VAUGHAN NELSON FUNDS

 

Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund 

Investor Class (Ticker Symbol: ADVKX

Institutional Class (Ticker Symbol: ADVMX)

 

Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund

Investor Class (Ticker Symbol: ADVJX

Institutional Class (Ticker Symbol: ADVLX)

 

PROSPECTUS

March 1, 2023

 

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

 

 

Vaughan Nelson Funds 

Each a series of Investment Managers Series Trust (the “Trust”) 

The funds described in this Prospectus will be referred to individually 

as a “Fund” and collectively as the “Funds”

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

SUMMARY SECTION – Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund 1
SUMMARY SECTION – Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund 7
MORE ABOUT THE FUNDS’ INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS 14
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS 21
DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICE PLAN 22
YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE FUNDS 23
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS 33
FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES 33
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 35

This Prospectus sets forth basic information about the Funds that you should know before investing. It should be read and retained for future reference.

 

The date of this Prospectus is March 1, 2023

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY SECTION – Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund

 

 

Investment Objective

The investment objective of the Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund (the “Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund” or “Fund”) is to seek long term capital appreciation.

 

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.

 

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Investor
Class
Shares
  Institutional
Class
Shares
 
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases None   None  
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) None   None  
Wire fee $20   $20  
Overnight check delivery fee $25   $25  
Retirement account fees (annual maintenance fee) $15   $15  
         
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
       
Management fees 0.95%   0.95%  
Distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees 0.25%   None  
Shareholder Service Fee 0.11%   0.11%  
Other Expenses 1.04%   1.04%  
Total annual fund operating expenses 2.35%   2.10%  
Fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed1 (1.00)%   (1.00)%  
Total annual fund operating expenses after waiving fees and/or reimbursing expenses1 1.35%   1.10%  
         

 

1 The Fund’s advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with Form N-1A), professional fees related to services for the collection of foreign tax reclaims, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 1.35% and 1.10% of the average daily net assets of the Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This agreement is in effect until February 29, 2024, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. The Fund’s advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, of fees waived or payments made to the Fund for a period ending three full fiscal years after the date of the waiver or payment. This reimbursement may be requested from the Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Fund’s annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement.

 

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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 remain the same. The example reflects the Fund’s contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement only for the term of the contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

  One Year Three Years Five Years Ten Years
Investor Class shares $137 $638 $1,165 $2,609
Institutional Class shares $112 $561 $1,037 $2,352

 

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 may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 68% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including amounts borrowed for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies that are either listed, domiciled, or conduct a meaningful amount of business in emerging markets. The Fund’s advisor defines companies conducting a meaningful amount of business in emerging markets as those companies that derive at least 50% of revenues or net profits from, or have at least 50% of assets or production capacities in, emerging market countries. The Fund’s advisor also includes in the definition of emerging market companies those that have been organized under the laws of, have their principal offices or headquarters in, or the securities of which are principally traded in emerging market countries. Emerging market countries are those countries that are considered to be emerging markets or developing economies by the World Bank or the International Finance Corporation, or are included in any of Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) emerging market indices. Emerging market countries are typically located in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Central America, South America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. While the Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization, under normal market circumstances, the Fund expects to focus on small- and medium-sized companies with market capitalizations similar to companies included in the MSCI Emerging Markets SMID Cap Index (the “Index”). As of October 31, 2022, the Index included companies with market capitalizations between $9.24 million and $15.6 billion. From time to time, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets in one or more market sectors.

 

The Fund’s advisor uses a bottom-up approach, employing both fundamental research and quantitative tools, that seeks to identify companies with attractive valuations. The strategy invests in stocks that the Fund’s advisor believes are profitable, undervalued based on a range of valuation metrics, including price to book, price to earnings and price to cash flow, and exhibit low levels of leverage. The Fund’s investments in equity securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and American, European and Global Depository Receipts (“ADRs,” “EDRs,” and “GDRs,” respectively). ADRs are receipts that represent interests in foreign securities held on deposit by U.S. banks. EDRs and GDRs have the same qualities as ADRs, except that they may be traded in several international trading markets. The Fund may also invest in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest in portfolios of securities designed to track particular market segments or indices and whose shares are bought and sold on securities exchanges. The Fund generally will invest in securities of companies located in different countries and regions. From time to time, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in the securities of companies in one or a few countries or regions, including India.

 

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Principal Risks of Investing

Risk is inherent in all investing and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. A summary description of certain principal risks of investing in the Fund is set forth below. Before you decide whether to invest in the Fund, carefully consider these risk factors associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause investors to lose money. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

Market Risk. The market price of a security or instrument may decline, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions throughout the world, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a security or instrument. The market value of a security or instrument also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry.

 

Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific companies in which the Fund invests.

 

Foreign Investment Risk. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the prices of securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environments of foreign countries. Changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and the imposition of sanctions, confiscations, trade restrictions (including tariffs) and other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments may adversely affect the values of the Fund’s foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. Foreign securities include ADRs, EDRs and GDRs. Unsponsored ADRs and GDRs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the foreign issuer of the underlying securities, and involve additional risks because U.S. reporting requirements do not apply. In addition, the issuing bank may deduct shareholder distribution, custody, foreign currency exchange, and other fees from the payment of dividends.

 

India Investment Risk. In addition to the general risks applicable to emerging market securities, there are special risks associated with investments in Indian issuers, including exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, and exchange control regulations (including currency blockage). Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation and interest rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economy and securities markets of India. A high proportion of the securities of many Indian issuers are held by a limited number of persons or entities, which may limit the number of shares available for investment by the Fund. Also, a limited number of issuers represent a disproportionately large percentage of market capitalization and trading value in India.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. Many of the risks with respect to foreign investments are more pronounced for investments in issuers in developing or emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have more government exchange controls, more volatile interest and currency exchange rates, less market regulation, and less developed and less stable economic, political and legal systems than those of more developed countries. There may be less publicly available and reliable information about issuers in emerging markets than is available about issuers in more developed markets. In addition, emerging market countries may experience high levels of inflation and may have less liquid securities markets and less efficient trading and settlement systems.

 

Currency Risk. The values of investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies increase or decrease as the rates of exchange between those currencies and the U.S. dollar change. Currency conversion costs and currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and are affected by factors such as general economic conditions, the actions of the United States and foreign governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation.

 

3

 

 

Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Company Risk. The securities of small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements and may have lower trading volumes or more erratic trading than securities of larger, more established companies or market averages in general. In addition, such companies typically are more likely to be adversely affected than large capitalization companies by changes in earning results, business prospects, investor expectations or poor economic or market conditions.

 

Sector Focus Risk. The Fund may invest a larger portion of its assets in one or more sectors than many other mutual funds, and thus will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those sectors.

 

ETF and Mutual Fund Risk. Investing in ETFs or mutual funds will provide the Fund with exposure to the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETFs or mutual funds hold. Shares of ETFs typically trade on securities exchanges and may at times trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF or a mutual fund that tracks an index may not replicate exactly the performance of its underlying index for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF or mutual fund, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market, or discrepancies between the ETF or mutual fund and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. It may be more expensive for the Fund to invest in an ETF or mutual fund than to own the portfolio securities of these investment vehicles directly. Investing in ETFs and mutual funds, which are investment companies, involves duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs. In addition, the Fund may invest in underlying funds which invest a larger portion of their assets in one or more sectors than many other mutual funds, and thus will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those sectors.

 

Management and Strategy Risk. The value of your investment depends on the judgment of the Fund’s advisor about the quality, relative yield, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry, sector or region, which may prove to be incorrect.

 

Value-Oriented Investment Strategies Risk. Value stocks are those that are believed to be undervalued in comparison to their peers due to adverse business developments or other factors. Value investing is subject to the risk that the market will not recognize a security’s inherent value for a long time or at all, or that a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced or overvalued. In addition, during some periods (which may be extensive) value stocks generally may be out of favor in the markets.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities are subject to market and interest rate risk and credit risk. When the market price of the equity security underlying a convertible security decreases the convertible security tends to trade on the basis of its yield and other fixed income characteristics, and is more susceptible to credit and interest rate risks. When the market price of such equity security rises, the convertible security tends to trade on the basis of its equity conversion features and be more exposed to market risk. Convertible securities are typically issued by smaller capitalized companies with stock prices that may be more volatile than those of other companies.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stock represents an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stock, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the company. The market value of preferred stock is subject to company-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities and is also sensitive to changes in the company’s creditworthiness, the ability of the company to make payments on the preferred stock, and changes in interest rates, typically declining in value if interest rates rise.

 

Recent Market Events. Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors. For example, in recent years the COVID-19 pandemic, the large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the rise of inflation have resulted in extreme volatility in the global economy and in global financial markets. These and other similar events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

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Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Fund’s advisor, and/or other service providers (including custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality. In an extreme case, a shareholder’s ability to exchange or redeem Fund shares may be affected.

 

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year for Institutional Class shares and by showing how the average annual total returns of Institutional Class shares of the Fund compare with the average annual total returns of a broad-based market index. Performance for classes other than those shown may vary from the performance shown to the extent the expenses for those classes differ. Updated performance information is available at the Fund’s website, https://www.im.natixis.com/us/vaughan-nelson-funds. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Effective October 1, 2019, Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, L.P. became investment advisor to the Fund. The performance shown for periods prior to October 1, 2019, is that of the Fund’s previous advisor, Advisory Research, Inc.

 

Calendar-Year Total Return (before taxes) for Institutional Class Shares

For each calendar year at NAV

 

 

 

Institutional Shares    
Highest Calendar Quarter Return at NAV 23.08% Quarter Ended 06/30/2020
Lowest Calendar Quarter Return at NAV (30.82)% Quarter Ended 03/31/2020

 

Average Annual Total Returns
for periods ended December 31, 2022
One
Year

Five

Years

Since Inception
(11/1/13)*
Institutional Class Shares – Return Before Taxes (11.69)% (1.26)% 1.45%
Institutional Class Shares – Return After Taxes on Distributions** (11.70)% (1.45)% 0.91%
Institutional Class Shares – Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares** (6.53)% (0.76)% 1.09%
Investor Class Shares – Return Before Taxes (11.96)% (1.52)% 1.20%
MSCI Emerging Markets SMID Cap Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (17.11)% 0.13% 2.29%

 

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* Investor Class shares were first offered on December 2, 2019. The performance figures for Investor Class shares include the performance for the Institutional Class shares for the period prior to December 2, 2019, adjusted for Investor Class shares’ expenses, which are higher than the expenses of Institutional Class shares.
** After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

Investment Advisor

Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, L.P. (“Vaughan Nelson” or the “Advisor”)

 

Portfolio Managers

Kevin A. Ross and Marco Priani are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Mr. Ross and Mr. Priani are each a Senior Portfolio Manager International Equities of the Advisor.

 

Portfolio Managers

Portfolio Manager of the

Fund Since:

 Kevin A. Ross 2017
 Marco Priani   2018*

 

* Marco Priani previously served as Portfolio Manager of the Fund from inception in November 2013 through July 2017.

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

To purchase shares of the Fund, you must invest at least the minimum amount.

 

  Investor Class Institutional Class
Minimum Investments

To Open

Your Account

To Add to

Your Account

To Open

Your Account

To Add to

Your Account

Direct Regular Accounts $2,500 $50 $100,000 $50
Direct Retirement Accounts $1,000 $50 $100,000 $50
Automatic Investment Plan $1,000 $50 $5,000 $50
Gift Account For Minors $2,500 $50 $100,000 $50

 

Fund shares are redeemable on any business day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open for business by written request or by telephone.

