which is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a company’s assets in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights associated with a company’s debt securities.

 

ETF Risk – ETFs are pooled investment vehicles, such as registered investment companies and grantor trusts, whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. To the extent that the Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities in which the ETF invests,

 

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and the value of the Fund’s investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the ETF’s holdings. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund’s investments in ETFs will result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the ETFs’ operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses.

 

U.S. Treasury Securities Risk – A security backed by the U.S. Treasury or the full faith and credit of the United States is guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity, but the market prices for such securities are not guaranteed and will fluctuate.

 

Performance Information

 

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s Institutional Shares performance for the 2022 calendar year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for 1 year and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Of course, the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.gqgpartners.com or by calling toll-free to 866-362-8333.

 

 

 

BEST QUARTER

WORST QUARTER

14.43%

(9.48)%

12/31/2022

9/30/2022

 

The performance information shown above is based on a calendar year. The Fund’s performance for Institutional Shares from 1/1/23 to 6/30/23 was 0.42%.

 

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Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2022

 

This table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns for the periods ended December 31, 2022 to those of an appropriate broad based index.

 

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 will 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 Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). After-tax returns are shown for Institutional Shares only. After-tax returns for Investor Shares will vary.

 

US Quality Dividend Income Fund

1 Year

Since Inception
(6/30/21)

Fund Returns Before Taxes

   

Institutional Shares

6.83%

11.49%

Investor Shares

6.73%

11.49%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions

   

Institutional Shares

5.98%

10.74%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

Institutional Shares

4.57%

8.74%

MSCI USA High Dividend Yield Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

(4.60)%

2.19%

 

Investment Adviser

 

GQG Partners LLC

 

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Portfolio Managers

 

Rajiv Jain, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2021.

 

Brian Kersmanc, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

Sudarshan Murthy, CFA, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 76 of the prospectus.

 

 

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GQFPX Investor Shares

GQFIX Institutional Shares

MSCI ACWI High Dividend Yield Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

GQG Partners Global Quality Dividend Income Fund

 

Investment Objective

 

The GQG Partners Global Quality Dividend Income Fund (the “Global Quality Dividend Income” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation and dividend income.

 

Fund Fees and Expenses

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Shares and Institutional Shares of the Fund. You may be required to pay commissions and/or other forms of compensation to a broker for transactions in Institutional Shares, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

 

Investor
Shares

Institutional
Shares

Management Fees1

0.60%

0.60%

Other Expenses

0.38%

0.27%

Shareholder Servicing Fee

0.11%

None

Other Operating Expenses

0.27%

0.27%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.98%

0.87%

Less Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements2

(0.19)%

(0.19)%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Reductions and/or Expense Reimbursements

0.79%

0.68%

 

1

Management Fees have been restated to reflect current fees.

2

GQG Partners LLC (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other costs and expenses relating to the securities that are purchased and sold by the Fund, Shareholder Servicing Fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and non-routine expenses (collectively, “excluded expenses”)) from exceeding 0.68% of the average daily net assets of each of the Fund’s share classes until July 31, 2024 (the “contractual expense limit”). In addition, the Adviser may recoup all or a portion of its fee waivers or expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment to the extent that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (not including excluded expenses) at the time of the recoupment are below the lower of (i) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement and (ii) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment. This agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III (the “Trust”), for any reason at any time; or (ii) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on July 31, 2024. Prior to August 1, 2023, the Fund’s contractual expense limit was 0.75% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

 

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Example

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in 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 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 (including one year of capped expenses in each period) remain the same. 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

Investor Shares

$81

$293

$523

$1,184

Institutional Shares

$69

$259

$464

$1,055

 

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 total annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 84% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, the Adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by investing primarily in dividend-paying securities of U.S. and non-U.S. companies, including those in emerging market countries. The Adviser considers a company’s historical dividend records and current prospects to determine whether an investment satisfies the Fund’s criteria for dividend-paying securities, for instance, whether it has a history of paying a dividend. Stocks of companies that have reduced dividends in the past or are not currently paying dividends may be considered for purchase by the Fund if the Adviser believes that the dividend payment or dividend growth is likely to be restored. Securities are selected based on a variety of factors, such as a company’s consistent effort to maintain or increase dividends over time while maintaining sufficient profitability. The Fund will generally hold securities of between 25 to 70 issuers that are located both within and

 

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outside the U.S., including emerging markets countries, that the Adviser believes are undervalued by the market.

 

The Fund will invest primarily in publicly traded common stocks but may also invest in preferred stocks, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) with economic characteristics similar to equity securities, depositary receipts (including unsponsored depositary receipts and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)), which are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that represent ownership interests in securities of non-U.S. companies, and participation notes (“P-Notes”), which are derivative instruments designed to replicate equity exposure in certain foreign markets where direct investment is either impossible or difficult due to local investment restrictions. The Fund’s portfolio allocations to common and preferred stocks are determined by the Adviser based upon current and relative yield and the potential total return of these securities relative to their investable universe. The Adviser would typically invest in an ETF rather than directly in underlying investments when the Adviser believes that doing so would provide more efficient exposure, liquidity or market access. The Adviser would also typically invest in depositary receipts when local trading in certain non-US. companies is restricted, for added liquidity or if there is a significant discount to the locally traded shares.

 

The Fund may also invest in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) and securities of companies with any market capitalization. IPOs are considered for purchase by the Fund if the Adviser believes that the applicable company meets the same criteria as any other Fund investment in terms of appreciation and income opportunities. The Fund may also invest in U.S. Treasury securities, and in ETFs that attempt to track the price movements of commodities, including gold. Treasuries are considered as alternatives to holding cash if treasuries offer better yields. Commodity ETFs are considered if the Adviser believes that they offer exposure that cannot be met with individual company securities or exposure to markets to which the Fund does not have direct access.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests in at least five countries, which may include the United States, and invests at least 40% of its total assets in securities of non-U.S. companies or, if conditions are not favorable, invests at least 30% of its total assets in securities of non-U.S. companies. The Fund considers a company to be a non-U.S. company if: (i) at least 50% of the company’s assets are located outside of the U.S.; (ii) at least 50% of the company’s revenue is generated outside of the U.S.; (iii) the company is organized, conducts its principal operations,

 

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or maintains its principal place of business or principal manufacturing facilities outside of the U.S.; (iv) the company’s securities are traded principally outside of the U.S; or (v) the Adviser otherwise believes that the company’s assets are exposed to the economic fortunes and risks of a non-U.S. country (because, for example, the Adviser believes that the company’s growth is dependent on the country). The Fund may invest in equity securities of companies in both developed and emerging markets. The Fund considers classifications by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the International Monetary Fund and the Fund’s benchmark index provider in determining whether a country is an emerging market country. Emerging market countries generally include every country in the world except the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and most of the countries in Western Europe.

 

The Fund may also invest in A Shares of companies based in the People’s Republic of China (“China”) that trade on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange through the Shanghai – Hong Kong and Shenzhen – Hong Kong Stock Connect programs (“Stock Connect”). China A Shares are considered if they meet the same criteria for inclusion in the Fund’s portfolio as any other Fund investment. Stock Connect is a mutual stock market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investments in China.

 

The Adviser seeks to focus on investments in dividend-paying companies located anywhere in the world, including in the U.S. In managing the Fund’s investments the Adviser focuses on equity securities that are expected to pay dividends and typically pursues a “growth style” of investing as it seeks to capture market inefficiencies which the Adviser believes are driven by investors’ propensity to be short-sighted and overly focused on quarter-to-quarter price movements rather than on a company’s fundamentals over a longer time horizon (5 years or more). The Adviser believes that this market inefficiency tends to lead investors to underappreciate the compounding potential of quality, growing companies. To identify this subset of companies, the Adviser generates investment ideas from a variety of sources, ranging from institutional knowledge and industry contacts, to the Adviser’s proprietary screening process that seeks to identify suitable companies based on several quality factors such as rates of return on equity and total capital, margin stability and profitability. Ideas are then subject to rigorous fundamental analysis as the Adviser seeks to identify and invest in companies that it believes reflect higher quality opportunities on a forward-looking basis. Specifically, the Adviser seeks to buy companies that it believes are reasonably priced and have strong fundamental business characteristics and sustainable and durable earnings growth. When making purchase

 

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and sale decisions between similarly priced investment opportunities with comparable fundamentals, the Adviser seeks to identify relatively higher quality companies with strong financial positions, capable management, higher barriers to entry, more opportunity for growth and more durable earnings growth, based on the Adviser’s analyses of a company’s financial statements, economic health, competitors and the markets that it serves. The Adviser seeks to outperform the Fund’s benchmark index over a full market cycle by seeking to capture market upside while limiting downside risk. For these purposes, a full market cycle can be measured from a point in the market cycle (e.g., a peak or trough) to the corresponding point in the next market cycle.

 

Many of the stocks in which the Fund invests may be considered to be “growth” stocks, in that they may have above-average rates of earnings growth and thus experience above-average increases in stock prices, subject to the Adviser’s criteria for quality. In constructing the Fund’s portfolio of securities, the Adviser is not constrained by sector or industry weights in the Fund’s benchmark. The Fund may invest in any economic sector and, at times, emphasize one or more particular industries or sectors in the portfolio construction process. The Adviser relies on individual stock selection driven by a bottom-up research process rather than seeking to add value based on “top-down”, macro based criteria.

 

The Adviser may sell a company if the Adviser believes that the company’s long-term competitive advantage or relative earnings growth prospects have deteriorated, or the Adviser has otherwise lost conviction that the company reflects a higher quality opportunity than other available investments on a forward looking basis. The Adviser also may sell a company if the company has met its price target or is involved in a business combination, if the Adviser identifies a more attractive investment opportunity, or the Adviser wishes to reduce the Fund’s exposure to the company or a particular country or geographic region or if the Adviser expects that the company will not make acceptable dividend payments.

 

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means that it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund.

 

Principal Risks

 

As with all mutual funds, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. A Fund share is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency.

 

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Equity Risk – Since it purchases equity securities, the Fund is subject to the risk that stock prices may fall over short or extended periods of time. Historically, the equity market has moved in cycles, and the value of the Fund’s securities may fluctuate from day to day. Individual companies may report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a decline in response. These factors contribute to price volatility, which is the principal risk of investing in the Fund.

 

Dividend-Paying Investments Risk – The Fund’s investments in dividend-paying securities could cause the Fund to underperform other funds. Securities that pay dividends, as a group, can fall out of favor with the market, causing such securities to underperform securities that do not pay dividends. Depending upon market conditions and political and legislative responses to such conditions, dividend-paying securities that meet the Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors. In addition, issuers that have paid regular dividends or distributions to shareholders may not continue to do so at the same level or at all in the future.

 

Market Risk – The risk that the market value of an investment may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector or the market as a whole. Markets for securities in which the Fund invests may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. Similarly, extraordinary events outside the control of the Fund, including acts of God (e.g., flood, earthquake, hurricane or other natural disaster), acts of war, the impact of any epidemic or pandemic or widespread fear that such events may occur, could negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial performance of individual companies and sectors, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

Foreign Company Risk – Investing in foreign companies, including direct investments and investments through depositary receipts and P-Notes, poses additional risks since political and economic events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These risks will not necessarily affect the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the U.S. Foreign companies are generally not subject to the regulatory controls imposed on U.S. issuers and, as a consequence, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign securities than is available about domestic securities. Income from foreign securities owned by the Fund may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source. Foreign securities may also be more difficult to value than securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, periodic U.S. Government restrictions on investments in issuers from certain foreign countries may require the Fund to sell such investments at inopportune times, which could result in losses to the Fund.

 

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Emerging Markets Securities Risk – The Fund’s investments in emerging markets securities, including A Shares of Chinese companies purchased through Stock Connect, are considered speculative and subject to heightened risks in addition to the general risks of investing in foreign securities. Unlike more established markets, emerging markets may have less stable governments, less developed economies and their securities markets may be more concentrated and less liquid. In addition, the securities markets of emerging market countries may consist of companies with smaller market capitalizations and may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; and possible restrictions on repatriation of investment income and capital. In certain emerging markets, governments have historically exercised substantial control over the economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership. Future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization or creation of government monopolies.

 

Active Management Risk – The Fund is subject to the risk that the Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the investments selected and strategies employed by the Fund fail to produce the intended results, the Fund could underperform in comparison to other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

 

Sector and Industry Focus Risk – Because the Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors or industries, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors or industries. As a result, the

 

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Fund’s share price may at times fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors or industries.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk – The large capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may lag the performance of smaller capitalization companies because large capitalization companies may experience slower rates of growth than smaller capitalization companies and may not respond as quickly to market changes and opportunities.

 

Investment Style Risk – The Fund pursues a “growth style” of investing, meaning that the Fund invests in equity securities of companies that the Adviser believes will have above-average rates of relative earnings growth and which, therefore, may experience above-average increases in stock prices. Over time, a relative growth investing style may go in and out of favor, causing the Fund to sometimes underperform other equity funds that use differing investing styles.

 

Geographic Focus Risk – To the extent that it focuses its investments in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers and countries within that country or geographic region. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

Investing in the United States Risk. The Fund focuses its investments in the United States. As a result, the Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events or conditions affecting issuers within the United States and may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

De-Globalization Risk – The Fund’s investments may expose the Fund to disruptions associated with “de-globalization” trends in some parts of the world. Nationalism in the U.S. and abroad is on the rise, which presents risks to global commerce and the companies engaged in such commerce. For example, nationalistic trade policies that favor domestic companies as opposed to foreign competitors may become more likely. Such policies may lead to global supply chain and market disruptions, which could have an adverse effect on the companies in which the Fund invests and the performance of the Fund.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk – Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities, the Fund will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying security. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action. The prices of depositary receipts may differ from the prices of securities upon which they are based. Certain of the depositary receipts in which the Fund invests may be unsponsored depositary receipts. Unsponsored depositary receipts are issued by one or more depositaries in response to market demand, but without a formal agreement with the company that issues the underlying securities. Unsponsored depositary receipts may not provide as much information about the underlying issuer and may not carry the same voting privileges as sponsored depositary receipts. In addition, prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than those of sponsored depositary receipts.