 

Tax Information

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will ordinarily be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Shareholders investing through such tax-advantaged arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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

 

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SUMMARY SECTION – Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund

 

 

Investment Objective

The investment objective of the Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund (the “International Small Cap Fund” or “Fund”) is to seek long term capital appreciation.

 

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.

 

    Investor
Class
Shares
    Institutional
Class
Shares
 
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
           
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases   None     None  
Maximum deferred sales charge (load)   None     None  
Wire fee   $20     $20  
Overnight check delivery fee   $25     $25  
Retirement account fees (annual maintenance fee)   $15     $15  
             
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
           
Management fees   0.85%     0.85%  
Distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees   0.25%     None  
Shareholder Service fees   0.07%     0.07%  
Other expenses   0.60%     0.60%  
Total annual fund operating expenses   1.77%     1.52%  
Fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed1   (0.53)%     (0.53)%  
Total annual fund operating expenses after waiving fees and/or reimbursing expenses1   1.24%     0.99%  
             

 

1 The Fund’s advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with Form N-1A), professional fees related to services for the collection of foreign tax reclaims, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 1.24% and 0.99% of the average daily net assets of the Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively. This agreement is in effect until February 29, 2024, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. The Fund’s advisor is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, of fees waived or payments made to the Fund for a period ending three full fiscal years after the date of the waiver or payment. This reimbursement may be requested from the Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Fund’s annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement.

 

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 remain the same. The example reflects the Fund’s contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement only for the term of the contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

7

 

 

 

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

  One Year Three Years Five Years Ten Years
Investor Class shares $126 $506 $910 $2,040
Institutional Class shares $101 $428 $779 $1,767

 

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 may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 92% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including amounts borrowed for investment purposes) in equity securities of small capitalization companies and will invest at least 75% of its net assets in securities of companies located outside of the United States. The Fund considers small capitalization companies to be companies with market capitalizations within the range of those companies included in the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index at the time of purchase. Because small capitalization companies are defined by reference to an index, the range of market capitalization of companies in which the Fund invests may vary with market conditions. As of October 31, 2022, the market capitalizations of companies included in the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index were between $41.3 million and $9.7 billion. Investments in companies that move above or below the capitalization range of the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index may continue to be held by the Fund in the Fund advisor’s sole discretion. From time to time, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets in one or more market sectors.

 

The Fund’s advisor uses a bottom-up approach, employing both fundamental research and quantitative tools, that seeks to identify companies with attractive valuations. The strategy invests in stocks that it believes are profitable, undervalued on a range of valuation metrics, and exhibit low levels of leverage. The Fund’s investments in equity securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and American, European and Global Depository Receipts (“ADRs,” “EDRs,” and “GDRs,” respectively). ADRs are receipts that represent interests in foreign securities held on deposit by U.S. banks. EDRs and GDRs have the same qualities as ADRs, except that they may be traded in several international trading markets. The Fund may also invest in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest in portfolios of securities designed to track particular market segments or indices and whose shares are bought and sold on securities exchanges. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities of foreign (non-U.S.) companies located in developed countries but may also invest in emerging markets. The Fund generally will invest in securities of companies located in different countries and regions. From time to time, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in the securities of companies in one or a few countries or regions outside of the United States, including the United Kingdom and Japan.

 

Principal Risks of Investing

Risk is inherent in all investing and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. A summary description of certain principal risks of investing in the Fund is set forth below. Before you decide whether to invest in the Fund, carefully consider these risk factors associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause investors to lose money. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

Market Risk. The market price of a security or instrument may decline, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions throughout the world, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a security or instrument. The market value of a security or instrument also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry.

 

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Equity Risk. The value of the equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific companies in which the Fund invests.

 

Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Company Risk. The securities of small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements and may have lower trading volumes or more erratic trading than securities of larger, more established companies or market averages in general. In addition, such companies typically are more likely to be adversely affected than large capitalization companies by changes in earning results, business prospects, investor expectations or poor economic or market conditions.

 

Foreign Investment Risk. Investments in foreign securities are affected by risk factors generally not thought to be present in the United States. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the prices of securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environments of foreign countries. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets include less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, greater risks associated with counterparties and settlement, and difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations. Changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and the imposition of foreign taxes, sanctions, confiscations, trade restrictions (including tariffs) and other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments may adversely affect the values of the Fund’s foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. The Fund’s investments in depository receipts (including ADRs) are subject to these risks, even if denominated in U.S. Dollars, because changes in currency and exchange rates affect the values of the issuers of depository receipts. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depository receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depository receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.

 

Japan Risk. From time to time, a significant portion of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of Japanese companies. The growth of Japan’s economy has historically lagged that of its Asian neighbors and other major developed economies. The Japanese economy is heavily dependent on international trade and has been adversely affected by trade tariffs, other protectionist measures, competition from emerging economies and the economic conditions of its trading partners. China has become an important trading partner with Japan, yet the countries’ political relationship has become strained. Should political tension increase, it could adversely affect the economy, especially the export sector, and destabilize the region as a whole. Japan also remains heavily dependent on oil imports, and higher commodity prices could therefore have a negative impact on the economy.

 

United Kingdom Risk. From time to time, a significant portion of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of United Kingdom (“UK”) companies. Investments in UK issuers may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to the UK. The UK has one of the largest economies in Europe, and the United States and other European countries are substantial trading partners of the UK. As a result, the UK economy may be impacted by changes to the economic condition of the United States and other European countries. The UK economy relies heavily on the export of financial services to other European countries and the United States; therefore, a prolonged slowdown in the financial services sector may have a negative impact on the UK economy. Additionally, on January 31, 2020, the UK formally withdrew from the European Union (“EU”) (commonly referred to as “Brexit”) and, after a transition period, left the EU single market and customs union under the terms of a new trade agreement, effective January 1, 2021. The agreement governs the relationship between the UK and EU with respect to trading goods and services, but certain aspects of the relationship remain unresolved and subject to further negotiation and agreement. The effects of Brexit are also being shaped by the trade agreements that the UK negotiates with other countries. Although the longer term political, regulatory, and economic consequences of Brexit are uncertain, Brexit has caused volatility in UK, EU, and global markets.

 

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Currency Risk. The values of investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies increase or decrease as the rates of exchange between those currencies and the U.S. Dollar change. Currency conversion costs and currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and are affected by factors such as general economic conditions, the actions of the United States and foreign governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. Many of the risks with respect to foreign investments are more pronounced for investments in issuers in developing or emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have more government exchange controls, more volatile interest and currency exchange rates, less market regulation, and less developed and less stable economic, political and legal systems than those of more developed countries. There may be less publicly available and reliable information about issuers in emerging markets than is available about issuers in more developed markets. In addition, emerging market countries may experience high levels of inflation and may have less liquid securities markets and less efficient trading and settlement systems.

 

Sector Focus Risk. The Fund may invest a larger portion of its assets in one or more sectors than many other mutual funds, and thus will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those sectors.

 

ETF and Mutual Fund Risk. Investing in ETFs or mutual funds will provide the Fund with exposure to the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETFs or mutual funds hold. Shares of ETFs typically trade on securities exchanges and may at times trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF or a mutual fund that tracks an index may not replicate exactly the performance of its underlying index for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF or mutual fund, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market, or discrepancies between the ETF or mutual fund and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. It may be more expensive for the Fund to invest in an ETF or mutual fund than to own the portfolio securities of these investment vehicles directly. Investing in ETFs and mutual funds, which are investment companies, involves duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs. In addition, the Fund may invest in underlying funds which invest a larger portion of their assets in one or more sectors than many other mutual funds, and thus will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those sectors.

 

Management and Strategy Risk. The value of your investment depends on the judgment of the Fund’s advisor about the quality, relative yield, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry, sector or region, which may prove to be incorrect.

 

Value-Oriented Investment Strategies Risk. Value stocks are those that are believed to be undervalued in comparison to their peers due to adverse business developments or other factors.  Value investing is subject to the risk that the market will not recognize a security’s inherent value for a long time or at all, or that a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced or overvalued. In addition, during some periods (which may be extensive) value stocks generally may be out of favor in the markets.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities are subject to market and interest rate risk and credit risk. When the market price of the equity security underlying a convertible security decreases the convertible security tends to trade on the basis of its yield and other fixed income characteristics, and is more susceptible to credit and interest rate risks. When the market price of such equity security rises, the convertible security tends to trade on the basis of its equity conversion features and be more exposed to market risk. Convertible securities are typically issued by smaller capitalized companies with stock prices that may be more volatile than those of other companies.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stock represents an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stock, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the company. The market value of preferred stock is subject to company-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities and is also sensitive to changes in the company’s creditworthiness, the ability of the company to make payments on the preferred stock, and changes in interest rates, typically declining in value if interest rates rise. Therefore, the value of preferred stock will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects.

 

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Recent Market Events. Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors. For example, in recent years the COVID-19 pandemic, the large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the rise of inflation have resulted in extreme volatility in the global economy and in global financial markets. These and other similar events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Advisor, and/or other service providers (including custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality. In an extreme case, a shareholder’s ability to exchange or redeem Fund shares may be affected. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of those securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

 

Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year for Institutional Class shares and by showing how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with the average annual total returns of a broad-based market index. Effective February 10, 2020, the Fund converted its existing Advisor Class shares to Institutional Class shares and the Advisor Class was then terminated. Institutional Class shares were first offered on December 31, 2013. For periods prior to December 31, 2013, the performance shown in the bar chart reflects the performance of the Fund’s former Advisor Class shares. The returns shown in the bar chart have not been adjusted to reflect any differences in expenses between the former Advisor Class shares and Institutional Class shares; however, the Fund’s Institutional Class shares would have had annual returns substantially similar to those of the Fund’s former Advisor Class shares because they are invested in the same portfolio of securities and have a similar expense structure to that of the former Advisor Class shares. Performance for classes other than those shown may vary from the performance shown to the extent the expenses for those classes differ. Updated performance information is available at the Fund’s website, https://www.im.natixis.com/us/vaughan-nelson-funds. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Effective October 1, 2019, Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, L.P. became investment advisor to the Fund. The performance shown for periods prior to October 1, 2019, is that of the Fund’s previous advisor, Advisory Research, Inc.

 

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Calendar Year Total Return (before taxes) for Institutional Class Shares

For each calendar year at NAV

 

 

 

Institutional Class    
Highest Calendar Quarter Return at NAV 18.26% Quarter Ended 06/30/2020
Lowest Calendar Quarter Return at NAV (25.31)% Quarter Ended 03/31/2020

 

Average Annual Total Returns
for periods ended December 31, 2022
One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years*
Institutional Class Shares – Return Before Taxes (26.25)% 0.11% 5.04%
Institutional Class Shares – Return After Taxes on Distributions** (26.37)% (0.08)% 4.35%
Institutional Class Shares – Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares** (15.25)% 0.23% 4.02%
Investor Class Shares – Return Before Taxes (26.44)% (0.16)% 4.77%
MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (21.39)% (0.05)% 6.21%

 

* Effective February 10, 2020, the Fund converted its existing Advisor Class shares to Institutional Class shares and the Advisor Class was then terminated. The Advisor Class shares (which were previously designated as Investor Class shares) were first offered on March 31, 2010. Institutional Class shares (which were previously designated as Class I shares) were first offered on December 31, 2013. The performance figures for Institutional Class shares include the performance for the Advisor Class shares for the period prior to December 31, 2013. Investor Class shares were first offered on December 2, 2019. The performance figures for Investor Class shares include the performance for the Institutional Class shares for the period prior to December 2, 2019, adjusted for Investor Class shares’ expenses, which are higher than the expenses of Institutional Class shares.
** After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

 

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Investment Advisor

Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, L.P. (“Vaughan Nelson” or the “Advisor”)

 

Portfolio Managers

Kevin A. Ross and Marco Priani are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Mr. Ross and Mr. Priani are each a Senior Portfolio Manager International Equities of the Advisor.