 

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Stock Connect Investing Risk – Trading through Stock Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect the Fund’s investments and returns, including a daily quota that limits the maximum net purchases under Stock Connect each day. In addition, investments made through Stock Connect are subject to relatively untested trading, clearance and settlement procedures. The Fund’s investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect are generally subject to Chinese securities regulations and listing rules and may only be sold or otherwise transferred through Stock Connect. While overseas investors currently are exempt from paying capital gains or value added taxes on income and gains from investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect, these tax rules could change, which could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund. Stock Connect operates only on days when both the China and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore, the Fund may be subject to the risk of price fluctuations of A Shares when Stock Connect is not trading.

 

Foreign Currency Risk – As a result of the Fund’s investments in securities denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign currencies, the Fund will be subject to currency risk. Currency risk is the risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, in which case the dollar value of an investment in the Fund would be adversely affected.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk – The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which the Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more

 

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established companies. In particular, investments in these small- and mid-sized companies may pose additional risks, including liquidity risk, because these companies tend to have limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may depend upon a relatively small management group. Therefore, small- and mid-cap stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies. These securities may be traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.

 

Participation Notes Risk – The return on a P-Note is linked to the performance of the issuers of the underlying securities. The performance of P-Notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers that they seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. P-Notes are subject to counterparty risk since the notes constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the financial institutions issuing the notes, and the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such institutions and has no rights under the notes against the issuers of the underlying securities. In addition, P-Notes are subject to liquidity risk, which is described elsewhere in this section.

 

Large Purchase and Redemption Risk – Large purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s shares may force the Fund to purchase or sell securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, and may cause the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs to rise, which may negatively affect the Fund’s performance and have adverse tax consequences for Fund shareholders.

 

Liquidity Risk – Certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance. Adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund.

 

IPO Risk – The market value of shares issued in an IPO may fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about a company’s business model, quality of management, earnings growth potential, and other criteria used to evaluate its investment prospects. Accordingly, investments in IPO shares involve greater risks than investments in shares of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in IPO shares may also involve high transaction costs,

 

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and are subject to market risk and liquidity risk, which are described elsewhere in this section.

 

Preferred Stock Risk – Preferred stocks in which the Fund may invest are sensitive to interest rate changes, and are also subject to equity risk, which is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended periods of time. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a company’s assets in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights associated with a company’s debt securities.

 

ETF Risk – ETFs are pooled investment vehicles, such as registered investment companies and grantor trusts, whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. To the extent that the Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities in which the ETF invests, and the value of the Fund’s investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the ETF’s holdings. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund’s investments in ETFs will result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the ETFs’ operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses.

 

Proprietary Model Risk – Proprietary models that may be used to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on certain assumptions concerning the interplay of market factors and may not adequately take into account certain factors and may result in the Fund having a lower return than if the Fund were managed using another model or investment strategy. The markets or prices of individual securities may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

 

Non-Diversification RiskThe Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. To the extent that the Fund invests its assets in a smaller number of issuers, the Fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers than a diversified fund.

 

U.S. Treasury Securities Risk – A security backed by the U.S. Treasury or the full faith and credit of the United States is guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity, but the market prices for such securities are not guaranteed and will fluctuate.

 

Commodities Risk – The prices of physical commodities (such as energy, metals, minerals, or agricultural products) may be affected by factors such as natural disasters, weather, and U.S. and international economic,

 

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political and regulatory developments. The prices of commodities can also fluctuate due to supply and demand disruptions in major producing or consuming regions, as well as temporary distortions in the commodities markets due to, among other factors, lack of liquidity, the participation of speculators, and government regulation and other actions.

 

Performance Information

 

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s Institutional Shares performance for the 2022 calendar year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns for 1 year and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Of course, the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.gqgpartners.com or by calling toll-free to 866-362-8333.

 

 

 

BEST QUARTER

WORST QUARTER

14.31%

(7.98)%

12/31/2022

9/30/2022

 

The performance information shown above is based on a calendar year. The Fund’s performance for Institutional Shares from 1/1/23 to 6/30/23 was 6.59%.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2022

 

This table compares the Fund’s average annual total returns for the periods ended December 31, 2022 to those of an appropriate broad based index.

 

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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 will 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 Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). After tax returns are shown for Institutional Shares only. After tax returns for Investor Shares will vary.

 

Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may be higher than before-tax returns when a net capital loss occurs upon the redemption of Fund shares.

 

Global Quality Dividend Income Fund

1 Year

Since Inception
(6/30/21)

Fund Returns Before Taxes

   

Institutional Shares

(1.22)%

2.48%

Investor Shares

(1.12)%

2.54%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions

   

Institutional Shares

(2.45)%

1.37%

Fund Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

Institutional Shares

0.06%

1.82%

MSCI ACWI High Dividend Yield Index (Net) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)

(7.49)%

(2.68)%

 

Investment Adviser

 

GQG Partners LLC

 

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Portfolio Managers

 

Rajiv Jain, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since its inception in 2021.

 

Brian Kersmanc, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

Sudarshan Murthy, CFA, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser and Portfolio Manager of the Fund, has managed the Fund since 2022.

 

For important information about the purchase and sale of Fund shares, taxes and financial intermediary compensation, please turn to “Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation” on page 76 of the prospectus.

 

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Summary Information about the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares, Taxes and Financial Intermediary Compensation

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

 

You may generally purchase or redeem shares on any day that the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business.

 

The minimum investment amount for Investor Shares of a Fund is generally $2,500 for initial investments and $100 for subsequent investments. The minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts for individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) are generally $100.

 

To purchase Institutional Shares of a Fund for the first time, you must invest at least $500,000. There is no minimum subsequent investment amount for Institutional Shares. The minimum initial investment amount for Institutional Shares of a Fund is waived for clients of financial intermediaries that have accounts holding Institutional Shares with an aggregate value of at least $500,000 (or that are expected to reach this level).

 

There is no minimum initial or subsequent investment amount for R6 Shares of the Emerging Markets Equity Fund, US Select Quality Equity Fund and Global Quality Equity Fund.

 

The Funds may accept investments of smaller amounts in their sole discretion.

 

If you own your shares directly, you may redeem your shares by contacting the Funds directly by mail at: GQG Funds, P.O. Box 219009, Kansas City, MO 64121-9009 (Express Mail Address: GQG Funds, c/o SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, Inc., 430 West 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105) or telephone at 866-362-8333.

 

If you own your shares through an account with a broker or other financial intermediary, contact that broker or financial intermediary to redeem your shares. Your broker or financial intermediary may charge a fee for its services in addition to the fees charged by the Funds.

 

Tax Information

 

Each Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or IRA, in which case your distribution will be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-deferred account.

 

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Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase shares of a 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 for investments in all classes except the R6 Shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend a Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s web site for more information.

 

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More Information about the Funds’ Investment Objectives and Strategies

 

The investment objective of the Emerging Markets Equity Fund, US Select Quality Equity Fund and Global Quality Equity Fund (together, the “GQG Equity Funds”) is to seek long-term capital appreciation.

 

The investment objective of the International Quality Dividend Income Fund, US Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund (“together, the “GQG Dividend Income Funds”) is to seek long-term capital appreciation and dividend income.

 

The investment objective of each Fund is not a fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

 

Please see the sections entitled “Principal Investment Strategies” above for a discussion of each Fund’s principal investment strategies. The investments and strategies described in this prospectus are those that the Funds use under normal conditions. During unusual economic or market conditions, or for temporary defensive or liquidity purposes, each Fund may, but is not obligated to, hold up to 100% of its assets in cash, money market instruments and other cash equivalents that would not ordinarily be consistent with its investment objective. If a Fund invests in this manner, it may cause the Fund to forgo greater investment returns for the safety of principal and the Fund may therefore not achieve its investment objective. A Fund will only do so if the Adviser believes that the risk of loss outweighs the opportunity to pursue the Fund’s investment objective.

 

This prospectus describes the Funds’ principal investment strategies, and the Funds will normally invest in the types of securities and other investments described in this prospectus. In addition to the securities and other investments and strategies described in this prospectus, each Fund also may invest to a lesser extent in other securities, use other strategies and engage in other investment practices that are not part of its principal investment strategies. These investments and strategies, as well as those described in this prospectus, are described in detail in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) (for information on how to obtain a copy of the SAI see the back cover of this prospectus). Of course, there is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve its investment goals.

 

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More Information about Risk

 

Investing in each Fund involves risk and there is no guarantee that each Fund will achieve its goals. The Adviser’s judgments about the markets, the economy, or companies may not anticipate actual market movements, economic conditions or company performance, and these judgments may affect the return on your investment. In fact, no matter how good of a job the Adviser does, you could lose money on your investment in a Fund, just as you could with similar investments.

 

The value of your investment in a Fund is based on the value of the securities the Fund holds. These prices change daily due to economic and other events that affect particular companies and other issuers. These price movements, sometimes called volatility, may be greater or lesser depending on the types of securities a Fund owns and the markets in which they trade. The effect on a Fund of a change in the value of a single security will depend on how widely the Fund diversifies its holdings. Each Fund is non-diversified, meaning that it may invest a large percentage of its assets in a single issuer or a relatively small number of issuers.

 

The following provides general information on the risks associated with each Fund’s principal investment strategies, presented in alphabetical order. Any additional risks associated with each Fund’s non-principal investment strategies are described in the SAI. The SAI also provides additional information about the risks associated with each Fund’s principal investment strategies.

 

Active Management Risk (All Funds) – The Funds are subject to the risk that the Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the Funds’ investments may prove to be incorrect. If the investments selected and strategies employed by a Fund fail to produce the intended results, the Fund could underperform in comparison to other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

 

Commodities Risk (Global Quality Equity Fund, International Quality Dividend Income Fund, Global Quality Dividend Income Fund) – Investments in physical commodities (such as energy, metals, minerals, or agricultural products) may be subject to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. Commodity prices may be affected by overall market movements, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting particular industries or commodities, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, storage costs, embargoes, tariffs, policies of commodity cartels, and U.S. and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of commodities can also

 

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fluctuate due to supply and demand disruptions in major producing or consuming regions, as well as temporary distortions in the commodities markets due to, among other factors, lack of liquidity, the participation of speculators, and government regulation and other actions.

 

Gold. The price of gold is affected by such factors as: (1) how much of the worldwide supply is held by large holders, such as governmental bodies and central banks; (2) unpredictable monetary policies and economic and political conditions in countries throughout the world; (3) supply and demand for gold bullion as an investment, including bars, coins or gold-backed financial instruments such as exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”); (4) demand for gold jewelry; and (5) government policies meant to influence demand for gold.

 

De-Globalization Risk (All Funds)Each Fund’s investments leave a Fund potentially susceptible to acute headline risk associated with Sino-U.S. trade tensions and the broader trend of de-globalization across the globe. Nationalism in the U.S. and abroad is on the rise, which presents risks to global commerce and the companies engaged in such commerce. For example, nationalistic trade policies that favor domestic companies as opposed to foreign competitors may become more likely. Such policies may lead to global supply chain and market disruptions, which could have an adverse effect on the companies in which a Fund invests and the performance of the Fund.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk (All Funds) – ADRs are typically trust receipts issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evidence an indirect interest in underlying securities issued by a foreign entity. GDRs, EDRs, and other types of depositary receipts are typically issued by non-U.S. banks or financial institutions to evidence an interest in underlying securities issued by either a U.S. or a non-U.S. entity. Investments in non-U.S. issuers through ADRs, GDRs, EDRs, and other types of depositary receipts generally involve risks applicable to other types of investments in non-U.S. issuers. Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities, a Fund will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying security. The values of depositary receipts may decline for a number of reasons relating to the issuers or sponsors of the depositary receipts, including, but not limited to, insolvency of the issuer or sponsor. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action. The prices of depositary receipts may differ from the prices of securities upon which they are based.

 

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The Funds may invest in unsponsored depositary receipts, which are issued by one or more depositaries without a formal agreement with the company that issues the underlying securities. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs thereof, and the depositaries of unsponsored depositary receipts frequently are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuers of the underlying securities or to pass through voting rights with respect to the underlying securities. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information to the market and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts. Prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than those of sponsored depositary receipts.

 

Dividend-Paying Investments Risk (International Quality Dividend Income Fund, US Quality Dividend Income Fund, Global Quality Dividend Income Fund) – A Fund’s investments in dividend-paying securities could cause the Fund to underperform other funds that invest in similar asset classes but employ a different investment style. Securities that pay dividends, as a group, can fall out of favor with the market, causing such securities to underperform securities that do not pay dividends. Depending upon market conditions and political and legislative responses to such conditions, dividend-paying securities that meet a Fund’s investment criteria may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market sectors. To the extent that dividend-paying securities are concentrated in only a few market sectors, a Fund may be subject to the risks of volatile economic cycles and/or conditions or developments that may be particular to a sector to a greater extent than if its investments were diversified across different sectors. In addition, issuers that have paid regular dividends or distributions to shareholders may not continue to do so at the same level or at all in the future. A sharp rise in interest rates or an economic downturn could cause an issuer to abruptly reduce or eliminate its dividend. This may limit the ability of a Fund to produce current income.

 

Emerging Markets Risk (Emerging Markets Equity Fund, US Select Quality Equity Fund, Global Quality Equity Fund, International Quality Dividend Income Fund, Global Quality Dividend Income Fund) – Emerging market countries may be more likely to experience political turmoil or rapid changes in market or economic conditions than more developed countries. Emerging market countries often have less uniformity in accounting and reporting requirements and unreliable securities valuation. It is sometimes difficult to obtain and enforce court

 

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judgments in such countries and there is often a greater potential for nationalization and/or expropriation of assets by the government of an emerging market country. In addition, the financial stability of issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may be more precarious than in other countries. As a result, there will tend to be an increased risk of price volatility associated with a Fund’s investments in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar.

 

Equity Risk (All Funds) – Equity securities include common and preferred stocks, depositary receipts, and P-Notes. Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. Preferred stock provides a fixed dividend that is paid before any dividends are paid to common stockholders, and which takes precedence over common stock in the event of a liquidation. Like common stock, preferred stocks represent partial ownership in a company, although preferred stock shareholders do not enjoy the voting rights of common stockholders. Also, unlike common stock, a preferred stock pays a fixed dividend that does not fluctuate, although the company does not have to pay this dividend if it lacks the financial ability to do so. Depositary receipts are described above and P-Notes are described below. Investments in equity securities in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which a mutual fund invests will cause the fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) to fluctuate. An investment in a portfolio of equity securities may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of these share price fluctuations.

 

ETFs Risk (Global Quality Equity Fund, International Quality Dividend Income Fund, US Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund) – ETFs are pooled investment vehicles, such as registered investment companies and grantor trusts, whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. To the extent that a Fund invests in ETFs, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with the direct ownership of the securities in which the ETF invests, and the value of the Fund’s investment will fluctuate in response to the performance of the ETF’s holdings. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those of a Fund. Accordingly, a Fund’s investments in ETFs will result in the layering of expenses such that shareholders will indirectly bear a proportionate share of the ETFs’ operating expenses, in addition to paying Fund expenses. Because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, shares may trade at a discount or premium to their NAV and the Adviser may not be able to liquidate a

 

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Fund’s holdings at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

 

Foreign Currency Risk (All Funds) – Because non-U.S. securities are usually denominated in currencies other than the dollar, the value of a Fund’s portfolio may be influenced by currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by a Fund. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.

 

Foreign Company Risk (All Funds) – Investments in securities of foreign companies (including direct investments as well as investments through depositary receipts or P-Notes) can be more volatile than investments in U.S. companies. Diplomatic, political, or economic developments, including nationalization or appropriation, could affect investments in foreign companies. Foreign securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than U.S. markets. In addition, the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies, and of dividends from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Financial statements of foreign issuers are governed by different accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards than the financial statements of U.S. issuers and may be less transparent and uniform than in the United States. Thus, there may be less information publicly available about foreign issuers than about most U.S. issuers. Transaction costs are generally higher than those in the United States and expenses for custodial arrangements of foreign securities may be somewhat greater than typical expenses for custodial arrangements of similar U.S. securities. Some foreign governments levy withholding taxes against dividend and interest income. Although in some countries a portion of these taxes are recoverable, the non-recovered portion will reduce the income received from the securities comprising a Fund’s portfolio. Additionally, periodic U.S. Government restrictions on investments in issuers from certain foreign countries may result in a Fund having to sell such prohibited securities at inopportune times. Such prohibited securities may have less liquidity as a result of such U.S. Government designation and the market price of such prohibited securities may decline, which may cause the Fund to incur losses.

 

Geographic Focus Risk (All Funds) – To the extent that it focuses its investments in a particular country or geographic region, a Fund may be more susceptible to economic, political, regulatory or other events

 

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or conditions affecting issuers and countries within that country or geographic region. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss than a fund holding more geographically diverse investments.

 

Investing in the United States Risk (US Select Quality Equity Fund, Global Quality Equity Fund, International Quality Dividend Income Fund, US Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund). A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations and/or an economic recession in the U.S. may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the U.S. are changing many aspects of financial and other regulation and may have a significant effect on the U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. In addition, a continued rise in the U.S. public debt level or U.S. austerity measures may adversely affect U.S. economic growth and the securities in which the Funds invest.

 

The U.S. has developed increasingly strained relations with a number of foreign countries, including traditional allies, such as major European Union countries, the U.K., Canada and Mexico, and historical adversaries, such as North Korea, Iran, China and Russia. If these relations were to worsen, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers as well as non-U.S. issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. The U.S. has also experienced increased internal unrest and discord. If this trend were to continue, it may have an adverse impact on the U.S. economy and the issuers in which the Funds invest.

 

Investment Style Risk (All Funds) – Each Fund pursues a “growth style” of investing, meaning that the Fund invests in equity securities of companies that the Adviser believes will have above-average rates of relative earnings growth and which, therefore, may experience above-average increases in stock prices. Over time, a relative growth investing style may go in and out of favor, causing a Fund to sometimes underperform other equity funds that use differing investing styles.

 

IPO Risk (All Funds) – The Funds may invest in IPOs. An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about a company’s business model, quality of management, earnings growth potential and other criteria used to evaluate its investment prospects. Accordingly, investments in IPO shares involve greater risks

 

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than investments in shares of companies that have traded publicly on an exchange for extended periods of time. Investments in IPO shares may also involve high transaction costs, and are subject to market risk and liquidity risk, which are described below.

 

When a Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, a Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. By selling IPO shares, a Fund may realize taxable gains it will subsequently distribute to shareholders. In addition, the market for IPO shares can be speculative and/or inactive for extended periods of time. There is no assurance that a Fund will be able to obtain allocable portions of IPO shares. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may make it more difficult for a Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Investors in IPO shares can be affected by substantial dilution in the value of their shares, by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk (All Funds) – The large capitalization companies in which a Fund may invest may lag the performance of smaller capitalization companies because large capitalization companies may experience slower rates of growth than smaller capitalization companies and may not respond as quickly to market changes and opportunities.

 

Large Purchase and Redemption Risk (All Funds) – Large purchases or redemptions of a Fund’s shares may affect the Fund, since the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities if it experiences redemptions, and the Fund will need to invest additional cash that it receives. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on portfolio management to the extent that a Fund may be required to sell securities or invest cash at times when it would not otherwise do so. These transactions could also have tax consequences if sales of securities result in gains, and could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio.

 

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Liquidity Risk (All Funds) – Certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that a Fund would like. A Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.

 

Market Risk (All Funds) The risk that the market value of an investment may move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, an industry, a sector or the market as a whole. From time to time, certain investments held by the Funds may have limited marketability and may be difficult to value and sell at favorable times or prices. Markets for securities in which a Fund invests may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, economic or other developments that may cause broad changes in market value, public perceptions concerning these developments, and adverse investor sentiment or publicity. In addition, extraordinary events outside the control of the Funds, including acts of God (e.g., fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane or other natural disaster), acts of war (e.g., war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities, insurrection, or terrorist activities, whether war is declared or not), malicious acts, cyber-attacks and global health events, such as epidemics, pandemics and disease, and their related social and economic impacts, may cause significant adverse market conditions and result in losses in value to the Funds’ investments. Such events may initially negatively affect a particular industry, sector, country or region and may spread quickly or unpredictably to negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial performance of individual companies and sectors, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which a Fund invests, which in turn could negatively impact the Fund’s performance and cause losses on your investment in the Fund. Recent examples include pandemic risks related to COVID-19 and aggressive measures taken worldwide in response by governments, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines of large populations, and by businesses, including changes to operations and reducing staff. Although vaccines for COVID-19 have become more widely available, the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its variants and its full impacts are unknown, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for potentially extended periods of time, especially in certain sectors in which a Fund may make investments. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect a Fund’s performance.

 

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You should review this prospectus and the SAI to understand each Fund’s discretion to implement temporary defensive measures, as well as the circumstances in which each Fund may satisfy redemption requests in-kind.

 

Non-Diversification Risk (All Funds) – Each Fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. To the extent that a Fund invests its assets in a smaller number of issuers, the Fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers than a diversified fund. However, each Fund intends to satisfy the asset diversification requirements for qualifying as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code.

 

Participation Notes Risk (Emerging Markets Equity Fund, US Select Quality Equity Fund, Global Quality Equity Fund, International Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund) – P-Notes are generally traded over-the-counter and constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the banks and broker-dealers that issue them. Generally, these banks and broker-dealers buy securities listed on certain foreign exchanges and then issue P-Notes which are designed to replicate the performance of certain issuers and markets. The performance results of P-Notes will not correlate exactly to the performance of the issuers or markets that they seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. The holder of a P-Note typically does not receive voting or other rights as it would if it directly owned the underlying security, but is subject to the same risks of investing directly in the underlying security, as well as counterparty risk associated with the financial institutions issuing the notes.

 

Portfolio Turnover (US Select Quality Equity Fund) – Due to its investment strategies, the Fund may buy and sell securities frequently. This may result in higher transaction costs and additional capital gains tax liabilities, which may affect the Fund’s performance.

 

Preferred Stock Risk (Global Quality Equity Fund, International Quality Dividend Income Fund, US Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund) Preferred stocks are nonvoting equity securities that pay a stated fixed or variable rate dividend. Due to their fixed income features, preferred stocks provide higher income potential than issuers’ common stocks, but are typically more sensitive to interest rate changes than an underlying common stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to equity risk, which is described elsewhere in this section. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a corporation’s assets in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights associated with a corporation’s debt securities. Preferred stock may also be subject to prepayment risk, which is the risk that, in a declining interest rate

 

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environment, securities with stated interest rates may have the principal paid earlier than expected, requiring a Fund to invest the proceeds at generally lower interest rates.

 

Proprietary Model Risk (International Quality Dividend Income Fund, US Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund) – Proprietary models that may be used to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on certain assumptions concerning the interplay of market factors and may not adequately take into account certain factors and may result in a Fund having a lower return than if the Fund were managed using another model or investment strategy. The markets or prices of individual securities may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

 

Sector and Industry Focus Risk (All Funds) – Because a Fund may, from time to time, be more heavily invested in particular sectors or industries, the value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect those sectors or industries. As a result, a Fund’s share price may at times fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors or industries.

 

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk (All Funds) – The small- and mid-capitalization companies in which a Fund may invest may be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic events than larger, more established companies. In particular, investments in these small- and mid-sized companies may pose additional risks, including liquidity risk, because these companies tend to have limited product lines, markets and financial resources, and may depend upon a relatively small management group. Therefore, small- and mid-cap stocks may be more volatile than those of larger companies. These securities may be traded over-the-counter or listed on an exchange.

 

Stock Connect Investing Risk (Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Global Quality Equity Fund, International Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund) – Trading through Stock Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect a Fund’s investments and returns, including a daily quota that limits the maximum net purchases under Stock Connect each day. In addition, investments made through Stock Connect are subject to relatively untested trading, clearance and settlement procedures. Moreover, A Shares purchased through Stock Connect generally may only be sold or otherwise transferred through Stock Connect. A Fund’s investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect are generally subject to Chinese securities regulations and listing rules. While overseas investors currently are exempt from paying capital gains or value added taxes

 

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on income and gains from investments in A Shares purchased through Stock Connect, these tax rules could change, which could result in unexpected tax liabilities for a Fund. Stock Connect operates only on days when both the China and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore, a Fund may be subject to the risk of price fluctuations of A Shares during the time when Stock Connect is not trading. Because of the way in which A Shares are held in Stock Connect, a Fund may not be able to exercise the rights of a shareholder and may be limited in its ability to pursue claims against the issuer of a security, and may suffer losses in the event the depository of the Shanghai Stock Exchange or Shenzhen Stock Exchange becomes insolvent. Stock Connect is a relatively new program. Further developments are likely and there can be no assurance as to the program’s continued existence or whether future developments regarding the program may restrict or adversely affect a Fund’s investments or returns. In addition, the application and interpretation of the laws and regulations of Hong Kong and China, and the rules, policies or guidelines published or applied by relevant regulators and exchanges in respect of Stock Connect are uncertain, and they may have a detrimental effect on a Fund’s investments and returns.

 

U.S. Treasury Securities Risk (US Select Quality Equity Fund, Global Quality Equity Fund, International Quality Dividend Income Fund, US Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund) – A security backed by the U.S. Treasury or the full faith and credit of the United States is guaranteed only as to the timely payment of interest and principal when held to maturity, but the market prices for such securities are not guaranteed and will fluctuate.

 

Information about Portfolio Holdings

 

A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the circumstances under which the Funds disclose their portfolio holdings is available in the SAI. In addition to disclosure required by applicable law as discussed in the SAI, within 60 days of the end of each calendar quarter, the Funds will post their complete list of portfolio holdings on the internet at www.gqgpartners.com. Additionally, approximately ten days after the end of each calendar quarter, each Fund will post on the internet at www.gqgpartners.com (1) a Fund Factsheet that includes its 10 largest portfolio holdings and characteristics derived from the portfolio holdings as of the end of the calendar quarter; and (2) Fund commentaries that include top contributors and detractors to the Fund’s performance and their respective portfolio weights as of the end of the calendar quarter. The postings generally remain until such information is included in a filing

 

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with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Funds’ information available on the website is publicly available. The Adviser may exclude any portion of a Fund’s portfolio holdings or characteristics derived from the portfolio holdings from such publication when deemed in the best interest of the Fund.

 

Investment Adviser

 

GQG Partners LLC, a Delaware limited liability company founded in 2016, is an SEC registered investment adviser that serves as the investment adviser to the Funds. The Adviser’s principal place of business is located at 450 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 750, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301. The Adviser provides investment management services for institutions, mutual funds and other investors using emerging markets, global, international and US equity investment strategies. The Adviser is a subsidiary of GQG Partners Inc., a Delaware corporation that is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

 

The Adviser makes investment decisions for each Fund and continuously reviews, supervises and administers each Fund’s investment program. The Board supervises the Adviser and establishes policies that the Adviser must follow in its management activities.

 

For its services to the Funds, the Adviser is entitled to a fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates based on the average daily net assets of each Fund:

 

Fund

Advisory Fee Rate

Emerging Markets Equity Fund

0.90%

US Select Quality Equity Fund

0.45%

Global Quality Equity Fund

0.65%

International Quality Dividend Income Fund

0.60%*

US Quality Dividend Income Fund

0.45%

Global Quality Dividend Income Fund

0.60%*

 

*

Prior to August 1, 2023, the annual advisory fee rate for the International Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund was 0.65%.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to keep total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and other costs and expenses relating to the securities that are purchased and sold by the Fund, shareholder servicing fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and non-routine expenses

 

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(collectively, “excluded expenses”) for Investor Shares, Institutional Shares and R6 Shares from exceeding certain levels as set forth below until July 31, 2024 (each, a “contractual expense limit”).

 

Fund

Contractual Expense Limit

Emerging Markets Equity Fund

0.98%

US Select Quality Equity Fund

0.49%

Global Quality Equity Fund

0.75%

International Quality Dividend Income Fund

0.68%*

US Quality Dividend Income Fund

0.49%

Global Quality Dividend Income Fund

0.68%*

 

*

Prior to August 1, 2023, the contractual expense limits for the International Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund were 0.79% and 0.75%, respectively.

 

This agreement may be terminated: (i) by the Board, for any reason at any time; or (ii) by the Adviser, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, effective as of the close of business on July 31, 2024.

 

In addition, the Adviser may recoup all or a portion of its fee waivers or expense reimbursements made during the rolling three-year period preceding the date of the recoupment to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (not including excluded expenses) at the time of the recoupment are below the lower of (i) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement and (ii) the contractual expense limit in effect at the time of the recoupment.