 

Portfolio Managers

Portfolio Manager of the

Fund Since:

Kevin A. Ross 2017
Marco Priani   2018*

 

* Marco Priani previously served as Portfolio Manager of the Fund from inception in March 2010 through July 2017.

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

To purchase shares of the Fund, you must invest at least the minimum amount.

 

  Investor Class Institutional Class
Minimum Investments

To Open

Your Account

To Add to

Your Account

To Open

Your Account

To Add to

Your Account

Direct Regular Accounts $2,500 $50 $100,000 $50
Direct Retirement Accounts $1,000 $50 $100,000 $50
Automatic Investment Plan $1,000 $50 $5,000 $50
Gift Account For Minors $2,500 $50 $100,000 $50

 

Fund shares are redeemable on any business day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open for business by written request or by telephone.

 

Tax Information

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will ordinarily be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Shareholders investing through such tax-advantaged arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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

 

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MORE ABOUT THE FUNDS’ INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

 

VAUGHAN NELSON EMERGING MARKETS OPPORTUNITIES FUND

 

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s investment objective is not fundamental, and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, upon at least 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. The Fund’s investment strategies and policies may be changed from time to time without shareholder approval or prior written notice, unless specifically stated otherwise in this Prospectus or the SAI.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including amounts borrowed for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies that are either listed, domiciled, or conduct a meaningful amount of business in emerging markets. The Fund’s advisor defines companies conducting a meaningful amount of business in emerging markets as those companies that derive at least 50% of revenues or net profits from, or have at least 50% of assets or production capacities in, emerging market countries. The Advisor also includes in the definition of emerging market companies those that have been organized under the laws of, have their principal offices or headquarters in, or the securities of which are principally traded in emerging market countries. Emerging market countries are those countries that are considered to be emerging markets or developing economies by the World Bank or the International Finance Corporation, or are included in any of Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) emerging market indices. Emerging market countries are typically located in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Central America, South America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. While the Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization, under normal circumstances, the Fund expects to focus on small- and medium-sized companies with market capitalizations similar to companies included in the MSCI Emerging Markets SMID Cap Index (the “Index”). As of October 31, 2022, the Index included companies with market capitalizations between $9.24 million and $15.6 billion. From time to time, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets in one or more market sectors.

 

The Fund’s investments in equity securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and ADRs, EDRs, and GDRs. ADRs are receipts that represent interests in foreign securities held on deposit by U.S. banks. EDRs and GDRs have the same qualities as ADRs, except that they may be traded in several international trading markets. The Fund may also invest in ETFs that invest in portfolios of securities designed to track particular market segments or indices and whose shares are bought and sold on securities exchanges. Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally will invest in securities of companies located in different countries and regions. From time to time, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies in one or more countries or regions outside the United States, including India.

 

The Advisor’s investment process is a bottom-up approach, employing both fundamental research and quantitative tools, that seeks to identify companies with attractive valuations. The Advisor employs a four-step investment process. First, the Advisor identifies its opportunity set of securities using quantitative screening to identify securities with the highest probability of outperformance. Second, the Advisor conducts a financial and business analysis in a downside scenario in order to seek securities whose fundamentals should help them to outperform the market in such a scenario. In the third step, the Advisor seeks to identify paths to unlock and enhance value of the investment opportunity by finding businesses that appear to be statistically undervalued by the market. Finally, for those securities that have passed the first three steps, the portfolio management team utilizes an optimization engine in conjunction with its fundamental conviction to determine the appropriate weighting for each security. The Advisor also considers other factors including political risk, monetary policy risk, and regulatory risk when selecting foreign (non-U.S.) securities.

 

The Advisor generally will sell a security when one or more of the following occurs: 1) the Advisor’s estimate of full valuation is realized; 2) a more attractive stock is identified; 3) there is material negative news, or developments that alter its investment thesis; 4) a company is acquired; or 5) the Fund requires cash to meet redemption requests. In the case of acquisitions for stock or when a company held by the Fund acquires or merges with another company, the Advisor will evaluate the combined company and determine whether it will be kept in the Fund’s portfolio or sold.

 

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When the Advisor believes that current market, economic, political or other conditions are unsuitable and would impair the pursuit of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund may invest some or all of its assets in cash or cash equivalents, including but not limited to obligations of the U.S. government, money market fund shares, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and/or bankers acceptances, as well as other interest bearing or discount obligations or debt instruments that carry an investment grade rating by a national rating agency. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Principal Risks of Investing

As discussed in the Summary Section and described further below under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Funds,” the Fund is subject to the risks common to all mutual funds that invest in equity securities and foreign securities.

 

VAUGHAN NELSON INTERNATIONAL SMALL CAP FUND

 

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek long term capital appreciation. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s investment objective is not fundamental, and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, upon at least 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. The Fund’s investment strategies and policies may be changed from time to time without shareholder approval or prior written notice, unless specifically stated otherwise in this Prospectus or the SAI.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including amounts borrowed for investment purposes) in equity securities of small capitalization companies and will invest at least 75% of its net assets in securities of companies located outside of the United States.

 

The Fund considers small capitalization companies to be companies with market capitalizations within the range of those companies included in the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index at the time of purchase. Because small capitalization companies are defined by reference to an index, the range of market capitalization of companies in which the Fund invests may vary with market conditions. As of October 31, 2022, the market capitalizations of companies included in the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index were between $41.26 million and $9.7 billion. Investments in companies that move above or below the capitalization range of the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index may continue to be held by the Fund in the Advisor’s sole discretion.

 

The Fund’s investments in equity securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities and ADRs, EDRs, and GDRs. ADRs are receipts that represent interests in foreign securities held on deposit by U.S. banks. EDRs and GDRs have the same qualities as ADRs, except that they may be traded in several international trading markets. The Fund may also invest in ETFs that invest in portfolios of securities designed to track particular market segments or indices and whose shares are bought and sold on securities exchanges. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities of foreign (non-U.S.) companies located in developed countries but may also invest in emerging markets.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally will invest in securities among different countries and regions. From time to time, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets in the securities of companies in one or more countries or regions outside the United States. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest in a portfolio of securities typically spread across many economic sectors. From time to time, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets in one or more market sectors.

 

The Advisor’s investment process is a bottom-up approach, employing both fundamental research and quantitative tools, that seeks to identify companies with attractive valuations. The Advisor employs a four-step investment process. First, the Advisor uses a quantitative screen to identify a group of value-oriented securities of companies with market capitalizations within or close to the range of the market capitalizations of the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index. Second, the Advisor conducts a thorough fundamental analysis of each company, focusing on key balance sheet information to determine the net asset value of the company. In the third step, the Advisor analyzes the companies’ senior management and their business plans to identify competent senior management teams that are committed to unlocking value. Finally, the portfolio management team determines whether to buy, wait or pass on those companies that have passed the first three steps. The Advisor also considers other factors including political risk, monetary policy risk, and regulatory risk when selecting foreign (non-U.S.) securities.

 

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The Advisor generally will sell a security when one or more of the following occurs: 1) the Advisor’s estimate of full valuation is realized; 2) a more attractive stock is identified (in which case the least attractive stock in the portfolio is sold); 3) there is significant negative news; 4) a company is acquired for cash; or 5) the Fund requires cash to meet redemption requests. In the case of acquisitions for stock, the Advisor will evaluate the combined company.

 

When the Advisor believes that current market, economic, political or other conditions are unsuitable and would impair the pursuit of the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund may invest some or all of its assets in cash or cash equivalents, including but not limited to obligations of the U.S. Government, money market fund shares, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and/or bankers acceptances, as well as other interest bearing or discount obligations or debt instruments that carry an investment grade rating by a national rating agency. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Principal Risks of Investing

As discussed in the Summary Section and described further under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Funds,” the Fund is subject to the risks common to all mutual funds that invest in equity securities and foreign securities.

 

GENERAL

 

Principal Risks of Investing in the Funds

The Funds’ principal risks are set forth below. Before you decide whether to invest in a Fund, carefully consider these risk factors and special considerations associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause you to lose money.

 

Market Risk. The market price of a security or instrument may decline, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions throughout the world, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. The market value of a security or instrument also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a security or instrument. For example, the financial crisis that began in 2007 caused a significant decline in the value and liquidity of many securities; in particular, the values of some sovereign debt and of securities of issuers that invest in sovereign debt and related investments fell, credit became more scarce worldwide and there was significant uncertainty in the markets. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the worldwide economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial health of individual companies and the market in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Such environments could make identifying investment risks and opportunities especially difficult for the Advisor. In response to the crises, the United States and other governments took steps to support financial markets. The withdrawal of this support or failure of efforts in response to a crisis could negatively affect financial markets generally as well as the value and liquidity of certain securities. In addition, policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are changing many aspects of financial regulation. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the practical implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.

 

Recent Market Events. Periods of market volatility may occur in response to market events and other economic, political, and global macro factors. The COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and higher inflation have resulted in extreme volatility in the financial markets, economic downturns around the world, and severe losses, particularly to some sectors of the economy and individual issuers, and reduced liquidity of certain instruments. These events have caused significant disruptions to business operations, including business closures; strained healthcare systems; disruptions to supply chains and employee availability; large fluctuations in consumer demand; large expansion of government deficits and debt as a result of government actions to mitigate the effects of such events; and widespread uncertainty regarding the long-term effects of such events.

 

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Governments and central banks, including the Federal Reserve in the United States, took extraordinary and unprecedented actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by keeping interest rates at historically low levels for an extended period. The Federal Reserve concluded its market support activities in 2022 and began to raise interest rates in an effort to fight inflation. The Federal Reserve may determine to raise interest rates further. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets to address the pandemic, inflation, or other significant events in the future, may not work as intended, particularly if the efforts are perceived by investors as being unlikely to achieve the desired results.

 

Such events could be prolonged and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments, impair a Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact a Fund’s performance. Other market events may cause similar disruptions and effects.

 

Equity Risk. The value of equity securities held by a Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Funds participate, or factors relating to specific companies in which the Fund invests. The price of common stock of an issuer in a Fund’s portfolio may decline if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because, among other reasons, the financial condition of the issuer declines. Common stock is subordinated to preferred stocks, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure in terms of priority with respect to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred stocks or debt instruments of such issuers. In addition, while broad market measures of common stocks have historically generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, common stocks have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. Many of the risks with respect to foreign investments are more pronounced for investments in issuers in developing or emerging market countries. Emerging market countries tend to have more government exchange controls, more volatile interest and currency exchange rates, less market regulation, and less developed and less stable economic, political and legal systems than those of more developed countries. There may be less publicly available and reliable information about issuers in emerging markets than is available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to regulatory, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting and recordkeeping standards comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), which regulates auditors of U.S. public companies, for example, is unable to inspect audit work and practices in certain countries, such as China. The PCAOB’s limited ability to oversee the operations of accounting firms in such countries means that inaccurate or incomplete financial records of an issuer’s operations may not be detected, which could negatively impact a Fund’s investments in such companies. In addition, emerging market countries may experience high levels of inflation and may have less liquid securities markets and less efficient trading and settlement systems. Their economies also depend heavily upon international trade and may be adversely affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their trading partners. Emerging market countries may have fixed or managed currencies that are not free-floating against the U.S. Dollar and may not be traded internationally. Some countries with emerging securities markets have experienced high rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain countries. Emerging markets typically have substantially less volume than U.S. markets, securities in these markets are less liquid, and their prices often are more volatile than those of comparable U.S. companies. Securities markets in emerging markets may also be susceptible to manipulation or other fraudulent trade practices, which could disrupt the functioning of these markets or adversely affect the value of investments traded in these markets, including investments of the Fund. The Fund’s rights with respect to its investments in emerging markets, if any, will generally be governed by local law, which may make it difficult or impossible for the Fund to pursue legal remedies or to obtain and enforce judgments in local courts. Delays may occur in settling securities transactions in emerging market countries, which could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to make or liquidate investments in those markets in a timely fashion. There may also be restrictions on imports from certain countries, such as Russia, and dealings with certain state-sponsored entities. For example, following Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order in February 2022 prohibiting U.S. persons from entering into transactions with the Central Bank of Russia, and Executive Orders in March 2022 prohibiting U.S. persons from importing oil and gas from Russia as well as other popular Russian exports, such as diamonds, seafood and vodka. There may also be restrictions on investments in Chinese companies. For example, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order in June 2021 affirming and expanding the U.S. policy prohibiting U.S. persons from purchasing or investing in publicly-traded securities of companies identified by the U.S. government as “Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies.” The list of such companies can change from time to time, and as a result of forced selling or an inability to participate in an investment the Advisor otherwise believes is attractive, a Fund may incur losses. Any of these factors may adversely affect a Fund’s performance or the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objective.

 

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Foreign Investment Risk. Investments in foreign securities are affected by risk factors generally not thought to be present in the United States. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the prices of securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environments of foreign countries. Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets include less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, greater risks associated with counterparties and settlement, and difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations. Changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and the imposition of foreign taxes, sanctions, confiscations, trade restrictions (including tariffs) and other government restrictions by the United States and/or other governments may adversely affect the values of a Fund’s foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. A Fund’s investments in depository receipts (including ADRs) are subject to these risks, even if denominated in U.S. dollars, because changes in currency and exchange rates affect the values of the issuers of depository receipts. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depository receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depository receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.

 

Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Company Risk. Investing in small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies generally involves greater risks than investing in large-capitalization companies. Small- or mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or may depend on the expertise of a few people and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies or market averages in general. Many small capitalization companies may be in the early stages of development. Since equity securities of smaller companies may lack sufficient market liquidity and may not be regularly traded, it may be difficult or impossible to sell securities at an advantageous time or a desirable price.

 

Japan Risk (International Small Cap Fund). From time to time, a significant portion of a Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of Japanese companies. The growth of Japan’s economy has historically lagged that of its Asian neighbors and other major developed economies. The Japanese economy is heavily dependent on international trade and has been adversely affected by trade tariffs, other protectionist measures, competition from emerging economies and the economic conditions of its trading partners. China has become an important trading partner with Japan, yet the countries’ political relationship has become strained. Should political tension increase, it could adversely affect the economy, especially the export sector, and destabilize the region as a whole. Japan is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis and is economically sensitive to environmental events. Any such event could result in a significant adverse impact on the Japanese economy. Japan may be subject to risks relating to political, economic and labor risks. Japan also remains heavily dependent on oil imports, and higher commodity prices could therefore have a negative impact on the economy. The Japanese securities markets may be subject to greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign governments, decreased market liquidity, political instability and various administrative difficulties, such as delays in clearing and settling portfolio transactions.

 

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United Kingdom Risk (International Small Cap Fund). From time to time, a significant portion of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of UK companies. Investments in UK issuers may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security, and economic risks specific to the UK. The UK has one of the largest economies in Europe, and the United States and other European countries are substantial trading partners of the UK. As a result, the UK economy may be impacted by changes to the economic condition of the United States and other European countries. The UK economy relies heavily on the export of financial services to other European countries and the United States; therefore, a prolonged slowdown in the financial services sector may have a negative impact on the UK economy. In the past, the UK has been the target of terrorism. Acts of terrorism in the UK or against UK interests may cause uncertainty in the UK’s financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. Additionally, on January 31, 2020, the UK formally withdrew from the EU (commonly referred to as “Brexit”) and, after a transition period, left the EU single market and customs union under the terms of a new trade agreement, effective January 1, 2021. The agreement governs the relationship between the UK and EU with respect to trading goods and services, but certain aspects of the relationship remain unresolved and subject to further negotiation and agreement. The effects of Brexit are also being shaped by the trade agreements that the UK negotiates with other countries. Although the longer term political, regulatory, and economic consequences of Brexit are uncertain, Brexit has caused volatility in UK, EU, and global markets. The potential negative effects of Brexit on the UK and EU economies and the broader global economy could include, among others, business and trade disruptions, currency fluctuations, and potentially lower economic growth of markets in the UK, EU, and globally, which could negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

India Investment Risk (Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund). There are special risks associated with investments in Indian issuers, including exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, exchange control regulations (including currency blockage) and differing legal standards. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation and interest rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economy and securities markets of India.  A high proportion of the securities of many Indian issuers are held by a limited number of persons or entities, which may limit the number of shares available for investment by the Fund.   In addition, further issuances, or the perception that such issuances may occur, of securities by Indian issuers in which the Fund has invested could dilute the earnings per share of the Fund’s investment and could adversely affect the market prices of such securities.  Sales of securities by such issuers’ major shareholders, or the perception that such sales may occur, may also significantly and adversely affect the market price of such securities.  A limited number of issuers represent a disproportionately large percentage of market capitalization and trading value in India.  The limited liquidity of the Indian securities markets may also affect the Fund’s ability to acquire or dispose of securities at the price and time that it desires.

 

Currency Risk. The values of investments in securities denominated in foreign currencies increase or decrease as the rates of exchange between those currencies and the U.S. Dollar change. Currency conversion costs and currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. Currency exchange rates can be volatile and are affected by factors such as general economic conditions, the actions of the United States and foreign governments or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and speculation.

 

Sector Focus Risk. The Fund may invest a larger portion of its assets in one or more sectors than many other mutual funds and thus will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those sectors. The prices of securities of issuers in a particular sector may be more susceptible to fluctuations due to changes in economic or business conditions, government regulations or monetary and fiscal policies, market sentiment and expectations, availability of basic resources or supplies, or other events that affect that sector more than securities of issuers in other sectors. At times the performance of the Fund’s investments may lag the performance of other sectors or the broader market as a whole. Such underperformance may continue for extended periods of time.

 

ETF and Mutual Fund Risk. Investing in ETFs or mutual funds will provide the Fund with exposure to the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETFs or mutual funds hold. Shares of ETFs typically trade on securities exchanges and may at times trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF or a mutual fund that tracks an index may not replicate exactly the performance of its underlying index for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF or mutual fund, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market, or discrepancies between the ETF or mutual fund and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. It may be more expensive for the Fund to invest in an ETF or mutual fund than to own the portfolio securities of these investment vehicles directly. Investing in ETFs and mutual funds, which are investment companies, involves duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The Fund will pay brokerage commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of shares of ETFs. In addition, the Fund may invest in underlying funds which invest a larger portion of their assets in one or more sectors than many other mutual funds, and thus will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those sectors.

 

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Management and Strategy Risk. The value of your investment depends on the judgment of the Advisor about the quality, relative yield, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry, sector or region, which may prove to be incorrect. Investment strategies employed by the Advisor in selecting investments for a Fund may not result in an increase in the value of your investment or in overall performance equal to other investments.

 

Value-Oriented Investment Strategies Risk. Value stocks are those that are believed to be undervalued in comparison to their peers due to adverse business developments or other factors. Value investing carries the risk that the market will not recognize a security’s inherent value for a long time or at all, or that a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced or overvalued. In addition, during some periods (which may be extensive) value stocks generally may be out of favor in the markets. Therefore, each Fund is most suitable for long-term investors who are willing to hold their shares for extended periods of time through market fluctuations and the accompanying changes in share prices.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for common or preferred stock. The values of convertible securities may be affected by changes in interest rates, the creditworthiness of their issuer, and the ability of the issuer to repay principal and to make interest payments. A convertible security tends to perform more like a stock when the underlying stock price is high and more like a debt security when the underlying stock price is low. A convertible security is not as sensitive to interest rate changes as a similar non-convertible debt security and generally has less potential for gain or loss than the underlying stock.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stock represents an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stocks, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the company. Preferred stocks may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. The market value of preferred stock is subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities and is sensitive to changes in the issuer’s creditworthiness, the ability of the issuer to make payments on the preferred stock and changes in interest rates, typically declining in value if interest rates rise. In addition, a company’s preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. Therefore, the value of preferred stock will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects.

 

Cybersecurity Risk. Cybersecurity incidents may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, or cause the Fund, the Advisor, and/or other service providers (including custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality. A cybersecurity incident may disrupt the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value, and prevent shareholders from redeeming their shares. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of those securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

 

Additional Investment Techniques

In addition to the Principal Investment Strategies, the Funds’ Advisor may use other investments including options, futures, and securities lending to achieve the Funds’ investment objective. The additional investments and techniques that the Funds may use are more fully described in the Funds’ Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

 

Portfolio Holdings Information

A description of the Funds’ policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities is available in the Funds’ SAI. Currently, disclosure of the Funds’ holdings is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter, in the Funds’ Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Fund shareholders and in its monthly holdings report on Form N-PORT.

 

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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS

 

 

Investment Advisor

Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, L.P. (“Vaughan Nelson” or “Advisor”), located at 600 Travis Street, Suite 3800, Houston, Texas, 77002, acts as the investment advisor to the Funds pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) with the Trust. Vaughan Nelson, founded in 1970, is a limited partnership organized under the laws of Delaware, and is an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, LLC. The Advisor is an investment advisor registered with the SEC. The Advisor has approximately $13.2 billion in assets under management as of October 31, 2022.

 

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the following table illustrates the annual contractual advisory fee paid to the Advisor for the services and facilities it provides to the Funds, payable on a monthly basis.

 

Fund Contractual Advisory Fees As a
Percentage of Average Daily Net Assets
Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund 0.95%
Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund 0.85%

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2022, Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, LP, received the following advisory fees from each Fund, after waiving fees pursuant to its expense limitation agreement with the Trust on behalf of each Fund:

 

Fund Advisory Fees Received As a
Percentage of Average Daily Net Assets
Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund 0.00%
Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund 0.32%

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the new Advisory Agreement for each Fund is available in the Funds’ annual report dated October 31, 2022.

 

Portfolio Managers

The Funds are managed by the portfolio managers listed below who are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund. The portfolio managers work as a team in considering securities for selection and implementing portfolio strategies. All investment decisions are made by the portfolio managers as a team, in the absence of a veto from any portfolio manager.