 

For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, the Adviser received advisory fees (after fee reductions or recoupments), stated as a percentage of the average daily net assets of each Fund, as follows:

 

 

Advisory Fees Paid

Fund

2023

Emerging Markets Equity Fund

0.91%

US Select Quality Equity Fund

0.43%

Global Quality Equity Fund

0.68%

International Quality Dividend Income Fund

0.48%

US Quality Dividend Income Fund

0.32%

Global Quality Dividend Income Fund

0.48%

 

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A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the GQG Funds’ investment advisory agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders dated March 31, 2023.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

The following portfolio managers are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds under normal circumstances. Investment decisions are typically made collaboratively, although, as Chief Investment Officer, Rajiv Jain has the right to act unilaterally on any investment decision-making.

 

Rajiv Jain, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, serves as a Portfolio Manager of each Fund. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2016, Mr. Jain served as a Co-Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Head of Equities at Vontobel Asset Management (“Vontobel”). He joined Vontobel in 1994 as a co-portfolio manager of its international equity portfolios. Mr. Jain earned an MBA in Finance and International Business from the University of Miami in 1993. He also has a Master’s degree from the University of Ajmer and an undergraduate degree in Accounting.

 

Brian Kersmanc, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser, serves as a Portfolio Manager of each Fund. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2016, Mr. Kersmanc spent six years at Jennison Associates, where he served most recently as an analyst on the Small/Midcap Equity Research team, focusing on a wide array of sectors from real estate equities including building products manufacturers, title insurers, and homebuilders to industrials competing in the aerospace and automotive end markets. Prior to Jennison, Mr. Kersmanc began his career at Brown Brothers Harriman in 2008. Mr. Kersmanc earned his MBA at Rutgers University and his BA in Economics from the University of Connecticut.

 

Sudarshan Murthy, CFA, Senior Investment Analyst at the Adviser, serves as a Portfolio Manager of each Fund. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2016, Mr. Murthy was a generalist analyst in Asian equities at Matthews International Capital from 2011 to 2016 and a sell-side research associate at Sanford C. Bernstein from 2010 to 2011. Earlier in his career, he held various operational roles in the IT services industry, including at Infosys from 2001 to 2006. Mr. Murthy earned an MBA from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated as a Palmer Scholar (top 5% of graduating class). He also received a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta and a Bachelor of Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Surathkal, in India.

 

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The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed, and ownership of Fund shares.

 

Related Performance Data of the Adviser

 

US Select Quality Equity Fund

 

The following tables give the related performance of all separate accounts managed by the Adviser that have investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those of the US Select Quality Equity Fund (the “GQG Comparable Accounts”) and a personal account managed by Rajiv Jain while employed by a firm unaffiliated with the Adviser that had investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those of the US Select Quality Equity Fund (the “Prior Comparable Account,” and, together with the GQG Comparable Accounts, the “Accounts”). The data do not represent the performance of the US Select Quality Equity Fund. Performance is historical and does not represent the future performance of the US Select Quality Equity Fund or of the Adviser.

 

Mr. Jain is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the US Select Quality Equity Fund and the GQG Comparable Accounts, and was primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Prior Comparable Account. Mr. Jain exercises final decision-making authority over all material aspects concerning the investment objective, policies, strategies, and security selection decisions of the US Select Quality Equity Fund and the GQG Comparable Accounts, and exercised the same level of authority and discretion in managing the Prior Comparable Account. While at the prior firm, Mr. Jain managed no other accounts with investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those of the US Select Quality Equity Fund and the Accounts. On July 1, 2022, Brian Kersmanc and Sudarshan Murthy were promoted to Portfolio Manager of the US Select Quality Equity Fund and GQG Comparable Accounts and work alongside Mr. Jain.

 

They work collaboratively with Mr. Jain in the investment decision making process with Mr. Jain having veto rights on any investment decision making and continuing to act unilaterally when Mr. Jain deems appropriate.

 

The manner in which the performance was calculated for the Accounts differs from that of registered mutual funds such as the US Select Quality Equity Fund. If the performance was calculated in accordance with SEC standardized performance methodology, the performance results

 

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may have been different. The Adviser has calculated the performance consistent with Global Investment Performance Standards (“GIPS®”).

 

The returns presented were calculated on a total return basis and include all dividends and interest, accrued income, and realized and unrealized gains and losses. Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. “Net of fees” returns reflect the deduction of foreign withholding taxes and all fees and expenses, including investment management fees, brokerage commissions, execution costs, sales loads and account fees, if any, paid by the Accounts, without taking into account federal or state income taxes, while “gross of fees” returns do not reflect the deduction of investment management fees. “Net of fees” returns are calculated using an investment management fee of 0.50%, which is the highest stated investment management fee for the strategy and is higher than the investment management fee of the US Select Quality Equity Fund. The performance information is calculated in and expressed in United States dollars.

 

Because of variation in fee levels, the returns presented for the GQG Comparable Accounts may not be reflective of performance in any one particular Account. Therefore, the performance information shown below for the GQG Comparable Accounts is not necessarily representative of the performance information that typically would be shown for a registered mutual fund.

 

The US Select Quality Equity Fund’s total fees and expenses are generally expected to be higher than those of the Accounts. If the US Select Quality Equity Fund’s fees and expenses had been imposed on the Accounts, the performance shown below would have been lower. The Accounts are also not subject to the diversification requirements, specific tax restrictions, and investment limitations imposed on the US Select Quality Equity Fund by the federal securities and tax laws. Consequently, the performance results for the Accounts could have been adversely affected if the Accounts were subject to the same federal securities and tax laws as the US Select Quality Equity Fund.

 

The investment results for the Accounts presented below are not intended to predict or suggest the future returns of the US Select Quality Equity Fund. The performance data shown below should not be considered a substitute for the US Select Quality Equity Fund’s own performance information. Investors should be aware that the use of a methodology different than that used below to calculate performance could result in different performance data.

 

THE FOLLOWING DATA DO NOT REPRESENT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE US SELECT QUALITY EQUITY FUND.

 

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Performance Information for the GQG Comparable Accounts

 

Calendar Year Total Pre-Tax Returns

Year

Total Pre-Tax
Return
(Net of Fees)

Total Pre-Tax
Return
(Gross of Fees)

S&P 500
Index
1

Number of
Accounts

Total Assets at
End of Period
($ millions)

2022

(3.00)%

(2.52)%

(18.11)%

15

$6,238

2021

20.44%

21.05%

28.71%

11

$5,712

2020

24.60%

25.23%

18.40%

8

$3,429

2019

27.53%

28.17%

31.49%

3

$535.10

2018

5.50%

6.03%

(4.38)%

1

$18.67

2017

24.20%

24.82%

21.83%

1

$6.73

20162

11.97%

12.29%

8.10%

2

$9.31

 

Average Annual Total Pre-Tax Returns (as of 12/31/2022)

Time Period

Total Pre-Tax Return
(Net of Fees)

Total Pre-Tax Return
(Gross of Fees)

S&P 500 Index1

5 Years

14.39%

14.96%

9.42%

1 Year

(3.00)%

(2.52)%

(18.11)%

Since Inception3

16.44%

17.02%

11.65%

 

1

The S&P 500 Index includes 500 companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy and captures 80% of the U.S. equity market capitalization.

2

Represents the period from June 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.

3

The inception date is June 1, 2016, the day on which Mr. Jain began managing the first GQG Comparable Account.

 

Performance Information for the Prior Comparable Account

 

Calendar Year Total Pre-Tax Returns

Year

Total Pre-Tax
Return
(Net of Fees)

Total Pre-Tax
Return
(Gross of Fees)

S&P 500 Index1

Total Assets at
End of Period
($ millions)

20162

2.59%

2.81%

3.57%

$3.49

2015

3.53%

4.05%

1.38%

$3.40

20143

6.27%

6.53%

6.11%

$3.27

 

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Average Annual Total Pre-Tax Returns (as of 5/31/2016)

Time Period

Total Pre-Tax Return
(Net of Fees)

Total Pre-Tax Return
(Gross of Fees)

S&P 500 Index1

1 Year

2.65%

3.17%

1.72%

Since Inception4

6.52%

7.05%

5.81%

 

1

The S&P 500 Index includes 500 companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy and captures 80% of the U.S. equity market capitalization.

2

Represents the period from January 1, 2016 to May 31, 2016.

3

Represents the period from July 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014.

4

The inception date is July 1, 2014, the beginning of the first full month in which Mr. Jain managed the Prior Comparable Account.

 

Global Quality Equity Fund

 

The following tables give the related performance of all separate accounts managed by the Adviser that have investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those of the GQG Partners Global Quality Equity Fund (the “GQG Comparable Accounts”) and a personal account managed by Rajiv Jain while employed by a firm unaffiliated with the Adviser that had investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those of the Global Quality Equity Fund (the “Prior Comparable Account,” and, together with the GQG Comparable Accounts, the “Accounts”). The data do not represent the performance of the GQG Partners Global Quality Equity Fund. Performance is historical and does not represent the future performance of the GQG Partners Global Quality Equity Fund or of the Adviser.

 

Mr. Jain is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Global Quality Equity Fund and the GQG Comparable Accounts, and was primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Prior Comparable Account. Mr. Jain exercises final decision-making authority over all material aspects concerning the investment objective, policies, strategies, and security selection decisions of the Global Quality Equity Fund and the GQG Comparable Accounts, and exercised the same level of authority and discretion in managing the Prior Comparable Account. On July 1, 2022, Brian Kersmanc and Sudarshan Murthy were promoted to Portfolio Manager of the Global Quality Equity Fund and GQG Comparable Accounts and work alongside Mr. Jain. They work collaboratively with Mr. Jain in the investment decision making process with Mr. Jain having veto rights on any investment decision making and continuing to act unilaterally when Mr. Jain deems appropriate.

 

The manner in which the performance was calculated for the Accounts differs from that of registered mutual funds such as the Global Quality

 

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Equity Fund. If the performance was calculated in accordance with SEC standardized performance methodology, the performance results may have been different. The Adviser has calculated the performance consistent with Global Investment Performance Standards (“GIPS®”).

 

The returns presented were calculated on a total return basis and include all dividends and interest, accrued income, and realized and unrealized gains and losses. Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade date basis. “Net of fees” returns reflect the deduction of foreign withholding taxes and all fees and expenses, including investment management fees, brokerage commissions, execution costs, sales loads and account fees, if any, paid by the Accounts, without taking into account federal or state income taxes, while “gross of fees” returns do not reflect the deduction of investment management fees. “Net of fees” returns are calculated using an investment management fee of 0.70%, which is the highest stated investment management fee for the strategy and is higher than the investment management fee of the Global Quality Equity Fund. The performance information is calculated in and expressed in United States dollars.

 

Because of variation in fee levels, the returns presented for the GQG Comparable Accounts may not be reflective of performance in any one particular Account. Therefore, the performance information shown below for the GQG Comparable Accounts is not necessarily representative of the performance information that typically would be shown for a registered mutual fund.

 

The Global Quality Equity Fund’s total fees and expenses are generally expected to be higher than those of the Accounts. If the Global Quality Equity Fund’s fees and expenses had been imposed on the Accounts, the performance shown below would have been lower. The Accounts are also not subject to the diversification requirements, specific tax restrictions, and investment limitations imposed on the Global Quality Equity Fund by the federal securities and tax laws. Consequently, the performance results for the Accounts could have been adversely affected if the Accounts were subject to the same federal securities and tax laws as the Global Quality Equity Fund.

 

The investment results for the Accounts presented below are not intended to predict or suggest the future returns of the Global Quality Equity Fund. The performance data shown below should not be considered a substitute for the GQG Partners Global Quality Equity Fund’s own performance information. Investors should be aware that the use of a methodology different than that used below to calculate performance could result in different performance data.

 

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THE FOLLOWING DATA DO NOT REPRESENT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE GQG PARTNERS GLOBAL QUALITY EQUITY FUND

 

Performance Information for the GQG Comparable Accounts

 

Calendar Year Total Pre-Tax Returns

Year

Total Pre-Tax
Return
(Net of Fees)

Total Pre-Tax
Return
(Gross of Fees)

MSCI ACWI
Index
1

Number of
Accounts

Total Assets at
End of Period
($ millions)

2022

(4.63)%

(3.96)%

(18.36)%

33

$20,594

2021

17.47%

18.29%

18.54%

31

$21,328

2020

15.35%

16.16%

16.25%

27

$16,694

2019

25.46%

26.34%

26.60%

22

$9,384

2018

-0.09%

0.61%

-9.42%

13

$4,635

2017

26.15%

27.04%

23.97%

9

$1,950

20162

7.41%

7.84%

5.91%

1

$16.3

 

Average Annual Total Pre-Tax Returns (as of 12/31/2022)

Time Period

Total Pre-Tax Return
(Net of Fees)

Total Pre-Tax Return
(Gross of Fees)

MSCI ACWI Index1

5 Years

10.13%

10.90%

5.23%

1 Year

(4.63)%

(3.96)%

(18.36)%

Since Inception3

12.70%

13.49%

8.33%

 

1

The MSCI ACWI Index is designed to represent performance of the full opportunity set of large- and mid-cap stocks across 23 developed and 24 emerging markets.

2

Represents the period from June 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.

3

The inception date is June 1, 2016, the day on which Mr. Jain began managing the first GQG Comparable Account.

 

Performance Information for the Prior Comparable Account

 

Calendar Year Total Pre-Tax Returns

Year

Total Pre-Tax
Return
(Net of Fees)

Total Pre-Tax
Return
(Gross of Fees)

MSCI ACWI Index1

Total Assets at
End of Period
($ millions)

20162

3.64%

3.94%

1.85%

$8.44

2015

3.76%

4.49%

-2.36%

$8.12

20143

2.14%

2.32%

0.41%

$7.00

 

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Average Annual Total Pre-Tax Returns (as of 5/31/2016)

Time Period

Total Pre-Tax Return
(Net of Fees)

Total Pre-Tax Return
(Gross of Fees)

MSCI ACWI Index1

1 Year

2.63%

3.35%

-5.42%

Since Inception4

5.80%

6.54%

-0.09%

 

1

The MSCI ACWI Index is designed to represent performance of the full opportunity set of large- and mid-cap stocks across 23 developed and 24 emerging markets.

2

Represents the period from January 1, 2016 to May 31, 2016.

3

Represents the period from October 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014.

4

The inception date is October 1, 2014, the beginning of the first full month in which Mr. Jain managed the Prior Comparable Account.

 

Purchasing, Selling and Exchanging Fund Shares

 

This section tells you how to purchase, sell (sometimes called “redeem”) and exchange shares of the Funds.

 

For information regarding the federal income tax consequences of transactions in shares of the Funds, including information about cost basis reporting, see “Taxes.”

 

How to Choose a Share Class

 

The GQG Equity Funds each offer three class of shares to investors, Investor Shares, Institutional Shares, and R6 Shares. The GQG Dividend Income Funds each offer two classes of shares to investors, Investor Shares and Institutional Shares. Each share class has its own shareholder eligibility criteria, investment minimums, cost structure and other features. The following summarizes the primary features of Investor Shares, Institutional Shares and R6 Shares. Contact your financial intermediary or the Funds for more information about the Funds’ share classes and how to choose between them.

 

Class Name

Eligible Investors

Investment Minimums

Fees

Investor Shares

Primarily individual investors

Initial - $2,500 ($100 for IRAs)

 

Subsequent – $100

0.25% Shareholder Servicing Fee

 

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Class Name

Eligible Investors

Investment Minimums

Fees

Institutional Shares

Primarily institutional investors

Initial - $500,000

 

Subsequent – None

 

The minimum initial investment amount for Institutional Shares of the Fund is waived for clients of financial intermediaries that have accounts holding Institutional Shares with an aggregate value of at least $500,000 (or that are expected to reach this level).

No Shareholder Servicing Fee

R6 Shares

Section 401(k), 403(b), 457, profit-sharing, money purchase pension, defined benefit pension, non-qualified deferred compensation plans or other employee benefit plans that are sponsored by one or more employers or employee organizations (“Employee Benefit Plans”). Such an Employee Benefit Plan must purchase R6 Shares through a plan level or omnibus account.

Initial – None

 

Subsequent – None

No Shareholder Servicing Fee

 

Investor Shares, Institutional Shares and R6 Shares are offered to investors who purchase shares directly from the Funds or through certain financial intermediaries such as financial planners, investment advisors, broker-dealers or other financial institutions. An investor may be eligible to purchase more than one share class. However, if you purchase shares through a financial intermediary, you may only purchase that class of shares which your financial intermediary sells or services on the platform or program of the intermediary through which you own shares. Your financial intermediary can tell you which class of shares is available through your platform or program.

 

Each Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and accept investments of smaller amounts in its sole discretion.

 

How to Purchase Fund Shares

 

To purchase shares directly from the Funds through their transfer agent, complete and send in the application. If you need an application or have questions, please call 866-362-8333.

 

All investments must be made by check, wire or Automated Clearing House (“ACH”). All checks must be made payable in U.S. dollars and drawn on U.S. financial institutions. The Funds do not accept purchases made

 

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by third-party checks, credit cards, credit card checks, cash, traveler’s checks, money orders or cashier’s checks.

 

The Funds reserve the right to reject any specific purchase order, including exchange purchases, for any reason. The Funds are not intended for short-term trading by shareholders in response to short-term market fluctuations. For more information about the Funds’ policy on short-term trading, see “Excessive Trading Policies and Procedures.”

 

The Funds do not generally accept investments by non-U.S. persons. Non-U.S. persons may be permitted to invest in the Funds subject to the satisfaction of enhanced due diligence. Please contact the Funds for more information.

 

By Mail

 

You can open an account with the Funds by sending a check and your account application to the address below. You can add to an existing account by sending the Funds a check and, if possible, the “Invest by Mail” stub that accompanies your confirmation statement. Be sure your check identifies clearly your name, your account number, the Fund name and the share class.

 

Regular Mail Address

 

GQG Funds
P.O. Box 219009
Kansas City, MO 64121-9009

 

Express Mail Address

 

GQG Funds
c/o SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, Inc.
430 West 7th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105

 

The Funds do not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be their agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services of purchase orders does not constitute receipt by the Funds’ transfer agent. The share price used to fill the purchase order is the next price calculated by a Fund after the Funds’ transfer agent receives and accepts the order in good order at the P.O. Box provided for regular mail delivery or the office address provided for express mail delivery.

 

By Wire

 

To open an account by wire, call 866-362-8333 for details. To add to an existing account by wire, wire your money using the wiring instructions

 

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set forth below (be sure to include the Fund name, the share class, and your account number). The share price used to fill the purchase order is the next price calculated by the Fund after the Fund’s transfer agent receives and accepts the wire in good order.

 

Wiring Instructions

 

UMB Bank, N.A.
ABA # 101000695
GQG Funds
DDA # 9872013085
Ref: Fund name/share class/account number/account name

 

By Systematic Investment Plan (via ACH)
(Investor Shares and Institutional Shares Only)

 

You may not open an account via ACH. However, once you have established a direct account with the Funds, you can set up an automatic investment plan via ACH by mailing a completed application to the Funds. These purchases can be made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually in amounts of at least $100. To cancel or change a plan, contact the Funds by mail at: GQG Funds, P.O. Box 219009, Kansas City, MO 64121-9009 (Express Mail Address: GQG Funds, c/o SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, Inc., 430 West 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105). Please allow up to 15 days to create the plan and 3 days to cancel or change it.

 

Purchases In-Kind

 

Subject to the approval of the Funds, an investor may purchase shares of a Fund with liquid securities and other assets that are eligible for purchase by the Fund (consistent with the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions) and that have a value that is readily ascertainable in accordance with the Adviser’s valuation policies. These transactions will be effected only if the Adviser deems the security to be an appropriate investment for the Fund. Assets purchased by the Fund in such transactions will be valued in good faith by the Adviser, subject to Board oversight. The Funds reserve the right to amend or terminate this practice at any time.

 

Minimum Purchases

 

The minimum investment amount for Investor Shares of a Fund is generally $2,500 for initial investments and $100 for subsequent investments. The minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts for IRAs are generally $100.

 

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To purchase Institutional Shares of a Fund for the first time, you must invest at least $500,000. There is no minimum subsequent investment amount for Institutional Shares. The minimum initial investment amount for Institutional Shares of a Fund is waived for clients of financial intermediaries that have accounts holding Institutional Shares with an aggregate value of at least $500,000 (or that are expected to reach this level).

 

There is no minimum initial or subsequent investment amount for R6 Shares of the GQG Equity Funds.

 

The Funds may accept investments of smaller amounts in their sole discretion.

 

Fund Codes

 

The Funds’ reference information, which is listed below, will be helpful to you when you contact the Funds to purchase or exchange shares, check daily NAV, or obtain additional information.

 

Fund Name

Share Class

Ticker Symbol

CUSIP

Fund Code

Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Investor Shares

GQGPX

00771X 427

1330

 

Institutional Shares

GQGIX

00771X 419

1331

 

R6 Shares

GQGRX

00771X 393

1332

US Select Quality Equity Fund

Investor Shares

GQEPX

00774Q 874

1333

 

Institutional Shares

GQEIX

00774Q 866

1334

 

R6 Shares

GQERX

00774Q 858

1335

Global Quality Equity Fund

Investor Shares

GQRPX

00774Q 718

1336

 

Institutional Shares

GQRIX

00774Q 692

1337

 

R6 Shares

GQRRX

00774Q 684

1338

International Quality Dividend

Investor Shares

GQJPX

00775Y 504

4270

Income Fund

Institutional Shares

GQJIX

00775Y 603

4271

US Quality Dividend

Investor Shares

GQHPX

00775Y 702

4272

Income Fund

Institutional Shares

GQHIX

00775Y 801

4273

Global Quality Dividend

Investor Shares

GQFPX

00775Y 884

4274

Income Fund

Institutional Shares

GQFIX

00775Y 876

4275

 

General Information

 

You may purchase shares on any day that the NYSE is open for business (a “Business Day”). Shares cannot be purchased by Federal Reserve wire on days that either the NYSE or the Federal Reserve is closed.

 

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A Fund’s price per share will be the NAV per share next determined after the Fund or an authorized institution (defined below) receives and accepts your purchase order in good order. “Good order” means that the Fund was provided with a complete and signed account application, including the investor’s social security number or tax identification number, and other identification required by law or regulation, as well as sufficient purchase proceeds. Purchase orders that are not in good order cannot be accepted and processed even if money to purchase shares has been submitted by wire, check or ACH.

 

Each Fund calculates its NAV once each Business Day as of the close of normal trading on the NYSE (normally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time). To receive the current Business Day’s NAV, a Fund or an authorized institution must receive and accept your purchase order in good order before the close of normal trading on the NYSE. If your purchase order is not received and accepted in good order before the close of normal trading on the NYSE, you will receive the NAV calculated on the subsequent Business Day on which your order is received and accepted in good order. If the NYSE closes early, as in the case of scheduled half-day trading or unscheduled suspensions of trading, each Fund reserves the right to calculate NAV as of the earlier closing time. A Fund will not accept orders that request a particular day or price for the transaction or any other special conditions. Shares will only be priced on Business Days. Since securities that are traded on foreign exchanges may trade on days that are not Business Days, the value of a Fund’s assets may change on days when you are unable to purchase or redeem shares.

 

Buying or Selling Shares through a Financial Intermediary

 

In addition to being able to buy and sell Fund shares directly from the Funds through their transfer agent, you may also buy or sell shares of the Funds through accounts with financial intermediaries, such as brokers and other institutions that are authorized to place trades in Fund shares for their customers. When you purchase or sell Fund shares through a financial intermediary (rather than directly from the Funds), you may have to transmit your purchase and sale requests to the financial intermediary at an earlier time for your transaction to become effective that day. This allows the financial intermediary time to process your requests and transmit them to the Funds prior to the time the Funds calculate their NAV that day. Your financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting all purchase and redemption requests, investment information, documentation and money to the Funds on time. If your financial intermediary fails to do so, it may be responsible for any resulting fees or losses. Unless your financial intermediary is an

 

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authorized institution, orders transmitted by the financial intermediary and received by the Funds after the time NAV is calculated for a particular day will receive the following day’s NAV.

 

Certain financial intermediaries, including certain broker-dealers and shareholder organizations, are authorized to act as agent on behalf of the Funds with respect to the receipt of purchase and redemption orders for Fund shares (“authorized institutions”). Authorized institutions are also authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on a Fund’s behalf. A Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized institution or, if applicable, an authorized institution’s designee, receives the order. Orders will be priced at a Fund’s NAV next computed after they are received by an authorized institution or an authorized institution’s designee. To determine whether your financial intermediary is an authorized institution or an authorized institution’s designee such that it may act as agent on behalf of a Fund with respect to purchase and redemption orders for Fund shares, you should contact your financial intermediary directly.

 

If you deal directly with a financial intermediary, you will have to follow its procedures for transacting with the Funds. Your financial intermediary may charge a fee for your purchase and/or redemption transactions. For more information about how to purchase or sell Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact your financial intermediary directly.

 

How the Funds Calculate NAV

 

The NAV of a class of a Fund’s shares is determined by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio investments and other assets attributable to the class, less any liabilities attributable to the class, by the total number of shares outstanding of the class.

 

In calculating NAV, each Fund generally values its investment portfolio at market price. If market prices are not readily available or they are unreliable, such as in the case of a security value that has been materially affected by events occurring after the relevant market closes, securities are valued at fair value. The Board has designated the Adviser as the Funds’ valuation designee to make all fair value determinations with respect to the Funds’ portfolio investments, subject to the Board’s oversight. The Adviser has adopted and implemented policies and procedures to be followed when making fair value determinations, and it has established a Valuation Committee through which the Adviser makes fair value determinations. The Adviser’s determination of a

 

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security’s fair value price often involves the consideration of a number of subjective factors, and is therefore subject to the unavoidable risk that the value that is assigned to a security may be higher or lower than the security’s value would be if a reliable market quotation for the security was readily available.

 

With respect to non-U.S. securities held by a Fund, the Adviser may take factors influencing specific markets or issuers into consideration in determining the fair value of a non-U.S. security. Foreign securities markets may be open on days when the U.S. markets are closed. In such cases, the value of any foreign securities owned by a Fund may be significantly affected on days when investors cannot buy or sell shares. In addition, due to the difference in times between the close of the foreign markets and the time as of which a Fund prices its shares, the value the Adviser assigns to securities may not be the same as the quoted or published prices of those securities on their primary markets or exchanges. In determining fair value prices, the Adviser may consider the performance of securities on their primary exchanges, foreign currency appreciation/depreciation, securities market movements in the United States, or other relevant information related to the securities.

 

Other assets for which market quotations are not readily available will be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser, subject to Board oversight.

 

How to Sell Your Fund Shares

 

If you own your shares directly, you may sell your shares on any Business Day by contacting the Funds directly by mail or telephone at 866-362-8333.

 

If you own your shares through an account with a broker or other institution, contact that broker or institution to sell your shares. Your broker or institution may charge a fee for its services in addition to the fees charged by the Funds.

 

If you would like to have your redemption proceeds, including proceeds generated as a result of closing your account, sent to a third party or an address other than your own, please notify the Funds in writing.

 

Certain redemption requests will require a signature guarantee by an eligible guarantor institution. Eligible guarantors include commercial banks, savings and loans, savings banks, trust companies, credit unions, member firms of a national stock exchange, or any other member or participant of an approved signature guarantor program. For example, signature guarantees may be required if your address of record has

 

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changed in the last 30 days, if you want the proceeds sent to a bank other than the bank of record on your account, or if you ask that the proceeds be sent to a different person or address. Please note that a notary public is not an acceptable provider of a signature guarantee and that the Funds must be provided with the original guarantee. Signature guarantees are for the protection of Fund shareholders. Before granting a redemption request, the Funds may require a shareholder to furnish additional legal documents to ensure proper authorization.

 

Accounts held by a corporation, trust, fiduciary or partnership, may require additional documentation along with a signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Funds participate in the Paperless Legal Program (the “Program”), which eliminates the need for accompanying paper documentation on legal securities transfers. Requests received with a Medallion Signature Guarantee will be reviewed for the proper criteria to meet the guidelines of the Program and may not require additional documentation. Please contact Shareholder Services at 866-362-8333 for more information.

 

The sale price of each share will be the NAV next determined after a Fund (or an authorized institution) receives and accepts your request in good order.