 

The Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund and Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund are team managed by Kevin A. Ross and Marco Priani.

 

Kevin A. Ross, CFA has 16 years of investment experience and serves as Senior Portfolio Manager International Equities of the Advisor. Prior to joining Vaughan Nelson in 2019, Mr. Ross served as Senior Vice President of Advisory Research, Inc. from April 2013 to September 2019. He worked as an International Equity Analyst at Driehaus Capital Management in Chicago from August 2008 to April 2013. He also worked as a Senior Research Associate at Raymond James from July 2006 to July 2008 with a focus on the real estate industry. Mr. Ross holds a B.S.B.A. in finance and international business from Washington University, St. Louis and an M.B.A. with a concentration in finance, international business, and economics from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.

 

Marco P. Priani, CFA, CPA, FRM has 22 years of investment experience and serves as Senior Portfolio Manager International Equities of the Advisor. Prior to joining Vaughan Nelson in 2019, Mr. Priani served as Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of Advisory Research, Inc. from June 2006 to September 2019. Mr. Priani holds a JD from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, an MA in law and finance from the Universidad del CEMA, an MBA in analytic finance and accounting from the University of Chicago, and an LLM from the Northwestern University School of Law. Mr. Priani is a certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM), and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder. Mr. Priani has passed the Uniform CPA Examination. He is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Italian, German, French and Portuguese.

 

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The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager and each portfolio manager’s ownership of securities of the Funds.

 

Other Service Providers

 

Natixis Distribution, LLC (“Natixis”) is the principal underwriter for the Funds and acts as the Funds’ distributor in connection with the offering of Fund shares. Natixis may enter into agreements with banks, broker-dealers, or other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase or redeem shares. Natixis is an affiliate of the Advisor, but it is not affiliated with the Trust or any other service provider for the Funds.

 

Fund Expenses

 

Each Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses (all of which will be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund’s shareholders), including among others, legal fees and expenses of counsel to the Fund and the Fund’s independent trustees; insurance (including trustees’ and officers’ errors and omissions insurance); auditing and accounting expenses; taxes and governmental fees; listing fees; fees and expenses of the Fund’s custodians, administrators, transfer agents, registrars and other service providers; expenses for portfolio pricing services by a pricing agent, if any; expenses in connection with the issuance and offering of shares; brokerage commissions and other costs of acquiring or disposing of any portfolio holding of the Fund and any litigation expenses.

 

The Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of each Fund to ensure that the total annual fund operating expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with Form N-1A), professional fees related to services for the collection of foreign tax reclaims, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed the following. This agreement is in effect until February 28, 2024, and it may be terminated before that date only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees.

 

Fund

As a Percentage of

Average Daily Net Assets

Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund – Investor Class 1.35%
Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund – Institutional Class 1.10%
Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund – Investor Class 1.24%
Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund – Institutional Class 0.99%

 

Any reduction in advisory fees or payment of a Fund’s expenses made by the Advisor in a fiscal year may be reimbursed by the Fund for a period ending three full fiscal years after the date of reduction or payment if the Advisor so requests. This reimbursement may be requested from a Fund if the reimbursement will not cause the Fund’s annual expense ratio to exceed the lesser of (a) the expense limitation in effect at the time such fees were waived or payments made, or (b) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the reimbursement. However, the reimbursement amount may not exceed the total amount of fees waived and/or Fund expenses paid by the Advisor and will not include any amounts previously reimbursed to the Advisor by a Fund. Any such reimbursement is contingent upon the Board’s subsequent review of the reimbursed amounts. A Fund must pay current ordinary operating expenses before the Advisor is entitled to any reimbursement of fees and/or Fund expenses.

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICE PLAN

 

 

Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees

The Trust has adopted a plan on behalf of each Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act (the “12b-1 Plan”) which allows each Fund to pay distribution fees for the sale and distribution of its Investor Class shares and/or shareholder liaison service fees in connection with the provision of personal services to shareholders of Investor Class shares and the maintenance of their shareholder accounts. The 12b-1 Plan provides for the payment of such fees at the annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets attributable to Investor Class shares. Since these fees are paid out of each Fund’s assets attributable to the Fund’s Investor Class shares, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and, over time, may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. The net income attributable to Investor Class shares will be reduced by the amount of distribution and shareholder liaison service fees and other expenses of the Fund associated with that class of shares.

 

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To assist investors in comparing classes of shares, the table under the Prospectus heading “Fees and Expenses of the Fund” provides a summary of expenses and an example of the sales charges and expenses of each Fund applicable to each class of shares offered in this Prospectus.

 

Institutional Class shares are not subject to any distribution fees under the 12b-1 Plan.

 

Shareholder Service Fee

Each Fund may pay a fee at an annual rate of up to 0.15% of its average daily net assets attributable to each class of shares to shareholder servicing agents. Shareholder servicing agents provide non-distribution administrative and support services to their customers, which may include establishing and maintaining accounts and records relating to shareholders, processing dividend and distribution payments from the Fund on behalf of shareholders, forwarding communications from the Fund, providing sub-accounting with respect to Fund shares, and other similar services.

 

Additional Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

The Advisor may pay service fees to intermediaries such as banks, broker-dealers, financial advisors or other financial institutions, some of which may be affiliates, for sub-administration, sub-transfer agency and other shareholder services associated with shareholders whose shares are held of record in omnibus accounts, other group accounts or accounts traded through registered securities clearing agents.

 

The Advisor, out of its own resources, and without additional cost to the Funds or their shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or non-cash compensation to broker-dealers or intermediaries that sell shares of the Funds. These additional cash payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. The Advisor may pay cash compensation for inclusion of the Funds on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or in other sales programs or may pay an expense reimbursement in cases where the intermediary provides shareholder services to the Funds’ shareholders. The Advisor may also pay cash compensation in the form of finder’s fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of the shares sold.

 

YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE FUNDS

 

 

Share Price

The offering price of each class of a Fund’s shares is the net asset value per share (“NAV”) of that class. Each Fund’s NAV is calculated as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the normal close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), on each day the NYSE is open for trading. If for example, the NYSE closes at 1:00 p.m. New York time, each Fund’s NAV would still be determined as of 4:00 p.m. New York time. In this example, portfolio securities traded on the NYSE would be valued at their closing prices unless the Trust’s Valuation Committee determines that a “fair value” adjustment is appropriate due to subsequent events. The NAV for each class is determined by dividing the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities, cash and other assets (including accrued interest) allocable to such class, less all liabilities (including accrued expenses) allocable to such class, by the total number of outstanding shares of such class. Each Fund’s NAV may be calculated earlier if permitted by the SEC. The NYSE is closed on weekends and most U.S. national holidays. However, foreign securities listed primarily on non-U.S. markets may trade on weekends or other days on which a Fund does not value its shares, which may significantly affect the Fund’s NAV on days when you are not able to buy or sell Fund shares.

 

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The Funds’ securities generally are valued at market price. Securities are valued at fair value when market quotations are not readily available. The Board has adopted procedures to be followed when a Fund must utilize fair value pricing, including when reliable market quotations are not readily available, when the Funds’ pricing service does not provide a valuation (or provides a valuation that, in the judgment of the Advisor, does not represent the security’s fair value), or when, in the judgment of the Advisor, events have rendered the market value unreliable (see, for example, the discussion of fair value pricing of foreign securities in the paragraph below). Valuing securities at fair value involves reliance on the judgment of the Advisor and the Board (or a committee thereof), and may result in a different price being used in the calculation of a Fund’s NAV from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value determinations are made in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board. There can be no assurance that a Fund will obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it sells the security.

 

In certain circumstances, Funds employ fair value pricing to ensure greater accuracy in determining daily NAVs and to prevent dilution by frequent traders or market timers who seek to exploit temporary market anomalies. Fair value pricing may be applied to foreign securities held by a Fund upon the occurrence of an event after the close of trading on non-U.S. markets but before the close of trading on the NYSE when a Fund’s NAVs are determined. If the event may result in a material adjustment to the price of the Funds’ foreign securities once non-U.S. markets open on the following business day (such as, for example, a significant surge or decline in the U.S. market), the Funds may value such foreign securities at fair value, taking into account the effect of such event, in order to calculate the Funds’ NAVs.

 

Other types of portfolio securities that a Fund may fair value include, but are not limited to: (1) investments that are illiquid or traded infrequently, including “restricted” securities and private placements for which there is no public market; (2) investments for which, in the judgment of the Advisor, the market price is stale; (3) securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring; (4) securities for which trading has been halted or suspended; and (5) fixed income securities for which there is no current market value quotation.

 

Purchase of Shares

Each Fund offers two classes of shares, designated as Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares. Each Class of shares may be subject to annual shareholder service fees. Investor Class shares are subject to annual distribution fees. Institutional Class shares have different minimum investment requirements than Investor Class shares.

 

By offering multiple classes of shares, the Funds permit each investor to choose the class of shares that is most beneficial given the type of investor, the amount to be invested and the length of time the investor expects to hold the shares.

 

Before you invest, you should compare the features of each share class, so that you can choose the class that is right for you. When selecting a share class, you should consider the following:

 

which shares classes are available to you;
how long you expect to own your shares;
how much you intend to invest; and
total costs and expenses associated with a particular share class.

 

Each class of shares generally has the same rights, except for the 12b-1 distribution and service fees, and related expenses associated with each class of shares, and the exclusive voting rights by each class with respect to any distribution plan or service plan for such class of shares.

 

To purchase shares of the Funds, you must invest at least the minimum amount indicated in the following table.

 

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  Investor Class Institutional Class
Minimum Investments

To Open

Your Account

To Add to

Your Account

To Open

Your Account

To Add to

Your Account

Direct Regular Accounts $2,500 $50 $100,000 $50
Direct Retirement Accounts $1,000 $50 $100,000 $50
Automatic Investment Plan $1,000 $50 $5,000 $50
Gift Account For Minors $2,500 $50 $100,000 $50

 

For Investor Class shares, there is no initial or subsequent investment minimum for:

 

Fee Based Programs (such as wrap accounts) where an advisory fee is paid to the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. Please consult your financial representative to determine if your fee based program is subject to additional or different conditions or fees.
Certain Retirement Plans. Please consult your retirement plan administrator to determine if your retirement plan is subject to additional or different conditions or fees.
Clients of a Registered Investment Adviser where the registered investment adviser receives an advisory, management or consulting fee.

 

For Institutional Class shares, there is no initial or subsequent investment minimum for:

 

Fee Based Programs (such as wrap accounts) where an advisory fee is paid to the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. Please consult your financial representative to determine if your fee based program is subject to additional or different conditions or fees.
Certain Retirement Plans. Please consult your retirement plan administrator to determine if your retirement plan is subject to additional or different conditions or fees.
Certain Individual Retirement Accounts if the amounts invested represent rollover distributions from investments by any of the retirement plans invested in the Fund.
Clients of a Registered Investment Adviser where the registered investment adviser receives an advisory, management or consulting fee.
Trustees of the Trust, former trustees of the Trust, and current or retired directors and employees of the Advisor and its affiliates (this also applies to any spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and in-laws of those mentioned).

 

At the discretion of the Advisor, clients of the Advisor and its affiliates may purchase Institutional Class shares of the Funds below the stated minimums. Due to operational limitations at your financial intermediary, certain fee based programs, retirement plans, individual retirement accounts and accounts of registered investment advisers may be subject to a Fund’s investment minimums.