 

By Mail

 

To redeem shares by mail, please send a letter to the Funds signed by all registered parties on the account specifying:

 

 

The Fund name;

 

 

The share class;

 

 

The account number;

 

 

The dollar amount or number of shares you wish to redeem;

 

 

The account name(s); and

 

 

The address to which redemption (sale) proceeds should be sent.

 

All registered shareholders must sign the letter in the exact name(s) and must designate any special capacity in which they are registered.

 

Regular Mail Address

 

GQG Funds
P.O. Box 219009
Kansas City, MO 64121-9009

 

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Express Mail Address

 

GQG Funds
c/o SS&C Global Investor & Distribution Solutions, Inc.
430 West 7th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105

 

The Funds do not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be their agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services of sell orders does not constitute receipt by the Funds’ transfer agent. The share price used to fill the sell order is the next price calculated by a Fund after the Funds’ transfer agent receives and accepts the order in good order at the P.O. Box provided for regular mail delivery or the office address provided for express mail delivery.

 

By Telephone

 

To redeem shares by telephone, you must first establish the telephone redemption privilege (and, if desired, the wire and/or ACH redemption privilege) by completing the appropriate sections of the account application. Call 866-362-8333 to redeem your shares. Based on your instructions, the Funds will mail your proceeds to you, or send them to your bank via wire or ACH.

 

By Systematic Withdrawal Plan (via ACH)
(Investor Shares and Institutional Shares Only)

 

If you have a direct account with the Funds and your account balance is at least $1,000, you may transfer as little as $100 per month from your account to another financial institution through a Systematic Withdrawal Plan (via ACH). The minimum balance requirements may be modified by a Fund in its sole discretion. To participate in this service, you must complete the appropriate sections of the account application and mail it to the Funds.

 

Receiving Your Money

 

Normally, a Fund will send your sale proceeds within one Business Day after it receives your redemption request. A Fund, however, may take up to seven days to pay redemption proceeds. Your proceeds can be wired to your bank account (may be subject to a $10 fee), sent to you by check or sent via ACH to your bank account if you have established banking instructions with a Fund. If you are selling shares that were recently purchased by check or through ACH, redemption proceeds may not be available until your check has cleared or the ACH transaction has

 

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been completed (which may take up to 15 days from your date of purchase).

 

A Fund typically expects to sell portfolio assets and/or hold cash or cash equivalents to meet redemption requests. On a less regular basis, a Fund may also meet redemption requests by using short-term borrowings from its custodian and/or redeeming shares in-kind (as described below). These methods may be used during both normal and stressed market conditions.

 

Redemptions In-Kind

 

The Funds generally pay sale (redemption) proceeds in cash. However, under unusual conditions that make the payment of cash unwise and for the protection of the Funds’ remaining shareholders, the Funds might pay all or part of your redemption proceeds in securities with a market value equal to the redemption price (redemption in-kind). If your shares were redeemed in-kind, you would have to pay transaction costs to sell the securities distributed to you, as well as taxes on any capital gains from the sale as with any redemption. In addition, you would continue to be subject to the risks of any market fluctuation in the value of the securities you receive in-kind until they are sold.

 

Involuntary Redemptions of Your Shares

 

If your account balance drops below $1,000 for Investor Shares ($500 for IRAs) or $100,000 for Institutional Shares, because of redemptions, you may be required to sell your shares. The Funds generally will provide you at least 30 days’ written notice to give you time to add to your account and avoid the involuntary redemption of your shares. Each Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum account value requirement in its sole discretion.

 

Suspension of Your Right to Sell Your Shares

 

The Funds may suspend your right to sell your shares or delay payment of redemption proceeds for more than seven days during times when the NYSE is closed, other than during customary weekends or holidays, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC. More information about this is in the SAI.

 

Telephone Transactions

 

Purchasing, selling and exchanging Fund shares over the telephone is extremely convenient, but not without risk. Although the Funds have certain safeguards and procedures to confirm the identity of callers and the authenticity of instructions, the Funds are not responsible for

 

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any losses or costs incurred by following telephone instructions they reasonably believe to be genuine. If you or your financial institution transact with the Funds over the telephone, you will generally bear the risk of any loss.

 

How to Exchange Fund Shares

 

At no charge, you may exchange Investor Shares, Institutional Shares, or R6 Shares of one Fund for Investor Shares, Institutional Shares, or R6 Shares, respectively, of another Fund by writing to or calling the Funds. R6 Shares are only offered by the GQG Equity Funds. Exchanges are subject to the eligibility requirements and the fees and expenses of the Fund you exchange into. An exchange of Fund shares for share of another Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes; such exchange, however, is generally not subject to tax when made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account. Before exchanging, you should read the prospectus of the Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees, and expenses.

 

The exchange privilege is not intended as a vehicle for short-term or excessive trading. A Fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in a pattern of exchanges that is excessive, as determined in the sole discretion of the Fund. For more information about the Funds’ policy on excessive trading, see “Excessive Trading Policies and Procedures.”

 

At no charge, you may also convert one class of shares of one Fund directly to another class of shares of the same Fund, by writing to or calling the Funds, subject to the eligibility requirements and the fees and expenses of the share class of the Fund you convert into. A conversion between share classes of a Fund is not a taxable event.

 

You may only exchange or convert shares between accounts with identical registrations (i.e., the same names and addresses). If you purchase shares through a financial intermediary, you may only exchange or convert into a Fund or share class which your financial intermediary sells or services on the platform or program of the intermediary through which you own shares. Your financial intermediary can tell you which Funds and share classes are available through your platform or program.

 

Payments to Financial Intermediaries

 

The Funds and/or the Adviser may compensate financial intermediaries for providing a variety of services to the Funds and/or their shareholders. Financial intermediaries include affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), trust companies, registered

 

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investment advisers, financial planners, retirement plan administrators, insurance companies, and any other institution having a service, administration, or any similar arrangement with the Funds, their service providers or their respective affiliates. This section briefly describes how financial intermediaries may be paid for providing these services. For more information, please see “Payments to Financial Intermediaries” in the SAI.

 

Shareholder Servicing Plan

 

Each Fund has adopted a shareholder servicing plan that provides that the Fund may pay financial intermediaries for shareholder services in an annual amount not to exceed 0.25% based on the average daily net assets of the Fund’s Investor Shares. The services for which financial intermediaries are compensated may include record-keeping, transaction processing for shareholders’ accounts and other shareholder services.

 

Payments by the Adviser

 

From time to time, the Adviser and/or its affiliates, in their discretion, may make payments to certain affiliated or unaffiliated financial intermediaries to compensate them for the costs associated with distribution, marketing, administration and shareholder servicing support for the Funds. These payments are sometimes characterized as “revenue sharing” payments and are made out of the Adviser’s and/or its affiliates’ own legitimate profits or other resources and may be in addition to any payments made to financial intermediaries by the Funds. A financial intermediary may provide these services with respect to Fund shares sold or held through programs such as retirement plans, qualified tuition programs, fund supermarkets, fee-based advisory or wrap fee programs, bank trust programs, and insurance (e.g., individual or group annuity) programs. In addition, financial intermediaries may receive payments for making shares of the Funds available to their customers or registered representatives, including providing the Funds with “shelf space,” placing them on a preferred or recommended fund list, or promoting the Funds in certain sales programs that are sponsored by financial intermediaries. To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules and other applicable laws and regulations, the Adviser and/or its affiliates may pay or allow other promotional incentives or payments to financial intermediaries.

 

The level of payments made by the Adviser and/or its affiliates to individual financial intermediaries varies in any given year and may be negotiated on the basis of sales of Fund shares, the amount of

 

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Fund assets serviced by the financial intermediary or the quality of the financial intermediary’s relationship with the Adviser and/or its affiliates. These payments may be more or less than the payments received by the financial intermediaries from other mutual funds and may influence a financial intermediary to favor the sales of certain funds or share classes over others. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your financial intermediary. Any such payments will not change the NAV or price of a Fund’s shares. Please contact your financial intermediary for information about any payments it may receive in connection with the sale of Fund shares or the provision of services to Fund shareholders.

 

In addition to these payments, your financial intermediary may charge you account fees, commissions or transaction fees for buying or redeeming shares of the Funds, or other fees for servicing your account. Your financial intermediary should provide a schedule of its fees and services to you upon request.

 

No compensation, administrative payments, sub-transfer agency payments or service payments are paid to broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries from Fund assets, or from the resources of the Adviser or its affiliates on sales of or investments in R6 Shares.

 

Other Policies

 

Excessive Trading Policies and Procedures

 

The Funds are intended for long-term investment purposes only and discourage shareholders from engaging in “market timing” or other types of excessive short-term trading. This frequent trading into and out of a Fund may present risks to the Fund’s long-term shareholders and could adversely affect shareholder returns. The risks posed by frequent trading include interfering with the efficient implementation of a Fund’s investment strategies, triggering the recognition of taxable gains and losses on the sale of Fund investments, requiring the Fund to maintain higher cash balances to meet redemption requests, and experiencing increased transaction costs.

 

In addition, because the Funds may invest in foreign securities traded primarily on markets that close prior to the time the Funds determine their NAV, the risks posed by frequent trading may have a greater potential to dilute the value of Fund shares held by long-term shareholders than funds investing exclusively in U.S. securities. In instances where a significant event that affects the value of one or more foreign securities held by a Fund takes place after the close of the primary foreign market,

 

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but before the time that the Fund determines its NAV, certain investors may seek to take advantage of the fact that there will be a delay in the adjustment of the market price for a security caused by this event until the foreign market reopens (sometimes referred to as “price” or “time zone” arbitrage). Shareholders who attempt this type of arbitrage may dilute the value of a Fund’s shares if the prices of the Fund’s foreign securities do not reflect their fair value. Although the Adviser has procedures designed to determine the fair value of foreign securities for purposes of calculating the Funds’ NAV when such an event has occurred, fair value pricing, because it involves judgments which are inherently subjective, may not always eliminate the risk of price arbitrage.

 

Because the Funds may invest in small- and mid-cap securities, which often trade in lower volumes and may be less liquid, the Funds may be more susceptible to the risks posed by frequent trading because frequent transactions in the Funds’ shares may have a greater impact on the market prices of these types of securities.

 

The Funds’ service providers will take steps reasonably designed to detect and deter frequent trading by shareholders pursuant to the Funds’ policies and procedures described in this prospectus and approved by the Board. For purposes of applying these policies, the Funds’ service providers may consider the trading history of accounts under common ownership or control. The Funds’ policies and procedures include:

 

 

Shareholders are restricted from making more than four “round trips,” including exchanges, into or out of a Fund within any one-year period. The Funds define a “round trip” as a purchase or exchange into a Fund by a shareholder, followed by a subsequent redemption out of the Fund, within any ninety-day period, of an amount the Adviser reasonably believes would be harmful or disruptive to the Fund.

 

 

Each Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase or exchange request by any investor or group of investors for any reason without prior notice, including, in particular, if the Fund or the Adviser reasonably believes that the trading activity would be harmful or disruptive to the Fund.

 

The Funds and/or their service providers seek to apply these policies to the best of their abilities uniformly and in a manner they believe is consistent with the interests of the Funds’ long-term shareholders. The Funds do not knowingly accommodate frequent purchases and redemptions by Fund shareholders. Although these policies are designed to deter frequent trading, none of these measures alone nor all of them taken together eliminate the possibility that frequent trading

 

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in a Fund will occur. Systematic purchases and redemptions are exempt from these policies.

 

Financial intermediaries (such as investment advisers and broker-dealers) often establish omnibus accounts in the Funds on behalf of their customers through which transactions are placed. The Funds have entered into “information sharing agreements” with these financial intermediaries, which permit the Funds to obtain, upon request, information about the trading activity of the intermediary’s customers that invest in the Funds. If the Funds or their service providers identify omnibus account level trading patterns that have the potential to be detrimental to the Funds, the Funds or their service providers may, in their sole discretion, request from the financial intermediary information concerning the trading activity of its customers. Based upon a review of that information, if the Funds or their service providers determine that the trading activity of any customer may be detrimental to the Funds, they may, in their sole discretion, request the financial intermediary to restrict or limit further trading in the Funds by that customer. If the Funds are not satisfied that the intermediary has taken appropriate action, the Funds may terminate the intermediary’s ability to transact in Fund shares. When information regarding transactions in the Funds’ shares is requested by the Funds and such information is in the possession of a person that is itself a financial intermediary to a financial intermediary (an “indirect intermediary”), any financial intermediary with whom the Funds have an information sharing agreement is obligated to obtain transaction information from the indirect intermediary or, if directed by the Funds, to restrict or prohibit the indirect intermediary from purchasing shares of the Funds on behalf of other persons.

 

The Funds and their service providers will use reasonable efforts to work with financial intermediaries to identify excessive short-term trading in omnibus accounts that may be detrimental to the Funds. However, there can be no assurance that the monitoring of omnibus account level trading will enable the Funds to identify or prevent all such trading by a financial intermediary’s customers. Please contact your financial intermediary for more information.

 

Customer Identification and Verification

 

To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.

 

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What this means to you: when you open an account, a Fund will ask your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow the Fund to identify you. This information is subject to verification to ensure the identity of all persons opening a mutual fund account.

 

The Funds are required by law to reject your new account application if the required identifying information is not provided.

 

In certain instances, the Funds are required to collect documents to fulfill their legal obligation. Documents provided in connection with your application will be used solely to establish and verify your identity.

 

Attempts to collect the missing information required on the application will be performed by either contacting you or, if applicable, your broker or financial intermediary. If this information cannot be obtained within a reasonable timeframe established in the sole discretion of the Funds, your application will be rejected.

 

Subject to the Funds’ right to reject purchases as described in this prospectus, upon receipt of your application in good order (or upon receipt of all identifying information required on the application), your investment will be accepted and your order will be processed at the next-determined NAV per share.

 

The Funds reserve the right to close or liquidate your account at the NAV next-determined and remit proceeds to you via check if they are unable to verify your identity. Attempts to verify your identity will be performed within a reasonable timeframe established in the sole discretion of the Funds. Further, the Funds reserve the right to hold your proceeds until your original check clears the bank, which may take up to 15 days from the date of purchase. In such an instance, you may be subject to a gain or loss on Fund shares and will be subject to corresponding tax implications.

 

Anti-Money Laundering Program

 

Customer identification and verification is part of the Funds’ overall obligation to deter money laundering under federal law. The Funds have adopted an anti-money laundering compliance program designed to prevent the Funds from being used for money laundering or the financing of illegal activities. In this regard, the Funds reserve the right to: (i) refuse, cancel or rescind any purchase or exchange order; (ii) freeze any account and/or suspend account services; or (iii) involuntarily close your account in cases of threatening conduct or suspected fraudulent or illegal activity. These actions will be taken when, in the sole discretion of Fund management, they are deemed to be in the best interest of a

 

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Fund or in cases when a Fund is requested or compelled to do so by governmental or law enforcement authority. If your account is closed at the request of governmental or law enforcement authority, you may not receive proceeds of the redemption if the Fund is required to withhold such proceeds.

 

Unclaimed Property

 

Each state has unclaimed property rules that generally provide for escheatment (or transfer) to the state of unclaimed property under various circumstances. Such circumstances include inactivity (e.g., no owner-initiated contact for a certain period), returned mail (e.g., when mail sent to a shareholder is returned by the post office, or “RPO,” as undeliverable), or a combination of both inactivity and returned mail. Once it flags property as unclaimed, the applicable Fund will attempt to contact the shareholder, but if that attempt is unsuccessful, the account may be considered abandoned and escheated to the state.

 

Shareholders that reside in the state of Texas may designate a representative to receive escheatment notifications by completing and submitting a designation form that can be found on the website of the Texas Comptroller. While the designated representative does not have any rights to claim or access the shareholder’s account or assets, the escheatment period will cease if the representative communicates knowledge of the shareholder’s location and confirms that the shareholder has not abandoned his or her property. A completed designation form may be mailed to the Funds (if shares are held directly with the Funds) or to the shareholder’s financial intermediary (if shares are not held directly with the Funds).

 

More information on unclaimed property and how to maintain an active account is available through your state or by calling 866-362-8333.

 

Dividends and Distributions

 

The Emerging Markets Equity Fund, US Select Quality Equity Fund and Global Quality Equity Fund distribute their net investment income, and make distributions of their net realized capital gains, if any, at least annually.

 

The International Quality Dividend Income Fund, US Quality Dividend Income Fund and Global Quality Dividend Income Fund distribute their net investment income quarterly and make distributions of their net realized capital gains, if any, at least annually.

 

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If you own Fund shares on a Fund’s record date, you will be entitled to receive the distribution.

 

You will receive dividends and distributions in the form of additional Fund shares unless you elect to receive payment in cash. To elect cash payment, you must notify a Fund in writing prior to the date of the distribution. Your election will be effective for dividends and distributions paid after the Fund receives your written notice. To cancel your election, simply send the Fund written notice.

 

Taxes

 

Please consult your tax advisor regarding your specific questions about U.S. federal, state and local income taxes. Below is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax issues that affect the Funds and their shareholders. This summary is based on current tax laws, which may change. This summary does not apply to shares held in an IRA or other tax-qualified plans, which are not subject to current tax. Transactions relating to shares held in such accounts may, however, be taxable at some time in the future.

 

Each Fund has elected (or intends to elect) and intends to qualify each year for the special tax treatment afforded to RICs under the Code. If a Fund maintains its qualification as a RIC and meets certain minimum distribution requirements, then the Fund is generally not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, if a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements it would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and consequently a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.

 

Each Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any annually. The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state, and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions you receive from each Fund may be taxable whether or not you reinvest them. Income distributions other than distributions of qualified dividend income, and distributions of short-term capital gain are generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates.

 

Distributions reported by the Funds as long-term capital gains and as qualified dividend income are generally taxable at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains currently set at a maximum tax rate for individuals at 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). Qualified dividend income generally is income derived

 

117

 

 

 

from dividends paid to a Fund by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that a Fund receives in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. For such dividends to be taxed as qualified dividend income to a non-corporate shareholder, a Fund must satisfy certain holding period requirements with respect to the underlying stock and the non-corporate shareholder must satisfy holding period requirements with respect to his or her ownership of the Fund’s shares. Certain Funds’ investment strategies may limit their ability to make distributions eligible for the reduced rates applicable to qualified dividend income. Once a year the Funds (or their administrative agent) will send you a statement showing the types and total amount of distributions you received during the previous year.

 

You should note that if you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price would reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution. In this case, you would be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of your investment. This is known as “buying a dividend” and generally should be avoided by taxable investors.

 

Each sale of Fund shares may be a taxable event. For tax purposes, an exchange of your Fund shares for shares of a different fund is the same as a sale. Assuming you hold your Fund shares as a capital asset, the gain or loss on the sale of Fund shares generally will be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss if you held the shares for 12 months or less or as long-term capital gain or loss if you held the shares for longer. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to the Fund shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares will be disallowed if you purchase other substantially identical shares within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

 

U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) are subject to a 3.8% tax on their “net investment income,” including interest, dividends, and capital gains (including capital gains realized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund).

 

The Funds (or their administrative agent) must report to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and furnish to Fund shareholders cost basis

 

118

 

 

 

information for Fund shares. In addition to reporting the gross proceeds from the sale of Fund shares, the Funds (or their administrative agent) are also required to report the cost basis information for such shares and indicate whether these shares had a short-term or long-term holding period. For each sale of Fund shares, the Funds will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS-accepted cost basis methods, including the average cost basis method. In the absence of an election, the Funds will use the average cost basis method as the default cost basis method. The cost basis method elected by the Fund shareholder (or the cost basis method applied by default) for each sale of Fund shares may not be changed after the settlement date of each such sale of Fund shares. Fund shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about how cost basis reporting applies to them. Shareholders also should carefully review the cost basis information provided to them by the Funds and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on their federal income tax returns.

 

Certain of the Funds may seek to provide exposure to the investment returns of physical commodities through investments in commodity-based ETFs. Commodity investments generally do not produce qualifying income for purposes of the qualifying income test (as defined in the “Taxes” section of the SAI), which must be met in order for a Fund to maintain its status as a RIC under the Code. Such Funds intend to monitor such investments to ensure that any non-qualifying income (when combined with its other investments that produce non-qualifying income) does not exceed permissible limits, but the Funds may not be able to accurately predict the non-qualifying income from these investments. If any of such Funds do not qualify as a RIC for any taxable year and certain relief provisions are not available, the Fund’s taxable income will be subject to tax at the Fund level and to a further tax at the shareholder level when such income is distributed. Failure to comply with the requirements for qualification as a RIC would have significant negative tax consequences to such Funds’ shareholders (see more information in the “Taxes” section of the SAI).

 

The Funds may be subject to foreign withholding taxes with respect to dividends or interest the Funds receive from sources in foreign countries. If more than 50% of the total assets of a Fund consists of foreign securities, the Fund will be eligible to elect to treat some of those taxes as a distribution to shareholders, which would allow shareholders to offset some of their U.S. federal income tax. The Funds (or their administrative agent) will notify you if they make such an election and provide you with

 

119

 

 

 

the information necessary to reflect foreign taxes paid on your income tax return.

 

Because each shareholder’s tax situation is different, you should consult your tax advisor about the tax implications of an investment in the Funds.

 

More information about taxes is included in the SAI.

 

120

 

 

 

Additional Information

 

The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Funds’ investment adviser, custodian, transfer agent, accountants, administrator and distributor, who provide services to the Funds. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended (or “third-party”) beneficiaries of, any of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any individual shareholder or group of shareholders any right to enforce the terms of the contractual arrangements against the service providers or to seek any remedy under the contractual arrangements against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Trust.

 

This prospectus and the SAI provide information concerning the Trust and the Funds that you should consider in determining whether to purchase shares of the Funds. The Funds may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this prospectus, the SAI or any document filed as an exhibit to the Trust’s registration statement, is intended to, nor does it, give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Funds and any shareholder, or give rise to any contract or other rights in any individual shareholder, group of shareholders or other person other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.

 

121

 

 

 

Financial Highlights

 

The tables that follow present performance information about the Funds. This information is intended to help you understand each Fund’s financial performance for the period of the Fund’s operations. Some of this information reflects financial information for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The information provided below has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm for the Funds. The financial statements and the unqualified opinion of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are included in the 2023 Annual Report of the Funds, which is available upon request by calling the Funds at 866-362-8333.

 

122

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Investor Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(1)

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2021

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2020

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2019

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2018

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 15.44     $ 17.65     $ 14.84     $ 13.11     $ 12.43     $ 12.14  

Income from Investment Operations:

                                               

Net Investment Income*

    0.69       0.36       0.13       0.07       0.14       0.07  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (2.48 )     (1.94 )     2.71       1.80       0.61       0.24 ^ 

Total from Investment Operations

    (1.79 )     (1.58 )     2.84       1.87       0.75       0.31  

Dividends and Distributions:

                                               

Net Investment Income

    (0.69 )     (0.38 )     (0.03 )     (0.14 )     (0.07 )     (0.02 )

Capital Gains

          (0.25 )                        

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.69 )     (0.63 )     (0.03 )     (0.14 )     (0.07 )     (0.02 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 12.96     $ 15.44     $ 17.65     $ 14.84     $ 13.11     $ 12.43  

Total Return

    (11.47 )%     (9.19 )%     19.12 %     14.39 %     6.10 %     2.57 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

                                               

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 294,808     $ 204,004     $ 173,963     $ 88,121     $ 18,124     $ 9,932  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    1.23 %(2)     1.16 %††(2)     1.16 %(2)     1.16 %     1.20 %     1.26 %

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers, Fees Paid Indirectly and Recaptured Fees)

    1.22 %     1.15 %††     1.16 %     1.22 %     1.26 %     1.33 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    5.14 %     3.14 %††     0.72 %     0.53 %     1.17 %     0.55 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    88 %     75 %     101 %     93 %     74 %     94 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

^

The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period does not accord with the aggregate net losses on investments for the period because of the sales and repurchases of Fund shares in relation to fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.

 

(1)

For the period August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Effective September 23, 2021, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to March 31st (see Note 1 in the Notes to Financial Statements).

 

(2)

Ratio includes previously waived advisory fees recaptured. The net expense ratio would have been lower absent the impact of the recaptured fees.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

123

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Institutional Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(1)

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2021

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2020

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2019

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2018

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 15.52     $ 17.74     $ 14.90     $ 13.15     $ 12.47     $ 12.17  

Income from Investment Operations:

                                               

Net Investment Income*

    0.74       0.37       0.16       0.09       0.18       0.10  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (2.51 )     (1.93 )     2.72       1.82       0.59       0.23 ^ 

Total from Investment Operations

    (1.77 )     (1.56 )     2.88       1.91       0.77       0.33  

Dividends and Distributions:

                                               

Net Investment Income

    (0.72 )     (0.41 )     (0.04 )     (0.16 )     (0.09 )     (0.03 )

Capital Gains

          (0.25 )                        

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.72 )     (0.66 )     (0.04 )     (0.16 )     (0.09 )     (0.03 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 13.03     $ 15.52     $ 17.74     $ 14.90     $ 13.15     $ 12.47  

Total Return

    (11.32 )%     (9.07 )%     19.35 %     14.62 %     6.31 %     2.72 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

                                               

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 10,954,713     $ 8,809,402     $ 8,429,150     $ 4,276,901     $ 1,783,796     $ 928,267  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.98 %(2)     0.98 %††(2)     0.98 %(2)     0.98 %     1.01 %     1.08 %

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers, Fees Paid Indirectly and Recaptured Fees)

    0.97 %     0.97 %††     0.98 %     1.03 %     1.07 %     1.15 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    5.46 %     3.25 %††     0.90 %     0.67 %     1.46 %     0.79 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    88 %     75 %     101 %     93 %     74 %     94 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

^

The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period does not accord with the aggregate net losses on investments for the period because of the sales and repurchases of Fund shares in relation to fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.

 

(1)

For the period August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Effective September 23, 2021, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to March 31st (see Note 1 in the Notes to Financial Statements).

 

(2)

Ratio includes previously waived advisory fees recaptured. The net expense ratio would have been lower absent the impact of the recaptured fees.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

124

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

R6 Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(1)

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2021

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2020

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2019

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2018

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 15.52     $ 17.74     $ 14.90     $ 13.14     $ 12.47     $ 12.17  

Income from Investment Operations:

                                               

Net Investment Income*

    0.65       0.37       0.21       0.08       0.19       0.14  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (2.42 )     (1.93 )     2.67       1.84       0.57       0.19 ^ 

Total from Investment Operations

    (1.77 )     (1.56 )     2.88       1.92       0.76       0.33  

Dividends and Distributions:

                                               

Net Investment Income

    (0.72 )     (0.41 )     (0.04 )     (0.16 )     (0.09 )     (0.03 )

Capital Gains

          (0.25 )                        

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.72 )     (0.66 )     (0.04 )     (0.16 )     (0.09 )     (0.03 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 13.03     $ 15.52     $ 17.74     $ 14.90     $ 13.14     $ 12.47  

Total Return

    (11.32 )%     (9.07 )%     19.35 %     14.71 %     6.23 %     2.72 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

                                               

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 189,724     $ 66,084     $ 65,354     $ 23,214     $ 13,241     $ 5,575  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.98 %(2)     0.98 %††(2)     0.98 %(2)     0.98 %     1.01 %     1.08 %

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers, Fees Paid Indirectly and Recaptured Fees)

    0.97 %     0.97 %††     0.98 %     1.03 %     1.07 %     1.15 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    4.85 %     3.25 %††     1.17 %     0.65 %     1.57 %     1.06 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    88 %     75 %     101 %     93 %     74 %     94 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

^

The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period does not accord with the aggregate net losses on investments for the period because of the sales and repurchases of Fund shares in relation to fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.

 

(1)

For the period August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Effective September 23, 2021, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to March 31st (see Note 1 in the Notes to Financial Statements).

 

(2)

Ratio includes previously waived advisory fees recaptured. The net expense ratio would have been lower absent the impact of the recaptured fees.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

125

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS GLOBAL QUALITY EQUITY FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Investor Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(2)

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2021

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2020

   

Period Ended
July 31, 2019
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 15.28     $ 14.62     $ 12.48     $ 10.48     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net Investment Income*

    0.43       0.27       0.08       0.04       0.03  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (1.75 )     0.62       2.06       1.96       0.45  

Total from Investment Operations

    (1.32 )     0.89       2.14       2.00       0.48  

Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Net Investment Income

    (0.39 )     (0.23 )                  

Capital Gains

    (0.02 )                        

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.41 )     (0.23 )                  

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 13.55     $ 15.28     $ 14.62     $ 12.48     $ 10.48  

Total Return

    (8.73 )%     6.11 %     17.15 %     19.08 %     4.80 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

                                       

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 23,322     $ 4,087     $ 2,017     $ 1,252     $ 334  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    1.00 %(3)     0.90 %††(3)     0.90 %     0.90 %     0.90 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers, Fees Paid Indirectly and Recaptured Fees)

    0.97 %     0.88 %††     0.91 %     1.35 %     3.91 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    3.05 %     2.75 %††     0.62 %     0.33 %     0.74 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    139 %     95 %     124 %     123 %     43 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on March 29, 2019.