 

Certain Retirement Plans. The Advisor defines “Certain Retirement Plans” as it relates to account minimums as follows: 401(k) plans, 457 plans, 401(a) plans (including profit-sharing and money purchase pension plans), 403(b) and 403(b)(7) plans, defined benefit plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, Taft Hartley multi-employer plans and retiree health benefit plans. The accounts must be plan level omnibus accounts to qualify. Certain Retirement Plans does not include individual retirement plan accounts such as IRAs, SIMPLE, SEP, SARSEP, Roth IRA, etc. Any retirement plan accounts registered in the name of a participant would not qualify.

 

Shares of a Fund may be purchased by check, by wire transfer of funds via a bank or through an approved financial intermediary (i.e., a supermarket, investment advisor, financial planner or consultant, broker, dealer or other investment professional and their agents) authorized by the Funds to receive purchase orders. Financial intermediaries may provide varying arrangements for their clients to purchase and redeem shares, which may include different investment minimums. In addition, from time to time, a financial intermediary may modify or waive the initial and subsequent investment minimums.

 

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You may make an initial investment in an amount greater than the minimum amounts shown in the preceding table and a Fund may, from time to time, reduce or waive the minimum initial investment amounts. The minimum initial investment amount is automatically waived for Funds shares purchased by Trustees of the Trust and current or retired directors, and employees of the Advisor and its affiliates.

 

To the extent allowed by applicable law, each Fund reserves the right to discontinue offering shares at any time or to cease operating entirely.

 

In-Kind Purchases and Redemptions

Each Fund reserves the right to accept payment for shares in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. Each Fund also reserves the right to pay redemptions by an “in-kind” distribution of portfolio securities (instead of cash) from the Fund. In-kind purchases and redemptions are generally taxable events and may result in the recognition of gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. See the SAI for further information about the terms of these purchases and redemptions.

 

Additional Investments

Additional subscriptions in a Fund generally may be made by investing at least the minimum amount shown in the table above. Exceptions may be made at a Fund’s discretion. You may purchase additional shares of a Fund by sending a check together with the investment stub from your most recent account statement to the Fund at the applicable address listed in the table below. Please ensure that you include your account number on the check. If you do not have the investment stub from your account statement, list your name, address and account number on a separate sheet of paper and include it with your check. You may also make additional investments in a Fund by wire transfer of funds or through an approved financial intermediary. The minimum additional investment amount is automatically waived for shares purchased by Trustees of the Trust and current or retired directors and employees of the Advisor and its affiliates. Please follow the procedures described in this Prospectus.

 

Dividend Reinvestment

You may reinvest dividends and capital gains distributions in shares of a Fund. Such shares are acquired at NAV on the applicable payable date of the dividend or capital gain distribution. Unless you instruct otherwise, dividends and distributions on Fund shares are automatically reinvested in shares of the same class of the Fund paying the dividend or distribution. This instruction may be made by writing to the Transfer Agent or by telephone by calling 1-888-660-6610. You may, on the account application form or prior to any declaration, instruct that dividends and/or capital gain distributions be paid in cash or be reinvested in the Funds at the next determined NAV. If you elect to receive dividends and/or capital gain distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the check, or if a check remains outstanding for six months or more, each Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account at the Fund’s current NAV and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.

 

Customer Identification Information

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. When you open an account, you will be asked for your name, date of birth (for a natural person), your residential address or principal place of business, and mailing address, if different, as well as your Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number. Additional information is required for corporations, partnerships and other entities, including the name, residential address, date of birth and Social Security Number of the underlying beneficial owners and authorized control persons of entity owners. Applications without such information will not be considered in good order. Each Fund reserves the right to deny any application if the application is not in good order.

 

This Prospectus should not be considered a solicitation to purchase or as an offer to sell shares of the Funds in any jurisdiction where it would be unlawful to do so under the laws of that jurisdiction. Please note that the value of your account may be transferred to the appropriate state if no activity occurs in the account within the time period specified by state law.

 

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Automatic Investment Plan

If you intend to use the Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”), you may open your account with the initial minimum investment amount. Once an account has been opened, you may make additional investments in the Funds at regular intervals through the AIP. If elected on your account application, funds can be automatically transferred from your checking or savings account on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th or 25th of each month. In order to participate in the AIP, each additional subscription must be at least $50, and your financial institution must be a member of the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) network. The first AIP purchase will be made 15 days after the transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) receives your request in good order. The Transfer Agent will charge a $25 fee for any ACH payment that is rejected by your bank. Your AIP will be terminated if two successive mailings we send to you are returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable. You may terminate your participation in the AIP at any time by notifying the Transfer Agent at 1-888-660-6610 at least five days prior to the date of the next AIP transfer. A Fund may modify or terminate the AIP at any time without notice.

 

Timing and Nature of Requests

The purchase price you will pay for a Fund’s shares will be the next NAV calculated after the Transfer Agent or your authorized financial intermediary receives your request in good order. “Good order” means that your purchase request includes: (1) the name of the Fund, (2) the dollar amount of shares to be purchased, (3) your purchase application or investment stub, and (4) a check payable to Vaughan Nelson Funds. All requests received in good order before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on any business day will be processed on that same day. Requests received at or after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be transacted at the next business day’s NAV. All purchases must be made in U.S. dollars and drawn on U.S. financial institutions.

 

Methods of Buying

Through a broker-

dealer or other

financial

intermediary

The Funds are offered through certain approved financial intermediaries (and their agents). The Funds are also offered directly. A purchase order placed with a financial intermediary or its authorized agent is treated as if such order were placed directly with the Funds, and will be deemed to have been received by the Funds when the financial intermediary or its authorized agent receives the order and executed at the next NAV calculated by the Funds. Your financial intermediary will hold your shares in a pooled account in its (or its agent’s) name. A Fund may pay your financial intermediary (or its agent) to maintain your individual ownership information, maintain required records, and provide other shareholder services. A financial intermediary which offers shares may charge its individual clients transaction fees which may be in addition to those described in this Prospectus. If you invest through your financial intermediary, the policies and fees may be different than those described in this Prospectus. For example, the financial intermediary may charge transaction fees or set different minimum investments. Your financial intermediary is responsible for processing your order correctly and promptly, keeping you advised of the status of your account, confirming your transactions and ensuring that you receive copies of the Funds’ Prospectus. Please contact your financial intermediary to determine whether it is an approved financial intermediary of the Funds or for additional information.
By mail A Fund will not accept payment in cash, including cashier’s checks. Also, to prevent check fraud, a Fund will not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks, money orders or starter checks for the purchase of shares. All checks must be made in U.S. Dollars and drawn on U.S. financial institutions.
  To buy shares directly from a Fund by mail, complete an account application and send it together with your check for the amount you wish to invest to the Funds at the address indicated below. To make additional investments once you have opened your account, write your account number on the check and send it to the Funds together with the most recent confirmation statement received from the Transfer Agent. If your check is returned for insufficient funds, your purchase will be canceled and a $25 fee will be assessed against your account by the Transfer Agent.

 

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  Regular Mail:
Vaughan Nelson Funds
P.O. Box 2175
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
Overnight Delivery:
Vaughan Nelson Funds
235 West Galena Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
     
  The Funds do not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents.
By telephone To make additional investments by telephone, you must authorize telephone purchases on your account application. If you have given authorization for telephone transactions and your account has been open for at least 15 days, call the Transfer Agent toll-free at 1-888-660-6610 and you will be allowed to move money in amounts of at least $50 but not greater than $100,000 from your bank account to the Funds’ account upon request. Only bank accounts held at U.S. institutions that are ACH members may be used for telephone transactions. If your order is placed before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on a business day shares will be purchased in your account at the NAV calculated on that day. Orders received at or after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be transacted at the next business day’s NAV. For security reasons, requests by telephone will be recorded.
By wire To open an account by wire, a completed account application form must be received by the Funds before your wire can be accepted. You may mail or send by overnight delivery your account application form to the Transfer Agent. Upon receipt of your completed account application form, an account will be established for you. The account number assigned to you will be required as part of the wiring instruction that should be provided to your bank to send the wire. Your bank must include the name of the relevant Fund, the account number, and your name so that monies can be correctly applied. Your bank should transmit monies by wire to:
  UMB Bank, n.a.
ABA Number 101000695
  For credit to Vaughan Nelson Funds
A/C # 987 232 5192
  For further credit to:
Vaughan Nelson Funds
Your account number(s)
Name(s) of investor(s)
Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number
  Before sending your wire, please contact the Transfer Agent at 1-888-660-6610 to notify it of your intention to wire funds. This will ensure prompt and accurate credit upon receipt of your wire. Your bank may charge a fee for its wiring service.
  Wired funds must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on a business day to be eligible for same day pricing. The Funds and UMB Bank, n.a. are not responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring instructions.

 

28

 

 

Selling (Redeeming) Fund Shares

Through a broker-

dealer or other

financial intermediary

If you purchased your shares through an approved financial intermediary, your redemption order must be placed through the same financial intermediary. The Funds will be deemed to have received a redemption order when a financial intermediary (or its authorized agent) receives the order. The financial intermediary must receive your redemption order prior to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on a business day for the redemption to be processed at the current day’s NAV. Orders received at or after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on a business day or on a day when the Funds do not value its shares will be transacted at the next business day’s NAV. Please keep in mind that your financial intermediary may charge additional fees for its services. In the event your approved financial intermediary is no longer available or in operation, you may place your redemption order directly with the Funds as described below.
By mail You may redeem shares purchased directly from a Fund by mail. Send your written redemption request to Vaughan Nelson Funds at the address indicated below. Your request must be in good order and contain the relevant Fund’s name, the name(s) on the account, your account number and the dollar amount or the number of shares to be redeemed. The redemption request must be signed by all shareholders listed on the account. Additional documents are required for certain types of shareholders, such as corporations, partnerships, executors, trustees, administrators, or guardians (i.e., corporate resolutions dated within 60 days, or trust documents indicating proper authorization).
  Regular Mail:
Vaughan Nelson Funds
P.O. Box 2175
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
Overnight Delivery:
Vaughan Nelson Funds
235 West Galena Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
  A Medallion signature guarantee must be included if any of the following situations apply:
 

●    You wish to redeem more than $100,000 worth of shares;

   When redemption proceeds are sent to any person, address or bank account not on record;

   If a change of address was received by the Transfer Agent within the last 15 days;

   If ownership is changed on your account; or

   When establishing or modifying certain services on your account.

By telephone To redeem shares by telephone, call the Funds at 1-888-660-6610 and specify the amount of money you wish to redeem. You may have a check sent to the address of record, or, if previously established on your account, you may have proceeds sent by wire or electronic funds transfer through the ACH network directly to your bank account. Wire transfers are subject to a $20 fee paid by the shareholder and your bank may charge a fee to receive wired funds. Checks sent via overnight delivery are subject to a $25 charge. You do not incur any charge when proceeds are sent via the ACH network; however, credit may not be available for two to three business days.
  If you are authorized to perform telephone transactions (either through your account application form or by subsequent arrangement in writing with the Funds), you may redeem shares worth up to $100,000, by instructing the Funds by phone at 1-888-660-6610. Unless noted on the initial account application, a Medallion signature guarantee is required of all shareholders in order to qualify for or to change telephone redemption privileges.
  Note: The Funds and all of their service providers will not be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. To confirm that all telephone instructions are genuine, the caller must verify the following:

 

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   The Fund account number;

   The name in which his or her account is registered;

   The Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number under which the account is registered; and

   The address of the account holder, as stated in the account application form.

 

Medallion Signature Guarantee

In addition to the situations described above, each Fund reserves the right to require a Medallion signature guarantee in other instances based on the circumstances relative to the particular situation.

 

Shareholders redeeming more than $100,000 worth of shares by mail should submit written instructions with a Medallion signature guarantee from an eligible institution acceptable to the Transfer Agent, such as a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency or savings association, or from any participant in a Medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three currently recognized Medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, Stock Exchanges Medallion Program and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program. Signature guarantees that are not part of these programs will not be accepted. Participants in Medallion programs are subject to dollar limitations which must be considered when requesting their guarantee. The Transfer Agent may reject any signature guarantee if it believes the transaction would otherwise be improper. A notary public cannot provide a signature guarantee.

 

Systematic Withdrawal Plan

You may request that a predetermined dollar amount be sent to you on a monthly or quarterly basis. Your account must maintain a value of at least $10,000 for you to be eligible to participate in the Systematic Withdrawal Plan (“SWP”). The minimum withdrawal amount is $100. If you elect to receive redemptions through the SWP, the relevant Fund will send a check to your address of record, or will send the payment via electronic funds transfer through the ACH network, directly to your bank account on record. You may request an application for the SWP by calling the Transfer Agent toll-free at 1-888-660-6610. A Fund may modify or terminate the SWP at any time. You may terminate your participation in the SWP by calling the Transfer Agent at least five business days before the next withdrawal.

 

Payment of Redemption Proceeds

You may redeem shares of a Fund at a price equal to the NAV next determined after the Transfer Agent and/or authorized agent receives your redemption request in good order. Generally, your redemption request cannot be processed on days the NYSE is closed. Redemption proceeds for requests received in good order by the Transfer Agent and/or authorized agent before the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) will usually be sent to the address of record or the bank you indicate, or wired using the wire instructions on record, on the following business day. Payment of redemption proceeds may take longer than typically expected, but will be sent within seven calendar days after the Fund receives your redemption request, except as specified below.

 

If you purchase shares using a check and request a redemption before the check has cleared, a Fund may postpone payment of your redemption proceeds up to 15 calendar days while the Fund waits for the check to clear. Furthermore, a Fund may suspend the right to redeem shares or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than seven calendar days: (1) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend or holiday closings) or trading on the NYSE is restricted; (2) for any period during which an emergency exists affecting the sale of the Fund’s securities or making such sale or the fair determination of the value of the Fund’s net assets not reasonably practicable; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Funds’ shareholders.

 

Reinstatement Privilege

A shareholder who has had his or her shares redeemed or repurchased and has not previously exercised the reinstatement privilege may, within 60 days after the date of the redemption or repurchase, reinstate any portion or all of the proceeds of such redemption or repurchase in shares of the Funds in the same Class from which such shares were redeemed or repurchased, at NAV next determined after a reinstatement request (made in writing to and approved by the Fund), together with the proceeds, is received by the Transfer Agent.

 

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Other Redemption Information

IRA and retirement plan redemptions from accounts for which UMB Bank, n.a. is the custodian must be completed on an IRA Distribution Form or other acceptable form approved by UMB Bank, n.a. Shareholders who hold shares of a Fund through an IRA or other retirement plan, must indicate on their redemption requests whether to withhold federal income tax. Such redemption requests will generally be subject to a 10% federal income tax withholding unless a shareholder elects not to have taxes withheld. An IRA owner with a foreign residential address may not elect to forgo the 10% withholding. In addition, if you are a resident of certain states, state income tax also applies to non-Roth IRA distributions when federal withholding applies. Please consult with your tax professional.

 

A Fund generally pays sale (redemption) proceeds in cash. A Fund typically expects to satisfy redemption requests by selling portfolio assets or by using holdings of cash or cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, a Fund may utilize a temporary overdraft facility offered through its custodian, UMB Bank, n.a., in order to assist the Fund in meeting redemption requests. A Fund uses these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions. During conditions that make the payment of cash unwise and/or in order to protect the interests of a Fund’s remaining shareholders, a Fund may pay all or part of a shareholder’s redemption proceeds in portfolio securities with a market value equal to the redemption price (redemption-in-kind) in lieu of cash. A Fund may redeem shares in kind during both normal and stressed market conditions. Generally, in kind redemptions will be effected through a pro rata distribution of a Fund’s portfolio securities. If a Fund redeems your shares in kind, you will bear any market risks associated with investment in these securities, and you will be responsible for the costs (including brokerage charges) of converting the securities to cash.

 

A Fund may redeem all of the shares held in your account if your balance falls below the Fund’s minimum initial investment amount due to your redemption activity. In these circumstances, the relevant Fund will notify you in writing and request that you increase your balance above the minimum initial investment amount within 30 days of the date of the notice. If, within 30 days of a Fund’s written request, you have not increased your account balance, your shares will be automatically redeemed at the current NAV. A Fund will not require that your shares be redeemed if the value of your account drops below the investment minimum due to fluctuations of the Fund’s NAV.

 

Cost Basis Information

Federal tax law requires that regulated investment companies, such as the Funds, report their shareholders’ cost basis, gain/loss, and holding period to the IRS on the shareholders’ Consolidated Form 1099s when “covered” shares of the regulated investment companies are sold. Covered shares are any shares acquired (including pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan) on or after January 1, 2012.

 

Each Fund has chosen “first-in, first-out” (“FIFO”) as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders, which means this is the method the Fund will use to determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing net asset values, and the entire position is not sold at one time. The Funds’ standing tax lot identification method is the method it will use to report the sale of covered shares on your Consolidated Form 1099 if you do not select a specific tax lot identification method. Redemptions are taxable and you may realize a gain or a loss upon the sale of your shares. Certain shareholders may be subject to backup withholding.

 

Subject to certain limitations, you may choose a method other than the Funds’ standing method at the time of your purchase or upon the sale of covered shares. For all shareholders using a method other than the specific tax lot identification method, a Fund first redeems shares you acquired on or before December 30, 2011, and then applies your elected method to shares acquired after that date. Please refer to the appropriate Treasury regulations or consult your tax advisor with regard to your personal circumstances.

 

Tools to Combat Frequent Transactions

The Trust’s Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders. The Trust discourages excessive, short-term trading and other abusive trading practices that may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm a Fund’s performance. The Trust takes steps to reduce the frequency and effect of these activities on the Funds. These steps may include monitoring trading activity and using fair value pricing. In addition, the Trust may take action, which may include using its best efforts to restrict a shareholder from making additional purchases in a Fund, if that shareholder has engaged in four or more “round trips” in the Fund during a 12-month period. Although these efforts (which are described in more detail below) are designed to discourage abusive trading practices, these tools cannot eliminate the possibility that such activity may occur. Further, while the Trust makes efforts to identify and restrict frequent trading, the Trust receives purchase and sale orders through financial intermediaries and cannot always know or detect frequent trading that may be facilitated by the use of intermediaries or the use of group or omnibus accounts by those intermediaries. The Trust seeks to exercise its judgment in implementing these tools to the best of its ability in a manner that the Trust believes is consistent with the interests of Fund shareholders.

 

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Monitoring Trading Practices The Trust may monitor trades in Fund shares in an effort to detect short-term trading activities. If, as a result of this monitoring, the Trust believes that a shareholder of a Fund has engaged in excessive short-term trading, it may, in its discretion, ask the shareholder to stop such activities or refuse to process purchases in the shareholder’s accounts. In making such judgments, the Trust seeks to act in a manner that it believes is consistent with the best interest of Fund shareholders. Due to the complexity and subjectivity involved in identifying abusive trading activity, there can be no assurance that the Trust’s efforts will identify all trades or trading practices that may be considered abusive.

 

General Transaction Policies

Some of the following policies are mentioned above. In general, each Fund reserves the right to:

 

vary or waive any minimum investment requirement;
refuse, change, discontinue, or temporarily suspend account services, including purchase or telephone redemption privileges (if redemption by telephone is not available, you may send your redemption order to the Funds via regular or overnight delivery), for any reason;
reject any purchase request for any reason (generally, a Fund does this if the purchase is disruptive to the efficient management of the Fund due to the timing of the investment or an investor’s history of excessive trading);
delay paying redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days after receiving a request, if an earlier payment could adversely affect a Fund;
reject any purchase or redemption request that does not contain all required documentation; and
subject to applicable law and with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

 

If you elect telephone privileges on the account application or in a letter to a Fund, you may be responsible for any fraudulent telephone orders as long as the Fund and/or its service providers have taken reasonable precautions to verify your identity. In addition, once you place a telephone transaction request, it cannot be canceled or modified.

 

During periods of significant economic or market change, telephone transactions may be difficult to complete. If you are unable to contact a Fund by telephone, you may also mail your request to the Fund at the address listed under “Methods of Buying.”

 

Your broker or other financial intermediary may establish policies that differ from those of the Funds. For example, the organization may charge transaction fees, set higher minimum investments, or impose certain limitations on buying or selling shares in addition to those identified in this Prospectus. Contact your broker or other financial intermediary for details.

 

Please note that the value of your account may be transferred to the appropriate state if no activity occurs in the account within the time period specified by state law.

 

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Exchange Privilege

Shareholders may exchange shares of each Fund for shares of the other Fund. The amount of the exchange must be equal to or greater than the required minimum initial investment of the other Fund unless an account currently exists at the other Fund in which case the minimum is $50. You may realize either a gain or loss on those shares and will be responsible for paying any applicable taxes. If you exchange shares through a broker, the broker may charge you a transaction fee. You may exchange shares by sending a written request to the Funds or by telephone. Be sure that your written request includes the dollar amount or number of shares to be exchanged, the name(s) on the account and the account number(s), and is signed by all shareholders on the account. In order to limit expenses, each Fund reserves the right to limit the total number of exchanges you can make in any year.

 

Prospectus and Shareholder Report Mailings

In order to reduce the amount of mail you receive and to help reduce expenses, we generally send a single copy of any shareholder report and Prospectus to each household. If you do not want the mailing of these documents to be combined with those of other members of your household, please contact your authorized dealer or the Transfer Agent.

 

Additional Information

The Funds enter into contractual arrangements with various parties, including among others the Advisor, who provide services to the Funds. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended (or “third party”) beneficiaries of, those contractual arrangements.

 

The Prospectus and the SAI provide information concerning the Funds that you should consider in determining whether to purchase shares of a Fund. The Funds may make changes to this information from time to time. Neither this Prospectus nor the SAI is intended to give rise to any contract rights or other rights in any shareholder, other than any rights conferred by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

 

The Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund and Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund will make distributions of net investment income, if any, at least annually, typically in December. Each Fund makes distributions of its net capital gains, if any, at least annually. A Fund may make additional payments of dividends or distributions if it deems it desirable at any other time during the year.

 

All dividends and distributions will be reinvested in Fund shares unless you choose one of the following options: (1) to receive net investment income dividends in cash, while reinvesting capital gain distributions in additional Fund shares; or (2) to receive all dividends and distributions in cash. If you wish to change your distribution option, please write to the Transfer Agent before the payment date of the distribution.

 

If you elect to receive distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver your check, or if your distribution check has not been cashed for six months, each Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account at the Fund’s then current NAV and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.

 

FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

 

The following discussion is very general and does not address investors subject to special rules, such as investors who hold Fund shares through an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged account. The SAI contains further information about taxes. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax advisor about your investment in a Fund.