 

(2)

For the period August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Effective September 23, 2021, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to March 31st (see Note 1 in the Notes to Financial Statements).

 

(3)

Ratio includes previously waived advisory fees recaptured. The net expense ratio would have been lower absent the impact of the recaptured fees.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

126

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS GLOBAL QUALITY EQUITY FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Institutional Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(2)

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2021

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2020

   

Period Ended
July 31, 2019
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 15.31     $ 14.65     $ 12.50     $ 10.48     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net Investment Income*

    0.50       0.28       0.12       0.05       0.03  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (1.79 )     0.63       2.04       1.97       0.45  

Total from Investment Operations

    (1.29 )     0.91       2.16       2.02       0.48  

Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Net Investment Income

    (0.40 )     (0.25 )     (0.01 )     ^       

Capital Gains

    (0.02 )                        

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.42 )     (0.25 )     (0.01 )            

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 13.60     $ 15.31     $ 14.65     $ 12.50     $ 10.48  

Total Return

    (8.52 )%     6.22 %     17.33 %     19.32 %     4.80 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

                                       

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 1,308,554     $ 834,826     $ 610,670     $ 201,026     $ 17,439  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.75 %(3)     0.75 %††(3)     0.75 %     0.75 %     0.75 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers, Fees Paid Indirectly and Recaptured Fees)

    0.72 %     0.73 %††     0.76 %     1.14 %     3.75 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    3.57 %     2.81 %††     0.86 %     0.48 %     0.88 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    139 %     95 %     124 %     123 %     43 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

^

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on March 29, 2019.

 

(2)

For the period August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Effective September 23, 2021, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to March 31st (see Note 1 in the Notes to Financial Statements).

 

(3)

Ratio includes previously waived advisory fees recaptured. The net expense ratio would have been lower absent the impact of the recaptured fees.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

127

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS GLOBAL QUALITY EQUITY FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

R6 Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(2)

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2021

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2020

   

Period Ended
July 31,
2019
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 15.30     $ 14.64     $ 12.50     $ 10.48     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net Investment Income*

    0.51       0.28       0.19       0.05       0.03  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (1.79 )     0.63       1.96       1.97       0.45  

Total from Investment Operations

    (1.28 )     0.91       2.15       2.02       0.48  

Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Net Investment Income

    (0.40 )     (0.25 )     (0.01 )     ^       

Capital Gains

    (0.02 )                        

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.42 )     (0.25 )     (0.01 )            

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 13.60     $ 15.30     $ 14.64     $ 12.50     $ 10.48  

Total Return

    (8.46 )%     6.23 %     17.25 %     19.32 %     4.80 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

                                       

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 47,868     $ 51,423     $ 52,514     $ 313     $ 262  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.75 %(3)     0.75 %††(3)     0.75 %     0.75 %     0.75 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers, Fees Paid Indirectly and Recaptured Fees)

    0.72 %     0.73 %††     0.76 %     1.29 %     3.77 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    3.63 %     2.76 %††     1.32 %     0.50 %     0.95 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    139 %     95 %     124 %     123 %     43 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

^

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on March 29, 2019.

 

(2)

For the period August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Effective September 23, 2021, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to March 31st (see Note 1 in the Notes to Financial Statements).

 

(3)

Ratio includes previously waived advisory fees recaptured. The net expense ratio would have been lower absent the impact of the recaptured fees.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

128

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS US SELECT QUALITY EQUITY FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Investor Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(2)

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2021

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2020

   

Period Ended
July 31,
2019
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 17.74     $ 16.42     $ 13.37     $ 10.71     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net Investment Income*

    0.28       0.20       0.09       0.05       0.07  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (2.15 )     1.37       3.05       2.68       0.65  

Total from Investment Operations

    (1.87 )     1.57       3.14       2.73       0.72  

Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Net Investment Income

    (0.26 )     (0.14 )     (0.01 )     (0.07 )     (0.01 )

Capital Gains

    (0.43 )     (0.11 )     (0.08 )            

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.69 )     (0.25 )     (0.09 )     (0.07 )     (0.01 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 15.18     $ 17.74     $ 16.42     $ 13.37     $ 10.71  

Total Return

    (10.59 )%     9.66 %     23.57 %     25.62 %     7.20 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

                                       

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 82,943     $ 25,786     $ 2,186     $ 1,233     $ 377  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.74 %     0.59 %††     0.59 %     0.60 %     0.71 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers and Fees Paid Indirectly)

    0.76 %     0.61 %††     0.63 %     0.94 %     4.18 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    1.78 %     1.75 %††     0.61 %     0.47 %     0.87 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    211 %     125 %     143 %     163 %     155 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on September 28, 2018.

 

(2)

For the period August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Effective September 23, 2021, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to March 31st (see Note 1 in the Notes to Financial Statements).

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

129

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS US SELECT QUALITY EQUITY FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Institutional Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(2)

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2021

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2020

   

Period Ended
July 31, 2019
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 17.78     $ 16.45     $ 13.39     $ 10.72     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net Investment Income*

    0.33       0.16       0.12       0.06       0.07  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (2.17 )     1.42       3.04       2.68       0.66  

Total from Investment Operations

    (1.84 )     1.58       3.16       2.74       0.73  

Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Net Investment Income

    (0.27 )     (0.14 )     (0.02 )     (0.07 )     (0.01 )

Capital Gains

    (0.43 )     (0.11 )     (0.08 )            

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.70 )     (0.25 )     (0.10 )     (0.07 )     (0.01 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 15.24     $ 17.78     $ 16.45     $ 13.39     $ 10.72  

Total Return

    (10.40 )%     9.72 %     23.69 %     25.72 %     7.33 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

                                       

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 1,267,680     $ 884,331     $ 672,120     $ 165,974     $ 44,440  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.49 %     0.49 %††     0.49 %     0.54 %     0.59 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers and Fees Paid Indirectly)

    0.51 %     0.51 %††     0.53 %     0.86 %     1.82 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    2.03 %     1.45 %††     0.80 %     0.54 %     0.79 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    211 %     125 %     143 %     163 %     155 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on September 28, 2018.

 

(2)

For the period August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Effective September 23, 2021, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to March 31st (see Note 1 in the Notes to Financial Statements).

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0

 

130

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS US SELECT QUALITY EQUITY FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

R6 Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(2)

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2021

   

Year Ended
July 31, 2020

   

Period Ended
July 31, 2019
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 17.79     $ 16.46     $ 13.39     $ 10.73     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net Investment Income*

    0.33       0.16       0.13       0.07       0.08  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (2.17 )     1.42       3.04       2.66       0.66  

Total from Investment Operations

    (1.84 )     1.58       3.17       2.73       0.74  

Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Net Investment Income

    (0.27 )     (0.14 )     (0.02 )     (0.07 )     (0.01 )

Capital Gains

    (0.43 )     (0.11 )     (0.08 )            

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.70 )     (0.25 )     (0.10 )     (0.07 )     (0.01 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 15.25     $ 17.79     $ 16.46     $ 13.39     $ 10.73  

Total Return

    (10.39 )%     9.72 %     23.77 %     25.60 %     7.43 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

                                       

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 8,010     $ 9,670     $ 9,904     $ 337     $ 268  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.49 %     0.49 %††     0.49 %     0.54 %     0.59 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers and Fees Paid Indirectly)

    0.51 %     0.51 %††     0.53 %     0.93 %     3.76 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    1.99 %     1.39 %††     0.84 %     0.60 %     0.99 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    211 %     125 %     143 %     163 %     155 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on September 28, 2018.

 

(2)

For the period August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. Effective September 23, 2021, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to March 31st (see Note 1 in the Notes to Financial Statements).

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

131

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND INCOME FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Investor Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 10.36     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

               

Net Investment Income*

    0.40       0.30  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (0.59 )     0.27  

Total from Investment Operations

    (0.19 )     0.57  

Dividends and Distributions:

               

Net Investment Income

    (0.51 )     (0.20 )

Return of Capital

    ^      (0.01 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.51 )     (0.21 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 9.66     $ 10.36  

Total Return

    (1.50 )%     5.69 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

               

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 9,124     $ 1,060  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.86 %     0.75 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers and Fees Paid Indirectly)

    1.03 %     1.83 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    4.19 %     3.92 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    84 %     109 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

^

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on June 30, 2021.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

132

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS GLOBAL QUALITY DIVIDEND INCOME FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Institutional Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 10.36     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

               

Net Investment Income*

    0.53       0.32  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (0.72 )     0.25  

Total from Investment Operations

    (0.19 )     0.57  

Dividends and Distributions:

               

Net Investment Income

    (0.51 )     (0.20 )

Return of Capital

    ^      (0.01 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.51 )     (0.21 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 9.66     $ 10.36  

Total Return

    (1.46 )%     5.70 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

               

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 81,268     $ 70,523  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.75 %     0.75 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers and Fees Paid Indirectly)

    0.92 %     1.29 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    5.45 %     4.14 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    84 %     109 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

^

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on June 30, 2021.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

133

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL QUALITY DIVIDEND INCOME FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Investor Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 9.54     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

               

Net Investment Income*

    0.49       0.32  

Net Realized and Unrealized Loss

    (1.10 )     (0.56 )

Total from Investment Operations

    (0.61 )     (0.24 )

Dividends and Distributions:

               

Net Investment Income

    (0.51 )     (0.22 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.51 )     (0.22 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 8.42     $ 9.54  

Total Return

    (6.24 )%     (2.45 )%

Ratios and Supplemental Data

               

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 5,562     $ 1,025  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.91 %     0.79 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers and Fees Paid Indirectly)

    1.08 %     1.91 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    5.73 %     4.33 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    80 %     102 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on June 30, 2021.

 

134

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL QUALITY DIVIDEND INCOME FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Institutional Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 9.54     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

               

Net Investment Income*

    0.53       0.35  

Net Realized and Unrealized Loss

    (1.14 )     (0.59 )

Total from Investment Operations

    (0.61 )     (0.24 )

Dividends and Distributions:

               

Net Investment Income

    (0.51 )     (0.22 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.51 )     (0.22 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 8.42     $ 9.54  

Total Return

    (6.21 )%     (2.45 )%

Ratios and Supplemental Data

               

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 91,491     $ 44,629  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.79 %     0.79 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers and Fees Paid Indirectly)

    0.96 %     1.48 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    6.17 %     4.67 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    80 %     102 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on June 30, 2021.

 

135

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS US QUALITY DIVIDEND INCOME FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Year or Period

   

Investor Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 11.64     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

               

Net Investment Income*

    0.37       0.28  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (0.65 )     1.57  

Total from Investment Operations

    (0.28 )     1.85  

Dividends and Distributions:

               

Net Investment Income

    (0.32 )     (0.21 )

Return of Capital

          ^ 

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.32 )     (0.21 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 11.04     $ 11.64  

Total Return

    (2.30 )%     18.57 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

               

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 4,083     $ 1,232  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.57 %     0.49 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers and Fees Paid Indirectly)

    0.70 %     1.49 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    3.29 %     3.49 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    103 %     99 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

^

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on June 30, 2021.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

136

 

 

 

GQG PARTNERS US QUALITY DIVIDEND INCOME FUND

 

Selected Per Share Data & Ratios For a Share
Outstanding Throughout the Period

   

Institutional Shares

 

 

 

Year Ended
March 31,
2023

   

Period Ended
March 31,
2022
(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year/Period

  $ 11.64     $ 10.00  

Income from Investment Operations:

               

Net Investment Income*

    0.36       0.34  

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

    (0.63 )     1.51  

Total from Investment Operations

    (0.27 )     1.85  

Dividends and Distributions:

               

Net Investment Income

    (0.33 )     (0.21 )

Return of Capital

          ^ 

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.33 )     (0.21 )

Net Asset Value, End of Year/Period

  $ 11.04     $ 11.64  

Total Return

    (2.27 )%     18.57 %

Ratios and Supplemental Data

               

Net Assets, End of Year/Period (Thousands)

  $ 159,815     $ 79,132  

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets

    0.49 %     0.49 %††

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Excluding Waivers and Fees Paid Indirectly)

    0.62 %     0.98 %††

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

    3.22 %     4.10 %††

Portfolio Turnover Rate

    103 %     99 %

 

*

Per share calculations were performed using average shares for the period.

 

Total return is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. Returns shown do not reflect the deductions of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

††

Annualized.

 

Portfolio turnover is for the period indicated and has not been annualized.

 

^

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

(1)

Commenced operations on June 30, 2021.

 

Amounts designated as “—” are either not applicable, $0 or have been rounded to $0.

 

137

 

 

 

The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III

 

GQG Funds

 

Investment Adviser
GQG Partners LLC
450 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 750
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301

 

Distributor
SEI Investments Distribution Co.
One Freedom Valley Drive
Oaks, Pennsylvania 19456

 

Legal Counsel
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1701 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

 

More information about the Funds is available, without charge, through the following:

 

Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”): The SAI, dated August 1, 2023, as it may be amended from time to time, includes detailed information about the Funds and The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III. The SAI is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is a part of this prospectus.

 

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports: These reports list the Funds’ holdings and contain information from the Adviser about investment strategies, and recent market conditions and trends and their impact on Fund performance. The reports also contain detailed financial information about the Funds.

 

To Obtain an SAI, Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or More Information:

 

By Telephone:

866-362-8333

 

By Mail:

GQG Funds
P.O. Box 219009
Kansas City, MO 64121-9009

 

By Internet:

www.gqgpartners.com

 

 

From the SEC: You can also obtain the SAI or the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports, as well as other information about The Advisors’ Inner Circle Fund III, from the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at: https://www.sec.gov. You may also obtain this information, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by e-mailing the SEC at the following address: [email protected].

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act registration number is 811-22920.

 

 

GQG-PS-002-0700