 

You will generally have to pay federal income taxes, as well as any state or local taxes, on distributions received from a Fund, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. If you sell Fund shares, it is generally considered a taxable event. If you exchange shares of a Fund for shares of another fund, the exchange will generally be treated as a sale of the Fund’s shares and any gain on the transaction may be subject to federal income tax.

 

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Distributions of net investment income, other than distributions a Fund reports as “qualified dividend income,” are taxable for federal income tax purposes at ordinary income tax rates. Distributions of net short-term capital gains are also generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates. Distributions from a Fund’s net capital gain (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss) are taxable for federal income tax purposes as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long the shareholder has held Fund shares.

 

Dividends paid by a Fund (but none of a Fund’s capital gain distributions) may qualify in part for the dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Distributions that a Fund reports as “qualified dividend income” may be eligible to be taxed to non-corporate shareholders at the reduced rates applicable to long-term capital gain if derived from the Fund’s qualified dividend income and/or if certain other requirements are satisfied. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid 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.

 

You may want to avoid buying shares of a Fund just before it declares a distribution (on or before the record date), because such a distribution will be taxable to you even though it may effectively be a return of a portion of your investment.

 

Although distributions are generally taxable when received, dividends declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record as of a date in such month and paid during the following January are treated as if received on December 31 of the calendar year when the dividends were declared.

 

Information on the federal income tax status of dividends and distributions is provided annually.

 

Dividends and distributions from a Fund and net gain from redemptions of Fund shares will generally be taken into account in determining a shareholder’s “net investment income” for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts.

 

If you do not provide the Funds with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you will be subject to backup withholding on your redemption proceeds, dividends and other distributions. The backup withholding rate is currently 24%.

 

Dividends and certain other payments made by a Fund to a non-U.S. shareholder are subject to withholding of federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty). Dividends that are reported by a Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” are generally exempt from such withholding. In general, a Fund may report interest-related dividends to the extent of its net income derived from U.S.-source interest and the Fund may report short-term capital gain dividends to the extent its net short-term capital gain for the taxable year exceeds its net long-term capital loss. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax described in this paragraph.

 

Under legislation commonly referred to as “FATCA,” unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to dividends payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the United States and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement.

 

Some of a Fund’s investment income may be subject to foreign income taxes that are withheld at the country of origin. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes, but there can be no assurance that a Fund will qualify for treaty benefits.

 

34

 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

The following tables are intended to help you understand each Fund’s financial performance. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total return figures represent the percentage that an investor in a Fund would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The financial information for the periods shown has been audited by Tait, Weller & Baker LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Funds’ annual report, which is available upon request.

 

Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Institutional Class*

Per share operating performance.

For a capital share outstanding throughout each period.

 

    For the Year Ended October 31,  
    2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net asset value, beginning of period   $ 10.73     $ 8.37     $ 8.75     $ 8.84     $ 10.74  
Income from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment income1     0.16       0.20       0.15       0.17       0.12  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (2.05 )     2.31       (0.27 )     (0.13 )     (1.69 )
Total from investment operations     (1.89 )     2.51       (0.12 )     0.04       (1.57 )
Less Distributions:                                        
From net investment income     (0.16 )     (0.15 )     (0.26 )     (0.13 )     (0.33 )
From net realized gain     -       -       -       -       -  
Total distributions     (0.16 )     (0.15 )     (0.26 )     (0.13 )     (0.33 )
Redemption fee proceeds2     -       -       -       - 3     - 3
Net asset value, end of period   $ 8.68     $ 10.73     $ 8.37     $ 8.75     $ 8.84  
Total return4     (17.86 )%     30.19 %     (1.60 )%     0.48 %     (15.20 )%
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of period (millions)   $ 28.3     $ 32.2     $ 23.5     $ 23.7     $ 26.8  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:                                        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     2.10 %     2.04 %     2.40 %     1.64 %     1.87 %
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     1.10 %     1.35 %     1.35 %     1.35 %     1.35 %
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets:                                        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     0.64 %     1.19 %     0.78 %     1.59 %     0.62 %
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     1.64 %     1.88 %     1.83 %     1.88 %     1.14 %
Portfolio turnover rate     68 %     65 %     62 %     48 %     69 %

 

* Shares were re-designated into Institutional Class shares on October 1, 2019.
1 Based on average shares method.
2 Based on average shares method. Effective October 1, 2019, the Fund no longer imposes a Redemption fee.
3 Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.
4 Total returns would have been lower had expenses not been waived or absorbed by the Advisor. Returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

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Vaughan Nelson Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Investor Class

Per share operating performance.

For a capital share outstanding throughout each period.

 

    For the Year Ended October 31,     For the Period
December 2,
2019*
through

October 31,
 
      2022       2021       2020  
Net asset value, beginning of period   $ 10.73     $ 8.36     $ 8.66  
Income from Investment Operations:                        
Net investment income1     0.14       0.17       0.13  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (2.06 )     2.32       (0.19 )
Total from investment operations     (1.92 )     2.49       (0.06 )
Less Distributions:                        
From net investment income     (0.13 )     (0.12 )     (0.24 )
Total distributions     (0.13 )     (0.12 )     (0.24 )
Net asset value, end of period   $ 8.68     $ 10.73     $ 8.36  
Total return2     (18.10 )%     29.95 %     (0.89 )%3
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                        
Net assets, end of period (millions)   $ - 4   $ - 4   $ - 4
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:                        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     2.35 %     2.29 %     2.69 %5
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     1.35 %     1.60 %     1.60 %5
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets:                        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     0.40 %     0.95 %     0.60 %5
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     1.40 %     1.64 %     1.69 %5
Portfolio turnover rate     68 %     65 %     62 %3

 

* Commencement of Operations.
1 Based on average shares method.
2 Total returns would have been lower had expenses not been waived or absorbed by the Advisor. Returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
3 Not annualized.
4 Amount represents less than $1,000,000.
5 Annualized.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

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Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 

Institutional Class* 

Per share operating performance. 

For a capital share outstanding throughout each period.

 

    For the Year Ended October 31,  
    2022     2021     2020     2019     2018  
Net asset value, beginning of period   $ 17.88     $ 13.03     $ 12.98     $ 12.55     $ 13.72  
Income from Investment Operations:                                        
Net investment income1     0.19       0.17       0.13       0.19       0.15  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (5.98 )     4.81       0.15       0.48       (0.50 )
Total from investment operations     (5.79 )     4.98       0.28       0.67       (0.35 )
Less Distributions:                                        
From net investment income     (0.17 )     (0.13 )     (0.23 )     (0.24 )     (0.82 )
From net realized gain     -       -       -       -       -  
Total distributions     (0.17 )     (0.13 )     (0.23 )     (0.24 )     (0.82 )
Redemption fee proceeds2     -       -       -       - 3     -  
Net increase from payments by affiliates     -       -       -       -       -  
Net asset value, end of period   $ 11.92     $ 17.88     $ 13.03     $ 12.98     $ 12.55  
Total return4     (32.67 )%     38.39 %     2.11 %     5.72 %     (2.96 )%
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                                        
Net assets, end of period (millions)   $ 33.9     $ 40.0     $ 18.0     $ 4.7     $ 4.6  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:                                        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     1.52 %     1.96 %     2.74 %     1.94 %     1.73 %
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     0.99 %     1.15 %     1.15 %     1.15 %     1.15 %
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets:                                        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     0.79 %     0.17 %     (0.50 )%     0.79 %     0.49 %
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     1.32 %     0.98 %     1.09 %     1.58 %     1.07 %
Portfolio turnover rate     92 %     59 %     68 %     54 %     147 %

 

* Class I shares were re-designated into Institutional Class shares on October 1, 2019. Advisor Class shares converted into Institutional Class shares on February 10, 2020
1 Based on average shares method.
2 Based on average shares method. Effective October 1, 2019, the Fund no longer imposes a Redemption fee.
3 Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.
4 Total returns would have been lower had expenses not been waived or absorbed by the Advisor. Returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

37

 

 

Vaughan Nelson International Small Cap Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Investor Class

Per share operating performance.

For a capital share outstanding throughout each period.

 

    For the Year Ended October 31,   For the Period
December 2, 2019*
through
 
    2022     2021     October 31, 2020  
Net asset value, beginning of period   $ 17.85     $ 12.99     $ 13.30  
Income from Investment Operations:                        
Net investment income1     0.15       0.13       0.08  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (5.97 )     4.80       (0.14 )
Total from investment operations     (5.82 )     4.93       (0.06 )
Less Distributions:                        
From net investment income     (0.15 )     (0.07 )     (0.25 )
Total distributions     (0.15 )     (0.07 )     (0.25 )
Net asset value, end of period   $ 11.88     $ 17.85     $ 12.99  
Total return2     (32.88 )%     38.00 %     (0.55 )%3
Ratios and Supplemental Data:                        
Net assets, end of period (millions)   $ - 4   $ - 4   $ - 4
Ratio of expenses to average net assets:                        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     1.77 %     2.21 %     2.93 %5
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     1.24 %     1.40 %     1.40 %5
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets:                        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed     0.54 %     (0.08 )%     (0.87 )%5
After fees waived and expenses absorbed     1.07 %     0.73 %     0.66 %5
Portfolio turnover rate     92 %     59 %     68 %3

 

* Commencement of Operations.
1 Based on average shares method.
2 Total returns would have been lower had expenses not been waived or absorbed by the Advisor. Returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
3 Not annualized.
4 Amount represents less than $1,000,000.
5 Annualized.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

38

 

Investment Advisor 

Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, L.P. 

600 Travis Street, Suite 3800 

Houston, Texas 77002-3071

 

Fund Co-Administrator 

Mutual Fund Administration, LLC 

2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226 

Glendora, California 91740

 

Fund Co-Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant 

UMB Fund Services, Inc. 

235 West Galena Street 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212

 

Custodian 

UMB Bank, n.a. 

928 Grand Boulevard, 5th Floor 

Kansas City, Missouri 64106

 

Distributor 

Natixis Distribution, LLC 

888 Boylston Street, Suite 800 

Boston, Massachusetts 02199-8197

 

Counsel to the Trust 

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP 

600 Anton Boulevard, Suite 1800 

Costa Mesa, California 92626

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Tait, Weller & Baker LLP 

Two Liberty Place 

50 S. 16th Street, Suite 2900 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102-2529

 

39

 

 

Vaughan Nelson Funds

Each a series of Investment Managers Series Trust

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

 

Statement of Additional Information (SAI)

The SAI provides additional details about the investments and techniques of the Funds and certain other additional information. The SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. This means that the SAI is legally considered a part of this Prospectus even though it is not physically within this Prospectus.

 

Shareholder Reports

Additional information about each Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In each Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its most recent fiscal year.

 

The Funds’ SAI is available and annual and semi-annual reports are available free of charge on the Funds’ website, www.im.natixis.com/us/vaughan-nelson-funds. You can also obtain a free copy of the Funds’ SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, request other information, or inquire about a Fund by contacting a broker that sells shares of the Fund or by calling the Funds’ (toll-free) at 1-888-660-6610 or by writing to:

 

Vaughan Nelson Funds

P.O. Box 2175

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201

 

Reports and other information about the Funds are also available:

 

Free of charge on the SEC’s EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov; or
For a duplication fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: [email protected].

 

(Investment Company Act file no. 811- 21719.)

 

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